MZ.T*'S WORLD

IRONY

2009-05-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

=me....LOCATION = bus stop.

ACTION = thinking about what to have for dinner.

enter HIM.....homeless.....LOCATION = same bus stop.

ACTION = digging through the trashcan to locate something for dinner......

this homeless man i've seen many times on many occassions at this very bus stop.......

mostly sitting on the bench minding his own business....whatever that is......

staring off into his space.....never obtrusive.....mainly smelly.....and hungry.....

oftimes.....he's bent over the same trash can......FURIOUSLY digging for his food for the day.

TODAY- no different from any other when i've seen him here.....

but TODAY.....i pay attention......as does the man next to me.......

we stare as he digs furiously through the trash can to find

SOMETHING.....ANYTHING.....to eat...

which is ironic to me considering i was just mulling over the different possibilities

that lay in my refrigerator........

the look of DISGUST on people's faces....the people STANDING and SITTING around

at the same bus stop as I......and the HOMELESS guy.

THEY look at him w/DISGUST.....and i wonder WHY?

and i look at the man sitting next to me on the bench who is also transfixed on MR. HOMELESS

WONDERING if he shares the same thoughts.....

WHY do we turn away in disgust at homeless people?

BECAUSE they're HUNGRY......they're AGGRESSIVE....they're SMELLY.......

THEY'RE a REMINDER (in the this day and time of our economy) of what we could BECOME.

*maybe NOT to the extreme of digging through the trash can for our dinner*

BUT......in these times.......coupled with our "money mis-management"......

how many of US are so close to that? a PAYCHECK away? a LAYOFF away?

this economy has made us rethink and reprioritize!!!!

more IRONY as a mother of two walks up to the same bus stop

with her two small boys in tow......she looks down the street for the bus.......NOT COMING.

out of her purse..she pulls a bag of LAY'S POTATO CHIPS....PLAIN..... *i can tell

she hands the bag of chips to her two boys who FURIOUSLY dig to get their chips w/each bite.

the smiles on their faces as they taste the saltiness & crunch from the chip-

THIER DINNERTIME TREAT

the smile on HIS face (homeless man) as he strikes PAYDIRT

w/a half eaten bag of CHEESE PUFFS.....

the smile on HIS face as he tastes the cheddar & cruchiness from the puff-

HIS DINNERTIME/DESSERT TREAT

and the irony of the ping pong match of emotions as i swing my head back N' forth

between commuters smiling in glee at the two boys eating chips AND

the disgust in thier eyes at the HOMELESS MAN eating his cheese puffs.

IRONY......IN THE STATE OF THIS WORLD.

POST A PIC

2009-01-02T09:49:00.001-08:00

the idea for this blog was borrowed from (busygirl/tumbler) and goes like this.....

go to your computer....your "PICTURES" folder......select the "FOURTH" folder.

pick the "FOURTH" picture- post the pic along w/an explanation...

so i went to my fourth folder (BLOG PICS)- selected the FOURTH pic and here it is......

ARTIST: YAW

*below is an excerpt from a review i did on YAW for the site i write for

www.muzicview.com

At first listen to a track by new artist YAW……. you are literally transcended back in time. Never to be one to get caught up into labels and categories (when it comes to music or life in general), it’s hard to not try to compare the voice that you hear booming out of your computer speakers when you listen. But as hard as you try, you can’t really pin him down to a specific category or genre of music……for me personally YAW is a cross between Anthony Hamilton, Lenny Kravitz, Al Green & Bilal….how’s that for a comparison? Of African descent, YAW’s music embraces both cultures (African & American) and is best self described as “an organic occurrence”. A couple of months ago, a mutual acquaintance introduced me to YAW’s music. Upon first listen to a couple of tracks, I felt like I was sitting in a movie theatre watching the intro to a Spike Lee movie….where the lead actor is sitting on that mechanism that glides them in front of the screen….and Terence Blanchard is playing the instrumentals in the background. The track “GOD” (one of my personal favorites) is a vocal tribute to his ancestors and “WHERE WILL I BE” is reminiscent of the opening of a Spike Lee flick. Having opened for such acts as ERIC ROBERSON & LIZ FIELDS…… YAW has also listed JAGUAR WRIGHT, FLOETRY, and KINDRED & AMEL LARRIEUX as some of his favorite performers. Some of his influences range from the hip hop influenced MOB DEEP, DEAD PREZ, MOS DEF, and PHAROAH MONCE to the throwback vocals of BILL WITHERS, MARVIN GAYE and STEVIE WONDER…which would explain the essence of his music…..”soulful…..telling of someone who has lived many lives belying his true age. Currently unsigned, you can download all of YAW’s tracks at www.Rhapsody.com or you can check him out at www.myspace.com/yawsmusic and find out where he’s performing next.

NEW JACK CITY- Random ish

2008-12-29T21:45:00.000-08:00

So I was standing at the bus stop early yesterday morning heading to Big Lots in the midst of my

"post-Xmas sale" craze state of mind!

While standing...waiting...being impatient.... I see this woman walking down the street headed in my direction.

From a distance I can see this woman is a crackhead.... now I know it's not nice to assume things about people based on appearance alone- but let's just say when I looked up in the distance...this is the sight I saw heading my way.....

OKAY! NUFF SAID!

So, as she's approaching me, there's this little voice in my head that says......"she's going to say something to you."

Now this is a safe assumption because when I'm out and about on my daily travels (a.k.a. riding public transportation)- it's come to my attention that there is an invisible sign tatooed on my forehead visible to only crazy folks, crackheads and homeless people.

And that sign says "TALK TO ME.....PLEASE. I'D ENJOY RANDOM BABBLINGS FROM YOU"

It's like that silent "pitch/whistle" that only dogs can hear. Yeah, you get the picture.

So sure enough as if reading my mind- about five feet from me- she yells out in the strangest of voices (ala Cyndi Lauper)- "EXCUSE ME.....MISS LADY! MISS LADY!"

"DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?"

In my meanest of mugs (ala Nino Brown from New Jack City)- I just look at her with disgust and say "yeah" cause I'm thinking she's about to just say some stupid sh**!

Then she stops directly in front of me and says

"OH GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE PRETTY."

......dramatic pause for effect "AND I'M NOT GAY!"

I burst out in laughter- she looked back at me and said

"THIS IS HOLLYWOOD YOU KNOW. YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT."

Then she proceeds to go on about her business.

Ten seconds later, she stops in her tracks....looks back at me...and says

"I REMEMBER WHEN I USED TO BE PRETTY."

Damn! In that moment, queue in the scene from New Jack City where Nino Brown & crew take Thanksgiving turkeys to the Carter projects.......and Pookie takes back a huge drumstick.

He and his crackhead girlfriend fight over the drumstick- and he starts to beat on her.........

Yelling he says

"YOU USED TO BE THE PROM QUEEN...NOW YOU'RE THE PROM FIEND!"

*well I couldn't find that video clip (and you know your girl tried)- but if you've seen the movie...then enjoy this clip! and if you haven't -it's a MUST in your Netflix queue.

THAT WAS MY RANDOM *ISH* FOR THE WEEK!

oh and sidebar for the record.....PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SUCKS!

(not much longer i pray to the car gods)

R.I.P. EARTHA KITT

2008-12-28T07:44:00.000-08:00

Kitt was born Eartha Mae Keith on a cotton plantation in North, South Carolina, a small town in Orangeburg County near Columbia, South Carolina. Her mother was of Cherokee and African-American descent and her father of German and Dutch descent. She claimed she was conceived by rape Kitt was raised by her mother's sister, Anna Mae Riley, an African-American woman whom she believed to be her mother. Kitt claimed that she suffered abuse and neglect at the hands of a family to whom Anna Mae Riley entrusted her — "given away for slavery," as she described it in many interviews. Kitt said that as she was given away, she always wondered who would accept her and was afraid of being rejected. After Riley's death, she was sent to live in New York City with Mamie Kitt, who she learned was her biological mother; .she had no knowledge of her father, except that his surname was Kitt and that he was supposedly a son of the owner of the farm where she had been born.Newspaper obituaries state that her white father was "a poor cotton farmer." Kitt began her career as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company and made her film debut with them in Casbah (1948). A talented singer with a distinctive voice, her hits include "Let's Do It," "Champagne Taste," "C'est si bon," "Just an Old Fashioned Girl," "Monotonous," "Je cherche un homme," "Love for Sale," "I'd Rather Be Burned as a Witch," "Uska Dara," "Mink, Schmink," "Under the Bridges of Paris," and her most recognizable hit, "Santa Baby," which was released in 1953. Kitt's unique style was enhanced as she became fluent in the French language during her years performing in Europe. She had some skill in other languages too, which she demonstrates with finesse in many of the live recordings of her cabaret performances. In 1950, Orson Welles gave her her first starring role, as Helen of Troy in his staging of Dr. Faustus. A few years later, she was cast in the revue New Faces of 1952 introducing "Monotonous" and "Bal, Petit Bal," two songs with which she continues to be identified. In 1954, 20th Century Fox filmed a version of the revue simply titled New Faces. Welles and Kitt allegedly had a torrid affair during her run in Shinbone Alley, which earned her the nickname by Welles as "the most exciting woman in the world." In 1958, Kitt made her feature film debut opposite Sidney Poitier in The Mark of the Hawk. Throughout the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s, Kitt would work on and off in film, television and on nightclub stages. In 1964, Kitt helped open the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California. Also in the 1960s, the television series Batman featured her as Catwoman after Julie Newmar left the role. In 1968, however, Kitt encountered a substantial professional setback after she made anti-war statements during a White House luncheon. It was reported that she made First Lady Lady Bird Johnson cry. The public reaction to Kitt's statements was much more extreme, both for and against her statements. Publicly ostracized in the U.S., she devoted her energies to overseas performances. During that time, cultural references to her grew, including outside the United States, such as the well-known Monty Python sketch "The Cycling Tour," where an amnesiac believes he is first Clodagh Rodgers, then Trotsky and finally Eartha Kitt (while performing to an enthusiastic crowd in Moscow). She returned to New York in a triumphant turn in the Broadway spectacle Timbuktu! (a version of the perennial Kismet set in Africa) in 1978. In the musical, one song gives a 'recipe' for mahoun, a preparation of cannabis, in which her sultry purring rendition of the refrain "constantly stirring with a long wooden spoon" was distinctive. In 1984, she returned to the music charts with a disco song, "Where Is My Man", the first certified Gold record of her career. "Where Is My Man" reached the Top 40 on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at #36; The song also made the Top 10 on the US Billboard dance chart, where it reached #7. The single was followed by the album "I Love Men" on the Record Shack label. Kitt found new audiences in nightclubs across the UK and the US, including a whole new generation of gay male fans, and she responded by frequently giving benefit performances in support of HIV/AIDS organizations. Her 1989 follow-up hit "Cha-Cha Heels" (featuring Bronski Beat), which was originally intended to be recorded by Divine, received a positive response from UK dance clubs and reached #32 in the charts in that country. Eartha Kitt in concert, 2007 In 1992, Kitt had a supporting role as Lady Eloise in the hit film Boomerang starring Eddie Murphy. In the late 1990s, she appeared as the Wicked Witch of the West in the North American national touring company of The Wizard of Oz. In 2000, Kitt again returned to Broadway in the short-lived run of Michael John LaChiusa's The Wild Party opposite Mandy Patinkin and Toni Collette. Beginning in late 2000, she starred as the Fairy Godmother in the US national tour of Cinderella alongside Deborah Gibson and then Jamie-Lynn Sigler. In 2003, she replaced Chita Rivera in Nine. She reprised her role as the Fairy Godmother at a special engagement of Cinderella, which took place at Lincoln Center during the holiday season of 2004. One of her more unusual roles was as Kaa the python in a 1994 BBC Radio adaptation of The Jungle Book. Kitt lent her distinctive voice to the role of Yzma in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove and returned to the role in the straight-to-video sequel Kronk's New Groove and the spin-off TV series The Emperor's New School, for which she won an Emmy Award and two Annie Awards for Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production. She had a voiceover as the voice of Queen Vexus on the animated TV series My Life as a Teenage Robot. In recent years, Kitt's annual appearances in New York made her a fixture on the Manhattan cabaret scene. She would take the stage at venues such as the Ballroom and the Café Carlyle to explore and define her highly stylized image, alternating between signature songs such as Old Fashioned Millionaire, which emphasized a witty, mercenary world-weariness, and less familiar repertoire, much of which she performed with an unexpected ferocity and bite that presented her as a survivor with a seemingly bottomless reservoir of resilience: her version of "Here's to Life," frequently used as a closing number, was a sterling example of the latter. This facet of her later performances was reflected in at least one of her recordings, Thinking Jazz, which preserved a series of performances with a small jazz combo that took place in the early 1990s in Germany and which included both standards ("Smoke Gets in Your Eyes") and numbers ("Something May Go Wrong") that seemed more specifically tailored to her talents; one version of the CD includes as bonus performances a fierce, angry Yesterday and a live rendering of "C'est Si Bon" that good-naturedly satirized her sex-kitten persona. From October to early December, 2006, Kitt co-starred in the Off-Broadway musical Mimi le Duck. She also appeared in the 2007 independent film And Then Came Love opposite Vanessa L. Williams. In 1978, she did the voice-over in a TV commercial for the album Aja by the rock group Steely Dan. After romances with the cosmetics magnate Charles Revson and banking heir John Barry Ryan III, she was married to John William McDonald, an associate of a real-estate investment company, from June 6, 1960, to 1965. They had one child, a daughter, Kitt (b. 1962, married Charles Lawrence Shapiro). Eartha had two grandchildren, Jason and Rachel Shapiro. Kitt lived in the Merryall section of New Milford, Connecticut for many years as well as Pound Ridge, New York, then in 2002 moved to Weston, Connecticut to be near her daughter's family. Kitt wrote three autobiographies – Thursday's Child (1956), Alone with Me (1976), and I'm Still Here: Confessions of a Sex Kitten (1989). Kitt was the spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics' Smoke Signals collection in August 2007. She re-recorded "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" for the occasion, was showcased on the MAC website, and the song was played at all MAC locations carrying the collection for the month. Kitt died after a long battle against colon cancer on Christmas Day, 2008 in Weston, Connecticut at the age of 81.

2008-12-14T22:41:00.000-08:00

I am STRONG because I’ve been weak

I am BEAUTIFUL because I know my flaws

I am a LOVER because I’m a fighter

I am FEARLESS because I’ve been afraid

I am WISE because I’ve been foolish

And I can LAUGH because I’ve known sadness…….

Author unknown

A LETTER TO SELF

2008-11-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

A Letter to Self: from Jessica Care Moore i received this in an email today and wanted to share. (*THANKS SHE'S SO FLY) hopefully it can inspire someone like it inspired me. cause it is the TRUTH. if i ever read the truth. THIS LETTER IS NOT FOR EVERY WOMAN. BUT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, YOU! DEAR JESS After a decade of marriage and a year long relationship with a beautiful friend, I have to write myself this letter as a promise. I hope it's a promise that other women like me will make to themselves. When you have been forced… To spend your life fighting against the often aggressive sexual exploitation of women through institutions, laws, the workforce, your own family, school and just basic can't walk down the street without being harassed your whole life…. When you are a woman of color, and you have survived being stereotyped as every "round the way girl" at a bus stop, every video stripper in every rappers video. If you have decided, despite your family not coming from a line of doctors, lawyers or educators, to take your own life, your story, your fucking destiny into your own hands. I am asking. No, I am daring you to be courageous enough. To be fearless and confident enough…. When you have found a way to build an independent economic empire of your own.. When you told your nine to five to kiss your ass, and told your family to deal with it. The moment after you decide to no longer be a slave. When you decide to not believe that the only thing you have to look forward to in life is making babies, and being a wife. When you find a way to delicately balance babies, be a wife and still find time for a long bath at least one night per week. When you have vowed to raise daughters as warriors. And grown out your perm, or read more books then what would ever be required in school. When you decide to write your OWN relevant story and not wait for validation from a culture outside of your own. From no one! When you survive on paint, and words, education, and activism, and love and poetry and theater, sewing needles, fabric, real films, and dance and music not always played on the radio. When you decide, despite the guns at your head. To outlive your circumstance… And breathe down the throats of those who say you don't matter. When you have done all this. And a MAN or a WOMAN that you LOVE tells you that They feel INADEQUATE. INSECURE. NOT QUITE ENOUGH. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. AROUND YOU. OR YOU MAKE THEM FEEL LESS THAN WHAT THEY ARE. THEY FEEL EMASCULATED. BECAUSE YOU ARE SO TOGETHER, SO STRONG, SO PERFECT TO BRING AROUND THEIR MOMMAS. I AM TELLING YOU TO NEVER SAY "NO YOU'RE NOT BABY." "YOU HAVE LOTS OF POTENTIAL" OR MAKE EXCUSES BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID OF BEING ALONE, OR "WHO'S GONNA WANT TO MARRY ME WITH THREE KIDS" OR DECIDE YOU BETTER TONE DOWN YOUR MOUTH SO HE WON'T BE SCARED OF YOU, WHEN PEOPLE PAY YOU TO TALK! IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BECOME A COLDER SACK CLONE TO FIT IN WITH THE REST OF THE WOMEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WHEN YOU HAVE HAD TO PAY TO GET YOUR LAST NAME BACK AT LEAST ONCE ALREADY WHEN YOU WEREN'T THE ONE CHEATING! NEVER SAY, TO THIS MAGICAL, DREAMY PERSON THAT YOU LOVE: "YOU ARE PERFECT FOR ME, I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE OR THE CAR YOU DRIVE." EVEN IF U DON'T CARE, DON'T TELL THEM THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT YOU TO SAY? WHAT I DARE YOU TO SAY FIERCE BAD ASS BITCH. YOU SAY. YOU KNOW WHAT. YOU ARE INADEQUATE. AND I DON'T DATE POTENTIAL ANYMORE THAT IS SO 85! AND I AM WAAAAY TOO FABULOUS FOR YOU. YOU'RE RIGHT!!! WHAT IN THE HELL WAS I THINKING!!? YOU SAY THAT. AND I PROMISE YOU, LIKE I'M PROMISING MYSELF YOU WILL DO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY THAT DAY. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. AND EVEN IF YOU EVENTUALLY GIVE IN AND DECIDE, LIKE MOST WOMEN TO SETTLE FOR LESS THAN WHAT THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY DESERVE. AT LEAST YOU WILL HAVE THAT ONE DAY WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU WERE BORN WITH EVERYONE YOU NEED TO SURVIVE ON THIS PLANET. AND AS MUCH AS EVERYONE KNOWS HOW MUCH I AM IN LOVE WITH LOVE. THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE, THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE WITH YOUR CREATOR AND YOURSELF. WHEN YOU TRULY DECIDE TO NOT ENTERTAIN MEDIOCRE, INFERIOR BEINGS, WHO WILL ONLY SUCK EVERYTHING CREATIVE OUT OF YOUR BODY. YOU WILL GET RID OF THOSE FIBROIDS FROM STRESS. AND INSTEAD OF CRYING BECAUSE YOU ARE SO POWERFUL AND MAGNIFICENT AND YOU HAVEN'T FOUND A KING WHO CAN HANDLE YOUR LIGHT JUST YET.. YOU WILL WRITE YOUR FIRST SCREENPLAY CHOREOGRAPH A WORK OF ART COMPLETE YOUR STRONGEST PIECE OF PROSE BECOME THE CEO OF YOUR OWN COMPANY GET THAT TENURE U DESERVE TEACH YOUR GIRLS HOW TO LOVE THEMSELVES INSPIRE SOMEONE TO BUY A BOOK COMPOSE A SYMPHONY WRITE A BEST SELLING NOVEL APPLY FOR THAT GRANT RAISE YOUR SONS ALONE BUILD AN INSTITUTION A SAFEHOUSE!! FOR STRONG, INCREDIBLE WOMEN, WHO DON'T HAVE TO PRETEND TO NOT BE WELL READ, ARTICULATE, BRILLIANT, TALENTED, SOULFUL, AND FINE AS HELL. WHEN WE KNOW WE ARE. AND SO DO THEY. YOU WILL BE TOO BUSY TAPING THIS SHIT TO YOUR FRIDGE OR EMAILING IT TO HIS INBOX AND SMILING AND EXPLODING WITH JOY!! ALL MY LOVE, JESSICA CARE MOORE Jessica Care Moore is a poet, activist, actor, book publisher, Apollo legend, and all out dope woman from detroit. under her company Moore Black Press, she has released several books of her own poetry, as well as works from acclaimed poets Saul Williams and Shariff Simmons. she has performed and collaborated with the likes of Nas, Talib Kweli, Anthony David, Mos Def, Sonia Sanchez, etc... and still comes through to all the little spots in detroit and blesses us with the genius. look her up and bask in the awesomeness of the Black Woman!

2008-11-09T19:27:00.000-08:00

Well the last time I posted anything on the site....I was intent on shutting down my page. But now with the recent turn of events within our society...I realize there is so much more I want to say and to share.....so here's the new....new... I awoke this day like normal but in my heart I knew this day was like no other I had ever experienced.Today I would be stepping outside of my door and walking across the street to cast my vote for the 44th President of the United States. But today's vote would count more than any other that I've casted since I've been voting. I walked across the street to my usual polling place expecting to walk straight in and out within 15 minutes flat. But as I said, today was a day like no other- today AMERICA was ready for a change and they came out in MASS FORCES to show how tired they were.I arrived at my polling place at 7 am exactly (and when I say it is LITERALLY right outside of my door- it is) and NEVER have I seen so many people at once waiting to cast their vote. My neighbors and I stood in awe at the number of people in line waiting to vote..... There was a positive vibe in the air...people in awe....people so happy to know that this election has affected so many people in this country that they ALL wanted to come out to let their voices be heard. My entire process lasted no more than an half hour...but all day long...there was just something "different" in the air. NEVER once did I doubt that Obama could win....but this is America and many times you JUST DON'T KNOW how things will turn out especially when it involves the electoral college/vote. But today- this day in history-THE ELECTORAL VOTE WORKED...NEVER have i seen a Presidency decided so fast. I was still doing laundry and walking around cleaning my apartment preparing for a LONG night before the results were final. But something told me around 7 pm or so when Katie Couric continued to call Sen. Obama - PRESIDENT OBAMA....I thought to myself- SELF...this might actually happen!And then the announcement came about an hour later. I was chatting on IM with one of my best friends....and literally all you could read between the two of us was ....OMG....OMG...OMG....OMG...OMG...did this REALLY happen? I mean we expected it to- but FOR REAL? Did AMERICA say they were so tired that they just elected the First Black President of the United States?And believe me when I say that this election was and is so much more than being about race- the AMERICAN people have spoken....... with the downturn of the economy ...folks being laid off left and right...people are just sick and plain TIRED of the way this country is being run in the hole! They are ready for a new day and some change. To know my grandmother was discharged from a hospital bed today and went to cast her vote because she wanted a change....to hear my aunt tell tales of the days when she wasn't allowed to vote because of the color of her skin.....she wasn't good enough to drink out of the same water fountain as a White person.....I know somewhere MLK is smiling down upon us and knows that this is "his dream FINALLY realized" ...a world where black & white can stand together...put aside any differences...As corny as it may have sounded to many...... watching how eloquent Obama was in his speech....with tears streaming down my eyes...... I felt for the FIRST TIME since I've voted that my faith in Democracy is now restored....that I believe the system really does work if you get out there and let people know...that NOW for the first time in my adult life I am willing to put in the work to make this world a better place. President Elect Obama gives me the HOPE that it can change and I know it won't be overnight....but I'm ready to take it on...whatever "that" is. Soooo...now the question is...what are you willing to do to help? WE cannot expect one man to carry the burden of the world's troubles on him....it took 8+ years to f**k this economy up.....change won't happen overnight but it can and it will happen if we ALL roll up our sleeves from this moment forward and committ ourselves to making something happen. BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW NOW...THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN'T DO AND NOTHING WE CAN'T BE!

WE ARE THE ONES (OBAMA)

2008-09-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

WATCH UNTIL THE VERY END- AFTER THE INITIAL PAUSE, THERE'S ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF OF ZOE KRAVITZ! SO POIGNANT AND SO VERY POWERFUL! MOVING..... Dip•finition The We Are The Ones Song by will.i.am people say Obama’s words are just words...but...when was the last time "words" weren’t important...???...when was the last time a great leader didn’t use words to lead...??...when was the last time a person didn’t use words to describe how they felt...?...when was the last time "words" weren’t empowering...?...and we can all recall the last time "words" were used to divide us and install fear...Bush used words to fear us into voting for him the second time around...terror this...terror that...nuclear here...weapons of mass destruction there...and those words effected a lot of people’s choices..."enough is enough"...let’s rebuild...let’s change ourselves...let’s allow positivity to guide us...let's take action....let’s activate our passion...we are Americans....and this is the first time in forever that someone running for president represents "US"...some say this is all excitement...I call it “proud to be an American”...some say this whole Obama movement is "cult like"...well...if it comes across cult like...then...the cult is called America...the Obama movement is connecting America.and it has made "US" realize our importance...the youth is excited and activated...adults are passionate and motivated...the elderly are proud to know the country they built is in safe hands...we are one...for too long politics has been corrupt...separate from the American people...with agendas that go against what the American people "need"...education...health...safety...jobsetc...politicians have spoken a different language...making it so the youth and poor people feel as if voting was only for the wealthy and old people...making "US" feel as if "we" had no voice...making "US" feel powerless...making it feel like if "we" did vote it wouldn’t change anything...but wait...that did happen...some of us voted, and it didn’t change anything...we were in the dark...we had no voice...we were powerless...because America was not a united America...and "they" spoke a different language... and they had an agenda different from our well being... correct me if I’m wrong... or speak up if I’m missing something... we want education, health, safety, and good jobs...right???... oh yeah...and "a healthy planet to live on"...but here we are...in a war... poor education... poor health programs... the dollar is down... the planet, polluted...the rich, richer... and the poor, struggling...with sky high gas prices to top it all off...and now even the rich aren't really rich internationally because our dollar is has fallen so far down...in our slumber... a very small few got really rich...because when you’re sleeping..."it’s hard to change agendas"...we know what happened in 2000 and 2004...but in 2008...it’s different...we are awake...and there is a movement...and "it’s hard to change a movement"...last time "we" didn’t have a movement...America wasn’t united...and now "United and "Standing"...for something...we know the power of "US"...and we have a person who represents the "U.S."..."US"…"we are the ones we’ve been waiting for"...I’m proud to be an American...will.i.am

REGISTER AND VOTE!

2008-09-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

THIS IS WHAT THOSE BEFORE US HAD TO ENDURE TO ENSURE THE RIGHT FOR US TO VOTE! DO NOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED! PLEASE REGISTER AND PLEASE VOTE!

TRAVIS BARKER AND DJ AM CRITICALLY INJURED IN PLANE CRASH

2008-09-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and singer-song artist Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein were in critical condition with extensive burns Saturday after a jet crash the night before that killed four people, authorities said.

DJ AM, left, and Travis Barker pose backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 7.

Two of the four who died late Friday were passengers and two were crew members, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement. The NTSB has sent a Go Team to Columbia, South Carolina, to investigate the crash.

The Learjet 60 crashed on takeoff at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport at 11:53 p.m. Friday. Beth Frits, spokeswoman at the Joseph Still Burn Center, in Augusta, Georgia, said Barker and Goldstein arrived at the hospital early Saturday. She said both men had "extensive burns." The burn center is the largest in the country, and the main one in the Southeast, she said. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the twin-engine, private jet was cleared for takeoff on a flight to Van Nuys, California, and began its takeoff roll a few minutes before midnight. Air traffic controllers "saw sparks coming from the runway -- whether that was from the aircraft or its engines, we don't know," Bergen said Saturday. The jet left the ground but crashed near the end of the runway on a road adjacent to the airport, she said. There were no other aircraft on the runway and no vehicles on the road, Bergen said.

R.KELLY- REALLY?

2008-09-19T15:29:00.001-07:00

TODAY'S BLOG COMES WITH FEW WORDS. R. KELLY (IN MY OPINION) IS A DOUCHE BAG! WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN OPINION ABOUT HIM AND THE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE. LISTEN TO HIS LATEST INTERVIEW AND HIS RESPONSE TO BEING ASKED ABOUT UNDERAGE GIRLS. AS A TEENAGER WHO WAS MOLESTED BY A FAMILY MEMBER, I JUST WISH HE WOULD DISAPPEAR. (but that's my own baggage) HE HAS HIS OWN CROSS TO BEAR.....

READ ON....

Posted September 18, 2008

Singer R. Kelly has spoken out in his first interview since being acquitted of child pornography charges.

In a sit down talk with BET personality Toure' on Tuesday, the Chicago native dismissed allegations that he ever preyed on young girls, stating, "I don't like anyone illegal."

Kelly also said he was relieved when the trial was over, and that his upcoming album would feature less of the sexually charged material that has come to define his multi-platinum career, according to the Associated Press. "I'm really trying to make this album a little bit different." he said. "Take a little bit of the edge off, you know? And you know, clean up a few lyrics if I can, you know?

The 40-year-old performer was acquitted in Chicago in June of multiple child pornography charges. The verdict ended a six-year saga that began when a videotape surfaced of a man looking like Kelly having sex with a girl believed to be as young as 13. Kelly denied he was the man in the videotape, and the girl in the video never testified.

Though the half-hour interview did not specifically address the child pornography charges, Kelly was asked about the perception that he is attracted to young girls. Kelly was rumored to have been married to the late singer Aaliyah when she was 15, but the marriage was quickly annulled.

When asked if he likes teenage girls, Kelly replied, "When you say teenage, how -how old are we talkin' ...19?" "I have some 19-year-old friends," he added. "But I don't like anybody illegal, if that's what we're talking about ...underage."

Kelly said he was worried that he might be convicted. "But at the same time I was very prayerful," he said. "Verdict day ...I couldn't describe it and I wouldn't wish it on ...if I had a worst enemy, which I don't."
When the innocent verdicts were announced, Kelly said he felt relieved that he would be able to see his three children -two daughters and a son- once again. "I couldn't wait to get home to hug them and hold them," he said.

Despite the charges Kelly faced, he still managed to maintain one of the most successful careers of any artist, notching several platinum albums and hits during that period. His album, 12 Play 4th Quarter is scheduled for the fall.

9/11/01- WHERE WERE YOU?

2008-09-11T19:51:00.001-07:00

THIS GOES OUT TO THOSE WHO LOST THIER LIVES SEVEN YEARS AGO ON THAT FATEFUL DAY. R.I.P. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE TOWERS FELL? I was getting dressed for work when my roommate called me into her room. Her voice was shaken....She kept saying "Oh my God! I can't believe this has happened!" I asked what was going on as I positioned myself in front of the television. She told me about a plane crashing into one of the Towers in NYC.....I watched in disbelief as the image reappeared on the screen. I'll never get that image out of my head- the plane crashing into the side of the tower. Although I was paralyzed with disbelief and fear, I had to leave so that I could get to work on time. Driving into work that day, my boyfriend and I listened intently to the local radio station recount the details of that fateful morning. As I arrived to the warehouse that I worked at, I came into the office to find the entire staff posted around the television in the break room fixated on the horror in front of their eyes. We did not work that day- all we could do is watch in shock and horror.....cry...and pray. I can't believe that seven years has passed but this is a day that will never be forgotten...... R.I.P. to those whose lives were lost that day- R.I.P. to all the firefighters, police officers, EMT's and volunteers who gave of themselves selflessly and who lost their lives searching for the remains of lives lost. R.I.P. to those bodies that were never found and for those who have still not found closure

MAMMOGRAMS AND YOU

2008-09-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, I had an appointment at a Beverly Hills Clinic to receive my annual mammogram.

This will be my 2nd mammogram since turning 40 two years ago. I was not as apprehensive this time around because I knew what to expect. As women we have been instructed by our health care providers to have mammograms after turning 40. There is some question as to whether you should receive this test annually or every other year. What is known is if you have a history of breast cancer in your family then early detection is key.

WHAT IS A MAMMOGRAM?

A mammogram is an xray of the breast used to detect any changes within the breast and also used as early detection of breast cancer.

Most recently actress Christina Applegate was diagnosed with breast cancer (the early stages) and made a decision to have a double masectomy. Her own mother is a breast cancer survivor.

On August 3, 2008, People Magazine reported that Applegate had been diagnosed with breast cancer. This was confirmed by her representative, who said in a statement: "Christina Applegate was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer. Benefiting from early detection through a doctor ordered MRI, the cancer is not life threatening...Christina is following the recommended treatment of her doctors and will have a full recovery. No further statement will be issued at this time." On August 19, 2008. It was announced that Applegate is cancer free after a double mastectomy, even though cancer was found in only one breast. She has an inherited genetic fault, a BRCA1[14] mutation, which very often causes breast cancer in those with said fault. Her mother, Nancy Priddy, is a breast cancer survivor. Applegate said when she first was diagnosed "I was just shaking and — and then also immediately, I had to go into ... `take-care-of-business-mode'" which included a change to a more healthy diet. Applegate appeared on a television special entitled Stand Up to Cancer designed to raise funds for breast cancer research. The one hour special was broadcast on CBS, NBC, and ABC television networks on September 5.

Although I have no history of breast cancer within my own family, at the age of seventeen I discovered a lump in my left breast. Thankfully, the tumor turned out to be benign and I made the decision to have it removed in a simple outpatient procedure

I cannot stress the importance of monthly self examinations in order to detect any changes you may feel. "Better safe than sorry" is how I like to think. I am not as diligent as I should be but it still is necessary. If you don't know how to conduct a self exam- it's pretty simple. (see image above)

I will admit it is a little uncomfortable but it does not hurt. The technician is always female which provides a safe level of comfort throughout. Your breasts are placed on a tray which then mashes down on the breast to allow the best view for the xray. You are asked to hold your position which is ironic since you're basically being smashed by the jaws of life (smile) so you really can't move anyway. But in less than five minutes, it's all over and I think to myself "Wow! Is that it? That really didn't hurt!"

So ladies- do your boobies a favor- lay down and touch them on a monthly basis......check for any changes.....call your doctor if you do.......and remember EARLY DETECTION IS KEY! Your boobies will thank you for it.

Luke Lives On

2008-07-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

TODAY'S BLOG IS DEDICATED TO LUKAS DUNPHY...... I DON'T KNOW LUKE BUT HEARD ABOUT HIS STORY AND IT TOUCHED ME IN SUCH A WAY THAT MOVED ME TO DEDICATE TODAY'S BLOG TO HIS MEMORY. ON FRIDAY, JULY 18TH 2008 AROUND 2:30 PM LUKE WAS KILLED IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT. RIDING MOTORCYCLES WAS A HOBBY AND A LOVE OF HIS. PRIOR TO HIS PASSING LUKE HAD LEARNED OF A GIRL IN NEED OF A KIDNEY. ON JULY 15, 2008 LUKE WENT TO THE UCLA MEDICAL CENTER TO BEGIN THE PAPERWORK PROCESS OF BECOMING A DONOR. THREE DAYS LATER HE PASSED. AS TRAGIC AS HIS ENDING IS......IT IS ALSO A BLESSING TO KNOW THAT IN HIS DEATH HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE LIFE! In addition to his kidneys- other organs were also donated. HIS FAMILY HAS CREATED A WEBSITE (www.lukeliveson.com) FOR HIS LOVED ONES TO VISIT. HERE THEY CAN VIEW PICTURES OF LUKE IN ALL PHASES OF HIS LIFE AND IN HIS HAPPIEST MOMENTS. MESSAGES, WELL WISHES, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS CAN ALSO BE POSTED. I DIDN'T KNOW LUKE BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW SOMEONE PERSONALLY TO BE AFFECTED BY THIER LIFE OR THIER STORY. HIS DEATH IS JUST A REMINDER THAT WE MUST EMBRACE LIFE, HAVE FUN EVERYDAY AND MAKE YOUR MOMENTS MATTER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. LAUGH, SMILE, PLAY, BE ADVENTUROUS, TAKE RISKS, HUG SOMEONE, TELL SOMEONE WHAT YOU REALLY FEEL, LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST........... IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS AND/OR PRAYERS TO THE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES OF LUKE- visit www.lukeliveson.com AND LEAVE YOUR FOOTPRINTS. THANK YOU!

UNTITLED

2008-07-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

You see.... I'm in a situation And crazy as it seems And hard as I try I can't walk away I simply can't walk away Call it guilt Call it a matter of convenience Call it and me what you will But I just can't walk away For you see There is someone with whom I share my bed But not my heart Don't get it twisted....he loves me And I love him In my own way Which is not the way he wishes to be But his wishes seem pure fantasy to me A dream that will never play into reality At least not for me How do you lay with one you don't love Knowing that what you'd love is to be anywhere Somewhere....just not here How do you pretend to love Knowing that it is a lie Not the way love should feel Deep and passionate....spiritual and strong Not forced and mechanical where it all seems so wrong ECHOES...ECHOES....echoes of emptiness Inside a hollow heart...tearing apart At the seams of shallowness When will this all end As I wonder how it all began? TOWANNA H. WILLIAMS

FUNNY

2008-06-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

IT'S FUNNY....HOW I DON'T CARE LIKE I USED TO YOUR TIRED WAYS DONT MAKE ME SICK AND TIRED ANYMORE I'VE COME TO REALIZE YOUR TRIFLIN' NATURE IS SO OPPOSITE TO HUMAN NATURE THAT IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME ANYMORE FUNNY....THAT'S WHAT IT IS- FUNNY TO ME THAT IT DOESN'T BOTHER YOU ONE BIT TO NEED ME WHEN YOU WANT AND WANT ME WHEN YOU NEED TOSS MY EMOTIONS ASIDE- LIKE A CASUALTY SO FUNNY TO ME THAT NOW MY LAUGHS REPLACE THOSE TEARS THE FEARS I HAD OF LETTING GO ARE SLOWLY SUBSIDING ON YOU I NO LONGER DEPEND NOW I DEPEND ON MY ABILITY AND THIS NEWFOUND CLARITY WHICH ALLOWS ME TO LOOK INSIDE AND FIND WHAT WAS MISSING ALL ALONG AND THAT WAS ME Towanna H. Williams

DADDY DEAREST

2008-06-16T21:50:00.001-07:00

OPEN LETTER TO MY FATHER

DADDY DEAREST.....

Today they say let's not forget about the fathers....

Well father dear

What about the children you forgot

Myself, Junior, Kim, Tony and now Erica

Born to different mothers but joined by the same seed....

What about all the forgotten birthdays, dance recitals, football games, plays, musicals, broken arms, chicken pox, graduations, hopes, dreams...what about it?

What about when I had to search for you at the age of sixteen because all of the years previous you didn't bother to look for me? Only to find you and realize you were everything I had hoped for or so I thought. You became my hero....my prince...my knight in shining armor. For two years you lived up to my fantasy as long as I played the "game" by your rules. You made up for all lost time. But as soon as I decided to venture out on my own.....as soon as you felt I was "leaving and abandoning you"- how ironic.....you went back to who you really were all along.....you went back to hiding behind your wall of defense- that way no one will ever be able to touch you.

You think you've got it all figured out don't you? If you stay behind that wall....no one can touch you....but now you've locked us all out....what a shame........you're missing out on life....our lives....your granddaughter's life...Jasmine's a beautiful girl....one you'd be proud of....it's heart breaking to know that you won't allow yourself to be a part of her life before she has to leave for Iraq.....it could be the last time you see her.....but you make the choice...

Stay behind the wall.....I've done all the reaching I can...a lifetime's worth....I refuse to allow you to continue to break my heart....so now I've made a choice...and that choice is me....I'm building a wall....and I wonder if you should come out of hiding one day....and find my wall....if you knock will it be loud enough for me to hear....

Though absent in the physical...you are ever present in my mental...daddy dearest...I will forever love you.

FAVORITE SONG OF THE MOMENT?

2008-06-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

TODAYS BLOG WAS INSPIRED BY A FRIEND ON MY SPACE WHO CREATES SOME OF THE MOST FUNNIEST, THOUGHT PROVOKING AND SEXIEST BLOGS AROUND....

I THOUGHT THIS WAS PRETTY COOL SO I WANTED TO KEEP THIS GOING.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SONG OF THE MOMENT?

FEEL FREE TO INCLUDE A COPY/LINK OF THE SONG OR NOT- BUT TELL WHY IT'S YOUR FAVORITE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUT IT'D BE INTERESTING TO HEAR WHY.

MY CURRENT FAVORITE IS "CHASING PAVEMENTS" BY ADELE.

IN THE SONG SHE'S REFERENCING A MAN BUT I LIKEN THE LYRICS TO WHY IT IS I MOVED TO L.A. AND WHY IT IS I CONTINUE TO STAY.......

Should I give up or should I keep chasing pavements

Even if it leads nowhere

Or would it be a waste

Even if I know my place

Should I leave it there

Should i give up or should I keep chasing pavements

Even if it leads nowhere

WOW! How many times in life have we posed this question to ourselves....chasing a man, a woman, a dream, an opportunity.....hmmmmm

2008-06-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

WELL THE LAKERS LOST..... And by the way they played tonight they deserved it.

Now those in my circle know that I'm notorious for being a big sh** talker- when it comes 2 playing around, telling jokes, playing video & board games- notorious!

But at the end of the day- one thing that I am NOT is a hater!

CREDIT GIVEN WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.....

And tonight the Celtics played a really good game.Defense was tight- Garnett hustled- Pierce did his thing- overall they repped Beantown proud in Game 1.

They did their best to contain Kobe as much as they could- sometimes it worked- at times it didn't. The best moment for me was in the 3rd quarter when Kobe was trying to drive the ball down the line and Celtics had him pinned in- he twisted & turned his body out of that only 2 hand the ball off 2 another player right under the basket who sunk it in- right in their face!

That was sweet but didn't last- we needed more moments like that.

I know we're known to be a second half team but we didn't bring it at all.

We were sloppy....all the turnovers and fouls.

Celtics still have home court advantage w/Game 2.

So boys I suggest you use the next 2 days wisely -study your tapes.

Stay out of the night clubs- step away from the groupie coochie- the wifey coochie- all of that!

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS MAN....

This is what you've played hard all season for- this moment right now.

So act like it!

Kobe- show them not why you were NAMED MVP- but why you EARNED MVP.

LET'S DO THIS LAKERS LIKE WE KNOW YOU CAN! DANG IT! LOL

SEX AND THE CITY REVIEW

2008-06-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

So Friday, May 29th, 2008 was the official premiere date of the long awaited Sex and The City movie.

I, along with countless other women and men (not so straight men I might mention) eagerly waited with anticipation for over an hour for the theatre doors to open so that I could once again be reunited with my four favorite gal pals- Miranda, Charlotte, Samantha and the ever fabulous Manolo Blahnik loving, fashionista herself Miss Carrie Bradshaw! (in a sweet Michael Jackson falsetto- hear me say- HEE HEEEEE) insert giggle.... ;-)

Let me tell you honey.....the movie did not disappoint and was well worth the money spent!

Now granted I was broke at the time and the BFF had to spring for my ticket...but hell if I had to shell out the cash for my own ticket - I would not have minded at all.

Did I absolutely L-L-L-ove the movie? No. But I didn't absolutely hate it either.

I really liked it- I enjoyed it.

Overall it had it's moments and as someone who followed the series from season one.....it picked up right where the series ended not skipping a beat. You felt like you knew exactly what had happened with each character since we last saw them and where they were now in their own individual lives. It was funny- it had it's Kleenex moments-there were moments when BFF and I linked arms & looked at one another and said "I could see you doing that for me"- aahhh....the moments.... it was relatable.

And that has always been the appeal of the show to women across the country.

The premise is one we can relate to- a group of friends.....30 somethings living in the city (NYC being the city in this particular story)- all looking for love....we follow their quest for love- the dynamic of their friendship-thier lives- the ups and downs-the heartaches-the makeups and breakups-the sex-the laughter and sorrow-Every woman can relate to at least one character in this series/movie.....or you can find a little bit of each character within yourself.

As much as I've always wanted to be sexy, smart, single freelance writer Carrie (with the fetish for shoes)- I know that I'm really Samantha (the older of the group- the cougar if you will) with a little bit of Miranda thrown in there.... My BFF is definitely Carrie (although her fetish is handbags)- but she's definitely 1/2 Charlotte though she won't admit it. See-relatable.

It was really cool to see how many girls dressed up for the show- emails were sent out months in advance about all the "Sex and the City" parties....dinner, drinks and then the movie so it made sense that many women were going to be all dolled up like one of thier favorite characters in the movie or simply like a smart, sexy single gal living in the big city. I guess I'm just getting too old- my girls and I knew that it was going to be too cold in the theatre to wear a cute little black dress & stilettos and there was no point in getting dressed up as the only men attending the premiere would not be straight and if they were- they were there either for brownie points or "booty points"....LOL But it was entertaining to see all the girls who got dressed for the occassion. Us cougars were cozy in our jeans, tennies and cute tops. Even cuter than all the "BFF'S" standing in line together were all the "BMF's" (best male friends) or the single girls with thier single gay friend......

All in all- it was great to see it with a crowd who loved the show as much as we did. To have everyone loudly applauding the screen as the theme music began to play. I must say if you've never seen one episode of the show and simply want to go see the movie to find out what the hoopla is about- then DON'T.... you'd be more LOST than being deserted on the island. 80)

I'd suggest (if you've got Netflix)- starting from Season 1 and work your way up before hitting the movie theatre. If you can't afford Netflix- it still comes on late night (midnight on KTLA- Channel 5) weeknight in L.A. and 1 am on Sat- same network/channel...... if you're interested.

So for me- TWO THUMBS UP- brush off your pink Carrie tutu- and your matching Manolos or your Steve Madden knock off's...... (pack some snacks)- if you're trying to save some $$$ and grab your BFF and make it a Saturday afternoon you won't forget. Trust me- you'll be glad you did! It'll be BIG! (WINK if u know what I mean)

AIDS: I GAVE IT TO HER

2008-05-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

NO NEED FOR A SOAP BOX....IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. WE'VE ALL HAD UNPROTECTED SEX AND MANY OF US CONTINUE TO DO SO. LOVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TO KNOW. WRAP IT UP! GET TESTED.

A LOVE LIKE THIS

2008-05-18T00:09:00.000-07:00

Never before have I known
A love quite like this
Existing only in the dimensions of my mind
These are the things that dreams are made of
Only in fairytales and in my fantasies
Because in my reality
Love has been many things
Jealous, abusive, controlling, unfaithful and unkind
Many I've loved in different ways
But never have I loved any man
The way that I love you
Yearning to take me places I've never been before
You are my shelter, my support
and my best friend
And have loved me through every condition
Thoughts of you flow endlessly throughout my bloodstream
Trickling through my veins
When I inhale literally I taste you
And I can't imagine living my life without you in it

You are forever in my system

UNTITLED

2008-05-13T06:34:00.001-07:00

LOVE

what is it about this intense emotion

that becomes to difficult to restrain

to hold back

passion bursting at the seams of a lonely soul

yearning for someone's touch

to fill this void within

emptiness-

compelling us to search the faces of others

for a hint, a connection on some level

this intense emotion-love

leading us to believe that somehow

by the touch of a hand, the soft whisper of one's voice

the gaze from one's eyes

somehow we are provided a glimpse of what "could be"

happiness-for just one brief moment in time

that perhaps, just perhaps-this strangers very presence

holds the key

to unlock this pandora's box

unleashing all the pain, mistrust and hurt that stirs inside

and just perhaps-by their very presence

instead fill this box with all the affectionate devotion

we so truly long for

so passionate with the desire to be consumed

by this intense emotion

we are driven to the threshold of unbearable anguish

constantly seeking someone else's approval

as if by their very words, like magic

instantly we become whole!

Towanna H. Williams

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

2008-05-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

THE PRICE OF SUGAR

2008-05-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

I apologize because it's been some time since I've last posted to the site.

My intention was to write as much as I could but lately my health has been sidelining me but I'm back!

Thanks to the homie "My Brutha Brub" from MySpace for putting me up on this film and for always keeping my eyes open and making me aware of other issues in the world.

THE MOVIE:

On the island of the Dominican Republic, tourists flock to pristine beaches unaware that a few miles away thousands of dispossessed Haitians have toiled under armed-guard on plantations harvesting sugarcane, most of which ends up in U.S. kitchens. They work grueling hours and frequently lack decent housing, clean water, electricity, education or healthcare. "The Price of Sugar" follows Father Christopher Hartley, a charismatic Spanish priest, as he organizes some of this hemisphere's poorest people, challenging powerful interests profiting from their work. This film raises key questions about where the products we consume originate and at what human cost they are produced.

I was just watching DARFUR DIARIES this morning.

We're really fortunate to be living in this country- and after watching some of these films/documentaries..it makes me have a new appreciation for all the little things.

So next time you're standing in line at Coffee Bean complaining about the price hike on your favorite latte- think about the countless girls & women being raped in Darfur- or the many Haitians who are basically being slaved out to harvest sugar (that we put in our coffee drinks) in the Dominican Republic.

Just food 4 thought y'all.check the trailer at:http://www.thepriceofsugar.com or http://www.myspace.com/thepriceofsugar

Live Life Fearless -GIVING THANKS

2008-04-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

LIVE YOUR LIFE FEARLESS- Giving Thanks Today's blog is a little different than the usual. Normally I blog about random topics in order to spark some dialogue amongst the masses. But today I want to give thanks.....thanks to the Lord for waking me up today and thanks to my friends for being there for me. Most mornings when I wake up I do thank God for waking me up- but too often we take the simple things for granted. Simple things like waking up in the morning. We take for granted that when we lay down to sleep at night- we'll be waking up tomorrow and that's not always so. So when we thank God for another day- don't just say it.....mean it! Mean it by appreciating all the simple things in life....appreciating those in your life.....and by making each moment in your life matter cause you can't get it back. This awareness came after a frightening experience this past Thursday night. I was at a company sponsored event with some co-workers. Towards the end of the night, I happened to notice that my very flat, comfy shoes were feeling a little snug. (just my right foot) As I looked down I noticed my right foot swollen...I slipped off my shoe to find my entire right foot swollen as if I had eaten a box of salt. I elevated it for the remainder of the night. About an hour and a half later, I began to notice a tingling sensation in my right hand but brushed it off. As we began to leave the event I realized that the tingling was nothing to ignore. I took my jacket off to notice that now my right hand was now swollen. My co-workers looked at me and guessed that I had an allergic reaction to something I may have eaten that night although I have no known food allergies. They suggested I go to the emergency room. At this point I had no reason to worry- I wrote it off as they suggested ( an allergic reaction). About five minutes into the drive to the hospital the tingling sensation began to slowly creep up the entire right side of my body......pins and needles, numbness, everything was cold...... Right then I knew something was not right. I looked over at my co-worker and told her to find the closest hospital instead of the one we were headed to because the sensation was rapidly increasing and I knew that whatever was happening to me was not going to wait for me to get to the hospital of my choice. The sensation was now creeping up my shoulder and rested at the base of my neck......I felt it in the back of my head and the right side of my face. I began to panic - in this moment I felt like I might die because I had no idea what was taking over my body. I began to cry and talk to God. As much as I talk about living life fearless (not being afraid of pursuing your dreams or trying new things)- in this moment I was afraid. Afraid of the unknown.....I began to reflect on anything that I might have done that was not pleasing to God and asking forgiveness for my sins. I began to think of the book that's not written yet.....all of these great ideas (my website, talk show, etc) that I had yet to make happen.........and I cried. We pulled up curbside to the emergency room at the Santa Monica UCLA medical center. The security guard let us know that we were in the wrong section of the hospital but as he took a look at my crying face, he rushed over with a wheel chair for me instructing me to breathe slowly and deeply because I was going into shock. He kept repeating to me "You are in control. You are in control." I began to speak "God is in control". During the admissions process, my body began to shake uncontrollably. My best friend held my hand and continued to tell me that I could control this. Mind over matter. I dug deep to will my body still...it helped. As I was placed in a temporary room- the nurse began to cover my body in a multitude of warm blankets and after ten minutes the entire swelling on the right side of my body subsided. The tingling sensation dissipated- just like that as if it never happened. Shortly thereafter (about 15 mins)- it returned in my hand only. After being given fluids, having blood drawn, an ekg and cat scan given the doctor found nothing unusual other than my blood pressure being extremely high (borderline hypertension stage)- but that could be written off to the shock I was in. He instructed me to follow up with my doctor the next day, suggested getting an MRI done on my brain and follow up with a neurologist. My co-workers (Megan, Marie, Monet & Amy) stayed with me throughout the process and I am grateful because I know we were all tired & had to get up for work in a few hours. I went home with my best friend in tow to keep an eye on me should anything happen. We finally laid down at 4 am only to get right back up at 7. Whatever sensation I had a few hours ago was completely gone. I got in contact with my doctor who was completely booked but he did take the time to talk to me. Off the top of his head- he was completely baffled but suggest I keep a journal of all the foods I've eaten this past week as well as log down any symptoms I had & continue to have. Yesterday the tingling sensation returned in my right hand, forearm and base of my neck. I've been having minor spasms in the back of my neck (tightness in my neck and a little light headeness).....I can't self diagnose but have been writing down all the possibilities to give my doctor the chance to examine every angle. My girlfriend's dad is a doctor and said he believes I may have had a minor stroke, a co-worker suggested shingles....all of the symptoms are similar however I am not claiming anything that DOES NOT belong to this body. So for now I'm going to keep a journal of my symptoms to take with me to my doctors visit. I chose to share this info with you guys for a few reasons. 1- to let you know I appreciate each and every one of you. My family, my friends, ....your comments, your encouragement and support- it all means so much to me. 2- to ask for your prayers for healing over my body. I have faith in God and am a believer that he is a healer. But I also know that prayer is powerful and there is power in numbers. If there are any prayer requests that you may have....leave me a message. Let's pray for one another. 3- some of you may have (or know someone who has) experienced these symptoms...maybe you can shed some light for me as I am no doctor but I want to be armed with as much knowledge as I can when I do see my doctor. Lastly- this eye opening experience just makes me appreciate waking up in the morning. Though they are words that I "say"- these are now words that I "mean". I promise to keep you updated on my situation. I love u all! So remember begin to live your life fearless! Don't stay in fear- don't be afraid of trying or doing something new....whatever that is.....a new dish, traveling......writing that book you've always talked about, going outside of the norm, not being held back- life life full.......

2008-04-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

School 1960 vs. School 2007 Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.1960 Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up mates.2007 Police are called, SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. Mobiles with video of fight confiscated as evidence. They are charged with assault, AVOs are taken out and both are suspended even though Johnny started it. Diversionary conferences and parent meetings conducted. Video shown on 6 internet sites. Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.1960 Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.2007 Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Counselled to death. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra funding because Jeffrey has a disability. Drops out of school. Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.1960 Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.2007 Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. Psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mum has an affair with the psychologist. Psychologist gets a promotion. Scenario: Mark, a college student, brings cigarettes to school1960 Mark shares a smoke with the school principal out on the smoking area.2007 Police are called and Mark is expelled from School for drug possession. His car is searched for drugs and weapons. Scenario: Vinh fails high school English.1960 Vinh goes to Remedial English, passes and goes to college.2007 Vinh's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against state school system and his English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Vinh is given his Y10 anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English. Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers, puts them in a model plane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.1960 Ants die.2007 Security and ASIO are called and Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. Teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again. Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.1960 Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.2007 Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy. Becomes gay.

FRIDAYS FAVES

2008-04-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!

Today I'm introducing a new feature to the blog called "FRIDAYS FAVES".

Each week I'll list my favorite things that I'm "feeling" at the time....be it a new artist, a new recipe that I've tried or just some random thing that I like.

Be sure to check back every week...cause you never know....my FAV could become your favorite! And if you've got a favorite of your own you'd like listed- leave a msg.

FRIDAYS FAVES- (week of April 7th)

*FAV PICK #1- LEONA LEWIS*

This British import is the newest singing sensation co-signed to J Records/SyCo Music.

Lewis was the winner of the reality competition The X Factor (the British version of American Idol).

sidebar: "The X Factor" was actually the original version of "Idol" if you will and brainchild of the realest critic ever- Simon Cowell. After it's success Cowell decided to bring his show to America. I told y'all don't sleep on Simon- he is swag splashing for real!

Clive Davis recently invited Lewis to perform at his annual Pre-Grammy party, where he introduced her to an intimate audience of industry executives as the next musical superstar.

Known for his keen ear, Davis identified Fantasia, Alicia Keys and Carrie Underwood as future superstars when they were fresh-faced newcomers.

Since X Factor, Lewis has earned 4 nominations and critical acclaim for her album SPIRIT which was released in the UK this past November and quickly became the country's fastest selling debut album in history.

Though reminiscent of Mariah Carey in looks and vocal range & style, Lewis is making her own imprint. Her first single, "Bleeding Love" was produced by One Republic frontman Ryan Tedder.

Other noteworthy tracks on the album: "BETTER IN TIME"

*FAV PICK #2- "Down Home with The Neelys"

Everyone who knows me knows that I am just as passionate about cooking as I am about eating great food. Needless to say I spend alot of time watching The Food Network Challenge. :-)

Pat & Gina Neely were first introduced to The Food Network on another show "Road Tested".

"Road Tested" takes the sons of cook Paula Deen all across the country for a taste of some of America's best restaurants.

Pats family owns a few restaurants in the Tennessee area best known for their barbeque.

The difference between Pat's barbeque and his brother's is his "dry rub" style that has people lining up at the door to sample. After being featured on the show, Paula Deen brought The Neelys (Pat & Gina) on to her show and viewers fell in love with the chemistry between the couple. They were brought back as a whole (the entire Neely clan) for a few more episodes.

Shortly thereafter, they were given their own show.

They take recipes handed down from thier mothers & grandmothers and put their own twist on it. Recipes like Mama Jeans potato salad and the collard green artichoke dip they did today will have you salivating like Pookie in New Jack City. ("the greens be calling me man!")

Check them out every weekend on The Food Network (channel 55 for you Time Warner folks) or if you want to print out some of the recipes you can go to http://www.thefoodnetwork.com/

*FAV #3- climbing stairs (exercise)*

This week I've taking my health & exercise regiment to a WHOLE NUVA LEBEL (watch MAD TV)

A few co-workers and I decided to get in shape by repeatedly climbing the 9 flights of stairs in our parking garage .

This is a great workout for the quads, hamstrings and the booty maximus. :-)

Who says you have to spend a lot of money to look good?

For those of you on a budget who can't afford those monthly gym membership fees- try this workout for free. Get yourself a good pair of walking shoes and instead of going to In N' Out for lunch- grab a few co-workers and hit the stairs. Or find a local park in the area.... Find out if your company offers any free incentives. Our agency offers free yoga classes weekly. And on the weekend, I walk over to the local high school to hit the track. My wallet thanks me and so does my booty.

Well you guys- that does it for my few favs this week!

Let me know some of your favorites!

a little kindess can go a long way

2008-04-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

So in the last blog I posted for March, I mentioned that I had recently taken on a part-time job working at trade shows/conventions. Although I work in various capacities, at this last gig I was hired to work as a greeter. In this position I was posted at an entrance and basically I just had to greet attendees, answer general questions & show people where and how to register.

Pretty simple indeed and easy money. Holding the door open for patrons, I greeted each person warmly with a big smile. Most reciprocated the friendly gestures- some completely ignored me by walking past as if they didn't hear me or I wasn't even standing there. Now given the fact that the entrance I was posted at barely had any foot traffic over a period of 3 days, I knew darn well these people heard me say hello and ask if they needed assistance. But taking it personally is what I didn't do... I know some people walk around feeling "entitled" if you will.

But those obvious actions made me reflect on the thousands upon thousands of people who work in service industries. Waiters, waitresses, the guy at the gas station filling your gas tank at the full serve station, the checkout clerk at the grocery store....you get the idea. The people who perform "thankless" jobs without so much as a thank you from customers- knowing that the jobs that they do perform are indeed important.

It's the woman who cleans your bathrooms at work, the bartender who serves your drinks at the club, the waitress who takes your order and serves your food, the grocery clerk who has to carry your groceries out to the car.....jobs I call "thankless" because for most of us- we wouldn't imagine ourselves doing these jobs if we didn't have to....and alot of customers don't thank these people for helping them. Cleaning your toilet is not something I'm sure they don't "want" to do- alot of people take these jobs because they "have" to. And instead of complaining- they deliver service with a smile only to be ignored, not spoken to, disregarded.....

Just imagine if they stopped doing the job that they do....it's happened at my job once when the labor unions went on strike- our trash didn't get picked up for days- our bathrooms were dirty- when our cleaning lady who washed our dishes was fired recently after 11+ years- we had to bust our own dishes....TRUST ME...you realize just how important these people are and what an amazing job they do...cause you wouldn't want to do it for yourself if you didn't have to.

Being an extremely friendly person for me has always come naturally on top of the fact that being kind to people was instilled in me from my family at a young age. So "please & thank you" are words I use quite often- treat 'em like u want 2 be treated. So yes I do know the name of the woman who cleans our nasty ladies room every single day (Victoria), and I do know the name of the woman who has come into our office for the past 11+ years to clean our kitchen, our refrigerator and wash our dishes (Crispina) and the security guard who makes sure that no one is breaking into our office or that my crazy ex-boyfriend isn't in the building stalking me (that's another blog- LOL) her name is Shalon. And I remember their birthdays- (well some of 'em and every year I give them Xmas cards just because it's the LITTLE things that mean the MOST to alot of people)- just to be acknowledged.

I know their names because I care- not because I have to- but because I want to....it's just a part of my DNA and the way I was raised. And it's important 2 me to treat people kindly. When I was a serious party girl on the LA scene about 5 years back- I was a regular at all the Hollywood hot spots. I even threw parties of my own working as a club promoter. Over the span of 3 years, I became really cool with all the door men, the cashiers, the bartenders, the promoters..... the people most patrons think are insignificant.... But because I knew their names and took the time to know about them (again because i WANTED to)- I never waited in line to get into a club- I never paid to get into a club- I ALWAYS had full access behind the VIP black velvet rope no questions asked- the bartender never charged me for drinks (though my girl & I always tipped him)...... because I genuinely showed an interest in them- and just took the time to be nice wanting nothing in return- they showed me major love....which explains the title of the post (a little kindness goes a long way).

Kindness is an important characteristic/quality that I look for in a mate....actually for me it is one of my two all time deal breakers. (being rude & smoking cigarettes will get you no return calls from me ever) I observe how my guy treats others...not just family & friends (people he's familiar with) but people he doesn't know....a random stranger or person serving him.

About 5 years ago, I was dating this guy from Vegas. He was (and still is) an on air DJ personality on one of Vegas' top rated urban contemporary stations. Brother is fine....down to earth..great sense of humor. In the relationship, he was attentive, called when he said he would, wrote letters, sent pictures and cards, treated me special and (here's the clincher) loved his mama & grandma like no other! Well someone so loving could never be so nasty or mean I thought. I thought wrong. On one of my frequent weekend trips to visit him in Vegas- his true colors came shining thru on 2 separate incidents.

The first was at a restaurant he took me to for dinner...a restaurant that he apparently frequented. He let me know in advance upon entering the place that there was a particular waitress that he didn't care too much for.... they had gotten into it in the past behind something minor...but he informed me because she was working that day and she may end up serving us. Well we ended up sitting in someone else's station but had he been rude or slightly off to her- I would've written it off as some past history/beef they had and not thought twice. But we ended up with a different server- and let me tell you how short & mean my guy was to our waiter- for no apparent reason. Just nasty- and I'm thinking- he is serving OUR FOOD. I've worked in the fast food industry as a teen and have spit in many a taco behind a rude customer. Yeah I know... but I was young and I wasnt where I am now spiritually. LOL Remember Miss Celie in Color Purple- "next time I put a lil' Shug Avery piss in his water- see how he like that" ;-)
Later that day- we ride over to the local convention center because he needs to set up for MAGIC (an annual men's apparel convention)- he was dee jaying at one of the booths for the week so he had to set up his equipment. It was pouring down raining that day. I was already taken aback by his behavior at the restaurant but then he took it to a whole new LEBEL (watch MAD TV- you'll get the joke)....in preparation for MAGIC- the Convention Center had certain drop off points that all the designers & folks associated with the convention were to park thier cars and roll in thier goods. Well because he didnt have a cover for his equipment (due to the unexpected weather)- there was no way he was going to pull up hundreds of feet from the entrance in the pouring rain with unprotected electrical equipment. That I understood. So quite naturally, he pulled up curbside and began to quickly unload his equipment instructing me to move the car if necessary. Well immediately this elderly gentleman who had been hired to work as parking security (much like my greeter position at the Mart)- was just doing his job as he approached our car to instruct us to park elsewhere. Now instead of my nutty friend simply explaining that he had electrical equipment that would get damaged if he parked elsewhere- he just went on a rampage on this poor old man- calling him every name in the book- screaming-acting like a wild banshee..... he just continued doing his thing- i hopped in the drivers seat to move the car...but spent most of my time apologizing to this little old man whose nerves were so rattled by my dee jay's rant that he didn't know what to do... i felt like crap for even knowing this dude. Well needless to say....after that I took no more weekend trips to Vegas....he was dismissed just like a cashier stealing from the till.... him had to go! :-) So all that to say..... remember the next time....you see the janitor emptying your trash can....or the little lady cleaning your toilets...stop and say hello. ask her/him how thier day was....cause you never know just how much a LITTLE kindess can go a LONG way! I'M OUT!

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

2008-04-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

okay so one of my girlfriends emailed myself & a few co-workers regarding this story (read scenario below) and asked us if placed in this situation...what would we do? below is her original email as is along with our responses and her comments in order. If you were in this situation...what would you do? Z: I guess a man in Cerritos found a bag of unmarked bills totaling $140,000. He turned it in and they gave him a reward of only $2,000 and an interview on the local news. Now, I think that he went about it wrong. I would have turned the money in but not just to the local police department. I would have called a press conference and announced that I had found this money in the road and for the person to come meet me to claim it. Being that its on TV, the person would have to feel obligated to give me more than a measly $2,000. Then, I would milk the fame! I would be sure that my story made it to the Today Show, Good Day LA, Dateline NBC, and the Tonight Show. By the end of it, I wouldn't have made $140,000 but I would be a household name for maybe a day and that would make up for it. Would you have just kept the money since there would have been no way of tracing it to you!?!?! MEGAN: I'd give it back It's the whole "pay it forward" philosophy. He may have "only" gotten $2000, but for him it could be just what he needed to avoid a foreclosure, but food or clothing for his family, pay off a bill or loan that is bogging him down. And the $140,000 could belong to a charity – or could be a medical payment for a family that, out of the goodness of their hearts gave a goodwill reward to the man, and now have to work to raise the $2000 they gave away. It'll pay out tenfold for him in the long run…I firmly believe that…I HAVE to believe that. I don't think that people will go through life without being rewarded in one way or another for the good things they do. And you might not see the rewards right away. And maybe you aren't looking for the right kind of reward. Wow…didn't mean to preach. I'll leave it by saying that good things come to those who wait. Someday, we'll all see that in one way or another. AJA: How would you be so sure that if you announced it on TV that hundreds of people would come forward claiming that money. How would you know who's it really belongs to? I would have turned it in as well. Even if I didn't get anything back.. I'd be ok with that. Z: Perhaps it all comes down to waiting until you are walking down a dark street and see a bag o' money to see what someone would really do…. ME: I mean- you don't know until you're put in that situation. We were just talking about this. But there's no way you could hold onto it. Even if you did a press conference- the police would step in 1. 2 –like Aja said you'd have no way to know who it belonged to. Maybe eventually but not at first cause so many crazies would come out the wood works to claim it. Who's to say the owner would give you more than the $2000 the police gave. Maybe that was all the money they had or needed for something like Megan said. So the owner may say I wish I could give you more but here's a $100- that's $100 you didn't have. 3- Going on TV to announce you found a bag of money is crazy- because you'd be knocked upside the head before you could leave the conference (LOL) or kidnapped so you could take them to the money. Girl people will do some strange things for money or just the thought of it. I watch "Snapped" all the time- spouses killing each other, kids killing their parents- don't think you'll just be walking around like LODDIE DODDIE and not get jumped- LMAO Lastly I wouldn't be walking down some dark alley. And if I did find the bag- I'd be too damn scared to take it- thinking some drug dealer dropped it- left it- is looking for it. Or it could be a police sting…..in my past- hell yeah- I would've took it- not even took time to think about if it belonged to someone who needed it. I just would've spent it up faster than my nail polish could dry. But now my conscious works differently. I'd put myself in the owner's shoes. You don't know why it was in the bag or what it was needed for. And I'd feel like boo boo to hear on the news that someone lost it that needed it knowing I had it- and spent it. Karma has a way of working- I know all too well- and God's Karma is no joke. Cause trust-he will find a way to take something from you that means the world. You take that money today and somewhere down the line- someone close to you passes away, or you get jacked up in an accident- stealing $140,000 is not worth compromising yourself or losing something precious in the end. Besides whatever amount of reward you get- is more than you had to begin with. And you still got your clear conscious. On top of that whatever 5 minutes of recognition you get will fade when the next headlining story hits the news- you can't milk that. You're better off going on a reality show and winning money that way. Now THAT 15 mins of fame you can bank on! LOL

I just wanna....

2008-03-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

My experience working today just serves as another confirmation to me that all I really want to do in this life is write. Write my story, write other people's stories, jot down my observations, write poems and letters and love songs, write a menu- hell I don't care! Anything! I just wanna write. In the very near future, I visualize awakening to the sound of ocean waves crashing against the coastal line. As I lay atop my king size Sealy Posturepedic mattress, I stretch with all my might in an attempt to erase the traces of grogginess that lie within. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed I allow my toes to feel the cold of the the hardwood floor. Stepping out onto the deck of my beach house, I watch as the sun peaks over the horizon. In this very moment, I stand....still...taking it all in...the beauty that God has created- so simple and serene. Sighing deeply I turn and head back into the house heading towards my state of the art kitchen to make myself some mint tea. Grabbing my laptop I head back out onto the deck and plop myself down into my favorite lounge chair. For the next few hours I create what I believe to be my next best seller. Taking a break, I decide to stroll along in the sand with my canine companion beside me....or my male companion...or both. (smile) Yes, this is the life that I envision to be- will be. For this is my purpose....to write. It is the purpose God has intended for my life. It has to be. Cause it damn sure can't be standing on my feet for 7 1/2 hrs, holding open doors for people, greeting them warmly without so much of an icy salutation reciprocated. It can't be..... So why did I start this little rant you ask? (or not-LOL) Recently I took on a second job so that I could save money for my sizeable down payment on my brand new car. Oh yes- this is also what I envision for myself and God intends for me as well. (smile) The gig was easy money I must say.... I haven't stood on my feet for long periods of time since my Strawbrige & Clothier days (for all you East Coast peeps)- and now I know why. And I was bored as hell- but the time standing around at that door allowed me the time to visualize my life in the next few years.....where I am meant to be....which is not here in downtown LA at the LA Mart. But that's another blog....to be continued..... "THERE IS ONLY ONE THING THAT MAKES A DREAM IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE: THE FEAR OF FAILURE"- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

THE STATE OF HIP HOP TODAY

2008-03-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

So I’m watching 106&Park yesterday and they premiere Lil Wayne’s latest video "Lollipop" and after listening to this song- I wonder aloud WHY? I’m just as passionate about my music as I am about my writing. I do listen to ALL genres including hip hop- but I’m old school....and I will admit that I listen to much less of hip hop these days in comparison to the past. The watered down buffoonery they call music these days is laughable. It’s all a formula- hot track, not so hot track, catchy hook- then make up a dance to it and you’ve got a formula hit! And the end of the day today- if that’s what sells.....that’s what we’re subjected to. For me growing up to the likes of KRS-One & Scott La Rock, Eric B & Rakim and Brand Nubians (you get the drift) got me spoiled. Presently I like chillin out to Common, Talib Kweli & The Roots. And rarely do I listen to the radio unless it’s talk radio or jazz or Wendy Williams (sorry- it’s a guilty pleasure that i lu-lu-lu-LUVVVV)..... Anyhoo- back to Lil Weezy...when he first stepped on the scene- his lyric game was GARBAGE- Hefty Garbage! Over the last year or so- it’s stepped up a few notches. Now I don’t know if he’s got someone ghost writing for him or not.....but it’s improved. But this single had me SMH- like WTF? Obviously the video is him in Vegas- tossing back between shots of him riding in a tricked out stretch limo full of video honeys (including Flavor of Love’s Season 2 winner Deelishus- who you’ll miss if u blink too hard) and him on the strip- pretending to play the guitar (maybe he really does- dunno) and him just babbling, moaning, grunting and more or less not saying SHIT.....like literally.... I didnt hear many lyrics- or full on sentences....verses....rhymes....THIS IS MUSIC? THIS IS WORTHY OF BEING IN THE ROTATION? THIS IS SOME BULLSHIT (straight up) Yeah I know the industry’s a numbers game and about making money for the execs -and all about sellling ringtones and downloads in our day and age of technology......so basically I’m just venting...but do the execs think we are that STOOPID- to buy this shit like yeah that’s hot.... I know they do and I know some of us are that stupid. When did we stop listening to the lyrics? If you listen to the lyrics of 1/2 the shit on the radio- it would make you think twice about singing along. CASES IN POINT- "Jump Off"- Omarion & Bow Wow (tight beat taken from LL Cool J’s "Going back to Cali"- but basically they’re talking about how many chicks they can hit- and if a girl is gonna sleep with them- she’s gotta hit ’em both....how old are these children? Souljah Boy’s song- okay "superman dat hoe"- supposedly means if a girl won’t give u sex- u wait till she’s asleep- the guy skeets on her back and sticks the sheet to the cum spot- so that when she gets up- the sheet will be stuck to her thus making the "superman cape"....did anyone really figure this out? Apparently BET didnt give a shit when they had them close out the BET Awards last year- and Reggie Hudlin and execs are in the audience repeating the dance moves.....WOOOOWW "Coffee Shop" (i 4get the rappers name at this moment- but he’s signed to Diddy’s label-Young Joc maybe?)- that’s about the weed he sells......GEESUS KELLY CLARKSON! really? Yes this is just another glaring reminder to me that I’m getting older and the state of our world has gone to shit in a handbasket making me glad that I’m not a parent yet..... I’m sure our parents were just as outraged when we listened to the leg warmer, flip having, mascara wearing Prince back in the ’80’s....LOL What’s your thought on what u hear on the radio if u still listen? What’s your feedback on the state of hip hop today?

TODAY

2008-03-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today I have signed up to this site so that I can get my blog on. Writing is my passion- I've been writing since I was a little girl- writing in my journal....creating stories...writing lyrics to the songs I'd perform with my band...writing my own life story. As much as I'd like to say I keep a written journal- I don't.... technology has made us all so lazy. I'd rather IM or text a friend than pick up the telephone for a real live conversation. It's faster- it's easier.....same with sitting down at night writing in my journal... it's so much faster to just type it. Yeah I know.....it's also more impersonal....And I open myself up by sharing what it is that I write with the world to see..... But I said writing is my passion- and no matter what form it takes- when u share your work....you then become vulnerable- when other people read your words- interpret the words for themselves...but I'm ready. I have no idea what i'm gonna write day to day- but I hope you do read. So welcome to my world....my thoughts, my reflections, my .....isms..... (whatever that is- LOL). Two fingers up (peace)! mz. t

MZ.T*'S WORLD

IRONY

POST A PIC

NEW JACK CITY- Random *ish*

R.I.P. EARTHA KITT

A LETTER TO SELF

WE ARE THE ONES (OBAMA)

REGISTER AND VOTE!

TRAVIS BARKER AND DJ AM CRITICALLY INJURED IN PLANE CRASH

R.KELLY- REALLY?

9/11/01- WHERE WERE YOU?

MAMMOGRAMS AND YOU

Luke Lives On

UNTITLED

FUNNY

DADDY DEAREST

FAVORITE SONG OF THE MOMENT?

SEX AND THE CITY REVIEW

AIDS: I GAVE IT TO HER

A LOVE LIKE THIS

UNTITLED

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

THE PRICE OF SUGAR

Live Life Fearless -GIVING THANKS

FRIDAYS FAVES

a little kindess can go a long way

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

I just wanna....

THE STATE OF HIP HOP TODAY

TODAY

NEW JACK CITY- Random ish