Baptized in the Funk...

I’m feeling sleepy and too lazy to blow-dry and straighten my freshly washed hair. So I decided to try to go to bed “early” tonight (early being midnight), and this song just randomly pops in my head for me to hum..

“So-oh-oh, So-oh-oh, So-oh-oh Funkdafied.” By Da’ Brat circa 1994.

What was I doing in 1994? Hmm..depending on what part of the year it was, I was either ending 4th grade or entering 5th grade. I had just gotten braces, which I would wear for about 3 years. I didn’t have a perm, and with my mother being Filipino with bone straight hair, she found my hair to be a challenge. And so I always wore it pulled back in a bushy ponytail..and I do mean bushy. I have a rather thick wad of hair on my head due to an abundant blessing of hair follicles.

When I think about ‘94 and being about 10 years old, it reminds me of how simplistic life was. I went to school, came home, was a cheerleader (that year only), read a LOT (and I do mean a LOT) of books. I mean life was good. I hadn’t hit puberty yet so that era of awkwardness hadn’t begun. Life seemed simple. Just basic and easy-going. And for the most part…stress free. I reminsice on those moments…of being a kid…of being curious…excited by growth…adapting to change.

As we get older, we gain more responsibilities. Life gets harder as we no longer depend on our parents to make decisions for us. But as I take a step back and look at the bigger picture, do we have to make things that complex? If we keep things funky…keep things real with ourselves…and simply just enjoy life for what it is today based on what we have today, would it remove the complexities of adulthood, of having major responsibilities, of having to decide for ourselves? Hmm….

“Open up, open up, and let the funk flow in…”

25 Years Old..and the Quarter Life Crisis

One of my girls passed this along to me and it fit me perfectly. So I figured I should pass it along to you. Enjoy!

by Unknown Author....everything here doesn't apply to me, but I wanted to share.

It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn't know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing or maybe you are looking for one and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.

You miss the comforts of college, of groups, of socializing with the same people on a constant basis. But then you realize that maybe they weren't so great after all.

You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.

You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

*Truer Words Were Never Spoken*

Received this as a forward today from one of my friends. Definitely a great read. Check it out!

*Truer Words Were Never Spoken**

Most by Colin Powell

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve…Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you.

Consider this: Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere.* * With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.

"A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses."

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and for the bad.

Note: Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends. Yes...do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above.

"In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our Friends." "Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them." "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude."........................**Colin Powell*

Hustlin'

I am letting my entrepreneurial spirit run free by finally moving forward with my plans to work independently as a marketing consultant - with my emphasis on digital/online marketing within music and entertainment as well as non-profit work. Eventually I plan on dabbling into PR as well. Until then, I have a great team of associates whom I will partner up with to execute projects for various clients. Big ups to my folks at Impakt Studios, StoopidFreshMind, Stilettos & Sounds, B.Myself and I, my Dopart Academy boys, and all of my friends who believe in me, even when I sometimes don't believe in myself.

If you don't hear from me or don't see me out in the streets partying it up like I used to, don't take it personal. My focus is here and things on the entrepreneurial side are moving forward. Current projects include digital marketing for Ruff Ryders and Omen, with work for Dopart Academy and Jean (pronounced jaughn) Dean Entertainment on my radar.

Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted on my progress :-)

Here's a throwback video for you...

Obsessed

Not much to say other than I just like this song and can admit that I'm a M.C. fan.

Kanye "Stay In School" Concert

For my Chicago folks...

I saw this posted today on the fan page for KanYeezy on the 'Book (that's the nickname for Facebook case you didn't know)...and I thought I'd pass it along.

The Kanye West Foundation (KWF), founded in 2007 by the late Dr. Donda West, was established to help combat the severe dropout problem plaguing America's communities. It is through the collaboration of community and corporate partnerships that the 2nd "Stay in School" Benefit Concert, taking place at the historic Chicago Theatre on Thursday, June 11th, was born. This is the first major event for the Kanye West Foundation since the 2007 passing of its founder Dr. Donda West, the mother of Kanye West. It is also the first concert Kanye has performed in the city of Chicago in over a year. The concert will be taped by Fuse, the national music network, and will air later this summer.

Benefit concert tickets go on sale Thursday, May 21st. Tickets start at $49.50 to $500 for the VIP Reception and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.

And since I will be heading to the Chi in a few days, I figure I'll play this KanYeezy vid.  Enjoy!

HauteLook

So we've been feeling the punch of this recession for some time now causing many of us to turn our spending habits into saving habits.  For the fashion savvy, brand loving shoppinistas who have been hurt by the downward slope of the economy, fret no more.  I discovered Hautelook from a colleague's post on Facebook and I must say, this is definitely a good look for those who want their high end or high fashion brands at an affordable price.

Hautelook brings you 36-72hr sales of some of the world's best brands...think of it as a sample sale online.  And, if you refer a friend, you'll receive a $10 credit when they make their first purchase.  

Click here to sign up and start saving.

American Black Film Festival

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a 4-day retreat and international film market dedicated to strengthening the Black filmmaking community.  They hold workshops for aspiring filmmakers providing them with resources, education, and career development.  Usually held in Miami each year, this year's festival falls on June 24-27th.

If I can make it, I'm signing up for Robert Townsend's workshop "The Ultimate Pitch."  Additional festival details can be found on the ABFF website.

Master Class with Robert Townsend: "The Ultimate Pitch"

Thursday, June 25, 9:00 am - 12 noon

Hear how to pitch story ideas: from concept to development through the various stages of rewrites, pitching to executives at studios and advice on how to close the deal with clarity, precision and confidence.

Precious

I can not wait to see this movie! 

Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, Gabourey Sidibe stars as Clareece "Precious" Jones, an overweight, illiterate Black teen in Harlem. Just as she's about to give birth to her second child, Jones is accepted into an alternative school where a teacher helps her find a new path in her life.  Director Lee Daniels casted Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz to star in this movie which I think is going to be a must see.

More Than Just a Psychic Friend...

Ladies.  Did you ever want advice about men but didn't want to ask your best guy friend or your boyfriend directly?  Well the folks over at StoopidFreshMind came up with THE solution to all your troubles.  And they even got the help of a little psychic friend (see video below).

Yes...in all her greatness as seen in the video above...my homegirl N.Harlem as collected a man panel to answer any question you have always wanted answered about the male species.  Visit MyHomeBoySaid and submit your questions.

New Growth

"Girl, you're gonna grow this year. I feel it."

- me to one of my homegirls

This random statement I made while trying to be positive about a situation she was dealing led to a moment of laughter, followed by an "ah ha!" So for 2009 folks, we are all gonna grow. I feel it!

What does this mean?Baby steps. Many of us have set goals for ourselves, often lofty. And with the Internet making everything so accessible (Google, Blackberry, Twitter, etc), it's hard for some people to accept anything that's not gratified instantly. The easiest way to get from Point A to Point B is a straight line, right? But we all know life isn't easy. And sometimes you have to take detours. Be open to it. Be open to growth. I like to think of it as evolution. We start out as babies and have to learn and grow to become toddlers. And we continue to learn and grow as we get older and progress to adulthood. The same goes for achieving our goals. We're going to crawl before we walk. It's going to take some time. But stay focused and keep at it, and you'll grow.

I turned 25 last week. A year I'm embracing with open arms. To some who are turning this age, they see themselves as getting old. I see myself being reborn. Stay tuned to the new growth.

Can't Nobody Hold Me Down

Don't push us, cuz we're close to the...eeedge. We're tryin not to lose our head...haha ha ha.

Watchin MTV hitlist and Puff Daddy's (super old right?) vid for can't nobody hold me down is playin. Notorious BIG in the intro. (may he continue to R.I.P.) And it dawns on me...Diddy has come a long way and stays current. From rebranding himself over and over again-- Puffy, P. Diddy, to just plain Diddy...Bad Boy, Sean Jean, Making the Band, Raisin in the Sun & acting, buying Enyce, Diddy TV on YouTube, and so on. We've witnessed the evolution of Diddy and his road to success.

What's the key? Evolution. Change. Adaptation. When you feel like things are getting old and your hitting a rut...make a change.

Diddy - New Music - More Music Videos

Sorry Blog. I've been a bad Mommy.

I previously blogged about Twitter...which I am now addicted to. If you're not on it, join join join. Might take some getting used to and playing around with it's features (which are easy to learn). But I must say I am addicted to it. To which, I must apologize to my blog. Ramen Berry, i'm sorry. I've been cheating, with Twitter. I downloaded the app for the berry and I log on everyday, all day. And so I now I shall blog live from the berry itself. Stay tuned....

MIA

yeah...i'm a little M.I.A. (missing in action) right now....eh, getting my focus together....visit my favorite friend blogs in the meantime....i'll email blast when i'm back on track

-A Belle in Brooklyn

-Omen & Blaq

-StoopidFreshMind

-Lo's Manifesto

-YBF

in the meantime...check out this track by Santogold and Three 6 Mafia - Shuv It Remix.  it's been playing in rotation on my ipod.

Follow Me, Follow Meeeee...on Twitter

I first noticed Twitter during the presidential election, because it was mentioned several times just in relation to the Obama campaign.  Then recently, I read about the popularity of it with marketers in a recent issue of Ad Age.  But what sold me, was when one of my homeboys told me he was being followed by a popular, up & coming music artist.

Followed???  I always associate that with stalking, especially in the world of Facebook (we are all guilty of it).  Feeding into my curiosity, I signed up to see exactly what this Twittering thing is all about.  My homegirl N. Harlem said it best..."it's like Facebook status updates, minus the profiles."  To some, you might not see the point when you have Facebook.  But after playing around with it for the past week, I must say I've become addicted..AND, my Facebook usage has decreased (gasp!)  Lol.

--PAUSE for a quick video break--

It's status updates all day long...which I just realized is the main thing I log into Facebook for, followed by looking at people's new photo albums.  But by cleaning up the unnecessary clutter of applications, Twitter makes social networking simple and fun.  

Key things to note about the site:

1.  You can follow anyone, without their approval.  And if someone follows you whom you don't know, you can block them.  There's also a way to lock your profile, but I have yet to delve into all the privacy settings.

2.  There are mobile apps available for the site...perfect for crackberry users like myself.

3.  You can reply directly to people's status messages OR send them a message.

--There's definitely much more to get out of this site...I'll fill you in once I finish learning everything there is to know about Twitter.  And with all networking, whether social or professional, you get out of it what you put into it.

So...follow me...and if not up to joining...you can still follow me through the Twitter app on the right side of the blog.