I Love This Quote

"The opposite of love isn't hate, it's self."

Here's to being a more unselfish me in the New Year.

PEACE

Resolution Addendum

"Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you."--Dr. Seuss

I'd like to add one more thing to my list of resolutions.

KEEP IT REAL WITH MYSELF.

Being out of school has been a trip. I have never struggled more with my sense of "intellectual identity" in my entire life. I love to question stuff. That will probably never change. I have several people that I look up to that I would love to fashion my life after, and they are all extremely brilliant to varying degrees. However, I am henceforth deciding to seek out God in hopes that he'll reveal what I'm supposed be doing with my life. I thank God for those brilliant people who allow me to work out my mental muscle, but I think it's best if I independently forge my way and have the future conform to it (props to Nietzsche).

Yep, that's just how I'm feeling.

PEACE

I Gotta Say That Today Was a Good Day

Today was a particularly good day... I got a text around lunchtime stating that my good friend is now engaged to her loving boyfriend (fiancee!), and she wants me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. A couple of hours later, my boss notifies me that I've been promoted and that I can take the last few hours of the day off from work in light of the holiday. On top of it being payday, I found extra money in my pocket this morning. The weather is absolutely beautiful outside. It is truly a wonderful end to a wonderful year. Cut up, Jesus!

Come on somebody.... PEACE

Song of the Day

Talib Kweli -- Give 'Em Hell

This song encapsulates how I feel about religion right now. Preach, Kweli!

Salaam

Resolve

All in all, I have to say that 2008 was a pretty good year for me. In spite of the economic pitfalls and other tumultuous events that have transpired over the past 12 months, this has got to be one of my best years so far (right under 2002, which was really good for some reason). Anyhoo. This year, I witnessed the election of the first Black president, I graduated from a top university, and I've been able to experience the joys of financial independence. God has truly been good.

As the new year approaches, I find it customary to list a few of my "resolutions." They're all pretty simple for the most part: continue to not smoke, continue to not drink, continue to not club, continue to not swear, continue to not have sex. Ultimately, I would like to see the person that I am now evolve into someone much greater. I resolve to be better about my finances, my goals, and my ways of thinking. I resolve to challenge those things that I consider unjust and progressively detrimental. I resolve to not settle. I resolve to treat everyone in the way that I would like to be treated. I resolve to be my best self.

It is my prayer that everyone who comes across this blog will experience a safe and tremendously blessed holiday season.

God bless, PEACE

I Love This

The Washington Post has a hub for all things international woman. Very insightful... Check it out.

Ah. Now I Get It.

Okay, so after weeks of wondering why so many people are tiffed about the fact that Pastor Rick Warren is delivering the inaugural invocation, I stumbled across the above image while perusing americablog.com. The image was taken from the website of Saddleback Church, the church that Warren pastors in California. If you look at the caption underneath the image, Warren points out that "someone unwilling to repent of their homosexual lifestyle would not be accepted as a member at Saddleback Church." It goes on to say that homosexuals are more than welcome to attend the church as God has the power to change lives. Furthermore, Warren has each person considering membership into his church fill out the following questionnaire:


1. What does each candidate believe about abortion and protecting the lives of unborn children?
2. What does each candidate believe about using unborn babies for stem-cell harvesting?
3. What does each candidate believe about homosexual marriage?
4. What does each candidate believe about human cloning?
5. What does each candidate believe about euthanasia—the killing of elderly and invalids?

So hold up, pause, time out, bring it back, flip it and reverse it. Since when did the Church get bouncers? It is true that God has the power to save lives. We all (including you. Yes, you!) have something inside of us that we have to work on. We're not Jesus, but we are all called to live as Jesus lived. Christians realize that Jesus indiscriminately hung out with those that people would consider to be the "throwaways" of society: swindlers, prostitutes, drunkards, etc. I feel that Pastor Warren's decision to exclude anyone from becoming involved in the church handicaps their willingness to progress in the Christian faith. Don't get it twisted, I'm not condeming the man. That's God's job. But, I do feel that we should adopt the Christian philosophy and "let him who will come, come." Also, we should become more familiar with the ideology that the Christian role is to plant seeds towards righteousness and trust God that they will blossom.

Now. Do I believe that homosexuality is wrong? Yes. Above being black and above being a woman, I am a Christian. I trust the Bible to be the infallible Word of God; the truth scripted in its pages trump the beliefs of this world and of man. Sorry. But, I feel that if we are to condemn homosexuals unto hell, we must consider those who also may not make it through the pearly gates:

1 Corinthians 6

9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

If we are going to use the holy text to alienate any group from God's Kingdom, we need to use it alienate all appropriate groups. I attend church regularly and I know that several members of my congregation alone would be excluded from Heaven if we adhere to the scripture noted above. Being a Christian isn't easy, and we need all of the help and guidance that we can get. Hindering anyone from developing a relationship with God through church membership is, in my opinion, extremely dangerous. Do not be deceived!

Can't we all just get along? PEACE

Five Years Without a Father

Last Sunday I observed the five year anniversary of my father's passing. I can vividly recall how I reacted upon receiving the hand written letter from my aunt (his sister). In spite of the fact that my parents divorced when I was two and I had not seen him in more than 10 years prior to his death, it still felt as if someone had socked me in the gut; I can remember sobbing hysterically and lamenting the reality that I would never get to search his face for my features, hear my voice in his, or experience the security that came with feeling his hand in mine. I know that my father loved me dearly. He never forgot my birthday and referred to me as his "Wild Flower." I still have all of the cards that he sent me; my favorite being one that he sent when I was 15 years old. It was a simple drawing of a father with his arm thrown around his daughter. The two peered at a list of names of distinguished African American women (including my mother; he was never disrespectful of the woman raising his children). The inside of the card read:

These are the names of famous Afro-American women. There is room for many more... even Jessica Marie Elliott. Happy Birthday, my precious. Love, Dad.

His passing caught me at a very vulnerable time. I was 18 years old, and the almagation of his death, the pressures of applying to college and keeping up with the circle of friends that I had at the time had become too much. I slipped into severe depression and even contemplated suicide a time or two. I can remember how I applied (and got accepted to) Howard University in order to be closer to him (his family resides in New York City); shortly after his death, I learned that he had moved down to Houston to be closer to my brother and I. Our hearts were in the right place, but our paths never crossed due to an unnecessary lack of communication. I never want to feel that way again. I never want to let another person slip through my fingers without them being aware of the impact that they have had on me. It is my intention to let everyone know how much I love them and need them in my life before they are no longer mine to cherish in the physical realm. I urge you to follow suit.

See ya on the other side, Pops...

PEACE

Bodies

For the past few days, I've had a lot of things on my mind, but none more pressing than the present and historical misrepresentation of black female bodies. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not someone who pontificates heavy social issues all of the time. Seriously, it's not that deep. But if there's an issue bothering me, I tend to hold onto it and essentially obsess over it until some form of clarification or resolution has been provided. Remember that bookstore trip that I made earlier this week? As it turns out, one of the books that piqued my interest was the biography of an African woman named Saartjie (pronounced Sartkee) Baartman. Saartjie Baartman was born in 1789 as a member of the Khoisan tribe. Prior to her death in 1815, Saartjie had been transported to England and France to spend her life as a humiliating sideshow. She had what is referred to as steatopygia, a condition that distributes large amounts of fat to a woman's thigh and buttock region (it's characteristic for Khoisan women). Forced to perform nude, her body was paraded as a source of amusement for people who were curious about its shape. Adding insult to injury, those who dissected her body at the age of 25 concluded that they had "never seen a skull more similar to that of a monkey." Saartjie succumbed to what is believed to be cholera in 1815, but her dissected body (including her genitalia which was used for research) was displayed in museums until 1974. She was finally returned to her home in South Africa for burial in 2002, nearly 200 years after her death.

The first thing that I thought about after reading Saartjie's story was how she would be accepted had she been born 200 years later. Suppose Saartjie was born in 1989. That would make her almost 20 years old, an adult by most people's standards. Would she still be considered the freak of nature that she had been in the past, or would she be considered model material for King Magazine? Baartman's body type fits the description of what mainstream hip-hop artists objectify in their music (note: by mainstream hip-hop, I'm referring to the executive sponsored proliferation of ignorant hot trash that you incessantly hear on the radio, a la Plies). Supporters of such music constantly reduce women to nothing more than the shapes of their bodies and the ways in which they become vehicles for wanton sexual pleasure. I'm not saying that it would be certain, but it is my assumption that a woman of Saartjie's stature would be glorified. Think I'm wrong?



Upon taking this into consideration, we must now ask ourselves a very important question: what are we teaching our daughters? What kind of future are we establishing that will allow them to be recognized for their intellect before their anatomy? What I find most frustrating is that several purveyors of this misogyny in the music have daughters of their own. I have difficulty in imagining how Lil' Wayne's daughter will be able to reconcile the images of those women in his music videos to those who propel themselves into the echelons of academia and community involvement. Will Plies' daughter have to grapple with whether or not Michelle Obama trumps Melissa Ford as the better role model? Brothas, please. Out of respect for your grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, cousins, and daughters, stop making it so hard for those of us who are tring to perpetuate a more positive image of the Black woman. I prefer that no one's daughter is subject to these dichotomies, and I would highly appreciate it if we could get it together before my daughters get here.

Thanks, MGMT... PEACE

This Person Deserves an Award, Pt. 4

Ladies & Gentlemen, Elon James White deserves an award. Why? Because he is hilarious!! Watch his videos on thisweekinblackness.com and you'll agree!

Carry on... PEACE

Confessions of a Book Nerd

During the holiday season, I can't help but to feel the percolating excitement of everyone who anticipates giving and receiving the perfect gift. I am no exception. Some people are looking forward to clothes, or toys, or possibly a really nice piece of jewelry. What am I looking forward to?

Books. Lots and lots of books.

I'm mostly a novel reader, but I've just now gotten into the swing of reading critical and analytical works. I can say this unashamedly because I am no longer bothered by my nerdiness. I walked into my favorite bookstore yesterday and looked like a kid jacked on pixie sticks being released to expend herself at Toys ‘R’ Us. If anyone needs my wish list, aquí esta:

1. We Real Cool – bell hooks
2. Skin Deep, Spirit Strong: The Black Female Body in American Culture -- Kimberly Gisele Wallace-Sanders
3. Is Bill Cosby Right?: Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? -- Michael Eric Dyson
4. Venus in the Dark: Blackness and Beauty in Popular Culture -- Janell Hobson
5. All The Rage – Aaron McGruder

Just for starters…PEACE

Song of The Day

Lina -- Come To Mama

[Verse 1]
Kiss you right where it hurts
And love it all the lil ways you loved it first
Hey daddy; mama won't do you wrong
I gave you what you need to keep you strong
I'll never throw it in your face; what you going through
There will be better days; don't keep it all inside
Come to mama she'll make it right

[Chorus]
Tu sais tu me mets à genoux
Tu peux venir de n'importe où
Je sais bien que tu n'es pas fou
Come to Mama, Mama...

[Verse 2]
I won't; I won't let you forget who you are
And I'll have no regrets for waiting; waiting for you to get it right
Whenever you need me I'm here to hold you tight
I'll never throw it in your face; what you going through
There will be better days; don't keep it all inside
Come to mama she'll make it right

[Chorus] x2
Tu sais tu me mets à genoux (Tu sais, Tu sais)
Tu peux venir de n'importe où
Je sais bien que tu n'es pas fou
Come to Mama, Mama...

[Verse 3]
I'll keep you safely in my arms
Use all my love to keep you warm
Oooh my baby, I'm not enough
I'll do whatever it takes to keep you strong

[Chorus]
Tu sais tu me mets à genoux
Tu peux venir de n'importe où
Je sais bien que tu n'es pas fou
Come to Mama, Mama...
[Till fade...]

[hooks]
I'll be right here for you boy
Always for you

You make me crazy
Still I'm, crazy for you boy
No, it don't matter what you're going through
You got me... I love you.

This Person Deserves An Award, Pt. 3

Keith Boykin discusses homophobia @ Ole Miss

Ladies and Gentlemen, Keith Boykin deserves an award. In the midst of my debacle to solve the mystery of why people are so hateful towards homosexuals, Keith lucidly describes how Blacks typically hold progressive views in terms of social and political issues yet maintain a position of being morally conservative. He's also the host of BET J's "My Two Cents" which offers perceptive commentary on everyday issues affecting African Americans.

'Preciate the insight, Dr. Boykin.

PEACE

PJIF (Praise Jesus, It's Friday)

So this week hasn't been too terrible, just incredibly slow and uninspiring. But praises to the Most High, I was blessed with life to see it through to completion; I realize that many have not had this privilege. Instead of focusing on the negative things that transpired this week, I choose to focus on the positives:

1) I have a job to go to each day.

2) I have health and strength to enjoy the life that I have.

3) I have a God who cares enough about me to direct my paths.

4) I have an awesome family and even awesomer friends.

5) I have a lot of love in my life :)

6) I don't look like the wet kitty in the pic.

7) I can smile about a lot of things, and cry over things that still hurt (which is just as healing).

8) If God says the same, I have a whole life ahead of me to change those things that I deem unacceptable.

9) I have chocolate and music to get me through the rough days.

10) I have a new phone! I can communicate with the outside world in realtime and not via Facebook! Praise Him!

11) I don't have enough time to list all of the things that I am grateful for.

I hope that you can compile your own list of gratitudes. PEACE... and blessings.

Song of the Day

Chaka Khan -- Angel

Conflicted

Earlier this week, President-elect Barack Obama selected celeb pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his upcoming inauguration. The announcement has been met with much animosity, namely from gay rights supporters, due to the realization that Warren is a public antagonist of rights for homosexuals. I guess that my biggest qualm arises from what I am assuming to be Christian marginalization. As Christians, we are taught to be Christ-like examples in which we unconditionally love all people, regardless of who they are, what they've done and what they believe.We have also been taught that we should "judge not, lest [we] be judged, and with the same measure unto which [we] have judged." In spite of this, I have noticed that whenever the issue of homosexuality is brought up in religious circles, responses tend to range from indifferent to downright hateful. As a black heterosexual female, I have sympathies towards civil rights on the planes of race and feminism. However, I am finding that my greatest struggle is lying in my desire to support gay rights without compromising my religious beliefs. In light of the recent election of president-elect Barack Obama, it was discovered that African Americans in California overwhelmingly favored the possibility of a Black president, but also voted for Proposition 8 by a 7 out of 10 margin. For this reason, Blacks have been perceived as bigoted for desiring racial equality while simultaneously aiding in the prevention of social equality for homosexuals. The prevailing argument that I have heard amongst Blacks for this case is that racial discrimination was enforced without biblical warrant; homosexuality is clearly condemned by God as depicted by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and 1 Corinthians 6. My skepticism arises from the fact that the Bible is once again being used to justify social issues (as it should be) while also being used out of context and in convenience. Rights for Blacks and women have been considered as "unnatural" and the oppression of the aforementioned groups were assumed to be the way that God intended for people to coexist. I believe in fairness. I feel that all of the rights allowed to me as an American citizen should be extended to all of my fellow citizens, regardless of gender or orientation. My question is: how can Christians show support for a group that the Christian right refers to as "abominations" without feeling a sense of condemnation? I sincerely want to support equality for all, but I have vowed that God's opinions trump those of man. I hope that someone will be willing to educate me on this issue as it is difficult to learn how to rally with my fellow Christians who so vehemently speak out against another group of people and their beliefs. Whatever happened to loving one another in spite of our differences?

PEACE

God Bless The Child

God, please bless Akon. 'Cuz this brotha is clearly trippin'.

After subjecting the world to such travesties as “Baby, I’m Back” and “Right now”, “rapper-singer” Akon is now entertaining a new realm of terror by physically abusing his concertgoers. At a recent performance, Akon reportedly hurled a 15-year-old boy from the stage into the audience after the young fan was accused of throwing objects at the artist. In an attempt to take “Smack That” to a whole new level, Akon also allegedly punched two women at a concert in Guyana. Konvict, is a change eva gon’ come?

PEACE

Song of the Day

Goapele - "Change it All"

I want her hair. PEACE

This Person Deserves an Award, Pt. 2

Lola Stephens Bell (l), bka Queen Lola.

Hear ye, hear ye, all hail the greatness of Queen Lola. Lola Stephens Bell truly knows the meaning of generous reciprocity. Having spent two years as a homeless person, Queen Lola (as referenced by her customers) was blessed to establish a successful soul food restaurant in Austin's impoverished east side. Beyond being the first person in Austin to throw a benefit for incoming Katrina victims in 2005, Queen keeps her restaurant open 6 days a week, only to close on Sundays in order to serve Austin's homeless population.

And yes, the food is the bomb.

Long live the Queen... PEACE

Purveyors of Pseudowisdom and the People That Love Them

Proverbs 4:7 -- Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

I've come to the conclusion that I am just pensive by nature, and I'm ok with that. I think a lot (which may or may not be a good thing), but I've found that through my thinking, I get understanding. In my search to find truth to questions of equality and social justice, I've learned quite a bit about myself and those whom I've considered to be valid instruments of reason. In the months that I've been out of school, I've attempted to prevent brain atrophy through reading books and visiting weblogs that promote thought and awareness. The knowledge that I have acquired through these venues is insurmountable. I mean, it's great: I can pretty much read up on any issue that is puzzling me at the moment and get several differing views on that one issue. On the other hand, these differing opinions make it difficult to discern which one is the most trustworthy. I have a tendency to introduce skepticism into the equation whenever I approach an issue with my own set of beliefs and cynicisms and expect someone who is my intellectual polar opposite to make sense out of all of it. Some of them actually meet the challenge by coercing me into viewing the problem in a different light and taking all things into consideration. Then there are those who just make matters worse; those who, in spite of all of their smartness, are more bent on forcing their views upon others as opposed to searching for truth from every possible angle. You know, the rigid thinkers. The ones who won't confess that their logic is faulty and baseless. The ones who have difficulty in appraising the differences between Michael Eric Dyson and Eric Jerome Dickey. In spite of my criticisms, I have discovered that these individuals have an incredibly large platform; they're allowed access at our universities, offered a seat on panels to discuss the progress of our communities, given the privilege of contributing as newspaper columnists, and requested to offer their opinions as television news journalists. Amidst all of the interlocution, the truth becomes obscured and exchanged for the sugary substitute that pacifies those not interested in (or prepared for) it's raw form. Hence, throngs of pseudointelligent disciples emerge to minister the gospel of diluted truth to lost and wary souls.

Now, in light of all of the propaganda that these false truths perpetuate, I am very grateful that there are people who are willing to stand for the actualization of an honest and equitable society (namely my former profs Drs. Chiquita Collins and Mattie Richardson). It is my opinion that anyone who is willing to render their life's work towards the proliferation of activism and understanding is considerably more commendable than any purveyor of senseless rhetoric.

Yep, that's just how I'm feeling.

PEACE

About This Whole 'Life' Thing...

"See I know my destination, but I'm just not there."

Does this happen to every college graduate? Y'know, this whole inability to perceive which direction your life will take? I'm beginning to believe that what I initially assumed to be control was nothing more than a cruel facade. Since being out of school, I have had about 7 or so months to think. A lot. Anyone who knows me knows that allowing me that much time to contemplate anything is a disaster in the making. Why? Because at some point my thought process shifts from consideration to obsession. I make the best decisions when I'm under pressure (which is why I am not surprised that I am just now beginning my grad school application process with less than 2 months to the deadline). Now what makes matters worse is that I am a lazy daydreamer. I will dream up all of these fantastic life courses, focusing on every minute detail until it excites me to the point that I actually try to do something about it. But in the early stages of motivation, I quickly lose interest with the idea and abandon it. I liken it to a kid coming down from a high of Sprite and Skittles. For this reason, I have decided to create an addendum to my Bucket List.

Stop procrastinating. If I ever want to be anything, I have to get off my butt and do something. There's no way around it. Trust me, I've tried. We'll see how far it takes me.

Sorry, but this post was really pointless. Just felt like a little light venting.

Until later... PEACE

God Bless The Child

"They smile in yo' face..."

God, please bless President George W. Bush.

This man has endured his share of criticisms, economic crises, and as of recently, drive by shoeings. Are we wrong for holding our prez in negative regard? To what degree are our anti-Bush sentiments warranted? I purposefully choose not to touch this one. BUT, in the matter of a mere month this iconic president will ride off into the sunset, leaving behind a legacy of heroism that will be perceived as either macho, masochistic, or misunderstood. May God keep him safe in his journey.

And I'm done... PEACE

This Person Deserves an Award, Pt. 1

Melissa Harris Lacewell deserves an award.

I have no words for how phenomenal this woman is. I have been a follower (read: not stalker) of hers ever since I saw this interview she did with Bill Moyers in 2007. She then backdoored with this apology to the graduating class of 2008. She is in the process of penning "For Colored Girls Who've Considered Politics When Being Strong Wasn't Enough", and I personally cannot wait to read it. She's the bomb, and I wanna be like her when I grow up.

Somebody, please. Give this woman an award. Thank you... and Good Night.

PEACE

The State of the Union

I am pretty sure that everyone is aware (to an extent) of the plight that African American women face in regards to marriage and relationships. Typically, I hate discussing the issue because it always seems to present itself in every ordinary conversation that I have with my friends. Today was no exception. Driving back from church today, one of my close friends and I discussed the wedding of a mutual friend that took place last night. As we giggled with excitement over the details of her dress, hair and ring, we were all too reminded of our singleness and began our usual colloquy on the general marriageability of black women, particularly educated black women. For the record, I must note that our friend graduated from our university with top honors and is currently pursuing her JD from one of the finest law schools in the country. I mention this because of the widespread belief that educated black women are destined for spinsterhood due to their egregious desire to better themselves. Over the course of our conversation, I reeled over the common threads that connected 10 of my closest friends. The prevailing generalities that I noticed from the top were that they are all educated, attractive, outgoing, spiritual women. They are also all single. I then took into consideration my friend who was riding back with me from church. Unbeknownst to her, I have always admired her for the woman that she is... she is smart, pretty, personable, and a great dancer. She is in the process of obtaining her master's degree and plans to own her own business someday (her level of ambition does not cause me to doubt that she will do just that). In spite of her total wonderfulness, she has been single for as long as I have known her.

When did education and ambition become strikes against the Black woman and her chances of becoming a wife? I may be wrong, but I feel that the diminished likelihood of marriage for EBWs (educated Black women) provides a sad commentary on the expectation that education is still the sole entitlement of males and the woman's place is still in the home, namely the kitchen and bedroom.

Now wait, before you go charging me up over what you may feel is feminist male bashing, take my argument into consideration. If this were not the case, why is it that 70% of Black women are single and 42.3% of Black women never marry? Why do a woman's chances of being a wife and mother reversely correlate to her level of education?

Ok, I apologize. That did sound like bashing. But I guess that my frustration comes from the fact that most explanations that I've heard shift the blame onto women who supposedly deem most of their prospects as "unmarriageable." In my opinion, this isn't the case. I personally am drawn to ambition and I feel that most women are as well. It's right under spirituality and attractiveness for me. If a man knows what he wants to do and approaches his goals with unrelenting drive, that is definitely a plus. Since there is a stipulation that women are naturally attracted to powerful men, any intimidation that one man must feel toward the overall ambition of his love interest should be checked at the door. I am pretty sure that if I presented this issue to a few of my sagacious male friends, they would tear this topic up. I would love to know how they feel about it. I'm always up for correction. PEACE

Bucket List.

So. I recently watched the film "Bucket List" starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson...

It was alright, I guess. But all critiques aside, it did make me think of the proverbial 'death bed regrets' where one relishes over their lives and the things that they have not done and will never get a chance to do. So I began to ask myself, "What are some things that I would like to do before I die (or before I have kids... I'm sad that I consider the two to be synonymous)?" This is what I've come up with (so far, in no particular order):

1. Attend Howard University. For the longest time, I have had this desire to attend an HBCU. I recently obtained my bachelor's from The University of Texas at Austin, a school that boasts an African American population of approximately 4%. I guess one of the biggest fears that I had when considering HBCUs after high school was 1)the possibility of the school losing its accreditation, and 2)alienation from people of different cultures. I have since then come to realize the folly in both of these reasons (though accreditation still poses somewhat of a challenge to these illustrious universities). I am also thoroughly impressed by Howard's distinguished alumni. Perhaps I can become one of them.

2. Stop procrastinating. This has been a struggle of mine for a while now. I believe that this is the reason why I disliked the academic portion of my undergraduate career.

3. Stay out of debt. By the time I was 19 years old, I was already inundated with credit card debt. I stayed that way for the next 3 years. God has finally delivered me from my credit card debts and now I am beginning to exercise more responsibility in my finances. It is my prayer that I never get into more debt than I can handle, even if they are for business or school related loans.

4. Grow dreadlocks. As of December 12, 2008, I have been natural for 14 months. I have a massive afro which I LOVE. But, I can't help but to admire the gorgeous styles that I see many of loc'd sisters wearing. I am pretty sure that I am going to try them out, the question is if I'll punk out and start missing my puff.

5. Buy my own home. Pretty self-explanatory. I just hate moving and home-ownership is pretty important.

6. Travel. It's my prayer that I can see the world before I spawn dependents and my time is no longer my own. My preferences are Jamaica/St. Lucia, London, Paris, Rome & Japan. Oh, and I wanna go parasailing!

7. Learn my family's history. Right now I'm reading "Cane River" by Lalita Tademy. It's amazing how the author was able to trace her family's history back to the late 1700s. I don't have much knowledge of my family past my birth parents. I think it'd be pretty awesome if I could learn about the people whose blood courses through my veins.

8. Create a documentary on Civil Rights. Being a Black heterosexual female, I realize that I have rights*. However, with the recent election, there has been some discussion about Black bigotry and discrimination of African Americans towards another minority group. We'll see how this develops.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg... definitely more later. PEACE

Dread That Nappy [sic] Up, Throw a Shell In It

So... I have this Natural hair... and it's really thick right... so last night I took some locking gel, my fingers, and about 3.5 hours of my precious time and installed a head full of starter dreads. When I looked in the mirror I was thoroughly impressed, they're actually cute. BUT there is a potential dealbreaker: I miss my 'fro. It's not only taken a while for it to get to its present length but also for me to accept it. Granted, there are still people who assume that I'm militant or making some sort of political statement by wearing my hair in its natural state, but in all honesty I stopped perming my hair because after 20 years of chemicals, hair dye, pressing irons and constant combing it just couldn't take it anymore. I also felt that I was trying to hide something (namely my roots) everytime I rushed to the beauty supply to purchase a relaxer. I do have an appreciation for what God gave me, though, and I truly feel that this is how I am supposed to rock my hair... it's pretty dope. But back to the dreads. So far they're being held in positive regard by people I come in contact with. But ultimately it's my head and my image, so I just might listen to the still, small voice over time and see what I'm most comfortable with. It won't be a perm, though.

Yay for self love... PEACE

?uest

I love The Roots, especially ?uestlove. Dude is a beast on the drums. Anyhoo, while making my rounds on Okayplayer, I discovered ?uest's take on a song by another group I absolutely adore, Gnarls Barkley.



Simple, yet raw. I love it when one of my fave artists syncs to the music of my other fave artists.

More later... PEACE

Worth Watching

BET's "Bid 'Em In." When I first saw this I had to be sure that BET was actually allowing itself to purvey something positive and thought provoking. After confirming that they indeed were, I peeked out of my bedroom window to see if I could see Jesus riding through the sky on a white horse... "Is it the end times?"

But seriously, this is a very powerful commentary on the slave trade. What made me even more excited was that I saw it during the afternoon so there is a chance that some of these young kids saw it too. Yes for progress.

PEACE

The Roots Come to UT

Forty Acres Fest is one of the many reasons why I love my school. Last year the Roots came down and performed a few tracks (the year before last Common came through and tore it up) and the crowd seemed to love them. We even got them to do an encore. But yeah below are some vids of their performances.

Cover of Bob Dylan's Masters of War



Encore/The Seed



You Got Me



I Will Not Apologize

They also played this song as their outro and I've had it on repeat ever since.

Nice. PEACE

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Like anyone cares! But anyhoo, I guess this is a good way to introduce myself. These are things that I have pretty much changed my life in some way, shape or form.



Texas Football. Every time I hear the Texas fight song... I cry a little bit.




My razr. I've had it for about two years and it's pretty durable, considering that it's been without a battery door the whole time.

L'Oreal High Intensity Pigments! Finally... makeup products that don't seep into my skin and become invisible within an hour's time. I'm a total junkie -- I own H.I.P.'s foundation, eyeshadows, eyeliner and lip gloss and I love them all.

Garnier-- boy I was SHOCKED to discover that Garnier works a lot better on my natural hair than all of these other ethnic products (as they're called in CVS). Especially their soft curl cream... man that stuff is crack for the scalp!

Dial soap... keeping you germ free since 1948!

The Bible Experience. I love to listen to this right before bed.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium. MAN this is stuff is expensive but it'll be worth it when I want to get my graphic design on. Since I'm a broke college graduate, I'm on a savings plan so that I can own it someday.

My Ipod Nano. In the words of one of my favorite rappers, "Wherever I go, it goes." Seriously, I'll remember my Ipod over my keys and wallet. I now know that I have to get my life together because I don't know how proud I am of that. BUT it was worth the investment.

More later... PEACE