sagaciously is...

Mt upgrade 4.26 test

just making sure this upgrade worked.

The Art of Change - 2008 NBAF Winter Ball

....sounds sexy...

reCaptcha is gone - whew ;)

I couldn't take it anymore. I tried to post a comment myself, and it took me a few minutes...lol.

Comments are still subject to approval (I've received 6 junk comments in the last 4 minutes - damn those spiders). Meanwhile - feel free to leave me love! :-D

Dating PSA #9 - Be Cool

If u weren't aware, Hitch is one of my favorite movies. Against my will, I am a fan of romantic comedies - particularly since my dating life provides so much comedic fodder. So if I reference some obscure Hitch-ism you're unfamiliar with, take a look at movies quotes from Hitch.

cool: \ˈkül\ - marked by steady dispassionate calmness and self-control; marked by restrained emotion and the frequent use of counterpoint; very good, excellent, fashionable, hip.

Sometimes we as women just want to jump in, face first.

I mean, honestly - the dating situation can be challenging. And depending on which magazines you read, or media BS you buy into, dating times are hard, and the situation is well-f@#ked. So really - who can blame a chick for being a little, er - frantic? But let's not all wild out here and act desperate.

I cannot tell you how many of my guy friends complain about women getting too into them too early in the dating game. One great date, one excellent conversation, or a random orgasm between friends, and they're registering at Target. Or, more often, getting VERY demanding about time spent together, other women, or full disclosure.

Here's some tough love - one great date only equals one great date.

Be cool...just relax....let it marinate for a second.

Dating is a process, much like getting a job. If your ultimate goal is to find someone special, then it should be just as painful, and more lengthy,than finding a really great job....

1. circling the want ad:: seeing that certain someone that catches your eye
   
2. contacting the hiring manager:: exchanging contact information
   
3. Pre-interview screening:: initial conversations
   
4. 1st interview:: 1st date
   
5. 2nd interview:: 2nd date
   
6. Panel interview:: meeting the friends
   
7. Meeting the management team:: meeting the family
   
8. 90-day probation ends:: having "the" convo about where the relationship is heading
   
9. getting tenure:: closing the deal <<<here's where the Target registration should begin
   

Now, I'm not saying the timeline should necessarily be long - some folks get to number 9 quicker than others. But I am suggesting that skipping a few steps could lead to you being stuck in a dead-end job that's going nowhere or working with someone who is unbearable.

To quote Steve Harvey, women should really date like men. (In my best Steve Harvey voice) "Spend time gettting to know this person. Figure out if this person even wants a relationship. Find out if this person really even likes you and not just your cookies. Women will spend countless hours doing investigative work to determine whether there's some other chick on the side, but then they won't spend any time figurin' out if they're compatible with the person they're dating. Women kill me with that..."

Yeah Steve - they kill me too. But we should really embrace this Hitch-ism right here: Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away. We should really take some time to enjoy those moments when they come.

My lil anecdote:: I've been having some Hitch-like dates/days. So, I met a guy (#1), and he is great. On paper, the resume is tight. In person, he's intelligent and charming. Hows-n-ever, we're just hanging out, so it's SO not serious and I refuse to fast track this dude against his will, yanno?

So - I'm seeing other people. I went out with Guy #2, and we had a good time. He's a decent guy. But on the way home, I stopped by a local bistro/club to hang out a bit. Some wine, some music, some conversations with guys I'm not dating...and who did I run into there? .....Yes, Guy #1. And much as I wanted to plant one on him in the middle of the club when he hugged me....

Be cool.

...I hugged him back. Engaged his brothers charmingly. And exited gracefully when I noticed his eye lingering on another chick in the club. Far be it from me to undermine my own elegance by calling him on it.

Classic. It couldn't have been any more Hitch-y if I had written it. And I'm patting myself on the back (a lil) for being cool.

Note To E: much love. You know why ;).

Who the F@#k is That Guy?

I might have to put my lust for Keith Olbermann aside temporarily - so I can cheat on him with John Stewart. I <3 this dude....

....egg-friggin-zactly!

Man At Palin Rally Displays Monkey Doll Donning Obama Sticker

....and this campaign sinks further into the mud....

...the name-calling, branding Obama a terrorist because of his name, and his parent's friends when he was 6...or because of work he did decades ago....charges of treason, etc. Then this...and the fact that the folks gathered around him in line were amused....it's getting harder and harder to swallow. Issues....our country has real issues we need to address.....

Obama Outraged by Rev. Wright

And this is a surprise?

I may be the dissenting voice in the Black Blogosphere, but not only am I not surprised and not disappointed - I can honestly say I expected this a couple of weeks ago.

I know a lot of people think Obama left Rev. Wright out to dry. Eh. They're grown, they're both in familiar waters, and they both have very different agendas. But this - this is politics.

We know Billary wouldn't just leave their friend hanging - they'd make his plane crash, yanno?

I may be jaded, but I'm trying to keep the bigger goal in mind. In my circle of colleagues, coworkers, friends, church members and listening audiences (Steve Harvey, Michael Baisden, Al Sharpton, Warren Ballentine and other talk radio listeners) - we agree with Wright....but what Rev. Wright said is Wright's (and a whole lotta other folks') battle. Obama has his own battle at the forefront now...and that is as it should be.

As Don Frederick of the LA Times said: "Obama really had no choice but to take this step.....And, more importantly, to what degree will the Wright controversy, given Obama's link to him, undercut his presidential bid?"

I hope this allows the campaign and conversations regarding the campaign, to return to the issues, and what's important for this country. The jaded in me has other thoughts....and I'm refusing to entertain them right now.

DonationNation - the volunteer tour of America

Sorry for being MIA - I've been busy volunteering. I'll tell you more about the organizations I volunteer with in another post.

But I did want to shout out Tarona L. Lee and Dina R. D'Alessandro from DonationNation08: http://donationnation08.blogspot.com/

They stopped by Dress for Success Atlanta, one of the organizations I volunteer with, to learn a lil bit about what we do, and share their story. It was their first stop in their tour of volunteer organizations across the US, and they had such a neat idea about their tour, that I wanted to share it. Their mission:

Our mission is to gather and document information from people across the United States who are donating their time to help and create local organizations in their community as well as the people who reap the benefits. By volunteering our assistance to non-profit organizations, interviewing the employees and recipients, and offering random acts of kindness, we intend to gain a complete understanding of the charitable efforts taking place throughout the United States of America.

This is just cool IMHO, because a lot of organizations need all the word-of-mouth they can get, and it gives the nation a chance to see what a lot of organizations do, and their community impact. I'm looking forward to pics and video ;)

The Day of Jerusalem’s Fall - Reverend Jeremiah Wright

I heard this on 3/25/08 on the Michael Baisden show. Apparently, Roland Martin made this available, and Michael Baisden played most of it in context, so people would understand exactly what Pastor Wright was saying. On the Michael Baisden show, the point was also made that the media's use of the sermon out-of-context was a targeted attempt to make the democratic campaigns about race.

I'm also ecstatic that it's posted on Roland Martin's website, and Anderson Cooper's CNN Blog . You can listen to the sermon below.

powered by ODEO

My thoughts: he's stating what many people felt, both immediately after 9/11, and now. America's foreign policy, particularly in areas were there are violent conflicts and American soldiers are deployed to protect American economic interests (not the "freedom" which we keep seeing raised and bandied about like the American Flag, every time patriotism is used to justify some shady military interference) is questionable at best. This isn't a revelation, and I'm glad someone intelligent, articulate and with enough clout to pull the listening ears of some masses said it. What is even MORE interesting to me (and this is a whole 'nother blog post) is that whenever an entity, with any social capital/clout, questions the American government, American military actions, or the validity of America's foreign policy, et. al. - they're tarred and feathered as Anti-American and un-patriotic.

I keep wondering when the 187th Amendment was added to the Constitution: Thou Shalt Not Question American Authority?

dear uniqlo...come to GA, please!!!!

Ok, I have to admit something - I'm a little obsessive when it comes to the fashion thing.

I mean, I am a bargain hunter and I do love a sale, and I don't drop majores dólares on designer labels. I also don't spend nearly as much on clothes as most people think I do. In the realm of fashion, I'm pretty thrifty.

HOWEVER

When I find something I really like, or a store I really love - I tend to obsess about it until I can buy it, or shop in it. Obsess, yes. Like, I can't stop thinking about it. Hence, the gladiator shoes I posted previously. And a giraffe print blouse I found online at some weird outlet for grandma pants (don't ask). And the 5 pairs of capri pants hanging in my closet that I got before I decided that they did absolutely nothing for me...but I digress.

My latest obsession is Uniqlo.
          


I dropped by and spent about an hour in Uniqlo the last time I was in NY, which (damnit) isn't nearly long enough. But I did manage to get a white babydoll shirt that made the perfect nightie ($19.99) and a cashmere poet's sweater which I've worn so much it's beginning to fray ($39) - both of which were extremely well targeted purchases. But the thing is that I so <3 this store....and if you're wondering why......



The store's aesthetic is just neat. Yes, I lack a better word.

Have I mentioned that I love to stop? I mean, I LOVE to shop. Don't get me wrong - I don't love to buy (everything is not meant to be owned by me), but the whole process of picking things out, visualizing how it will look with pieces I already own, and how I can flip the item in ways unintended by the original clothing designer/manufacture - hmph, I just get a lil giddy. I like perusing items in multiple colors, determining which one works best with outfits, and even taking really basic items (a t-shirt, a cardigan, flat front khaki's, a basic dress shirt, etc.) and wearing them in outrageous colors, or really flat neutrals, in some way I haven't seen lately. And if this store isn't a shopper's wet dream, then I just don't know what is.....





They have basic items in better quality fabrics (cashmere and silk) than their competitors, in a whole assortment of colors, as well as truly unique pieces (the babydoll shirt, tuxedo jackets, shirtdresses with gored skirts, etc) that you just can't find elsewere. And on top of that, the prices aren't bad. They're really good, actually. As for quality, it's nice for the price. Seriously though - do I need to spend $200+ on a t-shirt? No - I can get them from Uniqlo!

Their website is a developer's wet dream too. I mean, it uses white space well, it presents a ton of graphics, yet isn't cluttered, the graphics are done cleanly. Alls Uniqlo needs to do is add a store catalogue back-end (ahem, hint-hint) and I'm good ;)

So this is my empassioned plea: Dear Uniqlo, I know you built the flagship in Soho, and are probably planning a NY expansion, but we're sorely lacking in anything remotely close to your store. I mean, there's H&M and Zara but they don't even come close. So when you open your next store, come to GA, please!!!!!

We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For

"We are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For" is a message from the Hopi Nation Elders, but also associated with Maria Shriver, Barack Obama and Black History Month.

A quick excerpt:

You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.

Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour.

And there are things to be considered:

• Where are you living?


• What are you doing?


• What are your relationships?


• Are you in right relation?


• Where is your water?


• Know your garden.


• It is time to speak your Truth.

Create your community. Be good to each other. And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

More after the jump.....

a gift, from me to you

Note: this is NSFW

Reh Dogg - "True Love Never Dies"

...you can thank me later.

feedback

So here's my demonstration
A peep show
Tonight my body's an exhibition baby
Though it's on display don't be scared to
Touch It - It said so
So come and get it babe

Strum me like a guitar blow out my amplifier
When you hear some feedback keep going take it higher
Crank it up give it to me come on
Crank it up give it to me come on
I'm gonna feedback feedback oh
Feedback Feedback oh...

...I just love janet jackson. Ever since she was lil 'Penny and folks said we look alike - but that was a long time ago.

back on-topic: I had to turn up the spam filters for both trackbacks and comments. Sorry, but I ended up deleting 3000+ spam messages that had accumulated since I last posted. And I've still got another 60K+ junk messages just mucking up the place *kicks spam-dust-bunny*.

Bottom line is - I do trust *you*...just not that spam-bot that's looking over your shoulder as we speak. So, if for any reason your comments doesn't post like you think they should, and more than a few days have passed. OR, you just want to holla at lil ole me for any reason, you can email me by clicking this link, or use the links at the right. Email me, IM me, find me on technorati, blogrolling (lawd - I'mma need to handle my deli.ci.ous tags) - I don't care how you get here, just touch me in the mooorrr-ning.

LOL - enough with the lame karaoke R&B references. Holla!

Day 14 - Homecoming

I...don't...want....to...leave.... :-(

theMantra:: After sitting on the beach baking for 8 hours, then having a leisurely steak dinner, with caiprinhas (of course), I come to realize that no matter how painful some of the trip, company visits, rooming with strangers, and being in a mini-hipped seat for 11 hours may have been, I really do not want to leave.

But, my professors won't let me sell my return-ticket for a one-way for Hammy. So honestly, at the airport, I grab some alone space. I take the opportunity to absorb the last 13 days, which were kind of a whirlwind, and get my mind right to go home. I literally had a mantra in my head, to make the trip more pleasant, a list even:

1. I have kids.
   
2. My kids need me.
   
3. I'm finishing my MBA.
   
4. I only need one more class.
   
5. I have a house.
   
6. I like my house.
   
7. I have a good job. Wait, GTFOHWTBS...I can find a job, hell. Start over at #1.
   

The flight home is pretty much uneventful. But coming back through customs is worthy of a mention.

Why You Should Never Smuggle Anything:: Let me frame this for you: US-Argentina, typical US moderate massage, while Argentina kinda waves their hands over you, then lets you go with a stern glance. Argentina-Brazil: pay your taxes, get your weight up (down) and they wave their hand over you as well. Brazil-US? Full blown deep tissue massage, with a colonic thrown in for good measure. I really thought US Customs was going to cavity search us all. US citizens go through immigration, bag reclaim, then Customs AND TSA - Again?!!! Like, I'm really going to have a bomb on the plane, bring it off, and then blow up the airport instead. Sheesh.

But given all that...who in their right mind gets caught with illegal substances going through airport check-ins these days? I mean, is it that NECESSARY to save money on your weed connection?

Day 9 - TVGlobo

Baby...I'm a star! Who knew I'd be in pictures? Ok, touring a movie studio...ok so I wasn't actually in any scenes...stop hating! :-)

Telenovellas & a language admission:: I didn't pick up Spanish or Portuguese before I left, and I've never been dedicated to watching the Spanish/Portuguese soaps. So going into this, and with Rede Globo (TV Globo) as the company I needed to write a mini-dissertation about, I had to do a bit of background research. Oh, and try to pick up some Portuguese along the way.

For you, the quick and dirty: the novellas are very popular in many Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, more popular than other programs, and translated into many languages...so their market penetration is off the charts. More people will probably recognize Paraiso Tropical than will recognize Flight of the Conchords, even if it is my new favorite show, but I digress. I had to get a leg up on the telenovellas, and one of the companies responsible for their popularity.

theTVGloboPresentation:: we got some background on the company, it's founder, it's signifigance to the Brazilian culture, and the many shows it produces. TV Globo's the leading network in Brazil, responsible also for the Live Earth broadcast in Rio, Jornal Nacional - a national news program (that also tried to sink President Lula's chances in the 1989 election - more later), the telenovellas, futbol (with contracts with many soccer tournaments and championships), the Pan American Games 2007, World Cup, and Formula One Racing. Whew, that's a mouthful. It's imitated by Rede Record (who's also trying to steal their talent), and President Lula isn't happy with the programming - hence the Brazilian Broadcasting Company (a state-owned competitor).

More pics after the jump....

6 more days....health & safety

So obviously, I've got my passport & visas in order. *at this point, if I didn't - I'd be SOL*. Travel arrangements have been made, itineraries distributed, so there are other considerations my professors' shared with us about international travel. Oh yeah, for those new here...I'm headed to Rio, Buenos Aires and Colonia.

Next items on the agenda: health & safety considerations.

theDressCode:: of course we're doing the company/government visits, etc. So I have to have corporate casual attire. However, there are all kinds of other cultural considerations that I never thought of....such as these Latin American countries are patriarchal, and gender influences interactions heavily. So, I gotta keep the twins and the assets under control, know what I mean? In that spirit, I visit: http://www.journeywoman.com/, to get pointers on dressing for my specific destinations. It's a cool site, because the comments are from actual travelers, not just some canned responses. (Geek aside - the GUI's need work). Their common theme is to err on the side of conservative - duh, I should have known that.

dimTheBling:: the other common recommendation is to turn the volume down on the bling - minimal jewelry, and not flashing money. Again, duh. But I didn't consider leaving my Tiffany silver behind, because it's subdued. And while I love my fake Hermes bag, that may have to stay in the US as well. Oh well, the jury is still out on these. I do know that I'm packing those rinky-dink Coach wallet-purses. They're flat so I can wear it close to the body, and it's hard to detect once on.

importantDocuments:: this one spooked me a little - but yes, you should make copies of all your important documents (passport, medical ID cards, dental records, medical/prescription information, blood type, emergency contact info, etc) and leave a copy with your emergency contacts at home, and take another copy with you. You know, just in case. Don't want to give THAT any more energy, so....

theDrinking:: this one's easy, just act like you have some sense. This is the primary reason why I elected to room with a grownup. And yes, we are sharing rooms.

travelFirstAidKit:: I put these together even for domestic travel, so this is a must-have. Pharmacies abound, but you should still put this together before you leave, and make sure all your extended stay items are in there, like pain relievers, anti-diarrheal, band-aids, antibacterials, disinfectant, etc. I'm even throwing in my favorite laxative tea, just in case. Pads in case Aunt Flo shows up, condoms in case she doesn't ;-) But seriously, you should pack any items you'd normally need for the length of time you're traveling - in my case the things I'd potentially use in a 2 week period.

theDoctor:: a routine medical checkup is in order, and a heads up to the good Dr about where you're going is also a must. That way, he can ensure your vaccinations are up to date, and suggest any additional ones. Another suggestion I found helpful was to check your medical coverage with your health insurance carrier, to see if you're covered while traveling.

moreTips:: that were mentioned:

• bottled water for drinking AND brushing your teeth
  
• all food must be fully cooked - no rare meat (booooooooo - do they not know I'm headed to Beef country?)
  
• don't pet the animals - they may carry diseases
  
• carry anti-bacterial everywhere
  
• STD's abound, but STD awareness does not, so act accordingly.
  

theLegalSystem:: this one is the most important to NOT lose sight of. The laws in the host country can vary dramatically, even for the smallest infractions, so act accordingly. The host country's legal system is unfamiliar, and in an unfamiliar language, so getting hemmed up is just not an option (and your US lawyer cannot help you abroad). So, no drunk & disorderlies, no mouthing off to the police, no taking pictures of civil demonstrations, no barfights or even getting caught up in a soccer fight. Avoid jail at all costs.

These tips were just a few suggestions, but there are more at the State Department's travel site, the University of San Diego's travel site, and the CDC's website, to name a few.

That's it for now...tomorrow, logistics (or what I like to think of as, "Again, how many plugs for my laptop do i need?"

Knowing when to let go....

It's hard sometimes, I know - but sometimes you just have to throw in the towel...

Ok, no - this is not about me ending the blog. Although, I've been so busy lately the thought has crossed my mind. But no - this isn't necessarily about me, although it applies. It just seems like we (as people) hold on to things/lovers/friends/family/connections much longer than we should. And sometimes we (as women) hold on even longer because we're nurturers. And beyond that we (as black women) stick around even beyond reason, because when faced with all the hardships that being a black woman presents to us in this world, holding on to 'something', even when that 'something' is toxic, provides the only sense of stability in an otherwise crazy world. So we keep things waaaay past their expiration date.

and why are we friends, again?:: I had this friend, let's call her Faith. Faith and I became friends because we had a common enemy: Drama. We confided in each other, talked about said Drama, and became each other's shoulder to cry on. When Faith needed help, I had her back. I kept her secrets, and she kept mine. Seems functional, yes? No. The problem was the only thing Faith and I had in common WAS Drama. Our values were different, and so were are backgrounds, our morals - the most important parts of our character were dramatically different. Faith was Yin and I was Yang, and it balanced....for a while. But after a while, her Yin started working my nerves, and my Yang started pissing her off, and we had disagreements about silly little things - silly little things that alluded to much bigger issues. Secrets not really kept. Reciprocity. A friendship that suddenly appeared to be a lot less valuable than it actually was. We finally had a blow out fight, and I told Faith what she could do with her Yin. But really...we both knew that our friendship was tenuous at best, and the fight was unnecessary. We should've moved on long before that....

theFamilyAffair:: I am so NOT the person to subscribe to the whole "but they're family" adage, but I'll try. We should expect our families to look out for one another. We should expect our morals, values and backgrounds to be similar. We should reasonally expect to be able to get along, and when we don't, we should reasonably expect to be able to resolve our differences without violence, and without creating family rifts. But - if you steal from me and my kids, all bets are off. If you're "on that stuff" and lying to me regularly - I'll holla at you when you work that out. I'm more than willing to give my family more leverage, to do some crazy shyt, but there's always a point where you have to draw the line, and then not cross it. I have a nephew that I grew up with, that I love DEARLY, and would love to see as we speak. However, his crack problem ended his relationship with his mom, and therefore - ended his relationship with his family. We'd welcome him with open arms when he recovers, but until then....you feel me.

theGig:: or what should be more commonly referred to as theDeadEndJob. This is the job that you HATE going to everyday, the one that makes you cringe/sneer/consider violent behavior on the way in to work; and the one that makes you drink/do drugs on the way home. Even if it pays, here again - it's not worth it if it makes you miserable. I should know. Hint, hint. But *ahem* back to the subject at hand, always have an exit strategy, and if you hate it - Just Bounce. And bounce with a plan, don't just bounce to the next DeadEndJob. I have too many friends to name that let their immediacy (need for $) dictate their long-term career goals. Yes, we all need to eat in the short-term, but meanwhile - we all need to also consider the long-term when working on the exit strategy. Don't make the job that you hate your career.

Mr. Wrong:: chile, why do we give the men in our lives more leverage than ANYBODY? If a friend lies to us, we bless them out. If a family member steals, we stop speaking to them. But if our MAN doggs us out, we may curse them out, throw things at them, even put them out of the house...all with the idea in mind that at some point, we will forgive them and move on. Why? Isn't the most important relationship we need to preserve (after the one with G'd) between us and our integrity? Why would we put some guy before that?

Kick that sorry brother completely to the curb. No "let's be friends" afterwards, no entertaining sorry excuses or dealing with post-breakup drama. If you're sure the relationship is over - then let it be over and leave it at that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm the weakest link as far as this is concerned. But I'm vowing to do/be better about this.

a postscript:: Black men think that black women are ridiculously hard on them, and that their standards are too high. You should already know my feelings about this, but let me say it again - it's because we want them to do better. So yes, dump the sorry dude, and maybe he'll learn a lesson and improve. Or maybe not. But it's not worth your love, health, sanity, children's lives, your life, your heart, your soul - to fix a broken spirit. That's G'd's work.

a postscript on family:: it's hard for me to talk subjectively about family, because not only am I the black sheep, but I'm perfectly fine with it. Let's just say we're estranged (my family and me). Maybe I should talk about that one day....

the Accidental Lockout

I can't say much about my actual accident more than I've already said - no injuries (well my neck and back hurt, and my knees are begging for relief), and my truck is jacked up (and so are my knees from the Nissan Sentra the insurance actually covered. I need a tall girl rider on my policy).

What I can discuss is the lunacy below:

That pic would be off the tow truck driver, rescuing his damn self. See, after the accident occurred, drivers information exchanged, police were called, insurance companies notified, and road blocked for about 35 min, this guy finally shows up. Friendly type, he jumps out of his truck to survey the damage to ensure that he could tow the truck, and....

proceeds to lock himself out of his tow truck.

yes, that would be Mr. Man, attempting to break into his tow truck (having locked both the extra key, and Slim Jim in the truck). Another 30 minutes of waiting for another tow truck to break into his to truck, and he managed to pop the lock himself with a coat hanger and a screwdriver. Lawd, please help the babies....

Southwest Community Festival

REMINDER: The Festival is this weekend. Tentative showtimes have been added, and the lineup of artists has changed (see schedule below). Please come out and support it!

This is both a PSA and a solicitation for Volunteers. Please, if you're interested in volunteering - email me asap and I'll forward you details.

Out of Control: AIDS in Black America

* kicks dust bunnies * I really need to clean up the dust around here....

Sorry I've been MIA y'all...between the pseudo-"new" gig, school, family, etc. I've been completely hemmed up mentally. When my brain gets busy, the thoughts get negative, and I've been trying to be the "kinder, gentler" saga. Yanno, the one who thinks "if I have nothing nice to write, I won't write anything at all"? Yeah, her. I started to drop a Top 10 list of things that are irritating me, but it was repetitive. I need a kick start, so bear with me as I get my bloggin' groove back. It'll take a sec, and may be a lil bumpy....

So did y'all catch the Primetime Special last night on AIDS in the Black Community?
You can See the Video here
or Read the Overview here

I caught the beginning, and tail end (being 40 has its drawbacks, like falling asleep when you're idle more than 2 seconds). I have a question before I share my thoughts. Did most folks hear/know about this before it aired? See, I'm not much of an ABC viewer, being a Project Runway, House of Boateng, obsessed with everything fashion/design-related geek chick. Matter of fact, I read about it on Crunktastical, at the 25th hour (after 9PM). I hope ABC did as good a job promoting it, as they did their medical mysteries series, but frankly I don't believe it. (I'm also a GMA addict, and [unsurprisingly] I haven't seen any ads).

My thoughts: I was slightly surprised by some things (spread of AIDS in the prison population, and how former inmates are bringing AIDS home when they're release) and unsurprised by others (infection rates in black women ages 18-44, the lack of government response). From what I saw, the emphasis was less on the DL, and more on promiscuity and ignorance (lack of AIDS education). And while I'm glad they covered it, with the infection rates being so HIGH in the black community, I wish it was at 8PM, not 10PM, with coverage on all three stations, and national print ads, radio spots, etc. It's an epidemic in our community, and even ABC admitted it hasn't warranted any media coverage. Props to them for showing it, but it seemed like an aside. Can I get the media to ACT like it's an epidemic? Oh, and no I haven't smoked anything this morning.

random fashion thoughts

ok real quick - and then I gotta go to bed...

leggings are back?:: WHOSE BRIGHT F*CKING IDEA IS THIS?! Lessee, pants that make skinny chicks look anorexic, and fat chicks look lumpy. Yeah, that's the "next idea" in fashion. GTFOH.

if I were to design a ready-to-wear(R2W) collection:: today, I'd make the signature color Navy Blue, because frankly, I'm friggin sick of charcoal, black and chocolate brown suits. I'm jes saying. Navy should be the new black, and everyone should just get over gray, m'kay? Thanks!

and you're clashing, because?:: I'm not matchy-matchy by any means. Please, if you can pull it off, wear plaids and paisleys together. However, just because you friggin love your Louis Vuiton bag, and LV chose brown and tan as his signature colors, doesn't mean you get to carry that bag when you're wearing gray and black. Buy a f*cking Fendi or something, dayum.

clothes for everybody:: I'm still addicted to House of Boateng (update tomorry) and Project Runway, and I wish Vince and Bradley would just vamoose already. Even with the cheating, I'd trade both of them just to get Keith back. But even with all that, a real challenge IMHO would be to design real clothes for real bodies. How's about you design skinny jeans that flatter my gargantuan a$$. That, my friends, is a challenge!

disclaimer:: the author is not suggesting fat girls should actually wear skinny jeans. In fact, she'd warn against this, considering the impact that the friction this would cause, along with causing a rupture in the fashion-sense-aesthetic continuum. Please, dress accordingly.

...oh, the other reason behind the 'clothes for everybody' challenge, is that my hairstylist whined to me that she was afraid to get a pair of hot pants, because she has a "black girl booty" and doesn't want to look like a stank. With her size 6 a$$, and Tina legs. I'd almost hate her for being a scaredy cat, but she works with women all day, so I know of which her concerns are birthed. We can be a hateful bunch. So, I'd want to design her the perfect pair of booty enhancing, stank minimalizing, appropriate for working in a hair salon hot pants, to shut them other bytches up. 'Cept I hung up my pincushion eons ago.

wish-list:: for right now, one of my fave back-in-the-day R2W designers is hot again: Norma Kamali (don't call it a comeback - i had faith in you girl!). So, I'd want a convertible shirt/dress/skirt from Norma. A Michael Kors satchel. These Kenneth Cole pumps. And clothes of my own design (navy suit, military-inspired pieces, and work-worthy dresses/skirts), because the fall R2W previews I'm seeing, suck rocks. Who wears leggings to work, anyway??!!!

men, an fyi:: before anyone falls into the Gap, slim fit does not mean tight. It means, closer fitting than the falling-off-your-a$$-hanging-around-your-knees fit than you're probably used to. Tight is bad. VERY BAD. Just, no. Please. No.

Ok, I just saw that damn Gap jeans commercial again (Skinny, slim, str8 - I walk the line). Time to go gouge my eyes out.

The Myth of the Angry Black Woman

don't believe the hype?:: Somehow, I missed the memo that this was a hot topic. Apparently, that memo went out to many major media outlets, and particularly the blogosphere. I googled the words "Angry Black Woman" and got back 35,700 hits. Not a lot, but definitely not a little. You can see some of the results here. Some are a little dated, but the perception/stereotype still persists.

ok, technically I got the memo, but I ignored it. Being an admitted Strong Black Woman, from a lineage of SBW's, I knew there was a connotation signifying also being an Angry Black Woman, but I chose to not take on that role. However, for many reasons (including DP's prodding me into reading some things that pissed me completely off), it seems I have to visit this subject again.

Yes, I said again. I skirted this subject a while back, but I apparently need to look at it from a different angle.

Angry Black Woman - the definition:: there are as many, as there are opinions about the subject. I guess the best I can do is try to create an accurate characterization: it's a woman, who through self-definition or circumstance deems herself to be independent and/or self-reliant, who admittedly will not tolerate any bullshyt, and who voices her opinions (according to some, whether she's qualified to, or not) about black men to anyone willing to listen. She's attitudinal, and negative, and happy to voice both at the drop of a topic. And she's got a network of sisterfriends validating her feelings, further fueling the negativity. She's bitter and fearful, and the two are a lethal combination both on a micro scale (for her potential to meet a suitable mate) and a macro scale (destroying the black family and subsequently the black community).

Alrighty then.