Hump Day Headlines

Wednesdays are generally pretty slow for me. It's the end of the work week [my weekend falls on Thursday and Friday] and it's usually a day I use to do anything you would put in the "other" column. With that said, I've picked out some interesting headlines that'll keep you 9-to-5'ers entertained until the weekend hits. Enjoy and Stay Classy!

• It's an American Classic gone wrong. A chef at Wall Street Burger Shoppe in Lower Manhattan just added a $175 burger to the menu. Word? I’m not a huge burger fan [although Five Guys is pretty good] but for some reason this just sounds a little over priced. The ambitious chef says it's worth the money because it's made of Kobe beef and topped with a few things you can barely pronounce. It seems like the word Kobe and beef are always synonymous with one another. But what do I know…I’m just a writer.

• Boys with Boob jobs. If that sentence didn't grab your attention, I don't know what will! Apparently obesity is a serious problem in our country...who knew? As a result young boys are turning to plastic surgery to fix their "man boobs." Hmmm...

• A teenage boy posted naked pics of his girlfriend on Myspace. This story will make you think twice before sending that risque photo on your cellphone to your boo. Delete it!

• $15 to check baggage on American Airlines? This story just boggles my mind. Why should I have to pay to put my luggage on a flight? Who cares if oil prices are going up?! If I bring a carry-on...I can't pack any liquids! Dude, this is no bueno!

• and if you thought NFL players performing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars was borderline...check this out, Classic! Thanks D!

Glow in The Dark Tour

Good thing I brought my umbrella-ella-ella, eh, eh...

because Mother Nature brought torrential downpour to Hartford. No worries though, Chicago's finest was in town - Kanye West.

Glow in the Dark lineup: Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D, Rihanna and Kanye West

Lupe and N.E.R.D was awesome
Well, that's what my friend Paula text me as I arrived at the concert. I was a little fashionably late. Ok, so I was an hour late..but I had to get diva-fied. It's a process that can never be rushed.

Ri-Ri's pants were painted on
The good girl gone bad put on a great show. It was like a shot of Espresso. She started with a little reggae, took it back with her rendition of Lauryn Hill's "That Thing," and the crowd sang along as she belted out the crowd favorite - "Umbrella." A few cornballs actually opened there umbrella's during the song. Don't tell anyone, but I kinda wanted to open mine too. Oh yeah, and midway through her set, Rihanna tore off her rip-away skirt to reveal some pants so tight, they looked like they were painted on. [Um, does yo mama know about those pants?]

Kanye was a one man show
All respect is due to the Louis Vuitton Don. Kanye West's stage show was somewhere between a sci-fi flick and a one-man Broadway production set to hip-hop. A rough idea of the story line is: West sets out into space in search of inspiration. He then crash-lands on an unknown planet, and has to find his way back to Earth. It's through this journey where West takes you from "Good Morning," where he wakes up on the unknown planet….to "Touch the Sky," where he finally makes it back to Earth. His spaceship named Jane talks him through the journey. A touching moment came when 'Ye performed "Hey Mama" as the crowd waved their cell phones to the beat. The only time Kanye actually sat down was during a surprising portion of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing." From there 'Ye "repairs" his spaceship and rallied the crowd with his hit, "Stronger."

In the Dark
So I bet you're wondering what I didn't like about the concert. Honestly, Kanye's performance was flawless, however there were a few audio issues where his mic was super low and the band was over modulated. Now, if you ask the people who sat on the grass during the show, I’m sure they'd say they didn't like being soaked during a 4-hour concert. A poncho can only do so much.

Glowing in the Dark
Kanye deserves a standing ovation for creativity. The set and storyline was creative. This has never been done in hip-hop people. Truly one of the most fascinating concerts I've ever seen. At the end of the concert 'Ye gave a special shoutout to all the columnists out there who write about his shows. He said, "this is real music…it isn't something that you can grade." I agree. Kanye is one of the Hottest Mc's in the game.

The Afterparty
Ok, why did The Emperor [a club in Hartford] think it was okay to charge $50 for the Glow in the Dark Tour afterparty? I wanna know who actually paid that much money to get in a club where you will sweat out your hair and outfit just by stepping in the place. This is not New York! Needless to say, I didn't go. High level, not eye level people.

Just another page of the Classifieds. Stay Classy.

The Sports Section

He's worn the numbers: 24, 30, and now 3.
He's hit 597 homeruns - just three bombs shy of reaching the epic 600 mark.
His name is Ken Griffey, Jr.
His Team is the Cincinnati Reds.

But now - the word on the street is, he could soon be a Seattle Mariner again!

[*music to my ears*]

John Hickey with the Seattle PI wrote:

Reports out of New York say that Duane Shaffer, in his first season as a special assistant to Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi, was in Shea Stadium Sunday to have a look at Griffey.

The Mariners need two things - someone to get the fans' interest revved up after a horrid start to the season and someone to provide some power to a lineup devoid of many run-producers.

I've been a fan of the Mariners ever since 1994! My father, a loyal M's fan, is the reason why I grew to love them so much. Between watching games on TV with the sound turned to the highest decibel allowed, to watching a game in the stands; It was rare that I missed a game.

Griffey's legacy stretched from 1989 to 1999, but we still love him like he's never left. There's no doubt in my mind that Seattle fans would love to see "the kid" back in a M's uniform rocking the #24! I know Griffey is getting old and more injury prone, but the fact he's on the verge of hitting his 600th homer would be great PR for Seattle's franchise. Not to mention he hit the majority of those homers in the great northwest!!

Let's be real - he put Seattle on the map for MLB.

Right now the M's are sitting at 15-25.

*Ahem* [clearing my throat]

They are pretty much scraping the bottom of the AL West. But at least we got San Diego beat! My point here is, while Griffey may not single-handily get us to the playoffs, at least it will bring that euphoria back to Seattle. Oh yeah, don't forget that "The Kid" is a lefty. We could use that balance in our lineup! [Preach!]

As a fan it's hard to understand all the corporate decisions that are made, but at the end of the day - it's all about money! Griffey is the one person M's execs know will pack the stands.

Look at it this way - his return might be the only thing that saves Safeco Field from turning into the Kingdome.

Another Again

Do you ever feel like life just repeats itself? I do! It's like we struggle, and conquer. Love and hate. Cry, and laugh. Make-up, then break-up. It's a never-ending cycle.

I'm not a huge John Legend fan, but a few of his songs do something to me. I heard his ballad, Another Again today on the way to work. Great song. It's borderline classic.

I'm not sure if it's the words, or his voice. Either way, I literally lose myself when I hear this song. If you've never heard this song, I suggest you take a listen. I feel that good music should be a reflection of life. It should talk about the good, bad and ugly of what's really going on in the world. This song talks about the ebbs and flows in love. Somethings we can all relate to.

This is for all my friends, family, and loyal readers going through Another Again.....Enjoy!

Mother's Day Tribute

It's a day to celebrate not only your mother, but ALL women -Mother's day.

It's interesting what inspires me to blog sometimes. This time, my inspiration is special.

Last night, I wrote an email to a gentlemen I met at the NABJ conference in Vegas. It was a simple email…

"Hey, long time no hear from. How are you?

His response left me shaken. It was a long, detailed email explaining why he had been under the radar.

"My mother passed away."

The news left me sunk like the Titanic. Then, I started thinking about what it would be like if my mother passed away. I tried to shake the thought, but I suddenly slipped into a daze.

I pictured…
Her laugh,
Her smile,
Her eyes,
And her signature macaroni & cheese and yams.

[I'm literally tearing up as I write this]

What would I be without the woman who brought me in this world? She's my rock. My friend. My mentor. My role model. I've always wanted to be just like her. I can't imagine not having her shoulder to lean on.

As I'm writing this blog, I'm realizing how tough it must be for my friend to cope with the loss of his mother. It must take the epitome of faith and strength to move ahead with your life. It's for this reason that I admire him. Even though he may admire others for having a parent or both of their parents, I admire him for being able to acknowledge his pain, yet carry the torch and press on.

This Mother's Day, take the time to carry the torch. Show your mother how much she means to you, because tomorrow is not promised. Thank her for lighting the torch in your life so that you could shine like no other.

Remember, you don't have to bear a child to be acknowledged on Mother's day.

So to all the women reading this: I lift you up, I pray for you, and I encourage you to do the same for other women in your life too.

Happy Mother's Day! [I love you Mom]

Oh and enjoy this great song by Raheem DeVaughn, appropriately titled, "Woman." Check it out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhsaIizrY5I&feature=related

Sweep!!

The title of this blog is really all that needs to be said. Congrats to the entire Lakers squad!

What did you think of the

Lakers/Nuggets series?

Well since we are talking about the Nuggets, I figured I'd give you a few nuggets to note.

*The Nuggets became the first 50-win team to ever be swept in the first round of the playoffs.

*Nuggets coach George Karl had never been swept in a seven-game series during his 20-year NBA career

*The Nuggets had dozens of “I Believe” signs taped throughout their weight room, on the walls, even on the machines. [What is this...the Obama campaign?!]

Good try though. Better luck next time to the no "D" playin, Enver Nuggets!

Bring on the Utah Jazz! ;)

The Art of the Pump Fake

[This was written during halftime of the Lakers/Nuggets, Game 4]

Welcome to the Mile High City! [that's Denver for you slow ones.]
A little extra altitude never hurt anybody, right? Plus, my Lakers play on a high level, not eye level.

Preach!

Let's turn now to the top play of the first half. Remember, the top play is not always the score which garners the most points. It's not always a shot by the best player.
Sometimes it's the assist that leads to the score that makes you say - I LOVE THIS GAME!

[Que the dramatic music]

The art of the pump fake.
Never have I seen the pump fake used with such finesse.
Seven minutes and 15 ticks on the clock till halftime.
Kobe Bryant beyond the arc. [Nahara on D.]
Bryant looks for the outlet pass. [Nahara takes the bait, yet doesn't waiver.]
Bryant with the double pump fake. [At this point, Nahara is about to get dizzy by triple ocho, Kobe Bryant that is.]
Then, he slips into a pirouette prettier than one of Kristi Yamaguchi's triple axles.
The dish to Mbenga [Andrew Bynum, who?] for....the....SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!

The Pied Piper of Preparation

Greetings all.

Today my inspiration for writing stems from an article I read about Boston Celtics star, Ray Allen. [Note: the picture is of Ray Allen & Kobe. Did you really think I'd put a picture of a Celtics player by himself on my blog...please.] The article talked about how Allen is borderline OCD in his daily routine. In the article they referred to him as the Pied Piper of Preparation. It's definitely a good read, and it inspired me to write on the subject of preparation.

Due to the fact that I was a journalism major and I love reading/writing...I am a slave to the dictionary. As a child my Dad used to always refer me to the dictionary anytime I read a word I'd never seen or couldn't pronounce. He told me to look it up, and right down the word and the definition. It's funny because I still do that to this day. It's amazing how much reading and looking up words can improve your spelling and writing ability. So in the spirit of my age old ritual, I'd like to call on Webster to define pied piper (no, not R.Kelly) and preparation.

Preparation: noun. The act of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose; "preparations for the ceremony had begun."

Pied Piper: noun. A person who influences others to follow or imitate him or her.

********The Pied Piper of Preparation is a leader who influences others to follow their practices of preparation.**************

A guy friend of mine [names are left out to protect the innocent, lol] has personally coined the phrase: preparation meets opportunity. While, I think he uses the line to pick up women, I still find it catchy, and brutally true.

Opportunity rarely finds you. It's a reward that is given when proper preparation is in place. So the question is: What are you doing to prepare for your future? I think all of us 20-somethings are struggling with that entry-level or mid-career question of what's next? Many of us want something but aren't willing to put in the work in order to receive it. I feel like as each new generation surfaces it's jaded with a false sense of "The Real World." Newsflash: It's not a reality show.

Sometimes I wonder if all my preparation is in vain. Am I preparing to be America's Next Top Reporter, when my calling is really to be a nurse? One thing I've learned in the 25 short years I've had a heart beat is that life is about the journey, not the destination. It's important to have goals, because it makes you a disciplined person. In the back of my mind, I hold the following thought: My better, is not His better. It's something I heard at my church home in Charlotte, and I've held it with me ever since. It's inspirational to me in that, I know that when I don't get what I want it's because God did not intend that blessing to be mine. Maybe me "not getting" that [insert blessing] is a blessing too.

God is working to make better...and best in your life. You just have to be patient and prepare.

What you think is better or will be best for you right now, is nothing close to what God has in store for you. I know He has plans for me, because when I'm down to nothing - the Lord is truly UP to SOMETHING! I just want to make sure that when that blessing comes I'm ready. I don't want to get an opportunity and then have to retreat and say, "You know what, that's my dream job, but I'm not ready." Preparation meets opportunity.

I like to think of myself as the Pied Piper of Preparation. I'm a Libra, so it's in my nature to be a compulsive procrastinator, yet when I really want something I will go all out. It's in our nature as humans to mimic behavior that we view as prosperous. For example, look at Robin Roberts, Michael Jordan, Oprah, or Jay-Z. They all possess qualities we try to align ourselves with because of the success it has produced in their lives. So I'd like to share some of my tips on preparing for success. Before you become successful, you've got to build confidence. No one will believe in you, if you don't believe in yourself. It's time to lose self-doubt. I hope this inspires you...

[This is where you take notes....] :)

How to build confidence...

• Find a role model in the field you aspire to excell in.



• Hold your achievements close to you, b/c it will help you build confidence faster.



• Continually work on your skills.



• Be thankful for what you do have



• Give yourself a pat on the back. Having an ego is not illegal. In fact, it's essential.

~Crossy~

Move Over BET...

Black Entertainment Television, better known as BET. I think at one time, this network was relevant. However, I can't recall exactly when that was. Maybe it was back when Joe Clair was hosting Rap City, or when Dajour and Ananda Lewis hosted Teen Summit. Either way, I can't stand the network. BET does not represent me. Nor does it uplift our youth or teach them anything. If you're bored, College Hill might keep your attention...or there's always Hell Date! Now that's quality television programming!

Here's the good news: The Black Television News Channel (BTNC) has announced plans to start up the nation's first 24-hour cable news network dedicated to the African American community. It's expected to begin in 2009, and will be offered in Philly, D.C, Atlanta, and Baltimore. No love for the West coast I see...but I guess they are trying it out in areas heavily populated with "us" first to see how it is received.

The mastermind behind the BTNC is J.C Watts, a former republican congressman from Oklahoma.

I think BTNC will be welcomed, because it fulfills a certain niche that has yet to be tapped. For those of you who remember, the only news programming BET ever offered was BET Nightly News with Jacque Reid. Now while Miss Reid is a Clark Atlanta University grad, a diva of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, a former CNN news anchor, and gorgeous to say the least - the show was pretty irrelevant. It came on at 11pm and the presentation was simply not appealing. For lack of a better term it looked "BOOTLEG!" Even though the black-owned TV One boasts a substantially better television programming lineup than BET, it still only offers small news briefs throughout the day - which doesn't suffice.

BTNC's move comes right on time. With Senator Barack Obama vying for the title of President in the White house, 24-hour coverage will be essential. Owners of BTNC say it's formatting will mirror the like of CNN and Fox News Channel, but will hold a different point of view. This means not only will there be Black on-air talent, but there will also be talented Black producers, directors, and editors making magic behind the scenes. Let's just hope they pay better than BET! Word has it that I could make more working at 7-Eleven! I'm just saying...

It's a known fact that African Americans exponentially make up the majority of TV watchers. However, news is the one arena where we are underrepresented. It's not that Black folks don't engage in seeking out news, it's just many times the "majority" tend to only pay attention to news that affects them. For example, the Jena 6 movement where everyone wore black for a day, or the presidential debates.

I'm not sure who they plan on recruiting as anchors and reporters for the network, but standby...

My resume is a send button away. ;)

I hear Michael Baisden is also interested in BTNC's effort. Michael Baisden is popular for his self-titled radio show: The Michael Baisden show. His ultimate goal is to host his own late night show. Baisden has not only become a familiar voice on the radio, but he's also a political activist too. I wouldn't mind seeing him do his thing on the TV side. Plus, he'd have a good following that would draw people to tune into the network. Name/face recognition goes a long way.

I look forward to seeing where J.C Watts' vision for the network goes.

Stay tuned...