Book Review: The Poetry Edition

I won't even tell you how many books I have in my to be read pile. Nor will I tell you that I just got more books from the library & purchased 2 others from Barnes & Nobles. We don't have to discuss that. I spent Saturday afternoon diving head first into a few of them. I discovered nayyriah waheed and her poetry via her Tumblr last year. I was instantly a fan of  her work. She writes from a place I know dearly. I followed her after reading only 3 pieces. I was delighted when she followed me back. We interacted once or twice. But, I was just happy to have her words on my dash daily. I was elated when she announced that she was putting out her first book.

Waheed's first book is "salt." I devoured this book in less than two hours. I loved everything about it. I bookmarked and highlighted more than 50% of the book. These are the pieces I knew from her Tumblr. I loved the story her pieces told. She writes of love and loss in a way that my heart understands. I love her tone and the affliction her breaks/pauses give to her work. This is my favorite of the two books. My love for "salt" is epic. I wanted to share a few of my favorite pieces. I placed them below. Enjoy. 

i am always writing.

of you.

for you. 

___________________

stay is a sensitiveword.we wear who stayedand who leftin our skin forever.                     - sojourn__________________

you blush like an ocean in lovewild with blueness.                - yemanja__________________ 

there is peaceful. there is wild. i am both at the same time.                 - sum__________________ 

Her second book is "nejma." From the cover alone, I could tell that the books would be decidedly different. I was write. It took me longer to get through this book. I wasn't as in to it as I was the former. There are some pieces that jumped out at me. They described my situation perfectly. I always find it amazing that there is another writer living somewhere near or far that can tap into my situation and explain what I cannot. I love writers like that. Both of her books are available via Amazon. Last time I checked they were $0.99 for the Kindle. Do yourself a favor and pick them both up. You will not regret it. Below are my favorite pieces from "nejma." Read and get into them. 

grieve. so that you can be free

to feel something else. 

______________________

can you feel my prayers.

there and.

there and.

there.

                 - pilgrimage

______________________

there is prayer in poem.

when i am writing

i am praying.

all the prayers that are too soft.

too young.

too old.

to say.

______________________

i am trying to remember you

and 

let you go

at

the same time.

               - the mourn

_____________________

Movie Review: "Hercules"

I am a Greek Mythology enthusiast. Have been since I was ten years old. This is how I ended up at the movie theater today to catch Dwayne Johnson's (aka The Rock) new movie "Hercules." I did not know what to expect because I had not seen one trailer for this movie. But, I am a fan of The Rock so I was open to it. I am so glad I decided to go catch it. It was a pretty good movie. There was action and wars and even some comedy. The comedy was unexpected but appreciated. The movie was set in Greece and I loved the country side shots in the movie. One of my favorite character s in this movie a woman warrior by the name of Atalanta. She is amazing with a bow and arrow. The movie just opened Friday and the theater was packed today. 

What I really enjoyed about the movie was that they played up the rumors of Hercules birth a lot. He says that he never knew his father. It is also insinuated that he isn't really a demigod (half god/half mortal). There is talk of the "gods," and Hera and the like but it's really just all background for the plot of the movie: war. Hercules is a mercenary and leads an army through a war. I love that the movie was playful in parts where the entire audience collectively laughed out loud. Johnson is a very believable Hercules and he carries the movie. All of the characters are well written and acted. I enjoyed everything about it. I will def purchase this when it comes out on dvd. Go ahead and indulge in a little Greek Mythology  via the "Hercules" movie. 

Movie Review: Let's Talk Movies

For the last month or so, I have been enjoying the movies again. In part because of a site called GoFoBo, which basically sends me free passes to advance screenings. I've seen a lot of really good movies via this site. You guys should check it out. So, let me tell you about these four movies that I really enjoyed. First up, is the Kevin Hart/Michael Ealy remake of "About Last Night." It doesn't premiere until Valentine's Day. I t also stars Regina Hall (who I love) and Joy Bryant. Of course, it is hilarious. I mean, Kevin and Regina make this a no brainer. The two of them are ridiculously and effortlessly funny. The storyline is cute and interesting. I liked the take on relationships from both genders. It is always refreshing to hear a man's point of view. I really enjoyed this movie. I cannot wait to see it again. 

I finally made my way to the theater late last month to see the new Mandela movie. I've been excited about seeing Idris Elba's new film "Mandela A Long Walk To Freedom" since this summer. I knew some things about Nelson Mandela before watching it. I learned a lot more from it. Idris was phenomenal in this role. I forgot that he was the man I've lusted after since season one of "The Wire" and got lost in the character he was portraying. Naomie Harris was incredible as Winnie Mandela as well. I loved everything about this movie. I was upset that neither lead actor was nominated for an Oscar. I think that is a grave injustice for the work they did. Great story that needed to be told. Also, not for nothing, I watched the other Mandela movie "Winnie" that starred Terrence Howard and Jennifer Hudson in the title roles. Compared to Elba and Harris, Howard and Hudson failed miserably. Their movie just wasn't as good. It wasn't as well acted, filmed well or anything. "Mandela A Long Walk TO Freedom" is an amazing body of work that I recommend to everyone. 

"12 Years a Slave" was the movie I had to mentally prepare myself to watch. I am not one to subject myself to certain things. I don't like to watch slavery movies because it wasn't that long ago that people who looked like me and who were related to me were slaves. It messes with me on a level that I cannot fully explain. But, I powered on. "12 Years A S;ave" is the amazing story of Solomon Northup, a freed man who was tricked and sold into slavery. This movie is so deep and good. Chiwetel Ejiofor portrays Solomon. He is extraordinary in this film. The scene stealer is the newbie Lupita N'yogo. She is everything. Her face evokes so much emotion every single time she graces the screen. This movie, while hard to watch, was necessary. It is an in-depth look into a practice that I knew nothing of. I cannot wait to get it on dvd. Must see movie!

And, last but definitely not least, is the Ice Cube/Kevin Hart cop comedy "Ride Along." I just saw it yesterday and I laughed the entire movie. It also stars Laurence Fishburne, Tika Sumpter, John Leguizamo, and Gary Owens. This movie follows the classic buddy cop formula: good cop, silly cop, comedy ensues. Hart is slowly becoming one of my favorite comedic actors. Dude is insanely funny. Ice Cube can play just about any role and do it well. This movie was better than I thought it would be. I already read that a second part has been greenlit by the studios. There is a lot of comedy and hijinks in this film. And, also a lot of action as well. Another winner in my book. Good movies always make me happy. You guys should check all of them out if you haven't already. Get into them.

Movie Review: "Captain Phillips"

When it comes to movies, one can never go wrong with Tom Hanks. I have never seen a Tom Hanks movie that I didn't enjoy. He is the most amazing actor. He tackles each role and always kills it. He is the quintessential actor of our time. I am a member of Gofobo, which is a website/program that sends me free pass to advance movie screenings for free!! If you are not a member, you should definitely get into them. I mean, what's better than free right? So, when I received an email from Gofobo, I was excited to see that it was for Hanks' new movie "Captain Phillips." This movie is based on a real account of Somali pirates hijacking a ship. I do not know what I was expecting but this film blew me away. Hanks was exceptional as was Barkhad Abdi who played Muse, the head Somalian pirate. 

Before watching the movies, I researched the issue a little. So, I had a basic concept of what it was going to be about. The movie was really good.  I loved the interaction between Hanks and the Somalian pirates. I was enthralled with the film. The acting and the way it was shot was incredible. I particularly amazed with the scenes in the lifeboat. There was some top tier acting going on here. IT was a great movie. I truly enjoyed it. I actually saw it twice. Both times for free :) IF you are a Tom Hanks fan, you will love this movie as well. If you are interested in the story, you will enjoy it. I know that I did. Get into it: "Captain Phillips."

#31WriteNow: A Movie Review

The conversation of Blackness has been a hot button issue lately. Race has been a topic of discussion. Lee Daniels tackles race from a different viewpoint. I went into this film with a totally open mindset. This is completely different from the way I approached "The Help." I was dead set against that film for so many reasons. I did not watch it in the theaters. I did not watch "The Help" until after I was challenged to read the book. Which I did and I liked it. I was surprised. I couldn't wait to watch the movie. I enjoyed it. For that reason alone, I knew I had to keep my mind and eyes open when watching this film. "The Butler" stars Forrest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Cuba Gooding Jr., YaYa Alafia, and Lenny Kravitz in prominent roles. The movie is told through the eyes of a man, Cecil Gaines, born a slave who lived his life as a servant. This film examines the historic role of one man's extraordinary life in the White House.

Oprah plays Cecil's wife Gloria Gaines. She is a stay at home Mom of two boys. Throughout the film, the audience watches her go through so much almost silently. I loved her character because she felt so real. Oprah was really good in this film. Other standouts were Lenny Kravitz who also plays a butler in the White House. Every person int . David Banner and Mariah Carey played Cecil's parents in the opening scene. I have a few issues with Mariah's character. One being that she had no lines and served no purpose. Whitaker was simply amazing in his role. As was Oyelowo who played Louis, Cecil's oldest son. The core of the movie is a struggle between father and son. Both men have different views as to how to deal with the oppression of Black people in the 60's. Their struggle makes for a strained relationship for most of the movie. To me, the most pivotal scene is the one where the Father finally sees the son's point of view. 

I loved the inclusion of the Black Panthers in this film. They played a huge role in history. The scope of this film includes a unique look at former presidents. I loved the look into the JFK era and the Reagan era. The actor who plays Reagan is amazing. The storyline was  so intriguing. I laughed, smiled, and cried during the viewing. I do not remember the last time a film evoked so many emotions out of me. It was simply a great film. It was the number one film of the weekend. Which I think is awesome. When I went to see it, the theater was packed at 10am on a Saturday morning. The crowd was mostly Black but there were a good amount of White people there as well. At the end, there was an out pour of applause from the audience. Go see it.

#31Write Now: Saturday & the City

Saturday was a lovely day in the city. I played tourist in my own city this weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Made my way to the Riverwalk. I was on a mission. I was going to try out a new restaurant, "Poppy's The Crazy Lobster." It was packed. We decided to sit outside because I wanted to be near the water. There was a live band, The Mojo Combo, playing as we walked in. They were pretty good. The hostess was nice as was our server. The atmosphere was very welcoming. I had high hopes for the food and drinks. After being there for only five minutes, I just knew that I wouldn't be disappointed. I'm happy to say that I was correct. 

Let's get into the food. I had an Arnold Palmer (half tea/half lemonade) to begin. We decided on the Cajun Fried Pickles for appetizers. They were so good. They came with a ranch dipping sauce. The portion was more than enough for two people. Everything on the menu was described in such a way that it all made me hungry. We chose the shrimp and grits and the bayou catfish platter.  We shared everything. We were both stuffed. It was all so delicious. By the time our entrees arrived, the first band left and a new band took their place. Both bands were great. I am biased because I love live music. Our server, Carlin, was so funny. He took great care of us. He even snapped a few pictures as well. I really liked him. The food and atmosphere were so good. I know I will be back. 

Sitting outside was the best decision we made. It was hot but the breeze off of the Mississippi River made it bearable. I love water. Always have. I also love watching the boats as they pass. We were there for almost three hours. We just took the time out to enjoy life and the moment. I know that I am always so caught up in my own life and in my own head that I forget to live. Existing is easy. Living is better. So, Saturday I truly existed in that moment. I wasn't even upset when the skies opened up and poured rain down on us. I took pictures instead. I laughed more. I also ordered a drink. It's called Poppy's Voodoo Juice and it was awesome. It is a bunch of different rums and ice cold pineapple juice. I loved the cup it came in. I can honestly say that I was tipsy halfway through it. I was completely drunk by the end of it. Drunk Kenda is a laughing, smiling, damn good time. So, the Voodoo Juice made the day better. We walked in the rain and didn't care. 

I have to send a huge thanks to the friend who graciously gifted me with Groupon for "Poppy's Crazy Lobster." If not for that, I would have never discovered this dope spot. Good food, great atmosphere, and live music are a wonderful combination. I could not have asked for a more perfect day. I needed it. I deserved it. But, most of all, I enjoyed it. I had the best experience and it all happened here. I took the time to walk Canal Street. I shopped and window shopped in the Riverwalk. I indulged in my favorite pastime, people watching. Which, by the way, is super interesting. People are funny. I was my normal smiling, laughing, conversing with others self. I was happy. And, I could never have predicted that. Suffice it to say, Saturday was a damn good day. I ate good, drank well, laughed even more. I walked in the rain and took pictures. I got a little drunk and didn't care. My city was good to me Saturday and I thank her for it.  

Born Sinner Better Talks A Good Game

New  music is flowing this week. J. Cole drops his sophomore cd "Born Sinner." I am totally here for it. It's a return to mixtape Jermaine. It is better than his debut to me. I can vibe to the entire project which is important to me. There are standout tracks like "Crooked Smile" which features TLC and "Villuminati." It flows like a complete work of art. I have always loved J. Cole's lyricism and he delivers here. It's not a lot of new rappers I rock with. Cole is one of the few (and also Wale who drops next week). I was pleasantly surprised to hear this one. It's really good. It's the project that is getting the most play this week. If you are a fan, this is a great purchase. 

Now, let's get into a few new R&B releases. Kelly Rowland released her "Talk A Good Game" yesterday as well. I can honestly say I wasn't impressed with her singles. None of them. But, the release of "Dirty Laundry" got my attention. That one song piqued my interest. I listened to TAGG with open ears. My conclusion: there is always something missing from Kelly's cd's. There is never really a dope standout track. Most of the songs are forgettable. I do not know what the problem is. Kelly can sing her butt off but her material is always lacking. She never releases a project that I can rock with from beginning to end. I really want Kelly to win but this isn't going to get it. Anyway, there are a few songs that I like. You may as well. 

Finally, we get new music from Chrisette Michele. I LOVE this woman's voice. Love it. Her lead single "A Couple Of Forevers" is my current favorite song. Those lyrics are everything to me. Chrisette's music is something I always look forward too. I love that this project has a lot of tracks. It isn't a short cd at all. I lost track of time listening to this. There is something very jazzy about her voice. I've never seen her in concert but it is on my to do list. "Better" is one of my new favorite cd's. I loved everything about it. Music will always have a special place in my heart and in my life. When nothing else is going my way, music helps me. Hopefully, it helps you as well. Get into the newness. 

Get Into It: "Django Unchained"

I was not in a rush to see "Django Unchained." Although I am a Quentin Taratino fan, slavery movies don't sit right with me. I have never seen "Roots." I have seen "Queen" and "Rosewood." Both movies made me very angry. Ridiculously angry. For that reason alone, I've avoided movies dealing with slavery. It's a touchy sensitive subject for me. I've read so many reviews about "Django Unchained." They range from favorable to "This movie sucks." I've never been the girl who follows anyone else's beat. I am very opinionated and I love that about myself. Fast forward to almost a month after the movie premiered, I watched it. And, I loved it. It was really good.

If you are looking for an actual factual movie about slavery, then this is not the movie for you. It's more of a bounty hunter love story. Django is essentially a superhero. Jamie Foxx was awesome as was Leonardo DiCaprio. Samuel L. Jackson was amazing in his role. The movie was very bloody as is the norm in a QT film. I've seen it twice. I loved it more the second time around. There are more than a few inaccuracies in wardrobe, speech and music choices. Like the truly random Rick Ross song midway through the movie is weird. It makes no sense at all. I mean, rap wasn't even a thought then at all. It just seems so out of place in a movie about slavery. But, I digress. "Django Unchained" is a really good movie. If you haven't seen, I suggest you get into it. Taratino does not disappoint. 

Get Into It: "Think Like A Man"

I was wrong. So wrong. "Think Like A Man" was a hilariously good movie. I was not prepared for that. I can honestly say that I read Steve Harvey's book. It was not informative or groundbreaking in any way. It was a book filled with common sense stuff that any woman who has a brother, father, uncle, or male friends would/should already know. So, my expectations of the movie weren't that high. I really wanted to see the movie for 3 reasons: 1) Michael Ealy because I like him, 2) Kevin Hart because he is hilarious and 3) To see how Terrence J would do in a feature film. I'm glad I went to see it. It was worth the price of admission. I enjoyed every second of it. I also know that I will be buying it once its released on dvd. Yes, I was that impressed with it.

I love the way the basis of the book is integrated into the script. The characters are all lovable. My favorites are Kevin Hart's character Ced, Michael Ealy's character Dominic and Terrence J's character Michael. They are all flawed but essentially good guys. This movie is filled with celebrity cameo's from Lala Anthony, Tika Sumpter, and Morris Chestnut to Ron Artest, Chris Brown and Wendy Williams. The plot isn't as predictable as romantic comedies tend to be. I was engrossed in the film from the opening scene. Kevin Hart has some of the best one liners throughout the entire film. His character is going through a divorce and he has an affinity for strip clubs. Romany Malco's character Zeke was a dog. Simply no other way to describe him. But, he was very smooth. I really enjoyed him as well. Michael Ealy's Dominic was the most lovable male character to me. He played a chef who was kind of lost. Terrence was the ultimate Momma's boy. The relationship between him and his mom was beyond ridiculous but very entertaining. Comedian Gary Oldman was in this as well. He was the lone happily married man with kids. He was the voice of reason throughout the film.

The women are great characters as well. I love Taraji P. Henson's character the most. She is very driven, very successful and learns the most. Megan Good's character Mya is a gullible sweetheart as well. Regina Hall plays a serious role as Candice. I loved seeing her in a different light. Gabrielle Union's character was decent as well. Jennifer Lewis was hilarious as she is in everything. You never see Gary's wife in the film and Kevin's wife was mostly a no show until the very end of the movie. The relationships are all believable. I feel like I know these men, dated someone like them. The same thing goes for aspects opf the women in it. That is why I feel like the movie works so well. Steve Harvey pops up randomly on the film via tv spots to dispense advice from his book. It's weird and distracting to me. I loved the fact that Kevin Hart was also the narrator of the movie.

The music is something else that is a plus. A great soundtrack only makes a great movie that much better. The song that plays throughout the whole movie is the "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" by John Legend. This song has been stuck in my head all day. I really dig it. There is also the Jennifer Hudson, Ne-yo, Rick Ross "Think Like A Man" track that has been getting a lot of play. Kelly Rowland (who also has a cameo in the film as well), Luther Vandross, Earth, Wind and Fire, RaVaughn and Keri Hilson all contribute to the soundtrack. I am sure I will be looking into getting this for my collection as well. I love the mix of old school tracks with new ones made specifically for the film. RaVaughn's "Same Ol BS" is also a track to listen out for. Brandon Hines' "Fire" is my song!! The soundtrack is a wonderful display of R&B at its best.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with this cast and this movie. I will recommend it to everyone. IT is just a great funny film. I loved it. I want to see it again. Laughter is always a great thing. I think that Terrence J will go on to do more movies. His acting has improved greatly since his role on "The Game." I also think that Kevin Hart's star will continue to rise. Taraji and Michael are bonafide stars and I loved that they were paired up in this film. There was great chemistry there. The film has already grossed $12.2 million on its first day!! That is incredible since the movie's budget was only $13 million. I will always support good art. This film falls into that category for me. So, go ahead and get into it "Think Like A Man!"

Review: "Scandal"

Shonda Rhimes has done it again. I'm claiming that her new show "Scandal" will be a hit and a fan favorite. It premiered last night. I am a fan. I was intrigued by the premise of the show because it's centered around a powerful Black woman. Her name is Olivia Pope and she is portrayed by Kerry Washington. The show is set in D.C. Pope is a lawyer who runs a "crisis management" firm. In essence, she and her people handle things.

The show also stars Columbus Short who I'm a fan of as well. The premiere was fast moving and interesting. I think it kept my attention because of the law and politics angle. Those are two arenas that I happen to love. In the midst of me loving the show, Rhimes does the one thing that I dislike about her shows. She takes a great strong, powerful woman and makes her incredibly weak behind a man. In this case, the man is the President of the U.S. I'm sure there is so much more to that story. I have to watch to see what develops there. The cast surrounding her are interesting but we didn't get to deep into them this episode. That is part of the appeal to get me to watch again.

You can catch "Scandal" on Thursdays at 9pm on ABC. It follows another Shonda Rhimes show that I love "Greys Anatomy." That's an awesome time slot for a new show. Rhimes is great at creating these characters that you instantly love. She got it right again with this show. Olivia Pope seems like she will be a wonderful character to get to know. It was everything I wanted it to be. A greatly written, wonderfully acted show. It has two lead Black actors which is very rare on network tv. I will continue to support. Hope others do as well. I have a feeling that this is a show that will be a ratings king. Get into it.

It's My Hair: A Cantu Hair Products Review

Being a newbie to the natural hair journey, I have been cautious about the products I use. I've been hearing a lot of great things about a company called Cantu. I've read numerous blogs about their products. A friend of mine tweeted earlier this week about Walgreens having a buy one get one on Cantu products. This was just the push I needed to try something new. Retailing for $5.79 per item, the price was right as well. I settled on the shampoo, conditioner, leave in repair cream and oil sheen. There are two other items that weren't in stock that I will be going back to get as well. They are the flat iron spray and grow strong cream.

Moisturizing Cream Shampoo

First off, let's talk about the smell. Oh Em Gee!! It smells so good. Good enough to eat. I love when a product smells good. That same smell was still present once I was done with my hair. The shampoo was great. I didn't have to use a lot to get a good lather. I washed my hair twice. I them coated my hair handsomely with the moisturizing conditioner. I loved how thick it was and how slippery it felt. I put a cap on my head and let the conditioner sit for 20 minutes. This was longer than is recommended but I was on the phone.

Moisturizing Rinse Out Conditioner

The best part of this experience has to be the Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream. This cream smells awesome as well. I knew from reading other reviews that less is more with this product. I applied it from root to tip. It felt so good on my hair. I combed my hair out with a wide tooth comb. After blow drying and flat ironing my hair, I sprayed my hair with the Oil Sheen. I was finally done. I loved the way my hair felt and smelled. I think I've found my go to products. For the price (especially with this sale) I am definitely winning in this aspect.

Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream

Cantu has a new fan in me. The products are great. The price is affordable. It's easily accessible since its available at Walgreen's, CVS and online. Cantu is a great product for any new and existing naturalistas out there. I, for one, am so glad I took a chance and tried something new. Going natural has scared since before I started. This makes things easier. Products that make my hair easier to manage. I am about 18 weeks post relaxer. I'm still just doing my hair myself for now. I am a believer in Cantu. Two days later, I'm still a happy customer