random ish: it's nothing but words...

* i love this picture. doesn't it look cool? work it mama. hahaha.

* volleyball has officially started, and i'm drained already. between camp and practice and pictures and parents and physicals, i can't breathe. and OH LORD the girls text me like it's going out of style. whew. i still love them though. lol.

* i did a photoshoot with my friend (shout out to Art!) the other day... and i pretty much impressed myself! lol. he's in school in wisconsin and was only here for a week but needed some shots for his portfolio (can you imagine the really skinny guy in HS growing into this buff model? hilarious.) so i volunteered cause hey, i need some shots for my portfolio too. so far i've officially done three great photoshoots. i'm awesome. friends that let you take pictures of them are awesomer. lol.

* i'm very emotionally drained. i need a V8, like something serious. lol.

* i have finally found the perfect combination of products that my hair is in love with. and that makes me happy. :=) V05 tea therapy conditioner = heaven sent.

* i think i'm in need of a blog break. seems to be spreading throughout the blogosphere. even though i did kind of take one last week with my one post (it was a friggin awesome post though, wasn't it? i am in love with that mind spill. so soft and imperfect. who wouldn't want that kind of love?), but still, i feel the need coming on. it's all just too much to keep up with right now. plus ...

* there is something inside me that is drawn to troubled souls. no, seriously. i think it's my unexplainable need to help. and learn. i like to understand. i like to talk to them and experience the inner workings of their minds. it's pretty remarkable how people can experience such horrors and still come out a beautiful person on the other end. i think that's why my characters all have some internal conflict, i like uncovering the damages and mending them. lol.

* my father recently taught me how to make a perfect steak. no matter how you like it-- medium rare, rare, well-done, medium well--i can do it all! PLUS, i can make a killer greek salad now. thank you daddy-o! i would post the video but umm no. but anyhoo, whooo hooo for Muze gaining you-need-to-wife-me-up points! hahaha.

* i want an iphone. so bad. the new one. so so so bad. my stepmother just got one and it is soooo friggin sweet. and only 200 bucks. i NEED it in my life. and yes, she already has my blog saved in her favorites. cause i'm flyy like that. lol. was weird seeing my blog so little though. that phone though, so awesome. i want it. so if anyone feels like being nice... i'm taking donations. lolol.

* so i've decided i'm moving in november or december. after i get my stipend for volleyball i'm just going to pack up and hit the road. wherever the wheels take me is where i'm going. ... the wheels will most likely take me to atlanta. or california. both places have more than a few people i know, and both places have warm weather, most importantly. lol. all i want is to look outside and not see snow on my birthday. february 14th is the date, write it down. lol. so... we'll see. i can't wait. a fresh start is exactly what i need, no question about it.

* "i don't know if i ever loved him, really. i was young but i think now that i was younger than i should have been, for my age. if you see what i mean. anyway, i know i wasn't woman enough to help the man, to give him what he needed."

this is an excerpt from the book 'if beale street could talk', by the great james baldwin. made me think. really made me think. i've met plenty of young women who have experienced waaaay too much. who have had way too 'hard' of a life, and it shows, in their behavior, their language, and their perspectives on life. i worry sometimes that i may be just the opposite. is there such a thing as too innocent? too untainted? i wonder. i've been told i need to experience more. i've been called naive. but what makes one 'woman enough'?

sometimes i think that is the beauty of me. other times i think it is ultimately the reason why my life ends up taking the interesting turns that it does. lol.

* i want a yorkshire terrier. omg they are just the cutest things on the planet. this customer at the bank always brings his in and she's just so little and cute. too bad they cost like $1500... and there's no WAY i'm spending that much on a dog right now, period. lol. one day though... one day.

* i believe that, heaven must be like this
ray of sunshine, kiss upon your skin
just say you love me.... make my day go good.
pot of gold at the, end of the rainbow...

i believe that, love is synonymous
with heaven, such a sensual bliss
the way you touch me, makes this life so good
a reward at the, end of the long road...

can't tell you nothing you ain't already heard...
no matter what i say, it's nothing but words
just let me prove to you what i know is real...
let me express to you the way that i feel...

fairy tales can be, real if you just believe
got my mind made... i don't plan to leave
cause you are meant for me, simple that may be
why be complex, loving you is so easy...

^^ verses (all of them. lol) from my most favoritest song on the planet right now. 'words' by anthony david featuring india arie. touches me. man i love it. love it love it love it. lol. such a supertastic song.

guess that's all.

hope all is fab and flyy!

pretty girl fairy tales, and other randomness

*i have to stop believing in fairy tales. seems they never come true and even when they do, you get a hot blast of reality that cinderella never had to deal with. maybe i am no princess like daddy always told me. maybe there is no prince charming. i believe there is though. i have to believe it. he may not be perfect, but no one is. i know i'm far from it. i don't want perfection. maybe he is a prince almost-charming. maybe i've already got him. maybe i don't. i guess time will tell.

*funny when your mind or heart is worried, it is so intensely piercing that everything else just kind of drops out into the blurry distance. you see the mouths moving. you sometimes even catch a piece of what they're saying. but they're just noise. they can't penetrate the cloud of frustration. you end up with more people mad at you. angry that you have too many issues of your own to sit and talk their's through with them at two in the morning. and when you do, you are at a loss for words when your opinion is asked.

*the mission to find a car has reached an all-time high. honestly i don't care what kind it is at this point, i just want something reliable that isn't a jalopy. like seriously, getting rides sucks fat sweaty balls... in 90-degree weather. it does.

*i have good friends. the kind that you can tell almost anything to and not worry about it being spread around the city. the type that will sit and listen to you cry and gripe about something six days in a row, even when you both know that the minute the conflict is over, you will be there, right back in the very hailstorm that caused your tears. good friends don't throw things up in your face, though.

*why is it that men think if you have curly hair then you are not a 'regular' black girl? and what does a 'regular' black girl look like? i'm going to take a picture of what i look like today. then i'm going to post it. in the summer time, i get a nice bronze tan. i love it. i wear my hair wild and curly. i also love that. but what i DON'T love is being asked every day by some dude "you from the islands, right?" or "you don't look like a 'regular' black girl, what are you?"

ugh. and i'm not even biracial. my father is, i'm not. i don't look like anything but a black woman. geesh. i can only imagine what some other women go through. i don't understand the obsession with the 'exotic'. i mean, they are actually disappointed when i say i am from michigan. lol. if they even get that much conversation from me.

*i was once told that i have the 'pretty girl syndrome', meaning that i am used to getting my way just based on how i look, and when i don't, i get upset. he always said that, and it irritated me to no end. i would get offended, argue about how i was nice and sweet and he was just being mean just to be mean.

... seems i was making his point now that i think about it. ha.

honestly though, i didn't realize this until yesterday. maybe i do have this 'syndrome' he spoke of. the characteristics associated with it that he used to yell out so pointedly, were confirmed yesterday. it made me look at myself in the mirror. am i really this spoiled? sadly, i am. my defense has always been, "well, who doesn't want what they want when they want it?" it's pretty terrible, the ways in which you act and expect people to treat you, just because you are used to it.

i am not saying that i am a b*tch. in no way am i that. i'm actually the coolest person i know. lol. but when it comes to men, i have come to realize that i DO expect them to act a certain way towards me, and when they don't, i don't know how to handle it.

i've seen worse though. much worse.

example: myself and three of my close friends went to Friday's a few weeks back. Friday's has become a sort of hangout for those that want to see and be seen, no longer just a casual neighborhood restaurant. my friends go all the time, it's like their second home. me, i accompany them ever so often. i'm not one for crowds all the time.

my friends are pretty. all of them. so of course, as soon as we sat down at a table by the bar, the men started looking. winking. and sometimes all out staring. before you knew it, all my friends had drinks that they didn't open their wallets for. i don't drink, so i nursed my water like i always do. we ordered at least twenty dollars worth of food each, and sat there eating, talking and having a grand ol time, of course with a continuous stream of "damn, baby" and "what's your name?" and "you got a man?" from the passers-by and sitters-close.

when the bill came, everyone had cash but me. of course the one who works at a bank never carries cash. so, i pulled out my debit card, and handed it to the waitress. just as she walked away, i got up to go to the bathroom. no more than three steps later, a man, dressed nice, about an inch or two taller than me (i had on heels too, so i guess he was tall), bald with a goatee (don't ask me why his description is important. lol) walked up to me casually.

him: "hey, how are you? can i talk to you for a second?"

i was in no mood to speak to any man about if i had a man, or could i have friends, or where we were going after we left here. men are so predictable and unoriginal. i was slightly irritated that he chose me instead of the table i had just left.

me: "what about?"

him: "well, i think you are gorgeous. wanna get to know you."

me: "thank you. but i have a boyfriend."

he looked slightly disappointed. i was glad he didn't go the 'can you have friends?' route.

him: "well, you're sitting at that table right? how much was the bill. you can at least let me buy you all dinner."

i looked at him incredulously. why would he want to buy us dinner? i for one am uncomfortable accepting things from men. my mother always told me nothing in the world is free. nothing. so, i've always been like that. leery.

me: "why?"

him: "four beautiful women do not need to be paying for their own meals, ever."

it was quite astounding. this man willing to pay for our dinners, knowing i wasn't going to give him my number or anymore of my time after this night. i said nothing, just turned and walked back to our table. my friends smiled at me, assessed him with the up and down. he was a cutie.

me: "this guy wants to pay for our meals. he wants to know how much the bill was."

i said that thinking that my friends would all ring out in a chorus of laughs, or at least ask why this stranger wanted to pay our 85 dollar tab.

they didn't though. just smiled, said the amount, and said thank you. the man pulled out five twenties and gave them to me.

him: "you ladies have a nice night. stay fine."

we all watched him walk away, then simultaneously they all started laughing hysterically. i divvied all of their cash back out to them, and we boxed up our food and left. i was bewildered. i have had men offer me things of course. but 100 dollars for nothing? didn't make sense to me at all.

me: "did i just see that? did he really just pay for our meal for no reason?"

my friend: "look at us, woman. he had a reason. we're not supposed to pay for anything."


... guess i'm not the only one with this 'syndrome', huh?

i'm going to change the spoiled behavior though. it's not becoming.

it is said the first step is admitting you have a problem.

see? i'm improving already.

hope all is fab and flyy. *smiles*

sixteen ... at war

i heard this song a while ago, but i actually listened to the lyrics yesterday. so true. but so sad. makes me wonder what kind of world is going to be left for my daughter.

whew.

lyrics:


Aint no Daddy’s where I’m from, Its just mad mothers
And eyes that still seem they can’t look past colors
Why am I disrespected by someone I should called brother.
And why girls feeling pretty and constantly hate each other
Bad air in my lungs.. Man I can’t breathe…
My eyes burning from all the dirt in the debris
And its 3rd degree, motionless on the scene.
Its like a disease the way ya’ll killing me

I’m 16 and I shouldnt have to feel like this
16 every young boy out here wanna kiss
16 and me and my momma going through it
16 on the Block ... 16 on the Block
I’m 16 ( at war) 16(at war) 16(at war) 16(at war) I’m 16(at war) 16 (at war)
I’m 16 on the Block 16 on the Block

Around here cool is another word for fool
If he smoke, then she smoke, I gotta smoke too
Now what would I do if I didn’t have a clue
I’m 16 y.o. Asking God oh why oh?
If my clothes ain’t tight then he ain’t gon' like me
Eyes on the prize so the next girl dress just like me
I’m so full of promises but why promise if promise just be rewarded by bad actions
To him I’m just a transaction

I’m 16 and I shouldn't have to feel like this
16 every Young boy out here wanna kiss
16 and me and my momma going through it
16 on the Block 16 on the Block
I’m 16 ( at war) 16(at war) 16(at war) 16(at war) I’m 16(at war) 16 (at war)
I’m 16 on the Block 16 on the Block

I want you to love my mind, my smile, my style
I want you to know the best of me
I want to belong without being treated like property
Why does this feel like fantasy

I’m 16 and I shouldn't have to feel like this
16 every Young boy out here wanna kiss
16 and me and my momma going through it
16 on the Block 16 on the Block
I’m 16 (at war) 16(at war) 16(at war) 16(at war) I’m 16(at war) 16 (at war)
I’m 16 on the Block 16 on the Block
I’m 16


... i think this just inspired a story.

he's mine...you may have had him once but i got him all the time ...

He might be doing you
But he's thinkin' about me
So lay that finger on another lover
And go find another brother
I know he's my man
He's holding my hand
It feels good when he calls my name
Don't you wish you had the same
Feeling disgust workin' yo' stuff
Till he thinks about mine Now he's feeling real high
You ask why Cause he's mine
Tell you something that just aint cool
Never fall in love with a man who don't love you
I wouldn't waste my time telling you something wrong
You been with him one night and now he's coming home ...



"he don't want that hoe. she was just a one night thing."

this phrase is one i've come to be familiar with among friends and family when they find their man has cheated.

it was only a one night thing.

it didn't mean anything.

he made a mistake.

maybe it's just me, but i don't think that should matter. i think the fact that he spent the night out sexing down some chick while you were at home is enough to be fired. my friends say i'm unrealistic when it comes to relationships. how dare i expect a man to be faithful for forever in 2008?

in the song 'hey ya' by andre 3000, he says "if what they say is nothing lasts forever, then what makes love the exception?"

i dunno. i just think that once you stop believing in love, there's really no reason to date or get married or even be involved in it, you know? a friend told me that 'love fades. people fall out of love every day.' and i know this is true. i've seen it. but is that because it's so easy for us to look elsewhere for it?

and what happens when one of his 'one nighters' is no longer a one nighter? or one of those chicks gives him some disease that he so graciously gives to you? why is it so unrealistic to expect a man to be faithful? and what is the point of getting married if you are just going to cheat on each other?

'feeling disgust working your stuff...'

uh, yeah right.

so let me ask you guys...


do you think it's possible for love to last through anything?

you think the 20-30 year relationships are a possibility in this day and age?

if your man or woman had a 'one night thing' ... would you forgive and forget? tell yourself 'this here is too good, he don't want nothing else?'

or would you bounce to find your 'meant to be?'

Fifteen ... a short story

so, i wrote this a while ago. it was just an exercise to write a story outside of my normal 'box'. i was thinking about expanding it into a longer short story. (please excuse the language)


"Do I think its bad? Of course I think it's bad! What the fuck were you thinking?! You look like a fucking whore!"

His anger scared me most days. But not today.

The furrows between his eyebrows didn't look so deep now.

The scar that jaggedly traveled from above his top lip to the middle of his chin didn't even seem that heinous today. Usually, one sight at the deep indention that made his mouth look like it had four crooked lips instead of two normal ones, and I was cringing uncontrollably.

Jay said it looked like he'd kissed the blade of a sharp knife.

I told him it looked like the knife had kissed him back. We had a good laugh at that one.

His breath was unusually foul today. The bitter spray from his yelling had me about two minutes from hurling up last night's white castle. I wished the extra-mayo, double-cheese, triple-beef with extra onions hoagie he was always eating would clog an artery already and get his fat ass out of my face, dammit.

It was my hair. If I wanted to be blond then I was gonna be blond. I was sick of looking like cousin IT with all that mousy-brown crap weighing me down.

I caught my reflection in the mirror behind him. Platinum blond bob, blood red lips on pale skin, heavy black eyeliner, bony 5'3" frame. Hot shit.

I didn't care if he didn't like it. Jay liked it ... said I looked like Madonna when she was still 'Like A Virgin'. Said he used to have a crush on her when he was little. I even had a small mole above my lip on my left cheek.

Now she was one hot bitch.

And now I was one hot bitch.

Five inches of hair was more than enough for one head.

"Who the fuck gave you permission to cut your hair? You want everyone to know what you are? No one's gonna believe you're not a fucking whore now. Is that what you want? You want me to treat you like a whore? I can show you what whores get!"

Damn, a tic-tac would really be in order right now. I wished he would stop yelling.

I responded how I always respond. "I'm sorry DJ."

Daddy John.

Not daddy. Not John. Daddy John. I shortened it to DJ and that's the closest he was gonna get. He accepted it most days.

If I said I was sorry enough times, he'd eventually grab a can of Miller Lite and forget I was even in the house. I was on number ten.

"Goddamn right you're sorry! Going around chopping off your hair and dying it that godawful color like some slut. I should whup your ass for that."

"I'm really sorry DJ." I tried to inject some sense of honesty in there, but I don't know if it worked.

I don't know what he had against me looking like a slut anyway. That's all he invited over here to this crappy house. They were always around. Coming over at one in the morning when I was supposed to be sleep, then leaving around four.

From the sound of it, he absolutely loved sluts.

They never stayed the whole night though. They got away.

I always wished I could leave with them.

"Stop saying you're sorry. I already know you're a sorry piece of shit girl!" He raised his hand up like he was about to strike.

I got ready. Put my hands up defensively over my head. If he pummeled, it was going to be a long night. If he didn't, he was going to grab a beer and forget about me.

I waited.

A few seconds later, I could hear his heavy steps heading towards the kitchen. Whew.

It was weird, but in that moment, I still wasn't scared. At least he didn't mess up my high.
This ecstasy stuff was the bomb. I was feeling no pain. Jay was the best. He said they would make me feel better.

And they did too.

He could go fuck himself for all I cared.

I walked down the drab hallway to my dungeon of a room. To my surprise, he had followed me.

Dammit.

"Bitch did you hear what I said? Turn around! Don't roll your fuckin eyes at me!"

If i didn't know any better, I'd swear Bitch and Whore were my first and middle names."I'm sorry DJ ... I just wanted to try something different, that's all. It will grow back. Why don't you relax? Here ... want one? I got it from Ash. I'm really sorry DJ..."

Mine was wearing off, but if I could get him high with my last one ... maybe I could get a break. Go see Jay and have some peace while he was on cloud nine.

He snatched the tiny white pill from my palm and popped it in his mouth. Such a druggie. He'd take anything that would keep him from thinking about how pitiful his life was.

Being fourteen sucked. I couldn't wait to turn fifteen in a month and move in with Jay. At least he loved me.

Again, as though I never existed, he walked away.

Temporary sanity was all I could ask for in this crazy house.

I had to call Jay. He always made me feel better. I tried to close my squeaky door as quietly as possible. That's all I needed was DJ to have a reason to walk his ass down that hall again.

"Jay." I loved saying his name.

Jay was the coolest nickname ever. His real name was Jay.

Jay was hot shit.

"Hey. Old man pitch a fit?"

"Of course. I don't care though. Fuck him."

"Look who grew a pair. What, you miss bad-ass now?"

"I think it's this X. This stuff has me flying. You shoulda gave me more."

"I gave you two. That's enough."

"I gave one to him." I laughed out loud just thinking about it.

He was probably in his room right now wondering what the hell was going on. Hot shit.

"What? You gave him one? He's gonna kick your ass when he comes down."

"He's a druggie. He's probably loving it. I can't wait to get out of this shit hole."

"You will soon enough. One month, right?"

"Right."

I smiled. Jay loved me. I knew it. DJ could suck one.

We hung up and I reached in my pocket and pulled out the stash of tiny white pills that I had 'borrowed' from Jay. Everything was going to be alright. He still thought I only had two.

Whew.

He would understand why I had to take them.

As soon as fifteen came.

Until then, one a day would keep DJ away ...

the random ish... a pictorial review.

* i'm so proud of myself, i think this might be the first week that i've blogged this much in a week since i started this blog. wow.

* i was panicking last month cause my hair was coming out when i washed it. so i put these twists in to not deal with it. had them in for like a month...MAJOR accomplishment for me.


my friend said it was probably just shedding from the twists, but this seems like a lot of hair, doesn't it?


* after crying for ten minutes, i washed my hair. lol. bf is always coming in snapping pics when i'm in mid hair-wash. geesh, it is amazing how many pictures he must have of me. i'm an old pro now though, i'm always ready.

me pretending to be sexy. lol.


* must say though, turned out to be a pretty good hair day. excuse the blank stare. lol. just a pic for my hair journal.




* my godson just turned two. isn't it amazing how fast babies grow? seems like yesterday he was this little.


now he's all big and stuff.


...and thinks he is a grown man. LOL.


must be nice to be a kid.


* speaking of which...i've decided him and my goddaughter are the cutest little people ever.



* i really really love Day 26's single Got Me Going (yes, i watch making the band). i think diddy finally did something right. lol.



* my baby is gone. Rubi is gone forever! i'm so sad. i had to give her to the junk yard. she got me through many a mile and away from many a crime scene though. poor out a little oil for the lost homie. lol. i love you Rubi! ....i also love the $150 i got for you too...


* my father is at it again. pressuring me to have some babies and propel him into grandfather-hood.

ion see no rings on these fingers...

i told him he will have better luck with the little sister #2. lol. after all, SHE is the engaged one. but she's 18 and i WILL kill her...so forget that plan. lol. but aren't they cute?


* my other mini-me, little sister #1, is getting so grown. thinking about pledging delta next year. can't believe they are getting so old. that means I'M getting old, and i don't like it! lol. maan what happened to the little girl that used to 'do' my hair when i was sleep? have me waking up looking like whodunnit and whatfo. lol



* i don't know WHAT is going on with my little brother,


but i'm gonna have to agree with don and say that a woman, or rather his lust for THIS woman, is definitely his downfall right now. i mean, she's cute, but that's it. no motivation, no aspiration besides being a club 'promoter' [read: girl in booty shorts and tank top that hands out fliers] for all these trifling clubs in detroit.



* a book on natural black women is coming out, and i was contacted and asked to be interviewed for it, which i am more than thrilled to do. the only thing is, i'm trying to establish my writing career...and they want to use two pictures. one is fine...but one is of me in a bathing suit that bf took on our anniversary. i just don't know about that. i think it will take away from me being taken serious as a writer. i'm really about to say no and not do it because they are insisting on using this photo. i mean, it's fine for a blog...but i don't know about an interview advertising my writing. hmmm.

*if you don't see the photo, it's because i have already taken it down.*


* i would never get a perm again, but sometimes i miss having straight hair...can't wear my hats as much.



* this is hilarious.


* there is a gas station in detroit that is selling laptops for $100. maan i wish i had taken a picture of that dang sign. hilarity. i'm gonna go in there and ask to see one. i just have to see it. lol.


* isn't my mommy purty? thank goodness i inherited her legs. how i'm gonna follow that?



*so a while ago, i had bf's camera and took pictures of him, my brother, and little sister #1's boyfriend playing basketball at a local park. i took pics of the other guys that were there too, and got their facebook information so i could send them to them. well, i lost the paper that had all their information. so, if any of these is you...here's your pics. lol. contact me for the rest of them.







okay, i'm done. hope everyone is fabulous and flyy. *smiles*


--wait! i forgot. how cool is this picture?

...know i had to add some kanye to the mix. LOL.


have a good weekend everyone.

the perfect blog crush...

in the past three days, i've had three different people ask me who my 'blog crush' is. i sat back and thought about it long and hard, and i've got to say that i honestly can't pick one blogger guy that i have ever had or have a crush on.

sounds like i'm lying right? lol. nope. i swear. the phenomenon that is blog crushing is not really my thing. i take online people for who they are... online.

but, for the fun of it, i thought about creating what i think would be the perfect guy out of the characteristics of five different bloggers. here's what i came up with:


from sojourner G i would take his spiritual soul and poetic way with words. -instant heart melt. lol.

from don, i'd take his chill, laid back demeanor, and ambitious mindset. realest blogger i've never met-you can hang out and do nothing AND pursue your dreams/goals together...probably at the same time.

from slaus, definitely the sense of humor. -even his comments crack me up. i'd probably have a permanent cramp in my side though. lol.

from eclectik, i'd add his zany, albeit brilliant, thought processes. lol. and appreciation for black women. -never a boring conversation with this one. finally someone as crazy as me. lol. :-)

from mwangangi, i'd take his incredible intelligence. talking to him is like talking to a live encyclopedia, and sometimes a thesaurus. friggin awesome. -i love having someone i can learn from.


*honorable mentions*

1980's swagger. he says he's still searching for it but he's pretty flyy to me. that pic on his blog alone gets at least 12 swag points. lol.

G-sweet's looks. he's pretty cute. if i was shallow he'd have made the top five. lol.

MP1's overall personality. i think he has a little of everything. good catch. i should stop lurking his spot and comment. i will. same with the two above. lol. he's also pretty smart.

the craziness that is Blogxilla. the homie, the lover, and the crazy arse friend all rolled up into one. i think that would be him. lol.

lightening bug's butt's (sounds weird all the 's) sarcasm. he should have a degree in funny. but like stand up comic, chandler from Friends funny. lol. cracks me up.

caeser cannon's , (or canon adonis i think it is now) complicated mind. young and intense. i can dig.

12Kyle's loyalty and dedication. i mean dude is right there, no matter what time you post, he comes through. loves it.

raw dawg buffalo's hair. friggin awesome. we could share hair products or something. lol.

anonymous nupe's tongue. LOL. he doesn't blog but that thing at least deserved a shout out. ha!


okay, i'm done. that was fun.

now your turn: if you could make your perfect mate from the characteristics of five bloggers, which five would they be? what characteristics would you use to create them?




serious post coming soon...i promise. lol.

man boobs

okay. i am stunned. in awe. look at this chick:



hot right? what's more amazing is she used to look like this:
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better start asking to see elementary and baby pics, fellas.

i'm just saying...

he looks better than more than a FEW women i know. geesh. like i said, in awe.

i know, this is totally random. lol.

offensive or enlightening?

Hank Willis Thomas. love his work. some people find it offensive, but i can see where he's coming from. he is definitely not lying.

the project Willis Thomas is most known for is Branded, a series that uses popular advertising images to highlight the myriad ways that Blackness has been commodified. In a piece called Branded Head the ubiquitous Nike swoosh is emblazoned onto the side of a young Black male's bald head. In the image Jordan and Johny Walker in Timberland circa 1923, a Timberland logo has been altered to show the lynching of a Black man whose body takes the shape of the classic Michael "Air" Jordan stance. The popularized image of Scotch-maker Johnny Walker "keeps walking" away from the lynched man. In a third piece, the American Express card becomes Afro-American Express with images from the Middle Passage embedded in the card's emblem.

The idea for Branded, Willis Thomas writes, came from "thinking about Black men as free billboards for corporations, giving any brand instant street cred." This, he adds, was happening during the 1990s, when people--Black men, in particular--were literally being shot for Air Jordan sneakers and Triple Fat Goose jackets. It's not the brand itself but the lack of critical thinking about the consequences of engaging in branding that's problematic, he notes.

"I do all my work on an Apple computer and use some of the same brands my work criticizes," he writes. "In this day and age, I think it would be hard for any person living in the Western Hemisphere to avoid branding themselves in some way." But he insists: "By buying and wearing many products, we are validating many of these corporations, so we should think twice."

Do we foolishly allow this to be done to ourselves, or are we victims? Hank’s images explore the complexity of this question and the fact that there is no simple answer, yet this serious problem continues to plague the black community. In the late 80s it was Adidas, in the 90s it was Nike and, as the new millennium approached, Lil’ Kim had sights set on high design; Versace, Dior and Kate Spade bags.Thomas says, “I want to investigate the really strange or curious relationship between African-Americans and the cotton trade, then and now. I think that’s it’s interesting seeing that the descendants of slaves are now, in a lot of ways, especially in sports marketing, the cash cow in that industry.”