I know it's been a while since I've written. Life has swept me up in it's whirlwind. It's almost the end of 2008 and overall this year turned out ok for me. It wasn't always the easiest year and there were some challenges along the way but I'm coming out on the other side, wiser and more determined than ever.
Unfortunately I lost another classmate about a month ago. She passed away from a heart attack at the very young age of 30. It caught me off guard and I can only imagine how it affected her family. I'm just now realizing how sad it was and how glad I am that I got a chance to hang out with some of my classmates at a recent bowling outing.
Oddly enough, the people who attended the outing weren't people that I hung out with while we were in high school but it was cool to spend some time with them now that we're adults. It was equally cool and disturbing to see how many people are married and/or have kids. I was definitely in the minority being single and childless.
One thing I noticed is how everyone seemed to regress a bit the longer we were out. It always amazes me how certain people from my past tend to take me back to how I was at that point in time when we were close. It also amazes me to watch other people go back to that time when they're around me or someone else. I watched this happen with amusement this past weekend. I'm sure some of the regression could be attributed to the alcohol that was being drunk by virtually everyone but it was funny to watch nonetheless.
I even found myself regressing a bit because it felt a little odd to be sitting across from a gentleman that I might have spoken to on occasion but we didn't interact very often when we were in high school. We chatted it up fairly well and things were cool.
Then I ran into quite a few college associates at another event. It was cool to see those people as well but there was no regression on my part. In fact, I was ok with just saying hello and giving a hug then keeping things moving.
Overall this has been a weekend of short reunions for me, which I appreciate and enjoy for many reasons. The biggest one is that it shows me how far I've come and how much I've grown.
I'll see you again in 2009. Be on the lookout for some cool new developments with this blog as well.
December 30, 2008
December 19, 2008
December 04, 2008
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show part 2
Last night the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show came on CBS. I was finally able to watch the show that I had worked backstage for. The show looked great! The ladies looked wonderful in their outfits and even Usher looked really good performing. It was a great production and I'm proud to have participated.
Here are some pics of the model that I helped dressed mainly. Her name is Izabel Goulart.
This was her first outfit. I really loved those shoes and her wings were cool too.
This was her second outfit. Cute, right? That feather head piece was interesting to put on but once it was on, it was fabulous!
Here are some pics of the model that I helped dressed mainly. Her name is Izabel Goulart.
This was her first outfit. I really loved those shoes and her wings were cool too.
This was her second outfit. Cute, right? That feather head piece was interesting to put on but once it was on, it was fabulous!
November 20, 2008
November 17, 2008
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show!!!
Apparently my travels haven't ended for the year. This past weekend I had a wonderful opportunity. Last week, a friend of mine who works in the fashion and beauty industry as a publicist, stylist, image consultant, etc called me and asked if I was interested in working at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show this past Saturday. I knew she was going because she had told me about it and she works as a dresser in lots of fashion shows.
Well when she called me, my immediate response was a resounding yes. I have been wanting to get into more fashion show production work and this was a great opportunity to gain some experience. Plus, the show was being held in Miami and I don't need that much of an excuse to go down there. She called me Tuesday and early Thursday morning I hopped into my little Civic and got on the road to Miami. It's a 10 hour road trip that's definitely not for the faint of heart but I was excited to go.
When I got there, I got a bit lost making my way to the hotel where we were staying but it didn't matter too much. I was in Miami Beach and it was HOT! By hot, I mean hot in temperature. It felt like summer had never left. This was a bit disconcerting since it's November but I adjusted fairly quickly and put my air conditioning to use.
I found out that I didn't have to work until Saturday so I had an unauthorized vacation in Miami to enjoy. I got to the hotel and rested. Unfortunately I had caught a cold on Wednesday so I had to stop by the CVS and buy some cold medicine. I chilled in the room and waited for my three roommates to arrive/return. When everyone got there, we struck out for dinner. We ended up at this cute little restaurant with tables outside on South Beach. It was very chic and cute so we ordered some small meals and enjoyed being outside. Unfortunately other people enjoyed the outside by smoking cigars and cigarettes freely, which we are not used to because in New York (where my roomies are from) and Atlanta, smoking is prohibited a lots of places.
The next day, we had to go get our credentials for the fashion show and we had a prep meeting for the show. We also knew that there would be a grand opening party at the hotel where the show would be held and we wanted to go. We got dressed and headed out for the meeting and party. We were very unsuccessful at getting our credentials so we thought the party was a no go. We headed for the meeting. After the meeting we headed downstairs and discovered that we could "blend" into the party. So we blended.
It was a very interesting mix of people. It was definitely a star studded event. The appetizers were gourmet and the bar was open. We enjoyed a nice performance by Terrence Howard as we watched the celebs mingle. Like a big dork, I made a list of all of the celebs that I recognized and knew their names. Like to see it, here it goes:
Kim and Chloe Kardashian (Kim is so cute!)
Brody Jenner and Frankie (for those fans of The Hills)
Jessica Lowndes (Adrianna of the new 90210)
Martha Stewart
Russell Simmons
AJ (formerly of 106 and Park)
Terrence Howard (I also saw him after he performed...lovely man!)
Robin Thicke
Whitney from America's Next Top Model
Sophia Delgado (I think that's her last name)
A-rod (sans Madonna)
Brett (Heidi's former boss from The Hills. for those hard core Hills fans)
Enrique Murciano from Without a Trace (I'm a fan of the show)
Charro
Mariah Carey (she performed)
I'm not one to be star struck but it was very cool to see so many "familiar" faces. After Terrence Howard performed, we heard that Mariah Carey was going to be performing in another room. It was an even more exclusive party. We got in with one of the models that my friend knows. Once in, we were just in time to see Mariah Carey perform. I'd never seen her live and it was really cool. She sounds awesome in concert but I figured she would. Here are a few pics of her performing.
After she performed, we headed out. We hopped in a car to go get some rest for the next day. We got up Saturday and prepared to head out for the day. Since me and Amaris didn't have our credentials, we had to head to the hotel early to get them. After we ate a late lunch, we headed down to the Fontainebleu to get ready for the show. It only took 10 minutes for us to get our credentials after which we headed down to the fabulous lobby to enjoy some down time before the show. While we were headed into the lobby, we saw George Hamilton. He looked really orange in person.
At 5, we headed upstairs to get ready to work. When we were escorted backstage, I was excited. All of the models racks were set up, ready to go. I was assigned to assist another dresser with her model. It was cool because it was my first show and that made me feel comfortable. We dressed Izabel and she had two really cute costumes with extra pieces that were a bit complicated. After the first show, I realized that I would enjoy being a dresser for other shows. After the second show, it was all over. It was the most fun! I can't wait to check out the show when it airs, December 3 at 10pm EST on CBS.
The drive back was horrendous but I pushed through it and now I'm back home.
Well when she called me, my immediate response was a resounding yes. I have been wanting to get into more fashion show production work and this was a great opportunity to gain some experience. Plus, the show was being held in Miami and I don't need that much of an excuse to go down there. She called me Tuesday and early Thursday morning I hopped into my little Civic and got on the road to Miami. It's a 10 hour road trip that's definitely not for the faint of heart but I was excited to go.
When I got there, I got a bit lost making my way to the hotel where we were staying but it didn't matter too much. I was in Miami Beach and it was HOT! By hot, I mean hot in temperature. It felt like summer had never left. This was a bit disconcerting since it's November but I adjusted fairly quickly and put my air conditioning to use.
I found out that I didn't have to work until Saturday so I had an unauthorized vacation in Miami to enjoy. I got to the hotel and rested. Unfortunately I had caught a cold on Wednesday so I had to stop by the CVS and buy some cold medicine. I chilled in the room and waited for my three roommates to arrive/return. When everyone got there, we struck out for dinner. We ended up at this cute little restaurant with tables outside on South Beach. It was very chic and cute so we ordered some small meals and enjoyed being outside. Unfortunately other people enjoyed the outside by smoking cigars and cigarettes freely, which we are not used to because in New York (where my roomies are from) and Atlanta, smoking is prohibited a lots of places.
The next day, we had to go get our credentials for the fashion show and we had a prep meeting for the show. We also knew that there would be a grand opening party at the hotel where the show would be held and we wanted to go. We got dressed and headed out for the meeting and party. We were very unsuccessful at getting our credentials so we thought the party was a no go. We headed for the meeting. After the meeting we headed downstairs and discovered that we could "blend" into the party. So we blended.
It was a very interesting mix of people. It was definitely a star studded event. The appetizers were gourmet and the bar was open. We enjoyed a nice performance by Terrence Howard as we watched the celebs mingle. Like a big dork, I made a list of all of the celebs that I recognized and knew their names. Like to see it, here it goes:
Kim and Chloe Kardashian (Kim is so cute!)
Brody Jenner and Frankie (for those fans of The Hills)
Jessica Lowndes (Adrianna of the new 90210)
Martha Stewart
Russell Simmons
AJ (formerly of 106 and Park)
Terrence Howard (I also saw him after he performed...lovely man!)
Robin Thicke
Whitney from America's Next Top Model
Sophia Delgado (I think that's her last name)
A-rod (sans Madonna)
Brett (Heidi's former boss from The Hills. for those hard core Hills fans)
Enrique Murciano from Without a Trace (I'm a fan of the show)
Charro
Mariah Carey (she performed)
I'm not one to be star struck but it was very cool to see so many "familiar" faces. After Terrence Howard performed, we heard that Mariah Carey was going to be performing in another room. It was an even more exclusive party. We got in with one of the models that my friend knows. Once in, we were just in time to see Mariah Carey perform. I'd never seen her live and it was really cool. She sounds awesome in concert but I figured she would. Here are a few pics of her performing.
After she performed, we headed out. We hopped in a car to go get some rest for the next day. We got up Saturday and prepared to head out for the day. Since me and Amaris didn't have our credentials, we had to head to the hotel early to get them. After we ate a late lunch, we headed down to the Fontainebleu to get ready for the show. It only took 10 minutes for us to get our credentials after which we headed down to the fabulous lobby to enjoy some down time before the show. While we were headed into the lobby, we saw George Hamilton. He looked really orange in person.
At 5, we headed upstairs to get ready to work. When we were escorted backstage, I was excited. All of the models racks were set up, ready to go. I was assigned to assist another dresser with her model. It was cool because it was my first show and that made me feel comfortable. We dressed Izabel and she had two really cute costumes with extra pieces that were a bit complicated. After the first show, I realized that I would enjoy being a dresser for other shows. After the second show, it was all over. It was the most fun! I can't wait to check out the show when it airs, December 3 at 10pm EST on CBS.
The drive back was horrendous but I pushed through it and now I'm back home.
November 06, 2008
The President Elect of the United States of America is...
Barack Obama! It was the greatest feeling in the world to see a candidate that I wholly supported be elected into office. It was an awesome feeling to have been a part of the process in electing the first black president of the United States. I put together a collage of sorts to commemorate the occasion.
October 31, 2008
Whassup 2008
The whassup guys are back supporting Obama. This is funny even though it's not funny. Check it out.
October 27, 2008
More about Cabo...
Well after we walked around downtown Cabo, bought some souvenirs and were sexually harassed, we headed back to the resort to rest before we came back out later that night.
We made some friends on the resort and once we got dressed, we ran into them in the lobby. They were heading out so we all piled into the taxi and rode back into the city together. They were a pair of newlyweds on their honeymoons so they were feeling very festive. We went back to Cabo Wabo but this time it was open and the people were partying! We went in and had a shot of blue tequila. Yummy and smooth! Then we made our way to the dance floor. The music was a lot of old school from the 70's, 80's and early 90's. It was a very mixed crowd so that kind of music was perfect.
As we danced around, we were shocked to see one of our friends get into a scuffle with a gentleman and then with club security. It was crazy because the guy started things with our friend but our friend was the one removed from the club. We tried to talk to security but they were not hearing anything we had to say. After that, our friends hopped into a cab and said good bye for the evening. We decided to keep the party going and walked down to Squid Row. It was a much more stripped down club than Cabo Wabo. In comparison, I would say that Cabo Wabo was the nice, sexy spot and Squid Row was the college spot. It was like a spot that you would hit up every weekend in college. We had a blast!
The next day we decided to partake in some more water sports. Me and two of my friends went parasailing. It was so cool! If you've never been, you should definitely go. It was so peaceful floating above the boat and the water. Then as we headed back, the guy driving the speedboat let us take turns and control the speed. One of my friends tried to kill us by going extremely fast. I dove for the floor so that I wouldn't be thrown from the boat as we bounced violently in the waves. It was all so much fun though.
After all of that excitement, we decided that we would chill out for the rest of the trip. We relaxed for the rest of the day by the pool. The next day some of us got up and took the yoga class offered on the resort. It was a great way to wrap up the trip. We got a great stretch by the pool. One of the ladies also got a full body massage. After that we focused on relaxing and laid out by the pool with our books and study materials (yes some of us did study for various tests but who doesn't mind studying under the tropical sun in a swimsuit by a pool?).
The next day we had to be up at the crack of dawn (actually before the crack of dawn) because our flight left at 8:05am. Two of my friends had a later flight so they decided to revisit the clubs while the rest of us relaxed at the resort. Since I was starting to catch a cold, I knew it was best for me to take it easy. Also, the next day was one of the other ladies' birthday so we got her room decorated and did a corona toast while singing happy birthday.
The next morning we got up hella early and headed to the lobby to wait for our car to take us to the airport. We ran into our friends who had just gotten back from the club and were chillin by the bar chatting with some of our other resort friends. We said goodbye to them and left for the airport. I figured once we got there, things would be routine. I was wrong.
When we were headed to Cabo, we had to fill out these forms and get a tourist card. We got that card stamped as we entered the country along with our passports. Well we needed that card to leave the country. Unfortunately one of my friends had thrown hers away and didn't have it. To make matters worse, the immigration office didn't open until 7am and our flight was scheduled to start boarding at 7:20am. We weren't sure she would make it on the flight. Fortunately she came rushing in a few minutes before our flight started boarding and made it just in time.
It was one adventure after another but lots of fun. Now I'm done with my international travels for the year as I focus on work and my business. Pictures from Cabo in the next post. Come back now, ya hear!
We made some friends on the resort and once we got dressed, we ran into them in the lobby. They were heading out so we all piled into the taxi and rode back into the city together. They were a pair of newlyweds on their honeymoons so they were feeling very festive. We went back to Cabo Wabo but this time it was open and the people were partying! We went in and had a shot of blue tequila. Yummy and smooth! Then we made our way to the dance floor. The music was a lot of old school from the 70's, 80's and early 90's. It was a very mixed crowd so that kind of music was perfect.
As we danced around, we were shocked to see one of our friends get into a scuffle with a gentleman and then with club security. It was crazy because the guy started things with our friend but our friend was the one removed from the club. We tried to talk to security but they were not hearing anything we had to say. After that, our friends hopped into a cab and said good bye for the evening. We decided to keep the party going and walked down to Squid Row. It was a much more stripped down club than Cabo Wabo. In comparison, I would say that Cabo Wabo was the nice, sexy spot and Squid Row was the college spot. It was like a spot that you would hit up every weekend in college. We had a blast!
The next day we decided to partake in some more water sports. Me and two of my friends went parasailing. It was so cool! If you've never been, you should definitely go. It was so peaceful floating above the boat and the water. Then as we headed back, the guy driving the speedboat let us take turns and control the speed. One of my friends tried to kill us by going extremely fast. I dove for the floor so that I wouldn't be thrown from the boat as we bounced violently in the waves. It was all so much fun though.
After all of that excitement, we decided that we would chill out for the rest of the trip. We relaxed for the rest of the day by the pool. The next day some of us got up and took the yoga class offered on the resort. It was a great way to wrap up the trip. We got a great stretch by the pool. One of the ladies also got a full body massage. After that we focused on relaxing and laid out by the pool with our books and study materials (yes some of us did study for various tests but who doesn't mind studying under the tropical sun in a swimsuit by a pool?).
The next day we had to be up at the crack of dawn (actually before the crack of dawn) because our flight left at 8:05am. Two of my friends had a later flight so they decided to revisit the clubs while the rest of us relaxed at the resort. Since I was starting to catch a cold, I knew it was best for me to take it easy. Also, the next day was one of the other ladies' birthday so we got her room decorated and did a corona toast while singing happy birthday.
The next morning we got up hella early and headed to the lobby to wait for our car to take us to the airport. We ran into our friends who had just gotten back from the club and were chillin by the bar chatting with some of our other resort friends. We said goodbye to them and left for the airport. I figured once we got there, things would be routine. I was wrong.
When we were headed to Cabo, we had to fill out these forms and get a tourist card. We got that card stamped as we entered the country along with our passports. Well we needed that card to leave the country. Unfortunately one of my friends had thrown hers away and didn't have it. To make matters worse, the immigration office didn't open until 7am and our flight was scheduled to start boarding at 7:20am. We weren't sure she would make it on the flight. Fortunately she came rushing in a few minutes before our flight started boarding and made it just in time.
It was one adventure after another but lots of fun. Now I'm done with my international travels for the year as I focus on work and my business. Pictures from Cabo in the next post. Come back now, ya hear!
October 24, 2008
fresh from the shores of Cabo!!
Now that I've finished my Italy trip description, I can tell you about my adventures in Cabo. It was a great 5 days. I got the chance to truly relax and release. I didn't sleep in too often because we had to wake up for breakfast but I did manage to take naps by the pool and on the beach. It was awesome!
I went to Cabo for my friend's birthday. She wanted to bring it in under a tropical sun and that's exactly what we did. We spent most of the time lounging by the pool so I got a chance to work on my tan (which I needed. I was starting to go back to my winter coloring, which is a few shades lighter than my summer coloring). So now I'm a lovely caramel brown, which I enjoy.
Back to the trip. The first day we arrived, we put on our swimsuits and promptly headed out to enjoy the lovely pool (I'll include pictures at the end). We wanted to take full advantage of the resort's activities so after laying out in the sun, we dressed for dinner. One of the entertainment staff told us they would be performing Les Miserables and we were intriguied. After dinner we headed to the stage to check it out.
It was quite interesting to see them lipsync the different broadway tunes. Apparently it was a mixture of hit broadway plays. It was odd to watch them lip sync because not all of the performers spoke English as a first language and it showed. We were so tired that we started dropping while trying to watch the show. Most of us headed to bed. Of course I was one of them.
The next day, we got up early to jog on the beach. As soon as we attempted to walk briskly on the coarse, deep sand, we realized that jogging would be out of the question. It was a workout just walking but we pressed on. After about 30 minutes of walking, we pushed on for another 15 minutes before we headed back to meet the other ladies for breakfast. I wasn't sure if I would be doing that again. We ate breakfast and then put on our swimsuits for a day of lounging around the pool. After a few hours of that, we lounged on the beach. It was wonderful.
The next day we headed into town to go to the marina to catch a boat that would take us on a tour of the Arcs, Pelican Island and Lover's Beach where we would go snorkeling. It was very cool riding the boat in the pretty, blue water. We saw some pelicans, sea lions and cool looking fish. Unfortunately the snorkeling didn't work so well for me. I couldn't navigate those darn flippers on my feet so well but it was fun trying even though I got a LOT of sand in my swimsuit bottom.
We walked around the town and were offered jewelry, candy, weed, cocaine and sexual favors. Those guys in Mexico were very open about what they had to offer. We were called "brown sugar" quite a few times as well. It was funny and kind of traumatizing at the same time. It didn't help that initially we were walking around in our swimsuits as we waited to dry off. My friend had her picture snapped on a camera phone while taking a shower in her bikini to rinse the sand off. Hopefully she doesn't end up on some girls gone wild in Mexico website. We walked around and bought some souvenirs before we headed back to the resort.
I must stop now and continue this story later...
I went to Cabo for my friend's birthday. She wanted to bring it in under a tropical sun and that's exactly what we did. We spent most of the time lounging by the pool so I got a chance to work on my tan (which I needed. I was starting to go back to my winter coloring, which is a few shades lighter than my summer coloring). So now I'm a lovely caramel brown, which I enjoy.
Back to the trip. The first day we arrived, we put on our swimsuits and promptly headed out to enjoy the lovely pool (I'll include pictures at the end). We wanted to take full advantage of the resort's activities so after laying out in the sun, we dressed for dinner. One of the entertainment staff told us they would be performing Les Miserables and we were intriguied. After dinner we headed to the stage to check it out.
It was quite interesting to see them lipsync the different broadway tunes. Apparently it was a mixture of hit broadway plays. It was odd to watch them lip sync because not all of the performers spoke English as a first language and it showed. We were so tired that we started dropping while trying to watch the show. Most of us headed to bed. Of course I was one of them.
The next day, we got up early to jog on the beach. As soon as we attempted to walk briskly on the coarse, deep sand, we realized that jogging would be out of the question. It was a workout just walking but we pressed on. After about 30 minutes of walking, we pushed on for another 15 minutes before we headed back to meet the other ladies for breakfast. I wasn't sure if I would be doing that again. We ate breakfast and then put on our swimsuits for a day of lounging around the pool. After a few hours of that, we lounged on the beach. It was wonderful.
The next day we headed into town to go to the marina to catch a boat that would take us on a tour of the Arcs, Pelican Island and Lover's Beach where we would go snorkeling. It was very cool riding the boat in the pretty, blue water. We saw some pelicans, sea lions and cool looking fish. Unfortunately the snorkeling didn't work so well for me. I couldn't navigate those darn flippers on my feet so well but it was fun trying even though I got a LOT of sand in my swimsuit bottom.
We walked around the town and were offered jewelry, candy, weed, cocaine and sexual favors. Those guys in Mexico were very open about what they had to offer. We were called "brown sugar" quite a few times as well. It was funny and kind of traumatizing at the same time. It didn't help that initially we were walking around in our swimsuits as we waited to dry off. My friend had her picture snapped on a camera phone while taking a shower in her bikini to rinse the sand off. Hopefully she doesn't end up on some girls gone wild in Mexico website. We walked around and bought some souvenirs before we headed back to the resort.
I must stop now and continue this story later...
October 20, 2008
My Italian getaway-Venice
As my whirlwind Italian tour came to a close, we had a chance to visit Venice. While in Milan, we hopped on a train and took the 2 hour trip to the city that floats. I'm not sure if that's an official thing but that's how I see Venice. It is literally built on the water, which is really cool.
When we arrived in Venice, we were greeted by our guide and given a walking tour of the city, which was the cutest city ever! It is filled with churches and water and cool shops. I wish that we had more time there because it was my second favorite city in Italy so far. We took a ride in the small canals on a gondola, which was cool aside from the smelly water. Check out the pics:
When we arrived in Venice, we were greeted by our guide and given a walking tour of the city, which was the cutest city ever! It is filled with churches and water and cool shops. I wish that we had more time there because it was my second favorite city in Italy so far. We took a ride in the small canals on a gondola, which was cool aside from the smelly water. Check out the pics:
The lady in the picture is Bella Kim. She's also from Atlanta and we enjoyed the gondola ride along with four other bellas.
This was our gondola driver. He spoke very little English but he was really nice and attempted to be helpful and answer our questions.
After the gondola ride, we continued to walk around Venice and do a little shopping. We didn't have a lot of time so we had to walk swiftly back to the train depot so that we wouldn't be left in Venice. It was a fairly low key trip with some great sightseeing and cool shopping. We did have dinner at a lovely restaurant with great tasting food. I really plan on going back to Venice to spend more time...maybe during carnival.
October 19, 2008
My Italian getaway-Milan
After visiting (and falling in love with) Florence, I hopped on another motor coach and headed excitedly to Milan. I was excited because we would be there during Milan Fashion Week and I was imaging the city being filled with fashionistas and other fashion industry insiders attending shows in a tent much like they do in Bryant Park in New York.
No such luck. Fashion Week in Milan is very low key with the fashion shows being held in tucked away places like lofts and small clubs. I know this because I asked around. So nonetheless, I wanted to get out and enjoy the city of Milan.
The first day we arrived after stopping to do some outlet shopping outside of the city. The outlets were cool and the prices were ok but after the euro to dollar exchange, we really weren't saving that much money. It was cool to go though. If you are in Milan and want to do some shopping, I recommend checking out the outlets.
After we arrived, we decided to check out happy hour. It was really cool, especially since there were good drinks for a reasonable price and pretty good hors devours. Then we went to dinner and I had some of Milan's signature dish; risotto. It was pretty good. We enjoyed eating outside and a bottle of red wine before we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our trip to Venice in the morning (which I will discuss in the next blog). Me and my travel buddies decided not to go to the club with the other ladies. Here is a picture of me in the duomo.
One day, when I have a Prada checkbook, I will return to the store and shop. Until then, I have this picture for my memories. Well the last day in Milan, we hit the town. We hopped on the commuter train and went into the city to really explore. We had heard that the canals were really cool to visit and had some good restaurants so we made that our first stop (after I found out the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit was sold out, I'm a fan). We went down to the canals but were a bit disappointed. They weren't all that sexy but we found a cute restaurant and I had some pizza with interesting cheese on it. It had a great flavor but wasn't the type of cheese you would immediately associate with pizza. I can't remember the name, though. Here are the canals.
As I sleepily ate the McDonald's in our plush hotel lobby, I felt good about the trip. Everything turned out really good and even though Milan wasn't as fly as I thought, it is still a city I'd visit again.
No such luck. Fashion Week in Milan is very low key with the fashion shows being held in tucked away places like lofts and small clubs. I know this because I asked around. So nonetheless, I wanted to get out and enjoy the city of Milan.
The first day we arrived after stopping to do some outlet shopping outside of the city. The outlets were cool and the prices were ok but after the euro to dollar exchange, we really weren't saving that much money. It was cool to go though. If you are in Milan and want to do some shopping, I recommend checking out the outlets.
After we arrived, we decided to check out happy hour. It was really cool, especially since there were good drinks for a reasonable price and pretty good hors devours. Then we went to dinner and I had some of Milan's signature dish; risotto. It was pretty good. We enjoyed eating outside and a bottle of red wine before we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our trip to Venice in the morning (which I will discuss in the next blog). Me and my travel buddies decided not to go to the club with the other ladies. Here is a picture of me in the duomo.
Good times! We also did a walking tour of Milan where our tour guide showed us how the ride the subway (it was a bit confusing and we had to take a commuter train along with the subway) as well as some of the cool stuff to do in Milan. As she showed us around, we came across the first Prada store. I didn't go inside but I did take a picture of it. Like to see it, here it goes:
One day, when I have a Prada checkbook, I will return to the store and shop. Until then, I have this picture for my memories. Well the last day in Milan, we hit the town. We hopped on the commuter train and went into the city to really explore. We had heard that the canals were really cool to visit and had some good restaurants so we made that our first stop (after I found out the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit was sold out, I'm a fan). We went down to the canals but were a bit disappointed. They weren't all that sexy but we found a cute restaurant and I had some pizza with interesting cheese on it. It had a great flavor but wasn't the type of cheese you would immediately associate with pizza. I can't remember the name, though. Here are the canals.
After that, we headed back to the duomo and checked out some of the shops. We also made it a point to enjoy some gelato from this wonderful place called Grom. It was recommended to my travel buddy, Tiffani and it was well worth the recommendation. Plus it was the nicest gelato places that we'd visited. I also highly recommend Grom for anyone that is in Milan and looking to try some gelato. Great place to start. Here's a picture of the menu (in Italian of course.
Grom was lovely and had great gelato. But we were very tired so we hopped on the commuter train to head back to the hotel. We had to get in bed kind of early to be ready for the airport the next day. However, we were hungry when we got back to the hotel and there weren't many places nearby that were open. We did some scouting and after coming up empty, we resigned ourselves to have our last Italian meal be McDonald's in Milan. It was pretty good. I got a chicken sandwich that had a slightly Italian twist and the fries tasted exactly the same. I figured that a trip to McDonald's was a good way to end the trip anyway.
As I sleepily ate the McDonald's in our plush hotel lobby, I felt good about the trip. Everything turned out really good and even though Milan wasn't as fly as I thought, it is still a city I'd visit again.October 09, 2008
My Italian getaway-Florence
After an action packed three days in Rome, we all got on a motor coach and headed to Florence. Although I liked Rome, I was excited to go to another city and see if it was any different. Who knew that we would start our adventure to Florence with one last adventure in Rome?
As we were departing, it became obvious that our bus driver had made a wrong turn when he started backing up. I was sitting in the front so from my end, everything was fine, but the ladies in the back began to yell out for him to watch out. Apparently there was a car behind him and he was getting close to hitting it. Unfortunately our driver didn't speak much English so he just gestured and said that he had it under control (but not in those exact words). Apparently he didn't have it under control because he did end up hitting the car. As he gets off of the bus to deal with the accident, I thought that it would take an hour or so for the police to come and everything to get all sorted out. Boy was I wrong. 15 minutes later, the driver was back on the bus and we were on our way. No police were called. Both drivers just exchanged insurance and contact information and went on their way. It was amazing!
So we were finally off to Florence. The bus driver finished backing up and we hopped on the expressway (if that's even what they call them in Italy) to Florence or Firenze. It was a very scenic trip so I enjoyed looking out the window until I took a quick nap. Here's a picture of a rest stop that we made on the way.
After we loaded up on snacks and had a bathroom break, we were back on the road. Before we arrived in Florence, we made a stop at this lovely little town in the Tuscan region of Italy called San Gimignano. It was a very cute little town that looked like something out of a Disney movie. I almost expected to see some cartoon birds and animals come out and start playing around. We stopped there for an hour or so and did some shopping. It was really nice. I would love to spend a few days there and just enjoy the scenery.
The amazing thing is that a car drove down this street along with the people walking. Can you imagine a car driving down this street? It's crazy, I know. After we enjoyed San Gimignano, we got on the new motor coach (the old one sprang an oil leak when we had our accident) and headed on toward Florence. We had one more stop in the town of Greve in the Chianti region of Italy. Greve was also a very cute little town, but it was a bit bigger than San Gimignano. We stopped there for an hour and some of the ladies enjoyed a wine tasting. We'd gone to a wine shop and they had it set up where you could go around and taste some of the various wines that they sold. I didn't participate because it wasn't a tasting led by a sommelier or anything. Me and my travel buddies decided to walk around and explore the town some. Here's a picture of Greve.
As we were departing, it became obvious that our bus driver had made a wrong turn when he started backing up. I was sitting in the front so from my end, everything was fine, but the ladies in the back began to yell out for him to watch out. Apparently there was a car behind him and he was getting close to hitting it. Unfortunately our driver didn't speak much English so he just gestured and said that he had it under control (but not in those exact words). Apparently he didn't have it under control because he did end up hitting the car. As he gets off of the bus to deal with the accident, I thought that it would take an hour or so for the police to come and everything to get all sorted out. Boy was I wrong. 15 minutes later, the driver was back on the bus and we were on our way. No police were called. Both drivers just exchanged insurance and contact information and went on their way. It was amazing!
So we were finally off to Florence. The bus driver finished backing up and we hopped on the expressway (if that's even what they call them in Italy) to Florence or Firenze. It was a very scenic trip so I enjoyed looking out the window until I took a quick nap. Here's a picture of a rest stop that we made on the way.
After we loaded up on snacks and had a bathroom break, we were back on the road. Before we arrived in Florence, we made a stop at this lovely little town in the Tuscan region of Italy called San Gimignano. It was a very cute little town that looked like something out of a Disney movie. I almost expected to see some cartoon birds and animals come out and start playing around. We stopped there for an hour or so and did some shopping. It was really nice. I would love to spend a few days there and just enjoy the scenery.Here is a picture of San Gimignano.
The amazing thing is that a car drove down this street along with the people walking. Can you imagine a car driving down this street? It's crazy, I know. After we enjoyed San Gimignano, we got on the new motor coach (the old one sprang an oil leak when we had our accident) and headed on toward Florence. We had one more stop in the town of Greve in the Chianti region of Italy. Greve was also a very cute little town, but it was a bit bigger than San Gimignano. We stopped there for an hour and some of the ladies enjoyed a wine tasting. We'd gone to a wine shop and they had it set up where you could go around and taste some of the various wines that they sold. I didn't participate because it wasn't a tasting led by a sommelier or anything. Me and my travel buddies decided to walk around and explore the town some. Here's a picture of Greve. 
I would also love to take a few days and enjoy Greve and the rest of the Chianti region of Italy. I really like Chianti wine. We were only there for an hour before we got back in the motor coach and continued on our journey. An hour later or so, we arrived in Florence. We found out that our hotel was right in the city center and we were excited. There were tons of shops, restaurants and other things within walking distance of our hotel. We hopped off the bus, tipped the driver and headed inside to wait for our room assignments. I stopped by Tiffany's (one of my travel buddies) and found out that there was a dinner outing being planned and that we needed to be dressed and ready to go in 20 minutes or so. I headed back up to my room and got ready for a night out on the town in Florence. We had dinner at a nice restaurant. I ate pizza that was good, but not as good as the pizza in Rome. After dinner we headed to this really cool nightclub called YAB (you are beautiful). It was hip hop night so there was a good mix of hip hop, r&b and old school music played. The club was a nice size and had a room playing dance music as well. It was a very diverse crowd and everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves. Take a look at it. Good times!
Well after YAB, we went back to the hotel room to rest for the next day's outings. The next day we had a walking tour of Florence and got to do some shopping afterward. I found this very cute burnt orange purse that I had been looking for. I became slightly obsessed with finding a cute orange purse in Italy after my friend visited and came back with this very cute burnt orange bag. Mine is a lighter burnt orange but I like it and it's unique. We spent the rest of time in Florence walking (some more) and enjoying the city. It's such a cute city and I defintely plan on going back to visit longer. I even rubbed the nose of the lucky Boar that ensures that I will return to Florence. Here's a picture of it.
Florence is one of my definite favorite cities in Italy so far. It's a very cool mix of old Italian culture and history and current culture. If you ever get a chance to visit Italy, I strongly suggest you take some time to visit Florence. Stay tuned for the next leg of my Italian getaway...
October 03, 2008
My Italian getaway-Rome
Well once I made it on the plane and settled in for the 9 hour flight, I was able to truly relax and spent most of the flight sleeping. I did get a chance to watch a couple of movies and enjoy the pretty good in flight food as well.
9 hours later, we landed in Rome. Since our flight left in the evening, it was essentially an overnight flight and it was Friday morning when we landed in Rome. Our itinerary had suggested that we get sleep on the plane because we would be hitting the ground running and we do just that.
We got our rooms and went quickly upstairs to drop off our bags and head back downstairs to eat lunch and have orientation. During orientation, we got our metro passes and a rundown of the overall tour. Then we ran quickly upstairs to shower and change to head out for our Vespa tour of Rome. Unfortunately it had started to rain but the tour went on regardless. We headed out and met our tour drivers. Mine was a nice older gentleman who spoke absolutely no English but made me feel safe on the Vespa. Here's his picture.
9 hours later, we landed in Rome. Since our flight left in the evening, it was essentially an overnight flight and it was Friday morning when we landed in Rome. Our itinerary had suggested that we get sleep on the plane because we would be hitting the ground running and we do just that.
We got our rooms and went quickly upstairs to drop off our bags and head back downstairs to eat lunch and have orientation. During orientation, we got our metro passes and a rundown of the overall tour. Then we ran quickly upstairs to shower and change to head out for our Vespa tour of Rome. Unfortunately it had started to rain but the tour went on regardless. We headed out and met our tour drivers. Mine was a nice older gentleman who spoke absolutely no English but made me feel safe on the Vespa. Here's his picture.
Now I've seen people ride Vespas in Atlanta but not like they do in Italy. In spite of lines showing the different lanes, it is apparently ok to share the lane with a car. It was definitely a learning experience to ride on a Vespa through Rome. Plus the sights were lovely. I would highly suggest it to anyone taking a trip to Rome but it's definitely not for the faint of heart.
Once we finished our tour, we were cold and wet so we all headed upstairs to rest before going out that evening. Later on, we jumped in a taxi in groups of four and headed to a happy hour spot. The only issue: no one knew the name of the place, only the area of town. Our lovely, non-English speaking driver drove us to the area but didn't know where to drop us off. So while he and the lady in the front seat argued (in two different languages mind you), we drove through these tiny alleyways. When I spotted some of the other ladies (Bellas from now on), I suggested we get out of the cab but was denied the request. The ladies I was with refused to exit the cab so I watched helplessly as the metered continued to tick away. Eventually the driver stopped and told us to get out of the taxi (in Italian mind you). I can't verify that he said get out but his body language and rapid fire language gave me the impression he was saying "Get the hell out of my taxi!"
We got out and found the other Bellas who were also roaming around confused. A few minutes later we found our lead Bella Feleace (I hope I spelled that right) and she took us to Beige. It was a very hip bar that had great drinks for great prices (7 euro for a large mojito and they free pour...no jiggers in Italy!). After stopping to eat a pizza (as served by our adorable waiter), we enjoyed a drink at Beige while we waited to go to the next place (which was Alibi-pronounced AL-I-BEE). Here are the Bellas at Beige:
Beige was really nice and the music was cool. It was the techno type of music that isn't really great to dance to all night but it was good to sit for a moment and enjoy a GREAT tasting mojito to. As it got close to midnight, we learned that we would be heading to the next place soon. Apparently the clubs in Rome don't start popping until about midnight so we all headed outside to hop in a taxi. This time I got the name of the place and Bella April got the address. We were all set to go! We hopped in the taxi and headed over to Alibi. When we walked in, the music was very similar to the music we heard at Beige. We were slightly disappointed because we had been told the music was going to be more hip hop than techno. We waited around until we saw some of the other Bellas and they advised us to go upstairs. We hadn't even seen stairs! We went and heard some great music so we danced for a few hours before heading back to the hotel. First night in Rome!
The rest of the trip in Rome was just as much of an adventure. The next day was spent touring the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum. Who knew it was so large? My feet hurt horribly. We had walked for about 10 hours. By the time we got back to the hotel, we all passed out and didn't make it out to dinner with the rest of the Bellas but we were hungry so we struck out on our own armed with our metro passes and a map. It was a great evening. We made it to a nice restaurant and back with no incident and lots of stopping of total strangers who spoke english. It was fun. I also discovered gelato that day and it was WONDERFUL! We had it twice and I proclaimed that we should have gelato every day and everyone agreed. The last day in Rome was a free day so we slept in a bit and then ventured out again armed with our metro passes and a map. We visited the Coliseum and the place next to it (I can't remember the whole name but it had the Domus Augustus in it). It was all very awe inspiring. Plus we got taken by a guy dressed as a Gladiator. We stopped and took a picture with him and he attempted to charge us 3 euro a piece. It was 5 of us so he tried to come up on 15 euro for a quick picture. We gave him what we had and walked on. Be careful of the Gladiator when you visit the Coliseum!
Stay tuned for the next city on the action packed tour...
October 02, 2008
October 01, 2008
My Italian getaway
Hi there!
It's been a while since I've written and I have a great reason. I went to Italy for 9 days and just recently returned. I wish that I had taken my laptop with me so I could blog while I was there but I wasn't that comfortable lugging my laptop on a tour that consisted of me hopping from Rome to Florence to Milan to Venice with a few stops in the Tuscan region. So here's the blog summary of my trip broken down by city. However, before I even made it to Italy I had a bit of an adventure. Ok, more than a bit. Want to hear about it...here it goes.
I was scheduled to depart for my Italian getaway on September 18. My flight left that afternoon with a layover in New York before we headed to Rome at 6:55pm. Well as I arrived to the airport at 10am, I was very much on schedule for the 12:55 flight. I took advantage of the extra time to walk around the airport and look for an Italian phrasebook that I had forgotten to pick up the day before. I got on the airport train to return to my terminal at about noon, confident that I would sit for a spell before the plane started boarding.
When I got to my gate, I noticed something odd. I didn't see any of the ladies that were going to Italy with me and there was an angry looking crowd of people standing around the counter. I notice that the sign at the gate said 12:25 for the flight departure to Bucharest. But I was confused so I went over to a gate agent and asked about the flight and discovered that it was gone. My heart sank. I went over to a ticketing agent to see if I could get on another flight and not have to pay too much money.
Luckily for me, the angry group of people was a good thing. The flight had been overbooked which meant that about 20 people weren't given seats on the flight which was taking almost everyone to New York to connect to an international flight. After visiting the ticketing agent, I was directed to join the group of people who were being taken care of after being booted from the flight. I was able to be booked on a 1:40 flight to LaGuardia that would put me in New York at 4 and give me enough time to catch the shuttle to JFK which is where my 6:55 flight to Rome was leaving from.
Relieved, I headed to my new terminal with a voucher for a free flight because the other one had been overbooked. As I boarded the plane, I felt a little better about things. I took a nap on the plane and woke up right before it was about to land. As we began the landing prep, the pilot came on the intercom. Apparently there was a lot of traffic on the airway to New York so we were asked to slow down which meant we would land about 15 later than initially scheduled.
As my stress level slowly rose, I tried to remain calm. After about 15 minutes we were cleared to land and I felt a bit better. Once we landed, I was told that we would have a shuttle to JFK airport but that we would have to see a delta agent about it. When I walked into the area, the agent walked the other way and out the other door. Annoyed, I walked around to see if I could just catch a shuttle but there weren't any around so I returned to the area and the agent had returned.
She called a car service for me and another gentleman who had a 7pm flight to Saudi Arabia. She assured me that it would take about 15 minutes for the car to arrive. 20 minutes later, she was calling back to check on things. As time slowly ticked by, I looked at the time and it was 4:45. I knew I should be at JFK by 6 in order to be cleared for the flight. The car pulled up at about 5:15 and we happily jumped inside. As he pulled into rush hour traffic, I was wondering how long it would take us to get there. As we drove slowly through traffic, my stress level began to rise. At about 5:55, we pulled up to JFK airport, which is huge. The driver dropped one guy off and then headed to the Delta terminal.
When he pulled up, I almost got out while the car was moving but I took a breath and waited for him to stop. As he handed me my suitcase, I waved goodbye to my travel companion and ran into the airport. Thankfully the boarding agent had checked me into both flights so I was able to go straight to security and to the gate. As I walked up, the ladies were glad to see me, which was nice. I took a moment and got a bottle of water and calmed down. I had made it! I was on my way to Italy.
I figured after making it through that adventure, I was up for anything once I arrived in Italy.
Stay tuned...
PS: I discovered that I had misread my airline ticket and my flight had indeed been scheduled to leave Atlanta at 12:25. Moral: Pay CLOSE attention to your flight schedule!
It's been a while since I've written and I have a great reason. I went to Italy for 9 days and just recently returned. I wish that I had taken my laptop with me so I could blog while I was there but I wasn't that comfortable lugging my laptop on a tour that consisted of me hopping from Rome to Florence to Milan to Venice with a few stops in the Tuscan region. So here's the blog summary of my trip broken down by city. However, before I even made it to Italy I had a bit of an adventure. Ok, more than a bit. Want to hear about it...here it goes.
I was scheduled to depart for my Italian getaway on September 18. My flight left that afternoon with a layover in New York before we headed to Rome at 6:55pm. Well as I arrived to the airport at 10am, I was very much on schedule for the 12:55 flight. I took advantage of the extra time to walk around the airport and look for an Italian phrasebook that I had forgotten to pick up the day before. I got on the airport train to return to my terminal at about noon, confident that I would sit for a spell before the plane started boarding.
When I got to my gate, I noticed something odd. I didn't see any of the ladies that were going to Italy with me and there was an angry looking crowd of people standing around the counter. I notice that the sign at the gate said 12:25 for the flight departure to Bucharest. But I was confused so I went over to a gate agent and asked about the flight and discovered that it was gone. My heart sank. I went over to a ticketing agent to see if I could get on another flight and not have to pay too much money.
Luckily for me, the angry group of people was a good thing. The flight had been overbooked which meant that about 20 people weren't given seats on the flight which was taking almost everyone to New York to connect to an international flight. After visiting the ticketing agent, I was directed to join the group of people who were being taken care of after being booted from the flight. I was able to be booked on a 1:40 flight to LaGuardia that would put me in New York at 4 and give me enough time to catch the shuttle to JFK which is where my 6:55 flight to Rome was leaving from.
Relieved, I headed to my new terminal with a voucher for a free flight because the other one had been overbooked. As I boarded the plane, I felt a little better about things. I took a nap on the plane and woke up right before it was about to land. As we began the landing prep, the pilot came on the intercom. Apparently there was a lot of traffic on the airway to New York so we were asked to slow down which meant we would land about 15 later than initially scheduled.
As my stress level slowly rose, I tried to remain calm. After about 15 minutes we were cleared to land and I felt a bit better. Once we landed, I was told that we would have a shuttle to JFK airport but that we would have to see a delta agent about it. When I walked into the area, the agent walked the other way and out the other door. Annoyed, I walked around to see if I could just catch a shuttle but there weren't any around so I returned to the area and the agent had returned.
She called a car service for me and another gentleman who had a 7pm flight to Saudi Arabia. She assured me that it would take about 15 minutes for the car to arrive. 20 minutes later, she was calling back to check on things. As time slowly ticked by, I looked at the time and it was 4:45. I knew I should be at JFK by 6 in order to be cleared for the flight. The car pulled up at about 5:15 and we happily jumped inside. As he pulled into rush hour traffic, I was wondering how long it would take us to get there. As we drove slowly through traffic, my stress level began to rise. At about 5:55, we pulled up to JFK airport, which is huge. The driver dropped one guy off and then headed to the Delta terminal.
When he pulled up, I almost got out while the car was moving but I took a breath and waited for him to stop. As he handed me my suitcase, I waved goodbye to my travel companion and ran into the airport. Thankfully the boarding agent had checked me into both flights so I was able to go straight to security and to the gate. As I walked up, the ladies were glad to see me, which was nice. I took a moment and got a bottle of water and calmed down. I had made it! I was on my way to Italy.
I figured after making it through that adventure, I was up for anything once I arrived in Italy.
Stay tuned...
PS: I discovered that I had misread my airline ticket and my flight had indeed been scheduled to leave Atlanta at 12:25. Moral: Pay CLOSE attention to your flight schedule!
September 16, 2008
What really happens when Mario rescues the Princes
For all of you out there that played any variation of Super Mario Brothers on any of the Nintendo game systems, here is a great video about what really happens when Mario rescues the Princess. It's classic!
September 08, 2008
Woman vs. A Grown Ass Woman
Odd title. A woman is an adult so one would presume that a woman is the same as a grown ass woman, however this isn't entirely true. As I've gotten older, I've noticed that some people do not mature once they become officially an adult. I want to specifically address those women that, although their driver's license may say that they are well over 25, they act more like they are 22.
It stands to reason that when you reach a certain age, you can no longer get away with playing games and doing certain things that you might have done as a teen or in your early 20's. You are supposed to carry yourself like a mature women with some self-respect. You are supposed to demand that you be treated properly and treat others with the same respect you demand.
Sad to say, I have come across many women who are not grown ass women. They are biologically women but not mature by any means. It's unfortunate because those women make it hard for those of us who are indeed grown ass women. If you are unsure what makes a woman a grown ass woman, here is a short list.
A grown ass woman:
1. Carries herself in a respectful manner and gives that same respect to others
2. Is willing to apologize when she's wrong
3. Looks for opportunities for growth even when things aren't going her way
4. Is able to create meaningful relationships with both men and women
There are many other ways that differentiate a woman from a grown ass woman so please be aware. Just because a woman is grown age wise, doesn't mean she's a grown ass woman. All of us women need to work toward becoming a grown ass woman.
It stands to reason that when you reach a certain age, you can no longer get away with playing games and doing certain things that you might have done as a teen or in your early 20's. You are supposed to carry yourself like a mature women with some self-respect. You are supposed to demand that you be treated properly and treat others with the same respect you demand.
Sad to say, I have come across many women who are not grown ass women. They are biologically women but not mature by any means. It's unfortunate because those women make it hard for those of us who are indeed grown ass women. If you are unsure what makes a woman a grown ass woman, here is a short list.
A grown ass woman:
1. Carries herself in a respectful manner and gives that same respect to others
2. Is willing to apologize when she's wrong
3. Looks for opportunities for growth even when things aren't going her way
4. Is able to create meaningful relationships with both men and women
There are many other ways that differentiate a woman from a grown ass woman so please be aware. Just because a woman is grown age wise, doesn't mean she's a grown ass woman. All of us women need to work toward becoming a grown ass woman.
August 26, 2008
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf
This past Sunday I had the distinct opportunity to attend a showing of the play, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf". The play is currently running in Atlanta at the 14th Street Playhouse. It's being produced by IKAM Productions (www.ikamproductions.com) and directed by Jasmine Guy. It's her directorial debut.
The play is awesome! For those of you who aren't familiar with it, "For Colored Girls...is a choreopoem written by Ntozake Shange. It's a combination of monologues and poems performed by 7 ladies that are dressed in the colors of the rainbow. The play started with the Lady in Orange (she is usually the Lady in Brown but Jasmine wanted to stay true to the rainbow) and then progressed through the Lady in Yellow, Lady in Blue, Lady in Purple, Lady in Red and Lady in Green. It was a beautiful display of sheer talent as the ladies recounted stories of different women at different ages in different cities. The play's purpose is to speak to the difficulties and happy times as experienced by the woman of color.
Some of the monologues were happy and reminiscent. Others were heart wrenching and painful, but all of them gave a wonderful snapshot into the lives of women of color. Although the play was written in 1974, it is still very applicable today. I heard my story in several of the monologues and I was brought to tears more than once. My favorite line in the play was "I found God in myself and I loved her fiercely". That line stuck with me and penetrated my soul.
If you ever get a chance to see this play, take it. Do not let it pass you by.
Until I saw the play, I never truly understood the title but now I do. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rain is Enuf. The Rainbow is indeed enuf...don't ever forget that
The play is awesome! For those of you who aren't familiar with it, "For Colored Girls...is a choreopoem written by Ntozake Shange. It's a combination of monologues and poems performed by 7 ladies that are dressed in the colors of the rainbow. The play started with the Lady in Orange (she is usually the Lady in Brown but Jasmine wanted to stay true to the rainbow) and then progressed through the Lady in Yellow, Lady in Blue, Lady in Purple, Lady in Red and Lady in Green. It was a beautiful display of sheer talent as the ladies recounted stories of different women at different ages in different cities. The play's purpose is to speak to the difficulties and happy times as experienced by the woman of color.
Some of the monologues were happy and reminiscent. Others were heart wrenching and painful, but all of them gave a wonderful snapshot into the lives of women of color. Although the play was written in 1974, it is still very applicable today. I heard my story in several of the monologues and I was brought to tears more than once. My favorite line in the play was "I found God in myself and I loved her fiercely". That line stuck with me and penetrated my soul.
If you ever get a chance to see this play, take it. Do not let it pass you by.
Until I saw the play, I never truly understood the title but now I do. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rain is Enuf. The Rainbow is indeed enuf...don't ever forget that
August 19, 2008
Honesty is the best policy
Well if you've read about the escapades of the weekend barbecue that gave us the phrase of the day, "Have you sucked dick today?", then you remember that the guy who delivered the line was interested in me and we exchanged numbers. Well we had been texting back and forth since then and I could tell he's a nice guy. However, it was beginning to seem like he wasn't truly interested in getting to know me. But I wanted to have at least one extended phone conversation with him before I made a decision on him. Well we spoke briefly the other day and we talked about getting together.
He said that he wanted to see me, which for me is code for "I want you to come to my house". Since I'm not really looking to chill at anyone's house, I asked what would we do when we saw each other. He didn't really have a plan but he did make an annoying statement about me needing to be taken out to eat. I'm not trying to milk a guy's wallet and I hate being put in that box, especially when you haven't taken the time to really get to know me. Then he made a very telling statement about wanting to do something frugal. This told me that he didn't feel like he was financially able to really date.
I told him I was cool with whatever he decided. I really just wanted him to make a plan and then invite me along. Why oh Why do I have to force this guy to take the time to court me? Well our call ended because he had to do something. He promised to call me back but he didn't. The next day I got a text from him. This is basically what it said, "I like u, but I don't wanna waste your time. I'm not in a position to date. My intentions and desires are merely sexual..."
Oh boy...
So while I respect his honesty, I can't help but wonder if this is the status of dating right now. When we initially met, he mentioned not wanting to deal with women who treat him like a piece of meat. But he said that he was tired of dating people and waiting before he got physical with that person. He had apparently been doing that and it wasn't working for him so now he's focused on getting laid.
Interesting...
So now I'm back to square one as I work on reviving my dating life. I figured it would be an adventure and I was right. Stay tuned...
He said that he wanted to see me, which for me is code for "I want you to come to my house". Since I'm not really looking to chill at anyone's house, I asked what would we do when we saw each other. He didn't really have a plan but he did make an annoying statement about me needing to be taken out to eat. I'm not trying to milk a guy's wallet and I hate being put in that box, especially when you haven't taken the time to really get to know me. Then he made a very telling statement about wanting to do something frugal. This told me that he didn't feel like he was financially able to really date.
I told him I was cool with whatever he decided. I really just wanted him to make a plan and then invite me along. Why oh Why do I have to force this guy to take the time to court me? Well our call ended because he had to do something. He promised to call me back but he didn't. The next day I got a text from him. This is basically what it said, "I like u, but I don't wanna waste your time. I'm not in a position to date. My intentions and desires are merely sexual..."
Oh boy...
So while I respect his honesty, I can't help but wonder if this is the status of dating right now. When we initially met, he mentioned not wanting to deal with women who treat him like a piece of meat. But he said that he was tired of dating people and waiting before he got physical with that person. He had apparently been doing that and it wasn't working for him so now he's focused on getting laid.
Interesting...
So now I'm back to square one as I work on reviving my dating life. I figured it would be an adventure and I was right. Stay tuned...
August 18, 2008
more weird craigslist stuff
Well since I am in between film/tv projects, I have been trolling craigslist for opportunities. In spite of the prevalence of scams and other various shady work at home opportunities, craigslist is a very viable means for finding opportunities. I have landed quite a few great ones on there, American Idol and Pioneer Marketing are two noteworthy ones to mention. Ok back to the story.
I have been writing ever since I could string two sentences together. As a kid in elementary school, I used to write these horror stories and pass them around to my friends to read. Everyone always really liked them so I continued to explore my writing skills. As I got older, I branched out from horror to poetry to drama to erotica. I have always enjoyed writing descriptively and using adjectives liberally. I used to read romance novels avidly as a kid and I loved the colorful language. However, I always found some of the novels a bit too lovey dovey for my taste. Then I stumbled across some books that were less romance centered and more about just sex. It was a lot like written porn. Those were just as colorful but in a more graphic way. I discovered that I preferred to explore the world in between those two, erotica.
I've been writing erotic stories and poetry for years so when I came across an add on craigslist inquiring about partnering with a writer on an erotic novel, I was interested. I sent an email inquiry and got a response. The response was "sure thing. may i ask first how old are you". I responded with my age and the fact that I've been writing erotic stories and poems for a few years. The follow up response was "interesting. would love to discuss with you in further detail via the phone. may i call you whats your number"
I responded with my business cell number and waited for the call. Not too much longer I got a call from a guy. Initially it was ok. I had a weird feeling but I stayed on the phone because he hadn't said anything crazy until he said..."You have a sexy voice. Do you think I have a sexy voice?"
Now I'm thinking, "Oh Lord...what did I sign up for?" So I tell him that he sounds ok and he seemed disappointed that I didn't think he had a sexy voice. Then he starts asking me things about my fantasies and if I had done all of the things that I've written about. Now I'm thinking..."WTF?" Then here comes the kicker...he says that in order for us to be able to work together we should have phone sex and then write about it. Apparently he wants to develop this sexually tense relationship with someone and write about their sexual experiences with each other. So now I'm disturbed and uncomfortable when he says he has to go because he has another call. I'm relieved at the reprieve and make a mental note not to answer any more calls with his number, which showed up "Restricted".
Of course I did get another "Restricted" call later that day, which was ignored. Then I decided to be a bigger person and send him an email which said "Thanks for taking the time to speak with me about your idea for an erotic novel. However, I don't think that we work in similar ways when it comes to writing. I don't think you have to experience the things you write about to be a good novel and you appear to think the opposite. Good luck with your quest for an "expert writer" to teach you about writing erotica."
Goodness...when did it become ok to use the craigslist job ads as a way to find strangers to have sexual encounters with?
I have been writing ever since I could string two sentences together. As a kid in elementary school, I used to write these horror stories and pass them around to my friends to read. Everyone always really liked them so I continued to explore my writing skills. As I got older, I branched out from horror to poetry to drama to erotica. I have always enjoyed writing descriptively and using adjectives liberally. I used to read romance novels avidly as a kid and I loved the colorful language. However, I always found some of the novels a bit too lovey dovey for my taste. Then I stumbled across some books that were less romance centered and more about just sex. It was a lot like written porn. Those were just as colorful but in a more graphic way. I discovered that I preferred to explore the world in between those two, erotica.
I've been writing erotic stories and poetry for years so when I came across an add on craigslist inquiring about partnering with a writer on an erotic novel, I was interested. I sent an email inquiry and got a response. The response was "sure thing. may i ask first how old are you". I responded with my age and the fact that I've been writing erotic stories and poems for a few years. The follow up response was "interesting. would love to discuss with you in further detail via the phone. may i call you whats your number"
I responded with my business cell number and waited for the call. Not too much longer I got a call from a guy. Initially it was ok. I had a weird feeling but I stayed on the phone because he hadn't said anything crazy until he said..."You have a sexy voice. Do you think I have a sexy voice?"
Now I'm thinking, "Oh Lord...what did I sign up for?" So I tell him that he sounds ok and he seemed disappointed that I didn't think he had a sexy voice. Then he starts asking me things about my fantasies and if I had done all of the things that I've written about. Now I'm thinking..."WTF?" Then here comes the kicker...he says that in order for us to be able to work together we should have phone sex and then write about it. Apparently he wants to develop this sexually tense relationship with someone and write about their sexual experiences with each other. So now I'm disturbed and uncomfortable when he says he has to go because he has another call. I'm relieved at the reprieve and make a mental note not to answer any more calls with his number, which showed up "Restricted".
Of course I did get another "Restricted" call later that day, which was ignored. Then I decided to be a bigger person and send him an email which said "Thanks for taking the time to speak with me about your idea for an erotic novel. However, I don't think that we work in similar ways when it comes to writing. I don't think you have to experience the things you write about to be a good novel and you appear to think the opposite. Good luck with your quest for an "expert writer" to teach you about writing erotica."
Goodness...when did it become ok to use the craigslist job ads as a way to find strangers to have sexual encounters with?
August 10, 2008
Weird Craigslist Ads
I was browsing Craigslist looking for work. In spite of the potentially scary nature of some of the ads, I have actually found some great legitimate opportunities on there. So I tend to scan it daily, especially when I'm actively looking for work. Well this evening I was doing my Sunday browse and I came across two interesting ads. Enjoy!
Ad #1
Ad #1
Female Tour Guide (City of Atlanta)
Will be in Atlanta next weekend, looking for hopefully hott! guide to show us the city nite life. All expenses paid for next friday night and saturday, leaving sunday. Must be exceptional looking and comfortable in a short skirt. Pay is $1000.00. Please send picture or video if available. Thanks so much.
Ad #2
Simple: I'm a writer who wants a cool person to attend literary events with. (Such as the DBF, writers' conferences, and those things the Margaret Mitchell House is always having.) I find it easier to network with a wing-person, and so might you... we can avoid those nobody's-talking-to-me moments and probably have a much better time together than we would alone.
Makes no difference to me if you're male, female, gay, straight, black, white, whatever. Well, that's a lie... actually a nice white gay man would be awesome, but if you're something other than that, contact me anyway! I'll be open-minded! If anything I'd say please do not be a PTA mom who has written a Christian romance, and please do not be one birthday away from the nursing home.
I myself am a MWF, 43, conservative looking (meaning no tats, piercings, etc.). I live in an unfortunate suburb outside the perimeter. I'm short and chubby, so if you're too sexy to be seen with a fat person I guess I'll just have to miss out on you. However, to make up for my detriments, you may find that I am fairly well connected in the world of Southern lit.
Please be ready to drink, cuss, and bond with me over snarky criticisms of anybody who's more attractive and successful than we are.
Really?
Writer Wants Literary Friend to Attend Events (all GA)
Simple: I'm a writer who wants a cool person to attend literary events with. (Such as the DBF, writers' conferences, and those things the Margaret Mitchell House is always having.) I find it easier to network with a wing-person, and so might you... we can avoid those nobody's-talking-to-me moments and probably have a much better time together than we would alone.
Makes no difference to me if you're male, female, gay, straight, black, white, whatever. Well, that's a lie... actually a nice white gay man would be awesome, but if you're something other than that, contact me anyway! I'll be open-minded! If anything I'd say please do not be a PTA mom who has written a Christian romance, and please do not be one birthday away from the nursing home.
I myself am a MWF, 43, conservative looking (meaning no tats, piercings, etc.). I live in an unfortunate suburb outside the perimeter. I'm short and chubby, so if you're too sexy to be seen with a fat person I guess I'll just have to miss out on you. However, to make up for my detriments, you may find that I am fairly well connected in the world of Southern lit.
Please be ready to drink, cuss, and bond with me over snarky criticisms of anybody who's more attractive and successful than we are.
Really?
Saturday adventures
Wow...today was an interesting day. What started off as a typical Saturday with me going jogging first thing in the morning and then running some errands, turned into quite an adventure.
Ok, let me start from the beginning.
I woke up this morning and got dressed to go for a jog. I met a friend of mine who has recently started working out and he attempted to join me on my run. He walked a lot but felt better in the end, even though he disliked me for making him come out. After the run, I hit the ground running. I had to run my typical Saturday errands so I did those.
Earlier in the week, my friend had forwarded me an invite to a bbq that was being hosted by a graduate chapter of Omega Psi Phi. A co-worker of hers had invited her. Since I've decided that I'm going to be more open to meeting guys and dating, I was interested in going. But before we went, we decided to take a field trip to this store called Aphrodite's Toybox. You should check it out the next time you're in Atlanta or if you already live here. www.aphroditestoybox.com
That was an interesting hour or so and afterwards we were hungry so we went to eat at this great restaurant called Noodle. As we were talking, I shared with my friends that I wanted to start dating more and am open to being set up. This cemented us actually going to the bbq since there would definitely be guys there.
I was nervous since with graduate chapters the age demographic can vary widely but I was open so we hit the road and headed to the bbq. Well I didn't think by hitting the road we would be going on a freakin road trip. If you are familiar with Atlanta, you know that it's possible to drive for an hour and still be in the metro Atlanta area. Well we managed to almost do just that. Once we exited the expressway, we ended up on this long ass road that at one point was just trees. There were no lights, houses or even cars going by. We got nervous so we stopped at this gas station that looked like something out of a horror movie and asked this guy where the park was. He tells us "It's right there," and points. "You go through that stop sign and it's five seconds away."
We had to laugh because after the extended journey we took out to what I like to call West Hell, by the time we stopped to ask directions (because that was the ONLY gas station around), we were right there. So we headed over and as we pulled up and got out of the car, I was pleasantly surprised. There was a group of nice looking guys who looked to be in our age group. So we walk up and since it's so late, we are the only ladies in a crowd of gentlemen. This is definitely not a problem for me and my friends, so we walk on over.
One of the first things we notice is a big grill set up with some great smelling smoke coming out. The gentleman that had invited us offered us some chicken. We politely declined. We were offered chicken two more times and since it smelled so good, me and my friend decided to go ahead and sample it. That was some good chicken! Plus there was some sauce on it that made it taste even better. I had four pieces!
So we are all engaged in conversations with different people. The mingle factor was wonderful. I met a really nice guy that I hope calls me soon so we can hang out. He was a funny guy. He was telling people that we were girlfriend and boyfriend but it was kind of cute. We had some purple kool aid with liquor in it and then one guy walked over with this silver pouch and offered us some wine. It was awesome! I got some of the wine and it was actually really good. Since we got there so late, the guys were already packing things up so we got ready to go to a block party. We were about to pull out when the guy that I'd been talking to walked over to the car we were in. He had mentioned wanting something to drink because he was very thirsty. My friend had a bottle of ginger ale in her car. When he leaned into the window, he asked about the ginger ale. She said that it was hers and he asked if he could have it. She hesitated and he asked. "Have you sucked dick today?" This question was asked with the same expression that someone would have when asking "Have you gone to the store today?"
We laughed so hard! It was crazy that he was able to ask that kind of a question with a completely straight face. Then he waited patiently for the answer so that he could determine if he could have some of her ginger ale.
We headed over to the block party, which got even more interesting. This block party was really a party in the parking lot of this Jamaican restaurant (shack). There was a dj and a few coolers with "beverages" in it. When we walked up, there were guys standing around. We were asked for hugs and when I hugged one of the guys, it was the typical half hug I give people who are strangers. He says to me. "I want a two titty hug." Then he proceeds to hug me again including both of my boobs. By this point, I couldn't help but laugh and we headed over to the "dance area".
We didn't stay long because it was just too much and we were getting tired. We said goodbye to the gentleman that had invited us and headed back to our cars. As we were driving on the expressway and almost to our cars, we ran across some random debris on the expressway. That was it for us and we were happy to get to our cars and head home.
Remember. The question for the day is, "Have you sucked dick today?" Make sure you ask this of anyone who's drink you may want to sample. It apparently only counts for the day you are in. If they've done it the day before or a less than a week prior, it's fine. Feel free to drink their drink with a clear conscience.
Ok, let me start from the beginning.
I woke up this morning and got dressed to go for a jog. I met a friend of mine who has recently started working out and he attempted to join me on my run. He walked a lot but felt better in the end, even though he disliked me for making him come out. After the run, I hit the ground running. I had to run my typical Saturday errands so I did those.
Earlier in the week, my friend had forwarded me an invite to a bbq that was being hosted by a graduate chapter of Omega Psi Phi. A co-worker of hers had invited her. Since I've decided that I'm going to be more open to meeting guys and dating, I was interested in going. But before we went, we decided to take a field trip to this store called Aphrodite's Toybox. You should check it out the next time you're in Atlanta or if you already live here. www.aphroditestoybox.com
That was an interesting hour or so and afterwards we were hungry so we went to eat at this great restaurant called Noodle. As we were talking, I shared with my friends that I wanted to start dating more and am open to being set up. This cemented us actually going to the bbq since there would definitely be guys there.
I was nervous since with graduate chapters the age demographic can vary widely but I was open so we hit the road and headed to the bbq. Well I didn't think by hitting the road we would be going on a freakin road trip. If you are familiar with Atlanta, you know that it's possible to drive for an hour and still be in the metro Atlanta area. Well we managed to almost do just that. Once we exited the expressway, we ended up on this long ass road that at one point was just trees. There were no lights, houses or even cars going by. We got nervous so we stopped at this gas station that looked like something out of a horror movie and asked this guy where the park was. He tells us "It's right there," and points. "You go through that stop sign and it's five seconds away."
We had to laugh because after the extended journey we took out to what I like to call West Hell, by the time we stopped to ask directions (because that was the ONLY gas station around), we were right there. So we headed over and as we pulled up and got out of the car, I was pleasantly surprised. There was a group of nice looking guys who looked to be in our age group. So we walk up and since it's so late, we are the only ladies in a crowd of gentlemen. This is definitely not a problem for me and my friends, so we walk on over.
One of the first things we notice is a big grill set up with some great smelling smoke coming out. The gentleman that had invited us offered us some chicken. We politely declined. We were offered chicken two more times and since it smelled so good, me and my friend decided to go ahead and sample it. That was some good chicken! Plus there was some sauce on it that made it taste even better. I had four pieces!
So we are all engaged in conversations with different people. The mingle factor was wonderful. I met a really nice guy that I hope calls me soon so we can hang out. He was a funny guy. He was telling people that we were girlfriend and boyfriend but it was kind of cute. We had some purple kool aid with liquor in it and then one guy walked over with this silver pouch and offered us some wine. It was awesome! I got some of the wine and it was actually really good. Since we got there so late, the guys were already packing things up so we got ready to go to a block party. We were about to pull out when the guy that I'd been talking to walked over to the car we were in. He had mentioned wanting something to drink because he was very thirsty. My friend had a bottle of ginger ale in her car. When he leaned into the window, he asked about the ginger ale. She said that it was hers and he asked if he could have it. She hesitated and he asked. "Have you sucked dick today?" This question was asked with the same expression that someone would have when asking "Have you gone to the store today?"
We laughed so hard! It was crazy that he was able to ask that kind of a question with a completely straight face. Then he waited patiently for the answer so that he could determine if he could have some of her ginger ale.
We headed over to the block party, which got even more interesting. This block party was really a party in the parking lot of this Jamaican restaurant (shack). There was a dj and a few coolers with "beverages" in it. When we walked up, there were guys standing around. We were asked for hugs and when I hugged one of the guys, it was the typical half hug I give people who are strangers. He says to me. "I want a two titty hug." Then he proceeds to hug me again including both of my boobs. By this point, I couldn't help but laugh and we headed over to the "dance area".
We didn't stay long because it was just too much and we were getting tired. We said goodbye to the gentleman that had invited us and headed back to our cars. As we were driving on the expressway and almost to our cars, we ran across some random debris on the expressway. That was it for us and we were happy to get to our cars and head home.
Remember. The question for the day is, "Have you sucked dick today?" Make sure you ask this of anyone who's drink you may want to sample. It apparently only counts for the day you are in. If they've done it the day before or a less than a week prior, it's fine. Feel free to drink their drink with a clear conscience.
August 07, 2008
Draining love...
I was watching Keri Hilson's new video, "Energy" and it took me back to a few of my past relationships. If you ever feel like a relationship or "situation" is draining you more than it's uplifting you, walk away. I know, I know. That's much easier said than done but it's so important. Here is the video. Enjoy!
PS: Keri looks AWESOME in this video.
PS: Keri looks AWESOME in this video.
August 06, 2008
Getting my swagger back...is hard work
As I said in the previous post, this has been an interesting year for me. There has been virtually no debauchery and at this point I'm working on getting my swagger back.
Earlier this year, I realized that I hadn't met anyone or been on a date in quite some time. Now I understand that people go through droughts, but how the hell do you go through a drought unintentionally without even realizing it? Once I realized I was in a drought, I began work to get out of it.
A break through came in the form of a random homeless guy. While I was working on the show that has kept me hella busy since February (Hell Date Season 2), a homeless guy approached my car. I was braced for the offer to wash my car or the request for "spare change" but I got something different. He rolled up on my car and said "You're pretty. If you want to come find me, I'll be under this tree." LOL! I couldn't believe this dude tried to have me come check him out under his tree.
But swag is swag. So that exchange put me on the path to getting back in the game. I had one hiccup with a gentleman that seemed to want to get in the game but then fumbled at the last minute. Still bewildered about that one but I press on. I have a plan to get back in the game but more about that later. Stay tuned...
Earlier this year, I realized that I hadn't met anyone or been on a date in quite some time. Now I understand that people go through droughts, but how the hell do you go through a drought unintentionally without even realizing it? Once I realized I was in a drought, I began work to get out of it.
A break through came in the form of a random homeless guy. While I was working on the show that has kept me hella busy since February (Hell Date Season 2), a homeless guy approached my car. I was braced for the offer to wash my car or the request for "spare change" but I got something different. He rolled up on my car and said "You're pretty. If you want to come find me, I'll be under this tree." LOL! I couldn't believe this dude tried to have me come check him out under his tree.
But swag is swag. So that exchange put me on the path to getting back in the game. I had one hiccup with a gentleman that seemed to want to get in the game but then fumbled at the last minute. Still bewildered about that one but I press on. I have a plan to get back in the game but more about that later. Stay tuned...
July 25, 2008
Change and loss
Well this has been an interesting year for me so far. The debauchery that I was hoping for has not materialized, however it has been a productive year for work. I just finished shooting the second season of Hell Date. I created a new blog called www.cluelessfashionista.com
Early this year I realized that I was ready to make some major changes in my life. One of those changes was being ready for a relationship but it has been slow going on that front. I figured out a long time ago that I can't control people but I can control my attitude towards them. I am working on being more open towards guys that I meet and am interested in. It didn't work out so well recently but I digress. I invited someone to be a part of my year of debauchery and he couldn't step up to the plate. His loss.
Something else I have had to deal with a lot this year is loss. Earlier this year, my grandfather passed away. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for a while and he couldn't keep fighting. I'm glad he's out of pain but I do miss him a lot. I also lost two of my high school classmates. One was a guy that was my basketball player when I was a cheerleader. When I was in high school, the cheerleaders were assigned a player during the season. We would decorate their lockers before the games and bring them donuts. As a basketball cheerleader, I had a girl basketball player and a guy basketball player. The second guy that passed away was a guy that I knew from around. He was a popular guy that I didn't really know knew who I was until one day after he had graduated (he was a year older than me), he saw me and spoke to me. He was cool ever since them. We even talked on myspace recently. It was sad when these guys died because they were so young and had so much of their lives ahead of them.
I've also had to deal with loss through my friends. One of my oldest friends lost her brother to a senseless act of violence very recently. One of my close friends lost her father as well. Although I didn't have direct relationships with their family members, I still feel their loss.
With all of this loss going on around me, I am realizing that I need to make every moment of my life count. I shouldn't sit on my heels and wait for someone to give me permission to do what makes me most happy. Neither should anyone else.
Early this year I realized that I was ready to make some major changes in my life. One of those changes was being ready for a relationship but it has been slow going on that front. I figured out a long time ago that I can't control people but I can control my attitude towards them. I am working on being more open towards guys that I meet and am interested in. It didn't work out so well recently but I digress. I invited someone to be a part of my year of debauchery and he couldn't step up to the plate. His loss.
Something else I have had to deal with a lot this year is loss. Earlier this year, my grandfather passed away. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for a while and he couldn't keep fighting. I'm glad he's out of pain but I do miss him a lot. I also lost two of my high school classmates. One was a guy that was my basketball player when I was a cheerleader. When I was in high school, the cheerleaders were assigned a player during the season. We would decorate their lockers before the games and bring them donuts. As a basketball cheerleader, I had a girl basketball player and a guy basketball player. The second guy that passed away was a guy that I knew from around. He was a popular guy that I didn't really know knew who I was until one day after he had graduated (he was a year older than me), he saw me and spoke to me. He was cool ever since them. We even talked on myspace recently. It was sad when these guys died because they were so young and had so much of their lives ahead of them.
I've also had to deal with loss through my friends. One of my oldest friends lost her brother to a senseless act of violence very recently. One of my close friends lost her father as well. Although I didn't have direct relationships with their family members, I still feel their loss.
With all of this loss going on around me, I am realizing that I need to make every moment of my life count. I shouldn't sit on my heels and wait for someone to give me permission to do what makes me most happy. Neither should anyone else.
July 17, 2008
FB vs. FWB vs. Dating
The other day I was talking to a good friend of mine. We were discussing her situation with this guy she's been seeing off and on for the past year or so. She had decided that maybe their situation wasn't progressing the way she would have liked so she was going to separate herself from him. Now as we all know, when you're dealing with someone, it can often take a couple of tries before you can completely walk away.
As we discussed their situation, it became very clear to me that what she hoped was a FB situation was more of a FWB situation. Ok, let me stop here and define some things for you.
FB: Fuck buddy-someone that you deal with on only a physical level. You are free to date people when in this situation.
FWB: Friend with Benefits-someone you hang out with and are friends with but every time you are together, things will get physical. You can date people in this situation.
Dating: When two people have a mutual interest in each other and getting to know more about each other. There can be a physical aspect or not. You may or may not be free to date other people, depending on the agreement you have with the other person.
Definitions over.
Well while talking to my friend, I realized that many people get these three situations confused and that often leads to issues between the sexes. There is definitely some overlap and gray area involved but if you are totally honest with yourself about your situation, you will figure out what you're involved in.
First clue, if you're calling it a situation, you aren't dating.
As we discussed their situation, it became very clear to me that what she hoped was a FB situation was more of a FWB situation. Ok, let me stop here and define some things for you.
FB: Fuck buddy-someone that you deal with on only a physical level. You are free to date people when in this situation.
FWB: Friend with Benefits-someone you hang out with and are friends with but every time you are together, things will get physical. You can date people in this situation.
Dating: When two people have a mutual interest in each other and getting to know more about each other. There can be a physical aspect or not. You may or may not be free to date other people, depending on the agreement you have with the other person.
Definitions over.
Well while talking to my friend, I realized that many people get these three situations confused and that often leads to issues between the sexes. There is definitely some overlap and gray area involved but if you are totally honest with yourself about your situation, you will figure out what you're involved in.
First clue, if you're calling it a situation, you aren't dating.
July 09, 2008
Determination and resilience
Last Friday on July 4, I jogged the entire 6.2 miles of the 39th annual Peachtree Road Race held here in Atlanta. I think this is my 5th or 6th year participating in the race, however last year I was only able to complete 3.2 miles of the race. Now there are some people who can't even jog a mile so I won't belittle my ability to jog the 3.2 miles last year but each year that I participate in the Peachtree Road Race, I go in with the desire to jog the entire thing. Well this year, I did it! I was proud of myself because in spite of my extremely busy schedule, I managed to train well for the race.
I joined a gym where I've been taking kickboxing and this class called fast track at least twice a week and I jog twice a week. I feel better and I'm toning up nicely. Earlier this year, I made a decision to be healthier. Although I want to lose weight, I'm not focusing on the weight loss aspect. I'm focusing on eating better and being more active. It's been going well and I plan on keeping it up. I realize that being busy is not an excuse for being unhealthy. Besides, if you make exercise a part of your schedule, you won't' be too busy to do it.
I joined a gym where I've been taking kickboxing and this class called fast track at least twice a week and I jog twice a week. I feel better and I'm toning up nicely. Earlier this year, I made a decision to be healthier. Although I want to lose weight, I'm not focusing on the weight loss aspect. I'm focusing on eating better and being more active. It's been going well and I plan on keeping it up. I realize that being busy is not an excuse for being unhealthy. Besides, if you make exercise a part of your schedule, you won't' be too busy to do it.
June 15, 2008
Lack of respect can over power prejudice
This past Friday at work was a long day for me. It was my first Friday shooting the TV show that I'm working on and it was the first time that I was angered beyond just frustration or annoyance while working on a TV show. There is a member of our crew that tends to be very goal oriented when we are shooting. Typically this is a good thing but in reality television, you have to be flexible because you are usually shooting in the "real world" as opposed to a totally created world like on some shows, typically scripted ones. When you are shooting a TV show in the "real world", you have lots of extra things to deal with, namely the "regular people" that will come into contact with the crew.
As one of the Location Producers for this show, I am extremely aware that we often incorporate "regular people" in our shows. I am also aware that these people can't be expected to become actors overnight. With that awareness, I do my best to thoroughly prepare them for what to expect when we arrive and begin shooting. A member of our crew isn't always so sensitive to this fact. This has been an ongoing issue but I am often able to keep the people from becoming upset or annoyed or frustrated, until Friday.
We were shooting at a location where the owner was an older gentleman. He was a feisty, opinionated, talkative guy. When this crew member arrived and attempted to direct this gentleman, he's wasn't the easiest to direct. Rather than taking the time to assess the entire situation, the crew member got really short and rude with the gentleman. This bothered me so I attempted to let him know that he didn't have to do anything he was uncomfortable doing, he flipped out in the worst way.
I knew that he was really more upset with her but that it was me that set him off. I worked with another crew member to calm him down and we were able to complete our task. I got really upset because the initial crew member was so rude and disrespectful to the gentleman. I felt like he was an elder and we should always do our best to respect our elders. It didn't help that the crew member was white and the gentleman was black. However, I didn't see a race issue, I saw a respect issue. The other sad part is that she was totally unaware of the role that she had played in things going the way they did.
Eventually I felt better and we still ended up wrapping fairly early. As I thought back on the days events, I realized one important thing. One of the reasons why I got so upset is because being around this 70-year-old man, made me think of my grandfather. Although he didn't act like my grandfather or even look like him, I just thought of him. I miss my grandfather and it really pissed me off to see someone be so disrespectful to someone who could be someone's grandfather. Once I made peace with that I was able to move past the anger.
Learning experiences come at the oddest times.
As one of the Location Producers for this show, I am extremely aware that we often incorporate "regular people" in our shows. I am also aware that these people can't be expected to become actors overnight. With that awareness, I do my best to thoroughly prepare them for what to expect when we arrive and begin shooting. A member of our crew isn't always so sensitive to this fact. This has been an ongoing issue but I am often able to keep the people from becoming upset or annoyed or frustrated, until Friday.
We were shooting at a location where the owner was an older gentleman. He was a feisty, opinionated, talkative guy. When this crew member arrived and attempted to direct this gentleman, he's wasn't the easiest to direct. Rather than taking the time to assess the entire situation, the crew member got really short and rude with the gentleman. This bothered me so I attempted to let him know that he didn't have to do anything he was uncomfortable doing, he flipped out in the worst way.
I knew that he was really more upset with her but that it was me that set him off. I worked with another crew member to calm him down and we were able to complete our task. I got really upset because the initial crew member was so rude and disrespectful to the gentleman. I felt like he was an elder and we should always do our best to respect our elders. It didn't help that the crew member was white and the gentleman was black. However, I didn't see a race issue, I saw a respect issue. The other sad part is that she was totally unaware of the role that she had played in things going the way they did.
Eventually I felt better and we still ended up wrapping fairly early. As I thought back on the days events, I realized one important thing. One of the reasons why I got so upset is because being around this 70-year-old man, made me think of my grandfather. Although he didn't act like my grandfather or even look like him, I just thought of him. I miss my grandfather and it really pissed me off to see someone be so disrespectful to someone who could be someone's grandfather. Once I made peace with that I was able to move past the anger.
Learning experiences come at the oddest times.
June 01, 2008
Alicia Keys' As I Am Tour
Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to attend the Atlanta show of the "As I Am" tour featuring Alicia Keys, Ne-yo and Jordin Sparks.
It was an awesome show! Alicia Keys is a consummate performer and Ne-yo is electrifying on stage. I only saw the end of Jordin Sparks' show but she is a cutie pie and I look forward to seeing her grow as an artist. That girl can sang!
Ne-yo's performance was a story that told the tale of a love found and eventually lost using his songs to narrate. It was great because he sang all of his hits plus some great songs off of both of his albums. He started the show with his current single, "Closer" and kept the energy up throughout. He even sang my most favorite song from his second album, "Make it Work". He danced well and his dancers were great too. It was very Broadway-esque and his back up band also included a hype man. I've never seen an R&B singer with a hype man but it worked well for Ne-yo!
Alicia Keys came out and performed for about two hours straight. She gave great energy throughout. She sang her hits along with some songs from all three of her albums. She had wonderful dancers and she even did some steps herself. It was great hearing her sing the songs that made her famous like "Fallen" as well as some of my personal favorites from her first cd like "Goodbye".
If this concert tour is coming to your city, make sure you go check it out. It will be an enjoyable evening. Here's a link to the rest of the dates: http://www.aliciakeys.com/news/as-i-am-us-tour-dates-announced
It was an awesome show! Alicia Keys is a consummate performer and Ne-yo is electrifying on stage. I only saw the end of Jordin Sparks' show but she is a cutie pie and I look forward to seeing her grow as an artist. That girl can sang!
Ne-yo's performance was a story that told the tale of a love found and eventually lost using his songs to narrate. It was great because he sang all of his hits plus some great songs off of both of his albums. He started the show with his current single, "Closer" and kept the energy up throughout. He even sang my most favorite song from his second album, "Make it Work". He danced well and his dancers were great too. It was very Broadway-esque and his back up band also included a hype man. I've never seen an R&B singer with a hype man but it worked well for Ne-yo!
Alicia Keys came out and performed for about two hours straight. She gave great energy throughout. She sang her hits along with some songs from all three of her albums. She had wonderful dancers and she even did some steps herself. It was great hearing her sing the songs that made her famous like "Fallen" as well as some of my personal favorites from her first cd like "Goodbye".
If this concert tour is coming to your city, make sure you go check it out. It will be an enjoyable evening. Here's a link to the rest of the dates: http://www.aliciakeys.com/news/as-i-am-us-tour-dates-announced
May 12, 2008
Happy Birthday to Me!
Last Tuesday was my birthday. I am and have always been a firm believer in celebrating the day you were born. I see nothing wrong with planning my own birthday outings and including all of my friends and associates to join in my birthday fun. This past birthday was no different. The weekend before my birthday my friends had put together a surprise birthday party that I thought was for my friend but it turned out to be a joint party for both of us. They had invited a stripper (which was more for my friend than me) but it was a great party because my oldest friends were there with my newer friends. It was wonderful to have all of my friends in one place at one party. Good times!
This pre-birthday party was capped off by a lovely dinner with my parents and cousin (who just recently moved down to Atlanta from St. Louis). So far my birthday was off to a great start.
More to come...
This pre-birthday party was capped off by a lovely dinner with my parents and cousin (who just recently moved down to Atlanta from St. Louis). So far my birthday was off to a great start.
More to come...
April 27, 2008
Bio vs Press Release
Recently, I have had conversations with people about the difference between a bio and a press release. I feel like it's worth taking some time to explain the difference between the two and why both are important.
Bio-it is an account of a person's life. When someone has a professional bio written about them, it typically details their professional life with some personal details sprinkled in. Bios are informational pieces that set out to answer basic questions about a person or a company.
Press release-it is a document written as a way to garner interest in a person or a company. Press releases are often used to entice the media to write an article or to entice a company to consider a partnership with an organization or individual.
I have come to the realization that there are people out there that are practicing publicists that don't fully understand this differentiation. I do understand that you don't necessarily need a degree in PR to practice PR but if you don't have formal training, you should at least take the time to get practical insight into the basics of the field. There are tons of blogs, websites and books that have been written about the basics of public relations and how to practice it effectively.
Stay tuned for a list of blogs, websites and books that are great educational tools for those interested in working as PR practitioners and consultants as well as those who already work in the field.
Bio-it is an account of a person's life. When someone has a professional bio written about them, it typically details their professional life with some personal details sprinkled in. Bios are informational pieces that set out to answer basic questions about a person or a company.
Press release-it is a document written as a way to garner interest in a person or a company. Press releases are often used to entice the media to write an article or to entice a company to consider a partnership with an organization or individual.
I have come to the realization that there are people out there that are practicing publicists that don't fully understand this differentiation. I do understand that you don't necessarily need a degree in PR to practice PR but if you don't have formal training, you should at least take the time to get practical insight into the basics of the field. There are tons of blogs, websites and books that have been written about the basics of public relations and how to practice it effectively.
Stay tuned for a list of blogs, websites and books that are great educational tools for those interested in working as PR practitioners and consultants as well as those who already work in the field.
February 15, 2008
Atlanta R&B Live featuring Ne-yo
Wednesday (Feb. 13, 2008), I had the opportunity to attend the launch of an event called "Atlanta R&B Live". The featured artist was grammy-award winning Ne-yo and the opening act was Cheri Dennis. The event was held at Justin's and it was full of music industry tastemakers.
It was a very sexy event with a backdrop set up as you walk in where celebrities and other individuals were invited to take pictures and the entrance to Justin's was draped in white gauze. The event was sponsored by Hennessy and those who got tables were treated to a Hennessy tasting along with dinner. The performances were great. Cheri Dennis has a great voice and delivered a good performance. Her new single is a great dance song and I hope it does well. Check out her website and hear her new single.
Now I am a big fan of Ne-yo and his music. I have both of his cds and they are both on steady rotation in my car. I like his uptempo, midtempo and slow songs, which makes his cds very easy for me to listen to. I have wanted to see him live for quite some time now and it was a pleasure to finally have the opportunity to do so. He was very engaging live and sang some of my favorites from his current cd, Because of You. He also sang an unreleased single that peaked my interest in his next project. I am still a big fan of his and I can't wait to have the opportunity to see him in a big concert but this intimate setting was a great way to be introduced to him live. If you're not familiar with him, check out his website and myspace page.
Overall the event was great and I look forward to attending more in the new series. As an avid R&B lover who wishes there was more good R&B out there, I look forward to everything this event has to offer. Below are some pictures from the event as taken by a photographer with All the Parties. Check out their website, www.alltheparties.com.
Cheri Dennis
Ne-Yo
Myself and Nicholas
Faatimah York of K'orus Wines and Ross . Get more information about K'orus Wines, check out their website: www.koruswine.com
It's a french wine company that makes wine more approachable for novices and experienced wine drinkers alike. It's also a company that is focused on targeting the African American consumer but everyone is invited to try K'orus Wines.
It was a very sexy event with a backdrop set up as you walk in where celebrities and other individuals were invited to take pictures and the entrance to Justin's was draped in white gauze. The event was sponsored by Hennessy and those who got tables were treated to a Hennessy tasting along with dinner. The performances were great. Cheri Dennis has a great voice and delivered a good performance. Her new single is a great dance song and I hope it does well. Check out her website and hear her new single.
Now I am a big fan of Ne-yo and his music. I have both of his cds and they are both on steady rotation in my car. I like his uptempo, midtempo and slow songs, which makes his cds very easy for me to listen to. I have wanted to see him live for quite some time now and it was a pleasure to finally have the opportunity to do so. He was very engaging live and sang some of my favorites from his current cd, Because of You. He also sang an unreleased single that peaked my interest in his next project. I am still a big fan of his and I can't wait to have the opportunity to see him in a big concert but this intimate setting was a great way to be introduced to him live. If you're not familiar with him, check out his website and myspace page.
Overall the event was great and I look forward to attending more in the new series. As an avid R&B lover who wishes there was more good R&B out there, I look forward to everything this event has to offer. Below are some pictures from the event as taken by a photographer with All the Parties. Check out their website, www.alltheparties.com.
Cheri Dennis
Ne-Yo
Myself and Nicholas
Faatimah York of K'orus Wines and Ross . Get more information about K'orus Wines, check out their website: www.koruswine.com
It's a french wine company that makes wine more approachable for novices and experienced wine drinkers alike. It's also a company that is focused on targeting the African American consumer but everyone is invited to try K'orus Wines.
February 12, 2008
Dealing with loss
So far 2008 has been a year of loss for me. I've experienced loss on a few different levels. I've experienced personal loss (the loss of my grandfather on January 27, 2008), professional loss and material loss (someone went into my car and took all of my car audio stuff with the exception of the factory radio February 9, 2008). Now the personal loss saddened me deeply and I will miss my grandfather but his passing marked a release for him because he was in a lot of pain. I just wish I had gotten the chance to spend more time with him growing up but I really enjoyed the time I did spend with him. He was a very colorful man and quite debonair.
Now my professional loss made me sad at first but I realized that it was for the best and that you can't always do business with friends. I'm just glad I made the decision to step away so that the friendship wouldn't suffer. I know I'm a different person when I'm doing business and sometimes friends don't understand the separation.
The material loss was more upsetting because someone went into my car as it sat in my driveway and took things out of it. Now I'm annoyed that I have to replace these things but I'm more disturbed at how unsafe I feel at my own home. I also lost my car key so I had to get the lock changed for my car's ignition (the cheapest option) to prevent the thief (who may have found the key) from coming back and driving away in my car.
Overall this period of loss has given me some perspective. It has definitely made me stronger and more comfortable allowing myself to be upset about things. Now I won't even begin to say that I have worked through it and am ready to move on. These losses will be with me for some time, but it hasn't erased my optimism. This is still the year for me to continue to move forward and build on the foundation I have been laying over the past couple of years.
Now my professional loss made me sad at first but I realized that it was for the best and that you can't always do business with friends. I'm just glad I made the decision to step away so that the friendship wouldn't suffer. I know I'm a different person when I'm doing business and sometimes friends don't understand the separation.
The material loss was more upsetting because someone went into my car as it sat in my driveway and took things out of it. Now I'm annoyed that I have to replace these things but I'm more disturbed at how unsafe I feel at my own home. I also lost my car key so I had to get the lock changed for my car's ignition (the cheapest option) to prevent the thief (who may have found the key) from coming back and driving away in my car.
Overall this period of loss has given me some perspective. It has definitely made me stronger and more comfortable allowing myself to be upset about things. Now I won't even begin to say that I have worked through it and am ready to move on. These losses will be with me for some time, but it hasn't erased my optimism. This is still the year for me to continue to move forward and build on the foundation I have been laying over the past couple of years.
January 21, 2008
Her name is Algebra
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to attend a concert featuring Algebra and friends. Algebra is an R&B/Soul singer from Atlanta that has been making waves for the past few years. The show was PHENOMENAL! Algebra gave one of the best shows I've seen in a while.
I first learned about Algebra a couple of years ago when my business partner was doing some work with Kedar Entertainment South. At the time, Algebra was a new artist signed to Kedar Entertainment and I had the opportunity to see her perform at the Vibe Fest in Atlanta for the first time. It was a wonderful performance. Her lyrics are so personable and relatable that you feel like you are having a conversation with a girlfriend who just happens to be on stage with a full band.
After she opened the show, she allowed the audience to experience Rahbi. Rahbi was fabulous! His stage show was so entertaining and full of energy that the audience couldn't help but love him. Check him out online at: www.rahbimusic.com.
After Rahbi wowed the crowd, Malachi came out and gave us a taste of his music. I've seen Malachi perform in the past and I'm a big fan of his live performances. He has a soulful, hip hop vibe that draws you in when he performs. Check out his website: www.hustlinboy.com.
Once Malachi performed, one of Algebra's background singers stepped to the forefront and rocked the house. Erica Smith had so much energy that I'm now a fan of hers too. I love it when R&B/Soul singers have a rock edge. As soon as I find her myspace or website, I will share it with you.
After Erica, we had a nice surprise. Grammy winning songwriter/producer Bryan-Michael Cox got on stage and performed some of hits for us. We all know him as a great producer and songwriter but I had no idea he was a singer. Well he added an extra dimension to the show, if that was even possible.
Once we were so full of great music and even greater performances, Algebra came back out and performed several more songs. She sang with her band and did an acoustic set with just her and a guitar that was awesome. Then she blessed us with good news that her album will be out Feb. 26. I'm quite excited because I've been waiting for an album from her ever since I first saw her perform at the Vibe Fest in 2005.
If you ever get the chance the see Algebra perform live, don't sleep on it. Jump at the opportunity. You won't regret it. In the meantime, check out her myspace page: www.myspace.com/algebrablessett.
I first learned about Algebra a couple of years ago when my business partner was doing some work with Kedar Entertainment South. At the time, Algebra was a new artist signed to Kedar Entertainment and I had the opportunity to see her perform at the Vibe Fest in Atlanta for the first time. It was a wonderful performance. Her lyrics are so personable and relatable that you feel like you are having a conversation with a girlfriend who just happens to be on stage with a full band.
After she opened the show, she allowed the audience to experience Rahbi. Rahbi was fabulous! His stage show was so entertaining and full of energy that the audience couldn't help but love him. Check him out online at: www.rahbimusic.com.
After Rahbi wowed the crowd, Malachi came out and gave us a taste of his music. I've seen Malachi perform in the past and I'm a big fan of his live performances. He has a soulful, hip hop vibe that draws you in when he performs. Check out his website: www.hustlinboy.com.
Once Malachi performed, one of Algebra's background singers stepped to the forefront and rocked the house. Erica Smith had so much energy that I'm now a fan of hers too. I love it when R&B/Soul singers have a rock edge. As soon as I find her myspace or website, I will share it with you.
After Erica, we had a nice surprise. Grammy winning songwriter/producer Bryan-Michael Cox got on stage and performed some of hits for us. We all know him as a great producer and songwriter but I had no idea he was a singer. Well he added an extra dimension to the show, if that was even possible.
Once we were so full of great music and even greater performances, Algebra came back out and performed several more songs. She sang with her band and did an acoustic set with just her and a guitar that was awesome. Then she blessed us with good news that her album will be out Feb. 26. I'm quite excited because I've been waiting for an album from her ever since I first saw her perform at the Vibe Fest in 2005.
If you ever get the chance the see Algebra perform live, don't sleep on it. Jump at the opportunity. You won't regret it. In the meantime, check out her myspace page: www.myspace.com/algebrablessett.
January 20, 2008
Holy Hip Hop!
Friday, January 18, I had the opportunity to attend the 2008 Holy Hip Hop Artist Showcase at Center Stage at the CW Megaplex in Atlanta. I was there to support an artist I've been working with for the past couple of years, Tigah and an artist I just started working with, Credo Clay.
Both Tigah and Credo Clay are talented rap artists that are a part of the record label owned by my business partner, Troy and Tigah, called Solomon Sheppard Music. They are rappers that talk about God and good, clean living in their rhymes. For more information about Tigah, visit his myspace page at www.myspace.com/tigahtraxx For more information about Credo Clay, visit his myspace page at www.myspace.com/credoclay.
The showcase was very interesting. I haven't been able to really get into gospel or inspirational rap music because it tends to sound very watered down to me, but I do like Tigah and Credo's music. When I went to the showcase, I had high hopes that it would be an interesting and uplifting event.
Unfortunately it wasn't. Although Tigah and Credo did very well in their performances, the other artists confused me a bit. As we walked into Center Stage, I heard the chorus to a song that was really popular in the clubs over a year ago. This bothered me because as the night progressed I noticed a trend. A lot of the artists were simply "converting" secular rap songs and making them gospel rap songs. Not only did this make me cringe due to the limit it put on creativity, but some of the songs they were "converting" were not great songs to "gospelize".
Also the showcase felt like any other type of showcase that I've attended that wasn't for holy hip hop, only without the noticeable smell of smoke and drinking. While I appreciate the spirit of holy hip hop and gospel rap, I would prefer the artists make more of an effort to truly create good, clean rap music without feeling the need to "convert" popular secular songs by changing certain words. Overall it was an event that I would encourage more people to check out. More people should be aware that not all hip hop music is about money, sex, partying and loose women. Now don't get me wrong, Holy Hip Hop is a good concept and a great way to broaden the scope of hip hop and rap music, so read up on it. Besides, its a great way for young kids to experience hip hop and rap music with their parents blessing and clean lyrics.
For more information about Solomon Sheppard Music and the Truth Music Movement, check out the website www.solomonsheppardmusic.com.
For more information about Holy Hip Hop, check out the website www.holyhiphop.com
Both Tigah and Credo Clay are talented rap artists that are a part of the record label owned by my business partner, Troy and Tigah, called Solomon Sheppard Music. They are rappers that talk about God and good, clean living in their rhymes. For more information about Tigah, visit his myspace page at www.myspace.com/tigahtraxx For more information about Credo Clay, visit his myspace page at www.myspace.com/credoclay.
The showcase was very interesting. I haven't been able to really get into gospel or inspirational rap music because it tends to sound very watered down to me, but I do like Tigah and Credo's music. When I went to the showcase, I had high hopes that it would be an interesting and uplifting event.
Unfortunately it wasn't. Although Tigah and Credo did very well in their performances, the other artists confused me a bit. As we walked into Center Stage, I heard the chorus to a song that was really popular in the clubs over a year ago. This bothered me because as the night progressed I noticed a trend. A lot of the artists were simply "converting" secular rap songs and making them gospel rap songs. Not only did this make me cringe due to the limit it put on creativity, but some of the songs they were "converting" were not great songs to "gospelize".
Also the showcase felt like any other type of showcase that I've attended that wasn't for holy hip hop, only without the noticeable smell of smoke and drinking. While I appreciate the spirit of holy hip hop and gospel rap, I would prefer the artists make more of an effort to truly create good, clean rap music without feeling the need to "convert" popular secular songs by changing certain words. Overall it was an event that I would encourage more people to check out. More people should be aware that not all hip hop music is about money, sex, partying and loose women. Now don't get me wrong, Holy Hip Hop is a good concept and a great way to broaden the scope of hip hop and rap music, so read up on it. Besides, its a great way for young kids to experience hip hop and rap music with their parents blessing and clean lyrics.
For more information about Solomon Sheppard Music and the Truth Music Movement, check out the website www.solomonsheppardmusic.com.
For more information about Holy Hip Hop, check out the website www.holyhiphop.com
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