Completely Unacceptable...ASSinine if you ask me *smh*

happy friday to you all!

so i woke up with the intention today of writing about my most recent struggle with choosing to go to grad school or to start my career after graduation...that was until i saw this:

yes you are seeing correctly, there is no need to adjust your screens or refresh your browser. this was an ad placed in the friday sports edition of The Daily Orange, an independent student run newspaper at Syracuse University. What's wrong with it you might ask? Well, let me tell you...

sun & sangria, see you later: summer '10, thanks for the memories.

summer 2010 has finally come to an end, and i can't believe how fast it flew by!

as i begin to embark on my final year of college, there are so many thoughts and emotions running through my mind that i don't even know where do begin. i've experienced so many changes this summer as well as growth that i feel that i am ready to tackle senior year with confidence. from traveling half way across the world, to interning and dealing with things here on the home and cutting all of my hair off, this summer has definitely been a great one. there a number of lessons that i plan on taking back with me that i hope will further my growth and maturity.

my RE : "white women on a pedestal"

Yes, that is the title of an article i read on the popular blogsite, The Fresh Xpress last night, and I must say that upon first read, i did think that the article was good coming from the viewpoint at which the author spoke. But, that doesn't necessarily mean i agree with it.

I went back to read White Women on a Pedestal, and after reading it, there were a few points where the author was on, and a bit off (the comments are FAR more interesting, so scroll down after you read the article!). To sum it up, the author talks about how she thinks white women (in the eyes of some black men) are put on a pedestal. She uses the VH1 "reality" television shows Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch & The T.O. Show as prime examples. She also compares Kim Kardashian to Karrine Stephans to prove her point (honestly, this is kind of where i got lost, and i don't agree with the author's points here).

now before i even begin, let me just say that first, everyone is entitled to their opinion. and no, i don't think the sista is bitter, she's just clearly articulating her observation, boom. secondly, i do not watch either of these shows because I think that a.) the concept of the dating show is tired, and b.) the concept of athletes, singers, actors whom ever looking for love via this "nationwide" search is played out too. it never turns out to be what they want in the end and they just end up making themselves look foolish when the reunion show rolls around. but then again, it's all for ratings. thirdly, it isn't just white women that some black men could be infatuated with: it could be latinas, asian women, women of middle eastern decent--you name it. i think this is where the author went wrong too by simple singling-out white women because she makes it seem like "they're the ones always trying snatching up the good black men" (watch the movies obsessed, diary of a mad black woman, or our family wedding and maybe get an idea of that concept.)

any way, back to the topic of the article. the author goes on to say that white women have their choice of black men, and how some black men deliberately date outside of their race. furthermore, she discusses her own viewpoints on how she thinks that some black men suffer from identity issues/insecurity/self-hatred. i think she went a little bit far there, but who knows, there may be some men out there who do. but what the author basically wants readers to know is that white women (in her opinion) are put on this pedestal that black women are not.

now, as an african-american 20-something female growing up in today's society, i don't see anything wrong with dating outside of your race--DO YOU HOMIE! at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're black or white (word to MJ). we live in a society in which now it is normal to see interracial couples, and while some people don't agree with it, i think personally that love doesn't have a shape, size, or color. if you find someone that makes you feel special and happy, then eff what everyone else thinks. but at the same time, if you choose not to date or be attracted to a certain type of person, don't downplay or diss them just for the hell of it. keep that isht to yourself, patna.

i remember growing up and being some what taunted because some of my first celebrity crushes (i.e, justin timberlake) and real crushes where on white boys and looking back on it, i still don't see why it was such a big deal. no i didn't exude any self-hatred or have an identity issue, i just liked the person for who they were, period. now that i am older and a little bit wiser, i have considered the fact that the love is not about the color of some\one's skin, but it is what lives on the inside. i have nothing but love for black men and i still believe first and foremost that black love is the most beautiful because that is what i have literally witnessed first hand. love is a beautiful think, period. but the contrary, i don't see myself dating only black men--that seems a bit narrow minded living in the world we live in today. you never know what you may learn about yourself or the world around you by simply sticking to what you know. 

i think if we are going to continue to pursue the idea of a "post-racial society", we first have to take a look at ourselves and understand our interactions among one another before we bring a new generation of free-thinkers into the world. i want to raise my children to accept people for who they are and what the stand for, looking past any racial barriers. i feel like we're just beating a dead horse with a stick by constantly talking about this topic over and over again. because conversely, the same concept could be looked at from the viewpoint of a black man as to why his black sistas are dating outside of their race...but i guess no one ever thought about it that way, huh?

comments, criticisms and critiques as always, are welcomed.

☮ and ♥, 

-*csc.

"the rest is still unwritten" - the hills finale

tonight marks the final episode of the california-based show the hills. i've been watching this show since its humble laguna beach spin off beginnings in 2004, and i must say that it has been interesting watching the lives of these upper middle class caucasian kids from beverly hills. successfully, i can time the intro song "unwritten" by natasha beddingfield & the "go to commercial" song "don't funk with my heart", but as this show comes to an end, i do have to pose a question or two as why this show has been so captivating over the last six years of my life. time to walk down memory lane...

so as i stated before, i've been keeping up with these characters (because that's what they are) for the last six seasons. but how come they have been so interesting to keep up with? well for starters, the hills has been my version of all my children or the young and the restless, but what's even more intriguing is that MTV has successfully made living in california as a young 20-something so dramatic and desirable. the hot parties, shoppping, the he-said she-said drama, lunch/dinner dates between the castmates, luxurious vacations...i could go on and on. but it just further goes to show how superficial our society can be.

question #1: how come the cast of the hills never had any friends of different cultures and backgrounds? as i've grown up watching this show, i started to really dissect how exactly MTV has purposely placed these young people in certain situations in order to make this "reality" television show. but you mean to tell me that there is NO possible way that out of all of the cast members, not nan-one had a black, latino, or asian friend? i find that extremely hard to believe, seeing as california-- particularly los angeles--is a very diverse city. i mean, there was baldwin hills from MTV's sister station BET, which could be compared to this show. but how come it didn't last as long? hey, that could totally be the white privilege speaking very HIGH volumes. #imjustsayin


question #2: did any of the other cast members besides lauren, audrina and heidi have jobs? i mean, working at epic records, teen vogue, people's revolution and sbe bolthouse all seem like really cool jobs, and it was enjoyable seeing the girls in a different setting besides their huge victorian houses or in the club. but as the show continued, it seemed like focus turned away from showing that the young women of the hills had respectable careers to the drama filled weekend evenings and family feuds. but of course, the more conflict the better the ratings and of course, there is only so much you can show in a 22 minute episode.


question #3 : if it really weren't for this television show, would we really give a damn about these kids from california? i mean, come on--most of them *cough brody jenner & spencer pratt* have received their claim to fame from their rich and famous parents (brody's dad is gold medal olympian bruce jenner, who is also the kardashians step dad). and then you have people like stacie the bartender, justin-bobby and charlie who were just kind of thrown into the mix because they interacted with the other cast members. it looks like their 15 minutes of fame turned into a whole hour...


alright, that's all i have. has anyone else thought of these questions or others as you've kept up with this show over the last few years, if you have kept up with it? while i'm happy that the show is finally coming to an end, it has been fun keeping up with this group of kids. i tell you, MTV has a way of keeping my attention, and i can only wonder what they think of next.

☮ and ♥, 

-*csc.

"who you callin' a b*tch?!"

unity, queen latifah (1993)

i had to step back into time and shed light on this truth because nowadays i think that we get so caught up in the "hip-hop" scene that some of us *and that is a small percentage of us* forget that the degrading content in music from artists such as lil wayne, drake, snoop dogg, j.cole and many more isn't healthy for our community. sure the money, riches and poppin' bottles of that "ace of spades" sounds like these rappers are living the life, but do you really think that they feel good about talkin' all that talk?
 
i thought about this topic after listening to music made by a classmate of mine. i will not say who or what the name of the song is, but i will say that i was not too comfortable with him referring to women as b*tches and being "strictly about his paper." number one, i'm not knocking you for producing the art of music, but my friend: we live in the year 2010--it's time that we move away from calling women out of their name just for the sake of spitting a flow. it's so common now days to hear the word "b*tch" or "h*" in a rap song that we've become immune to the fact that these words are not only poison to the youth that are soaking it up like sponges, but also detrimental to ourselves. within the hip-hop community, women of color already deal with being hypersexualized and undervalued thanks to the many music videos and songs that specifically depict women as such, but hearing the words from those songs on a daily basis isn't quite appealing either.

dictionary.com defines the word "b*tch" in three-fold: 1. a female dog; 2. slang:  a malicious, unpleasant, selfish person, esp. a woman. 3.   a complaint.

first of all, what's up with the, "especially a woman" part?  never have i ever been cool with anyone, male or female, calling me the b-word. i also think that the term is completely inadequate as a term of endearment and while i may slip up sometimes and refer to females that i do not know the term, i have to become more conscious about the negativity and the ugliness behind the word. that goes the same of the n-word too.

in order to make ourselves better, we've got to do better y'all. like tupac said in "changes",  

"let's change the way we eat, let's change the way we live & let's change the way we treat each other...the old way wasn't working so it's on us to do what we gotta do, to survive."

there are so many more words in the english language that we can use in order to explain the way we are thinking our thoughts. it's time to start thinking OUTSIDE of this whole idea of "fitting in" and "going with the norm".  i will say, hip-hop has made strides since it began back in the Boogie Down Bronx years ago, but there is still a long way to go. the ultimate goal of hip-hop and the culture wasn't to tear one another down, but to uplift each other and provide unity, peace and prosperity.


so i say this again, "who you callin' a b*tch?!"

☮ and ♥, 

-*csc.

harder, better, faster stronger...

today is the 21st day that i've been here in madrid and like i have been saying, it's been a great experience thus far, but all of a sudden, i feel like there is something more that i could be doing right now to maximize this experience...something that could leave a long lasting on me for the rest of the summer and even going into my final year of undergrad.

i love to daydream, that's a fact. and if you know me, you know that i'm always coming up with some crazy idea that originated from a daydream or a song or something else. i was listening to a big sean song yesterday *very intently might i add* and he stated a really dope line, "they say it's meant to be when you sleep to the same dream."


i honestly believe that the many re-occuring daydreams or thoughts that i continue to have about my future, whether it be an idea of a bomb @$$ dance routine or meeting the president of the united states, have some sort of reason behind them. will smith once said, "ideas are physical, if they stay in your MIND, you're robbing the world of experiencing them." and that couldn't have been put in a better way. 


so with that being said, it's time that you and i BOTH start to maximize on our potential as citizens of this world. i'm not saying that you have to stop everything you're doing and go run and try to save the world (i mean, if you don't have anything else to do...lol, just kidding) but simply by starting with you. change up your daily routine, start a hobby that you have been considering for the past few months or finally complete something on that long to-do list you have. whatever it may be, make sure that it's something that can gradually improve you as an individual and then hopefully, make the world a better place. in other words, get up off your @$$, and do something! don't let another day go by without doing something that makes you feel fulfilled. 

for the next 23 days, i plan on taking full advantage of this experience even more, and i'll be sure to update you all on my progress. i challenge you all for the next three weeks to do things that will make you better, faster and stronger. are you up for it? i sure hope so... =]

visually appealling : "fistful of tears" - maxwell

i love this song. i love him. that is all.

visually appealling : "over" - drake

hmmm, interesting. your thoughts?

RE: "We Are The World" from Jay-Z

I totally see now why he was not apart of this project and I totally agree with him. Although the efforts of the song were totally for a good cause, the originally "We Are The World" produced 25 years ago is a classic--on that shouldn't be tampered with.

The artists of my generation did their best to make it their own sound and to imulate the epic song, but yeah...everything ain't for everybody.

what are you thoughts? check out what Jay-Z had to say below:



-*csc.

midnight snack : chris brown

my my my chris, how we have grown up! mr. brown is pictured on the run way for Naomi Campbell's Fashion Show for Haiti Relief.

 

 

i'm loving the classic & sophisticated look honee -- you can get it ;-)

-*csc.

post #100 : dear st. valentine

dear st. valentine,


in the past, i've always thought of your day as one that "suckas" usually celebrate. i've never really had a "valentine", and while this would be a time to be super emo and "depressed", i've learn that valentine's day is a time to really appreciate the ones that you love and those that love you.

i've taken the time to appreciate myself, and admire the person that i've become since the last valentine's day. just as i took an entire week to celebrate my 21st birthday, i shall take this entire week to appreciate myself--whether it be treating myself to a mani-pedi, going out and having the best time with friends, or even just sleeping in all day. i encourage everyone *if you are/aren't boo'd up* to take the time to appreciate the love that you have for self this valentine's day. hollywood, the media and our society in particular makes such a big deal out of a generic holiday, to the point that people become absolutely desperate to find that "valentine', but i say hey! be thankful that you are loved by people all over the world, those who think of you when you don't even know it.

i have somewhat of an appreciation for your lovey-dovey holiday saint, and i've come to the conclusion that being bitter just doesn't solve anything. so instead of sulking this year, i'm going to have the time of my life this week, appreciating the woman that God has blessed me to be; one that is maturing and growing day after day.

thanks st. valentine, but i'll take it from here. <3

-*csc.

new sounds : "we are the world 25"

as you all know, the epic song "we are the world" that was written by the late great king of pop michael jackson, quincy jones and lionel richie has turned twenty-five years old this year, and in honor of its anniversary, as well as to create awareness for the tragic situation that has devastated haiti, various artists donated their time and their talents the day after the grammy awards to make this song.

soo many talented artists: jamie foxx, celine dion, jennifer hudon, usher, pink, kanye west, mary mary, ll cool j...i could go on and on. they actually did a fantastic job, and the video is super dope because it includes MJ. <3

check out the song below and tell me what you think!




-*csc.

**flyness alert! : beyonce knowles-carter

i haven't hit up the blog with a "flyness alert" in a while--so here it goes!

check out this red, flirty look from beyonce at the press conference for her new fragrance "heat". i haven't smelled the perfume yet, but i'm sure it gives off a very spicy and sensual smell.

what i'm really loving about this ensemble is the SHOES! i really never thought about a red+gold combo, but WOW it really works! gotta find some knock-offs quick! *lol* the dress is absolutely adorable, and i'm sure would look amazing in a variety of other colors.

work it queen bey.

-*csc.

"i'm boss-ay!" - oh really?

 "you don't have to love me, you don't even have to like me--but you will respect me...you know why? cuz i'm a boss!" - kelis

My girls and I used to blast this song while crusin' down the boulevard back in high school and we thought that we had finally found our anthem for all the haters of there. that was four years ago, and now that I look back, I find  the song so trivial and juvenile. While I may still groove to it every now and then, in recent months it has been pretty big in the media how the number of single women, specifically black women is ridiculously high. And it's not just any type of black woman, but the "go-getter", the bread-winner, the "Miss Independent" that Ne-Yo sings to eloquently about. Is it wrong to be too "independent" or bossy now days? Does that really turn men off from wanting to date we women who are "always on our grind"?

As I was aimlessly floating around the Twitterverse yesterday, I came across a tweet that led me to the Facebook page and blog of Paul Carrick Brunson, the Modern Day Matchmaker. Ladies, have you ever wondered WHY after that amazing date the next day he didn't call us back? Well, Paul may be answer our questions and give us a few tips at why we didn't get that call, text or email the next day....






Even as a college student, I can honestly say that I fall in maybe one or two of those catagories - and it's so true! Sometimes those of us who are go-getters may be so focused and determined at aiming for the top that we lose sight of the simple things that make us feminine and sexy. Now, I'm not saying to completely deactivate the "go-getter" mentality, but we've gotta be able to play it up with our femininity and sexiness, and a hefty teaspoon of sass.

You can check out other episodes of Paul's "The Modern Day Matchmaker" at his website http://blog.onedegreefrom.me/; he's also on Facebook and Twitter http://www.twitter.com/OneDegreeFromMe. Check the brotha out ladies, he may be on to something ;-)

-*csc.

one year older, one year wiser.

"so long, farewell, my life's moving forward. my ship has sailed, & i'm so glad it's over. my heart is well,
after all that i've been through i found myself." - ciara

hi friends,

for those of my readers who have just complete their first week of spring semester, congratulations. i'm uber-excited about what this semester, let alone this year has in store. i've been blessed to see another year this week, and i couldn't be more thankful. as i sit here listening to "i found myself" by ciara, i can't help but think about all the things that i've experienced over the span of my life : hurt, happiness, heartache, joy, ect. but for the most part, i'm excited to move forward and live my life. for the longest, i feel like i've been living life in some what of a shadow, or as i put it earlier this week, using other people's lives as crutches to live mine. well, that ship has sailed and i feel liberated for some reason. twenty-one has brought me to a plateau of finally doing things that make me happy and being content with the person that i am. no one is perfect, and for the longest i've felt that i didn't fit into the mold that society is supposed to have for me, but you know what? f*ck that mold and the horse that it rode in on - i'm doing me finally and it feels pretty damn good.

no longer will i reduce the way i feel about myself to fit some fictitious mold that others around me think i should fit. this is my life and i only get one, i plan on living up. there are many responsibilities and priorities that come with being twenty-one, but i feel that i am very prepared to face them head first. i just feel this burst of energy that i've never felt before, a fire that has never blazed like this before in my heart. while there are some things that i will continue about myself, i'm just going to continue to do me, and that is all that i can do.

i will continue to P.U.S.H. and believe that everything will happen at the right place and time. i'm very hopeful for what life has in store, and i'm so blessed to be able to wake up day after day and experience it. <3

*-csc.

my latest, greatest inspiration: rip teddy pendergrass

i'm sad to report that we've lost another r&b legend - mr. "close the door" himself, teddy pendergrass has gone on home. with classics like "my latest greatest inspiration" , "TKO", "when somebody loves you back" , "come on over to my place" and many more, pendergrass was a voice of a generation of what real love feels like. so many artists of my time have sampled his music, and with me being the music aficionado, i knew their inspiration had come from something excellent. mr. pendergrass, thank you so much for your soothing melodies, sexiness and paving the way for the world of r&b music. you will surely be missed.

RIP<3

-*csc.

Please Donate to Haiti

i'm sure that you all are aware of the devastation that has hit the country of Haiti in the last 24 hours. so many lives have been loss and there are still many unaccounted for. Please, please, please give what you can. text "YELE" to 501501 and donate $5 to the earthquake relief fund. thousands of people need aid immediately. continue to keep the people of haiti in your thoughts and prayers as well as the many people here in the US who have family down in that region. to all of my friends, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your families in this time of grief and despair. let us remember that God makes no mistakes and never gives us more than we can bear.

god bless us all.

-*csc.

artist spotlight : tiffany evans

happy new year everyone!

i hope that everyone has gotten a wonderful start off to their 2010. i just want to show a little love to an up and coming artist by the name of tiffany evans. if you are familiar with any of the madea films, you remember her powerful voice from "a diary of a mad black woman'. one of my favorite scenes with her comes at the end when she showcases her talent in the song, "father can you hear me". she sings her 12-year old face in that song. now, the 17-year old is getting ready to release her sophomore album this year and i could not be more excited. i really hope that this time around her voice is put more in the spotlight, instead of fluffed up behind beats and other nonsense. thanks to b.scott for highlighting her talent on his website. i think once this young lady gets the right producers and writers behind her, she will be the next mariah or whitney. take a look at her singing whitney houston's 'i have nothing' below.

enjoy!

-*csc.

merry christmas : from my family, to yours

merry christmas everyone!

i felt like a little kid because i was so anxious to wake up this morning, not to open gifts, (#weoffdat) but just because of what christmas means : being with family and friends, enjoying each others compant and good food, but more importantly, celebrating the birth of a man who would save the sins of the entire world. even if you don't celebrate christmas, it's still a day to take time and be thankful for all that you have in this life. we're happy, healthy and prosperous.


have a blessed holiday everyone. here are two of my fave holiday songs :)

-*csc.



(the night that christ was born :: kirk franklin & the family)



(silent night :: boyz II men)

dont call it a comeback : the karate kid

i know there have been several installments of 'the karate kid', but this looks like a version that will definitely do well in theaters. starring jaden smith (son of will and jada pinkett smith), he moves to bejing with his mother, tarji p. henson and finds that he has to be able to protect himself in the tough streets of china. jackie chan serves as his instructor and my oh my, it looks like jaden does his thing in this movie. he has truly grown since 'the pursuit of happyness' with his daddy in 2006, and by the looks of it, this role was physically demanding. i'm sure papa smith threw some pointers about athleticism that he learned from 'ALI'. check out the trailer below.

the movie is due out some time next year.



-*csc.