The Blog is Mine Redux

Holla!

2009-03-15T21:41:00.004-04:00

theblogismineredux.blogspot.com has now moved to....

WORDPRESS!

Join me there, won't you? Smoochies

talk about redux, what would Louise Jefferson say?

I Feel Like Chicken Tonight!!!

2009-02-25T17:15:00.003-05:00

Jillian and I just got our utilities in our apt! We can now cook delicious meals and save money on eating! Holla! Enjoy:

Love the dude with the briefcase!!!

4 Non Blondes

2009-02-24T15:58:00.008-05:00

Can't help it. Part II.

So upon deeper exploration, I found that one of my favorite Blondie songs is actually a COVER!

The Tide is High is not an original Blondie production!! It's actually a song written by John Holt in 1967, for his band, The Paragons!

The Tide Is High - The Paragons

According to wikipedia, "the song... was popular in Jamaica and became popular amongst West Indians and skinheads in the UK when a deejay version by U-Roy was released in 1971."

West Indians and SKINHEADS...

Cray (x2). I'd like to know more. And yet, from where can I garner such information? Where did wikipedia generate such knowledge?? I'd like to know!

What about the song's lyrical content and melody appeal to these two (distinct?) populations of peoples...

It's not the things you do, that really hurts me bad
But it's the way you do the things, you do to me
I'm not the kinda man who gives up just like that oh no

So then... in 1980, Blondie jazzed it up, and reached an audience beyond solely West Indians and skinheads apparently, and went straight to Number Uno on the Billboard Hot 100!

WARNING: GRATUITOUS DEBBIE HARRY LOVE SESH APPROACHING:

Anywhooo... Blondie hasn't been immune to thirsty fans and tribute covers. Slash sampling and interpolations! Holla!

Check these girls out. My South Asian sisters, covering Blondie's 1999 comeback single, "Maria"!!! I know the audio is a bit spotty, but its totes worth it, to see these ladies killin it!

And the thing that brought me back to "The Tide is High" in the first place... a reggae song by Kardinal Offishal just released this past Oct. called "Numba 1 (The Tide is High)." It appears that Kardinal tried on many leading ladies to sing the hook and bridge on this sortof addictive track, including Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls and our fave tonedeaf but beautiful belle, Rihanna. My fave is definitely the one that made it to the official single... KERI HILSON: fierce, talented, and so gorg! I'm like, kiiiindof obsessed with her. Love it! Love her.

The thing I DON'T love about this song are the whack lyrics! "she just my trophy piece or me hot, hot gal/never ever would I call her mrs. Offishall /never ever would I bring her around my fam /she be cryin' on the phone when she knows who I am." LAME SAUCE WOMPZ

Hey Kardinal - stop being a misogynistic jackass and put somethin out there that we can respect! In the meantime, I will fast forward to the parts that feature Ms. Hilton, all the while wishing that the song was hers and hers alone!

Numba 1 (Tide Is High) feat. Keri Hilson - Kardinal Offi shall

And because the title of this post was a shout out to Linda Perry's finest:

haaaayaaaayayaaayaya. I said hey! What's goin on!

The Tide is High...

2009-02-19T12:29:00.006-05:00

...but I'm holdin on! I'm gonna be your Number One!

Hi friends!

fierce fierce fierce

I love her. She's definitely on my list.

I'm not a hundred percent sure where my love for her or the band originates... but I'm pretty sure it stems from my early childhood, when little first grader Promas and big sis used to create elaborate fake music videos and dance choreography for various melodies on the Parallel Lines album.

Now arguably, my personal connection to this album makes me feel as though it is Blondie's best... and it's the most successful, thus the most mainstream, but I truly love each and every track on it. From the upbeat and effervescent "Pretty Baby" and "Picture This" (Both of which are included in my lovetunes playlist!), to the haunting tones of "Fade Away and Radiate," all the songs do well to showcase the versatile appeal of Debbie's sultry voice and the supporting dudes that make the music pop! Not to mention the unique lyrical content, that make the songs intriguing to listen to, and easy to love! :)

My espesh fave is when the guys (Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, Frank Infante) join in on some of the background vocals like circa 2:14 during the quintessential and enduring "Heart of Glass," a song I can never ever ever tire of. Check their kicks!

heart of glass - blondie

Got me through some timez. Even though it's sortof a departure from the band's New Wave beginnings into a distinctly disco-ish vibe... I'm all about genre blending and experimentation when it comes to music! Ridin high on love's true bluish light...

Quickly back to Debbie before I bid ya'll adieu... She was born in 1945, worked in a Dunkin Donuts and was a Playboy Bunny before joining a girl group where she met her future epic love and Blondie guitarist, Chris Stein. I love that dude too. They started Blondie and named it after the cat-calls foxylady Debbie would get walkin down the street. Don't hate her because she's beautiful. It's painful to be that hot. yikes!

Note that I have avoided all discussion of "Rapture," Debbie's attempt at paying homage to a genre of music she admired and loved, but probs shouldn't have really delved into. Save the rap, I love that song, even though that's whyy it's so famous. *toe to toe dancing very close barely breathing almost comatose* Poo to those who credit Blondie as being the reason for rap's mainstream success. Let's not diminish the power, strength and pure talent of the brown bodies and voices that actually made that happen. Holla!

Shouts to my neww roomie(!), who fulfilled my fantasy of wearing Blondie paraphenalia, by letting me borrow a ferocious black miniskirt with the silhouetted likeness of Dirty (Deborah) Harry in pink, blue, and purple. Sigh...

Just a Reminder:

2009-02-09T21:19:00.002-05:00

As of late, this blog has become EXTREMELY 90s heavy! I just want to state for the record that it was not my intention to create a nineties blog, but rather, one invoking general nostalgia for various things that I love!

Having said that (and also since my imeem isn't being my friend and allowing me to embed music properly onto my blog! wompz (x3)), here's some quick lovin' from my boys, the O'Jays, a recording of "I Love Music."

Something for you to nibble on: The bongo drums in the intro of the song were played by everybody's favorite fake dad... Bill Cosby! holler!

Also, this song appears on the CARLITO'S WAY soundtrack. Mayb not my favorite movie, but it would be a lie to say that after I watched it last winter that I didn't go ahead and download all the songs that I heard on it... yikes!

90s Schnineties!

2009-02-09T20:26:00.006-05:00

I recently attended a 90s Mix Cd Exchange Party. Shouts to Charley for this totes brill and boisterous party idea! Success!!

Given that the party's attendance included some of NYC's most intelligent and most knowledgable of minds, especially in the pop culture realm, the presh was on...

The night was so much fun! There were cameos made by Mariah Carey and Gin Blossoms... Biz Markie and Garbage, Crystal Waters and the Beastie Boys among others. Good times.

Here's My List
entitled, "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything. - Julie Newmar: Not Really, But a Disc of Nineties Goodness!):

Dance Tonight - Lucy Pearl
Vasoline - Stone Temple Pilots
Groove Thang - Zhane
You're All I Need - Method Man and Mary J. Blige
Are You Gonna Go My Way? - Lenny Kravitz
Freak Like Me - Adina Howard
Buddy Holly - Weezer
Gotta Get You Home - Foxy Brown feat. Blackstreet
Today - Smashing Pumpkins
Tell Me - Groove Theory
Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison
Comedown - Bush
Creep - TLC
All My Love - Queen Pen
Closer - Nine Inch Nails
Coolio - Fantastic Voyage
Clarissa Explains it All Theme Song

Loves to Branny whose mix yielded the title of this post, as well as some goodies from Dishwalla, Orgy and Toad the Wet Sprocket!

What would be on yours?

Wanderin' Down This Road That We Call Life...

2009-02-09T19:38:00.011-05:00

So last week, in an effort to cheer up a friend perishing in the boredom of her return to academia... i sent a text that articulated a question that has been long pondered in my mind:

Eric Matthews or Shawn Hunter?

And I'm talking about in all the ways. Who makes your heart aflutter? Who can you tolerate more? Who would you do!?

For all of you who weren't Boy Meets World-heads in your past... i feel you. My interest was spotty at best, over the years. There was a definite shift in the character development and plotlines after the first few seasons. But the biggest heartbreak for me was the disappearance of the quirky opening credits and transitional music used throughout the episodes. Also Minkus (Later found on One Tree Hill)!

Anywayyy, back to Eric or Shawn. Will Friedle was a cutie, no doubt. Especially during the first season, when he had the shorter hairdo and was just the sensible, if mainstream older bro. And with each progressive season... he became increasingly insane and stupid... it was so overwhelming and borderline unbearable. whoa! mayb my language about this is getting too strong, but i feel very passionately against where they took that character. he just got so cray cray. and i'm not really into crazy. and that high pitched voice that he used to do. yikes. bad news bears! Remember when he used to date Jennifer LOVE?! The only thing that tickles my heart when thinking about Eric Matthews... is that Will Friedle provided the voice for Terry McGinnis is Batman Beyond... and you know my love for the Caped Crusader.

In later years, Matthew Lawrence was brought in to fulfill that sortof teen heartthrob sitch... fresh from his stint on Super Human Samurai Syber-Squad! (not a typo. whatchu know about that!?) He was for the most part fly... and not as short as he looks on tv, FYI. And for extra chuckles, hit up that Google and find a pic of his younger bro/co-star on Brotherly love (also with big bro JOEY "whoa!"), Andy Lawrence. Props to Lindeloo and Jbillzo for identifying his much older doppelganger for the future...

Oh no! Tangent! Back to the inquiry at hand! Shawn Hunter was my choice! Hands down! Hands down! He was about SO much more! He was deep and angsty, seeping with his soulfulness and family dramz, trying to fit in with the Matthews family and all of their Leave it to Beaver dramz. Remember when the hotshot mullethead, Mr. Turner, came through and tried to "turn" Shawn's life around?? haha. EPIC HUMOR FAIL! Also, the key to my heart... Shawn's love for women of color. Holla! I'll always remember the episode where he dumped angela to keep up with his "2wks only rule," only to find a purse whose contents (including a book of poetry. swoonz) would indicate the owner was his soulmate... Obvz Angela. Rider Strong aged decently too - though poss grew into a jacked up Jeremy Sisto. Rollin with da homiez...

Thoughts?

Said friend opted for a third candidate:

Whoaz! I'd rather Mr. Feeny!

PS. Let me not go without stating that: Topanga was always fly. I love me some curvy women on TV during their teenage years, that was probs mad difficult and crazy awkward. Get it Girl!!!

Its Offish

2009-01-20T15:47:00.002-05:00

Our President is BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!!!!!
Beautiful!

Backsies

2009-01-14T15:31:00.004-05:00

Hey-ooooo!!!

Long time, no blog! Sorry friend(s)! You know I love ya! First things first...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with so many of my special ones... so so so much love for you! We had a blast, with our suburban getaway ever made complete with the most appropriate of party themes suggested by my bestilicious Lindeloo... Party like its 1999 (in 2009)!

It gave us the perfect opportunity to put my extensive collection of nineties hits to use... as well as dig up some long sequestered but somewhat iconic musical failures... Will2K? Anyone? That song is pure hilarity, with its interpolation of The Clash's Rock the Casbah and horribly dated lyrical content... Also, embarrassingly enough, I played snippets of Eiffel 65's "Blue" (da ba dee da ba da) and LFO's "Girl on TV." After that, we partied into the night and watched the ball drop with nothing but the greatest anticipation and hope for new starts and new inspirations in the new year!

Anyway, my apologies for departing from the blogosphere for so long. I needed a break and something REALLY REALLY good to bring me back. Birthdays came and went (holla at mah girl Melanie! and the other half of 920 - Feez! and of course, sweetness himself, Branny!) and no blogs happened... yikes.

Well. Today is an important day. So important, I returned. And hopefully an eternity will not pass again before my next post. Today is January 14, 2009.

It is Jason Bateman's 40th birthday!! How epic!

Jason Bateman is totes on my list. I love his little mischieveous smile, the crow's feet around his eyes, that in the 80s he was a willing and appropriate replacement for Michael J. Fox in the Teen Wolf sequel, "Teen Wolf 2"! Child star turned legit adult actor. Excellence!

He played the eldest brother, David, on the show The Hogan Family. It starred my Mary Tyler Moore love, Valerie Harper, as the super mom matriarch of the Hogans with an airplane pilot husband who was usually gone... and 3 sons... mad shenanigans entailed! Then mad years passed and no Jason to be found. womps (x3)

And then... Arrested Development happened! hilarity. Also, I heard that a major motion picture is in the works to happen. How exciting! Michael Bluth could get it. That's all I gotta say about that. He makes frequent cameos in movies featuring the "Frat Pack" ... like Dodgeball, The Break-Up,

Anyway, HB, JB!!! I have an eternity of love and affection for you, and your dry (sometimes mad awk) brand of humor.

What Do Magnets teach us?

2008-12-15T14:26:00.006-05:00

Negative attracts positive my friends and vice versa...

Monday monday monday!

Today is my first Monday outside of the corporate world! I'm so happy.

But there is something on my mind that impedes this overwhelming sense of joy/calm... I know this is supposed to be a nostalgia blog, but I gotta just get this off my chest.

What is up with the human condition??? Sometimes, people just don't know how to act. I'm not gonna get into the details of my strife online, but I would just like to caution my loves to the dangers of subletting an apartment from insane moneyhoarding assholes... I've been engaging with the ridiculosity and just plain CRAZY from a chick who totally cheated me out of tons of money for a rather undelightful little spot. It's all good though: got me out the house, gave me a measure of privacy and taught me a lesson for the future. What it doesn't change, is Karma. So watch homie, because the girl that dicked over Melanie from the summer definitely got hit by a car shortly therafter! And while I don't wish that upon you... I'm just sayin.

Here's Kelis' "Caught Out There" dedicated to this particular non-friend. And while no, she isn't a cheating boyfriend/partner... she is something that I could quite easily scream the chorus of this song at. Among a few others, poss...

Erase
replace
embrace
new face.

mm. I love Kelis.

I do feel bad marking my ecstatic new day with such a negative theme. So to send you some positivity on this beautiful but windy day, here's a cameo from one of my favorite literary (later television) heroes.

Hey! What a Wonderful Kind of Day! If we can learn to work and play! And get along with eachother!

Check this uhmazing video of my favorite Boys singing the theme song for Arthur... Please excuse Nick's awkward fake Jamaican accent/dancing circa 1:33. Yikes. That shiz is mad terribs. And yet phenomenal.

Friday is the Last Day, and Then it's

2008-12-12T10:53:00.008-05:00

W.E.E.K.E.N.D it's WEEKEND!!!

W.E.E.K.E.N.D - ARLING & CAMMERON

Happy Friday, my loves! Today is no ordinary Friday. Today is the last day of my life in the corporate world. It lasted 3 months longer than I wanted it to, anyway! I'm feeling really good about this decis, and am hoping that some of the efforts I've released into this world will have their trade-off. And if not, I'm biding my time until the New Year where I have resolved (and I take my resolutions VERY seriously!) to have a job/existence that I am happy with!

NO MORE SETTLING!!! None of us, at any point in our lives, especially in this moment, during the pinnacle of our youth, be held back by things/people that are not worth wasting time and energy on. And let's be for serious for a second, Promas Jefferson's energy is precious. If you can't cut it, then it's not for you!

My apologies to my particular corporate workplace, even though a handful of you over there are sweet and helpful (slash one of you is Middle Sis! Love you!), it doesn't change the fact that on a basic level, in terms of the precise work that you do, I just can't get down! I refuse to be a cog in the system that oppresses brown people! Sorrz. You can keep your $2,000 handbags and search for customers during these economic hardtimes. As for me, I'm taking my months here as perspective-building and moving on, finally earning the discount but proud to have never used it! Holla!

Please join me in my celebrations by groovin' to the beats of MJ "Off the Wall" (- my anthem in these last few weeks of work! So happy!

So tonight
Gotta leave that 9 to 5
Upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
Let the madness in the music
Get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you're livin off the wall

Mjung jung, Here's all my Mlove love

2008-12-11T12:22:00.009-05:00

Hello friend(s)!

I just wanted to announce the arrival, or perhaps more appropriately, the public unvealing of a totes brill addition to the blogosphere from our very own, Melanie Bin Jung.

Jungy (not to be confused with Jung-Hee... bt dubs - Hi Josephine!!!) and I have been besties for a good couple of years now, and through it all we've had a lot of iconic pop culture moments.

From experiencing BOTH Chinatown AND The Godfather at the Wesleyan film series (even though, I sortof unforgivably fell asleep for 10 minutes during Chinatown, womps (x3)), to our forays into the past - David Bowie, Michael Jackson No. 1's, WEST SIDE STORY (despite Mel's consternation toward the musical as a genre), we support and love each other 'till the end!

Please check out her blog: Oh, Wie Schön ist Panama? a fantastic and absolutely mind-boggling exploration into the mind and insights of MBJ. She is at once hilarious, provocative, relevant, informative AND enjoyable. My fave post so far is the one on the ill-fitting suits. The photos are priceless! That's a feat! If I was better at something than googling corny pictures and videos from the nineties, I imagine my output to be something like this wonderfulness.

Enjoy! And to celebrate my love for Melanie and her words - here are a 1000 kisses! As per Luther Vandross. Rest in Peace. I think of you often, Luther.

Never Too Much - Luther Vandross

All you need is

2008-12-10T19:35:00.002-05:00

Freddy Mercury killin it again... this time at LiveAid '85. My dad loves this song, and I gotta admit, I don't hate it. I wish I was there!!!

Also, killer armband, Fredz. loves it! The video gets kiiiiindof uhmazing circa 4:09. Wait for it.

Happy Birthday RS!!!

2008-12-10T16:51:00.004-05:00

For Jillian and Intisar :
(practice your best beatniky spoken word voice, prep the stylized syncopation of perfected prose for performance... and enjoy!)

Raven - Symone.
You
are a Rave -In
a Raven,
In
the Night

You
were little
Olivia :
a wunderkind
in the face of hilarity
Know as
The Cos.

Raven - Symone
Symone
with a Y
AEIOU and
Sometimes Y
but sometimes
Not.
Symone
with an accent on
the E
the accent on the E
that I cannot find
on my
keyboard.
Raven - Symone

I love you
and your
hyphen.
Raven - Symone
I love you as the
Cheetah Girls.

HB, Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman
HB at 23!

...and who said poetry is dead?

Throw your hands in the Aiyuh...

2008-12-08T14:07:00.005-05:00

...If youza true playa.

Yes. Lyrics from the timeless classic "Big Poppa" by the late great Notorious B.I.G.

This was Biggie's first top 10 hit on U.S. Billboards Charts, released as a single in 1995... it transcended into mainstream media and into the bedrooms of white suburban youth across the country blah blah. Look it up on wikipedia if you're curious. Biggie was already a household name for many by that point.

Most importantly, it boasts a sample from the bedtime anthem "Between the Sheets" by the OG crooners of clandestine lovin, the Isley Bros., as well as the undeniably superlative lyrics:

Pull the truck up, front, and roll up the next blunt

So we can steam on the way to the telly go fill my belly

A t-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch's grape

Conversate for a few, cause in a few,

we gon' do What we came to do, ain't that right boo

Truuuuuue.

Anywho, a Biggie biopic, Notorious, is set to premiere at some point in 2009! It stars Brooklyn native and relative unknown, Jamal Woolard in the title role, Derek Luke (aka Antwone Fisher) as Puff Daddy and Anthony Mackie as the late and wonderfully sexy and talented if (at times)misogynistic Tupac Shakur.

They've been filming the movie in my neighborhood, using the facade of my building for some of the shots! (Holla 230!) I was approached about being an extra one morning when I was on my way to work a few months ago, and since then, I was under the impression that filming had ceased.

Imagine my surprise when, last Thursday, I was leaving my apt at around 4 or 5 pm, trying to manuever the two extremely heavy doors in the foyer of my building whilst talking to my sister on my cell phone, I see a somewhat gargantuan young man entering the building as I exit. We shared eye contact and he didn't really bother to help me out with the doors or anything, and I had the thought "Hmm... that dude seems famil." But didn't think much of it.

Until I came outside. And there was a freaking camera in my face and i hear the director scream out "CUT!!! SHE WALKED INTO THE FRAME!!! CUT!!!!"

I gave them my winsome apology face and kept it moving. Maybe I make it to the blooper reel!

Check out the trailer, loves! (Also, download "Brooklyn, (We Go Hard)" by Jay Z feat. Wesleyan's own, Santogold, which appears on the soundtrack!)

Happy Monday!!!

2008-12-08T12:25:00.003-05:00

I'm so happy this Monday afternoon! Even though its brick citayyy outside, the sun is shining heavenly beams in my soul right now! I'm cheesin'!

Enjoy this video, I found on Dlisted today... Its pop culture gold. Steve Urkel, Winnie Cooper and Jennifer Aniston in one fantastic rap classic! ALSO DJ TANNER! Holler! Ahh too much love. I want to go to Camp Cucamonga!!!

Today's Special is.... Moms!

2008-12-07T17:39:00.005-05:00

Hey friends!
So I'm finally back, after a full 2 week hiatus. I just needed a break from the blog... I was getting really irritated at how the media I was posting became defunct after a few days. I didn't feel like I had enough energy to re-find all of the brilliant photos of Fred Durst or Tina Turner, youtube clips of the Backstreet Boys triumphant if short return to TRL... Urghs. It's too annoying.

Anywho, what brings me back 2 da blog is my dear friend, Lady Aisha Domingue, mother-to-be. This is not her sole identity (dancer, youth organizer, activist, comedian etc etc), but I am super excited that one little bundle of joy will have the pleasure of being raised, loved and humanized by this amazing woman!!! I'm so bummed because I missed Aisha's baby shower yesterday, though my day was spent with my own remarkable mother, helping her pack and get her shiz together for a trip to the motherland. I miss you, Ma!!

Aisha and I worked together last summer and we truly are kindred spirits when it comes to pop culture, hence the full blog post dedicated to her, and all my love!!! I approached her with one of my ultimate pop culture challenges, and she delivered!!

I distinctly remembered being addicted to this one Nickelodeon show when I was really young like... a year old... I couldn't remember the name of the characters or even the title... all I had in my arsenal of memory was that it took place in a department store... there was a mouse puppet that was prominently featured, and a mannequin of a young man with curly voluminous hair and a newsie-eque cap that came alive at night, but became immobile if he ever lost his hat... So elaborate, so many details, but none that were relevant.

Aisha was the only person EVER in my life who knew what I was talking about! Trust that your girl has been asking around for years... anywho, she had a few hunches and following her leads, conducting a smatter of Google searches we found

TODAY'S SPECIAL!!!

A children's tv show set in Canada that was aired in from 1982-1987... the main premise was each night when the display designer would arrive in the children's department, she would utter the magical words: Hocus Pocus Allimagocus! And Jeff, the aforementioned mannequin would come alive and hysterical chaos would ensue. Watch the intro!

YAY! Success! Because of AD, I have acheived peace of mind and soul with regards to this moment in my life! It's actually kind of a huge deal.

Beyond that, both of us share a love of Steve Perry and Arnel Pineda (Journey's current lead singer, plucked from coverband prominence into the real deal... a dream come TRUE!) and a stiff critique of Alicia Keys' reliance on corny cliches and high school level emotions to produce hit singles... but that is neither here nor there.

Anyway you want it That's the way you need it Anyway you want it She said That's the way you need it!!

Congrats, Aisha!

The Return

2008-11-23T16:13:00.002-05:00

Self Explanatory.

Mark Morrison's 1996 "Return of the Mack"... classic.

He's lettin all the people know that
he's back to run da show.

I espesh love the clips of the formidable snake juxtaposed with the image of his snakeskin shoes immediately afterward. Clearly, you can't mess with the M.

Love his chunky chain and asymmetrical 'do. I don't know if you like this video/jam.
But I do.
But I do
do do do.

RIP TRL

2008-11-17T10:49:00.007-05:00

Last night truly marked the end of an era. The era of Total Request Live. Now I know many of you do not share my teeny bopper past... but either way, during the late nineties TRL was totes a main fixture in the face of popular music and culture.

Carson Daly was one of the most recognizable faces for a minute... Constantly having to engage with teeny boppers like Britney Spears and *Nsync, but gallavanting on the side with Fred Durst and Kid Rock. The rockers that made it on the countdown were supposedly more legit than the teen idols, but ten years later, no one knows what their tired asses even look like. And then there was the random cameos made by various Rap and R&B artists - Mya, P.Diddy, Brandy and Monica (the NAMESAKE), among others. I guess I'm talking about the golden age of TRL, when I used to watch religiously, every single day, when fans used to take over Times Square to the point where the place that is already the most annoying on the planet became even more unbearable... the huge window, the waving, the naked Cowboy... it all felt so familiar and so close. But despite living in New York, I never made it to a single taping of the show. And thats totes fine. Except now that chance is officially and completely dunzo, I have to wonder, did I miss out on participating in history?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no. By the end of its run, TRL barely even showed its videos, having the VJs talking straight through them. The show always got me with the sensory overload: the celebrity guests, the screaming fans, the scrolling requests on the bottom of the screen (PLz PLz play J.Lo's "All I Have" bcuz me and my boyfriend Eddie are going thru a rough patch but i want him to know that I still lubs u Babee").

I didn't even mind the middle phase of TRL with Brian McFadden (Nikki Hilton's ex) and Quddus running the show, or that chick Hilary Burton who they found on the street and way later ended up being the star of One Tree Hill (also the Secret Life of Bees, homegirl makes a cameo as young Dakota's mother). But by the end, TRL became unwatchable, and maybe part of that was the fact that I grew up, and no longer had the attention span to watch for 1.5 hours.

Anyway, I didn't actually watch last night, but apparently they brought Carson Daly back home to host... what is that guy up to these days? Besides hosting that late night show "Later" and not being engaged to Tara Reid or dating Jennifer Love? I had an inappropes dream about Carson once in 7th grade, and it was so awkward for me, that I stopped watching TRL for about a week. And in that week, my friends made it seem like i had missed EVERYTHING. What losers. In reality, we all know that back then, that show was nearly identical every single day until videos got "retired." Except that one day that New Kids on the Block was No. 1. Classic Shiz.

Enjoy this video of some of the orig TRL titans (and my personal fave) the Backstreet Boys taking it back and bringing it home for the end of a show that stopped mattering a long time ago, but quite poss was one of the catalyzing forces behind my obsesh with this time period. Also, BSB lookin kinda good again. yikes.

2008-11-16T19:56:00.005-05:00

Listen and revel in the power and beauty of the T.

I always come back to her when I'm in need of a loveburst. And sister always always delivers.

Better Be Good To Me (5:14 version) - Tina Turner

2008-11-15T19:10:00.002-05:00

Just another Saturday in Fort Greene...
would've loved to spend it with Jamal Jenkins aka Sheldon Turnipseed.... wonder where homie is these days! enjoy:

do YOU recognize Jamal's father???

Your first name is Mervin??

2008-11-12T16:02:00.000-05:00

I was sick this weekend. It was such a bummer. I finally got myself up to Wesleyan to visit some of my lovely booskies, was absolutely floored by the throwdownworthy brilliance of our own Ms. Intisar Abioto's dance thesis, but couldn't protect myself from the dangers of spending autumn in NYC... GERMS and BACTERIA. Maybe I should've taken cues from some of my germaphobe friends, and been extra careful on the subways/escalators/stairs/turnstiles, and not touch anything... but truth be told, my clumsy ass would SPLAT! and be sidewalk roadkill instantly. I know this fact... Sad but true. Even the hottest people have issues. Womps (x3). So anyway, back to being sick. I spent that time catching up on my online TV... caught some of The Office and Ugz B (best episode this season, holla!) and found myself fiending to watch some old school Disney...

Beyond being sick, I recently found out that a boy that I grew up with, known since 2nd grade, someone who was quite a mainstay during my years at Ramapo High School since he was dating one of my besties at the time, was in a terrible car accident and is fighting for his life now. If I could ask anything of you, please take a few moments to think about Kimly Eric May, as someone I know and have built memories with, and hope and pray that one of my first ever homeboys makes it through this terrible moment. He's a really strong man, and we're all hoping for the best!

I think hearing about Eric, moreso than my "sickness," led me to Disney. Sometimes when you're experiencing something especially difficult, you try to find solace in something that feels familiar and safe. And I know what you must be thinking... wasn't Walt Disney racist? The answer is a resounding YES. Just watch clips from Dumbo or Aladdin, or anything and you'll get your answer. There is no solace in racism. And yet...

This weekend, I began fiending to see two of the more underrated Disney classics... Robin Hood (1973) and/or The Sword in the Stone(1963). HEY MEL!!! Robin Hood is one of Lindeloo's faves, and I gotta say, the green tights, the general dashingness and charm of Robin, and the distribution of animality to the characters, like Maid Marian and Prince John were perfection... Animals have never ever ever looked so good to me. And probably never will again.

People who know me know that the truth of this statement cannot be questioned.

We are all so obsessed with Robin Hood and King Arthur. Robin, the loving vigilante who steals from the rich to give to the poor, the orig B.Obamz? My sister and I were talking the other night about poss accepting temporary jobs as mystery shoppers this holiday season... we could be the Robin Hood(ettes?) of Bloomie's, Daffy's, Old Navy's, Loew's..etcetcetc., dishing out the rave reviews for people that appeal to our disposition and livelihoods, and ensuring some cushy holiday bonus money for those lost in an economic crisis where only Wal-Mart really stands to benefit (sorry Cecil! Also, defi click that link on his name, Cecil looks totes delish). Wow I just got lost on a tangent, but back to da King.

Is it everyone or just me? I know some people hate period films, and I can't say I entirely blame them... but I feel like, I'm Totes obsessed with Robin and Arthur. King Arthur is a symbol of good. He comes upon his throne by accident, drawing a sword that was his destiny on account of his humility and unassuming strength. He is responsible for ending the "Dark Ages" in Europe; for bringing a sense of strength in collectivity to the Knights of his Round Table. But enough on the sociopolitical significances of the Robin and the King... lets talk about the nineties manifests... and oh how I loved them!

FIRST KNIGHT starring Sean Connery as an aging Arthur losing the love and affection of his young bride Guinivere (as played by Julia Ormond, best known for 1995's remake of SABRINA and who could forget Legends of the Fall?? A movie I hate to admit that I watch every time it's on tv...), to a dashingly clever Lancelot, played by none other than Richard Gere! Holla. My dad bought me this movie for Valentine's one year, and it's quite a guilty pleasure lovefest.

A Kid in King Arthur's Court starring one of my beloved first crushes... right up there with Mike Vitar and Ralph Macchio... THOMAS IAN NICHOLAS. Act like you forgot - Rookie of the Year?!? "Pitcher's Gotta Big Butt..." Loves it! And who can hate on the tagline for this movie? "Calvin Fuller is about to break curfew... by 1500 years." hahah. Brill.

And who could forget the TV Miniseries of The Mists of Avalon, an adaptation of Marian Zimmer Bradley's epic novel which retells the story of King Arthur and his times, through the perspectives of the main ladies in his life... The Miniseries was pretty hardbody intense, and starred Joan Allen, Anjelica Huston and Julianne Margulies, who I've loved since her ER days and morseo since homegirl hails from Spring Valley, NY! Holla Rockland!

I'm not sleeping on Robin Hood, though. We can all remember the little references throughout Shrek (though thats more in the 2000s, not '90s)... but more importantly:

Prince of Thieves, with the effervescent Kevin Costner in the title role... I think I remember one year when we lived in St. Louis, my sister and all of our young girl friends, all rented this movie for our bday parties, and we never got through it. Not even once.No amount of lovin I now have for Alan Rickman (evil Sheriff of Nottingham) or awkward intrigue for Christian Slater (one of the Merry Men) made up for the utter boredom I felt as a kid. Also, SEAN CONNERY CAMEO as King Richard! Holla! Perhaps this is one of those things that deserves some revisiting...

Finally, Cary Elwes as Robin Hood: Men in Tights, needs no description beyond this quite classic photo of Misters Elwes and Chappelle:

Behold...

2008-11-11T13:59:00.000-05:00

the power of the MAGIC EYE!!!

Do you see what I see?

Can't Getchu Outta My Head

2008-11-09T17:20:00.001-05:00

Some ad campaigns from our youth were so painfully catchy... years later, I can't forget the jingles....

You can wear a ring around your finger... Ring Pop! It's a juicy jewel of flavor... Ring Pop! It's a lollipop without a stick... a ring of flavor you can lick! Oooh... Ring Pop!

When I was younger, I used to say that in place of a diamond engagement ring, I'd be down with a ring pop (in the packaging of course). Years later, when I learned about the brutality of diamond mining and trading, I knew five year old Promas J. was onto something... Now I'd settle for a haiku with a cartoon drawing of a ring!

Also - don't sleep on this one:

When pizza's on a bagel, you can eat pizza anytime! Delish!

Young Hearts Run Free!

2008-11-06T00:55:00.001-05:00

Young Hearts, Run Free - Kym Mazelle

This song is just too good. Keeps making a comeback into my life! Mark it!
Kim Mazelle remix of a Candi Staton classic!

Epic!

2008-11-05T09:46:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS, AMERICA!!!! WE WIN!

Please take Freddie's declaration that "We are the Champions OF THE WORLD" with a grain of salt. You know what he means! :)

BaRacking da House! Slash Vote!

2008-11-04T10:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Election Day!!!
I just arrived at work, after trekking out to my hometown to vote this morning (holla Pomona Village Hall!)!!! The line was short, the ancient little voting booth was efficient, and it all went smoothly, except for my pops popping in while I was voting to make sure I figured out the lever properly and my subsequent loud gasp/yelp. Gotta love Baj.

According to some people, my last post featuring the scantily clad Eddie Cibrian has made my blog unviewable in certain environments. Soo... in honor of election and as a shoutout to this particularly bashful friend of mine, I offer this:

Say what you will about the man, and I have my own issues with Obama's foreign policy and stance on marriage equality, but he truly is an example of the type of vision and strength that this country has been aching for. I'm not that old, but I can't think of any other point in my lifetime when I've witnessed firsthand a cross-generational and widespread movement of hope of this magnitude among people. And not the sort of hope that is born out of desperation or fear, but the deepest type of hope that ignites people toward action, and makes them dream bigger. Obama brought the human back into American politics.

Okay. so did any of ya'll check out the presidential playlists on imeem? Basically, they are the top ten songs that each candidate has chosen to represent themselves and what they stand for. Not gonna lie, I was totes groovin to the playlists at work yesterday. My man, Obamz's list is pretty impressive, from Marvy Gaye and Nina Simone to a surprise (and uhmazing!) appearance by da BOSS, (Bruce!), it was love all around. McCain's was a bit McPainful... starting off bad with ABBA's "Dancing Queen." And I love ABBA! But I wouldn't "take a chance" on McCain. Though Orbison and Sinatra rub me right... it doesn't change that Homie is delusional.

Barack Obamas Favorite Music Playlist

also - Bono's pet project, seven years ago:

An excerpt...

2008-11-03T00:16:00.000-05:00

So in a very recent post, I conceded that David Schwimmer is on my celeb crush list. This is a list of people that I would more than willingly... you know.

let shower me with undying love and affection. and expensive gifts. and funding for important social justice initiatives and projects!

I've decided to periodically share the images of a few (un)lucky ones that have graced this list in the past, as well as present, and begrudgingly poss future...this may be an ongoing revelation... we'll see how it all goes over. Lots of love and enjoy!

Eddie Cibrian of Young and the Restless and Sunset Beach (and that show Third Watch) fame! I was so crazily in love with him when he was on Sunset Beach. He played Cole Deschanel, the devastatingly handsome thief who was married to Caitlin but had an affair with her mother, Olivia! Crazy shizz. Also, Eddie and his bestie from the Young and the Restless days, Joshua Morrow (who played grown Nick Newman), had a brainfreeze one day and formed a boygroup called 3 Deep... its bad news bears, my friends. yikes! (so bad i didn't even post it, but trust me and click the link!) ha. Its sad, these dudes were grown ass men, some kindof even sexy, and yet, put to shame by the likes of Nick Carter and Ashley Parker Angel. Check my boy's spoken interlude in the middle of the song circa 2:09! wowow. Mad terribs. I most recently saw Eddie on DirtySexyMoney as one of Karen's many ex-husbands, Sebastian.

More importantly, Eddie was on Ugly Betty for a few episodes this season as Coach Diaz, the unfortunately very married love interest for an unlucky Hilda, Betty's older sis. Who knows, maybe with the recent appearance of RALPH MACCHIO (thats right, lovebugs, the Karate Kid himself!) Hilda's luck will be achangin! And while Ralphie boy is no E.Cibz, he was looking pretty adorabs with his what i'm assuming to be hairpiece and flawless makeup job! Congrats Ralphie boy! Can't wait to see whats in store.

Whoa. I digress. In any case. Admission number two celeb crush of yore: Eddie Cibrian.

Wild Night is Callin'

2008-11-02T23:59:00.000-05:00

Another weekend gone...

(in advance, sorry for the weird dimensions of the video! a hard one to find the embed code for. wompz)

John Mellencamp - New Music - More Music Videos

I love this video. I have since the song came out in 1994 (The '71 Van Morrison vers is great too, but I'm partial to power combo of JcM and Me'shell...)

also the lyrics "all the girls walk by/ dressed up for each other/and the boys/ do the boogie woogie/ on the corner of the street" perfecto. love love looooove

John cougar Mellencamp and Me'shell Ndegeocello, who would have ever pictured them to be such a wonderful combination!? I love the way that they vibe offa each other, and their matching muscle tees. I love how she sometimes pops up in the video wearing these really random, really nineties sunglasses. I love J.Mellencamp and how he's no longer cougar; how he's from Indiana (hey Linde!); and how much he loves Barack Obama! Their voices are scratchy and great. The video too, is crazy. The fly cab driver and all the crazy people she encounters. The perfect arch of her eyebrows, the preposterous idea that putting her in a white t-shirt and giving her a baseball cap makes her any less attractive! Crazy! Whats up with the homie with all the dogs? Whack star. The concept of having your wildest night be when you're chauffering other people around is kindof sad... but mayb i'm being judgemental... Also - this photo is sortof divine:

Rewind... Updates! Ola Edition

2008-11-02T15:44:00.000-05:00

So... OLA RAY, the gorgeous star of MJ's classic "Thriller" video.. famous for being fly, being the female love interest in the biggest music video of all time, and for having the perfect "O i'm so scared!" face and more importantly, the perfect way of purring, "Oh Michael..." that made you believe that she would even consider going steady with his werewolf azz... Slash that outfit is so fierce and fly, and those red pumps are to die!

What is Ms. Ray up to these days??? AND what does she look like... 25 years later! The answer, my friends:

Yup. That's her. Now, lovers... don't get dejected (and if you were all like "whoa she still is a flyass hunny, by all means, I encourage that!), what did any of us really know about Ms. Ray in the first place?? Here are some fun facts:

1) Ola was born in St. Louis, Missouri (holla! my hometown from ages 3-7! what up, Rue?!)
2) Spent part of her childhood in Japan.
3) Was a Playboy Playmate of the Month at some point in 1980
4) On her first meeting with MJ: "I was getting changed, so I was crouched down halfnaked on the dressing room floor and he came in and giggled." Yikes awwwwkfest.
5) She quit working in the mid-eighties because she refused to sleep with producers in exchange for roles.
6) Now lives were in daughter Iam in Sacramento, CA and hosts parties for Playboy.

Oh Ola. Ohhh Ola.

I find it crazy that it was extremely different to find any stills of homegirl from the Thriller video, and quite significantly easier to find naked booty shots... not the way I've been finna remember one of my first lady loves, Ola Ray.

HB, DS!!!!!

2008-11-02T15:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, David Schwimmer!!! Today, he is forty-two years young!
Anyone that knows me, know that Ross was my favorite Friend... I loved his over the top eccentricity, his dorky sciencey background, and that homie could and would and did throw down for Love! My sister swears Ima end up with a dude like that, though that remains to be seen! The criteria isn't airtight yet, though homie makes a good case :)

D. Schwims, you make it onto my special list! Holla! ;)

Trick or Treat?!

2008-10-31T09:50:00.000-04:00

Hey friend(s)!

A Halloween poem for you:

Dress up today

in a way that may

allow you to hit the streets

and nab some treats!

Please do not stray

from fun and appropes;

Racism is never okay,

not even a little bit,

nope!

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE!!!!!

NOPE!

On a lighter note:

brimming with sisterlove

2008-10-28T16:43:00.001-04:00

I had the best weekend!!! Time spent with so many of my sisterfriends, my best friends! Congrats to Linde for a amazing job helping with the South Asian Film Festival in NYC! And also to homegirl Jillian for her acceptance into FIT for next semester!!! Anaka came to visit! Jean an Jung-Hee loved hard. And we celebrated Ayesh's bday in style with Soomz! Big girls doin some Big Thangs.

The subsequent video might seem mad irelev, but its not...

This version of the video includes clips from the classic film soundtrack on which it appears... starring Charlie Sheen, Tim Curry and Rebecca DeMornay (of The Hand that Rocks the Cradle fame). We're talking friendship that sustains the trials and tribulations of time, transition and perseveres beyond the evildoings of Cardinal Richelieu and friends...or at least the imminent end of raspy white man pop/rock as a popular genre.

BUT you gotta heart the lovefest happening between these dudes in the video, esp in the beginning. Rod Stewart offering a little affection circa 1:51 for Bryan, and then to himself 8 seconds later. Bryan rocking that unfortunate mushroomesqe hairdo, and the killer guitar solo juxtaposed with the most intense scenes from the film... I just hope that in the future when my homegirls and I reunite, it's as sweet.

I'm not hatin' though. Sting could get it. (I heard he's into that tantric shizz)... But not Bryan or Rod. and definitely not Kiefer.

He's a Smart Guy...

2008-10-22T00:28:00.000-04:00

do do dooo do do do do

Homie is set to be in a TV adaptation of Coach Carter next fall... With Ving Rhames playing the title character and Chris Brown, Ashanti, and Cassandra Ventura (Cassie, for all you Bad Boy heads out there) joining the cast. What about Channing!?

perfection part II as promised

2008-10-20T00:35:00.000-04:00

So this weekend, I spent time doing the following: 1) sleeping for hours, 2) wearing my Wesleyan sweatshirt and complaining about the cold, 3) going out with my beautiful friends, 4) watching episodes of "A Different World" on Youtube.

I don't know what prompted this re-invigoration of my love for the show. It happens periodically; I think on some level it has to do with this whole Barack/McCain thing, the heightened political atmosphere, the lack of current creative output such as that particular show...

It started off as the Cosby Show spin-off, a way to keep Lisa Bonet around without dealing with her butting heads with Heathcliff himself... but then she got preggers after the 1st season with Lenny Kravitz's baby and the show got a makeover.

And what a deliciously perfect makeover it was. Debbie Allen (mama Huxtable aka Phylicia Rashad aka the orig MILF's real life sis! holla!), came in as the producer of the show and revamped it so that it more realistically resembled a historically black college (peace! to Marisa Tomei). The show actually addressed issues that the Cosby Show shied away from... race, class, and it even aired one of the first TV acknowledgements of AIDS.

Slash, how beautiful to see such gorgeous and talented people of color all over the screen! Plus the shit was FUNNY.

I always had the thickest crush on Dwayne Wayne and his flip up glasses... and in the later years, Jada Pinkett's boyfriend Dorian, as played by Bumper Robinson with his corny collegeman schtick and "Richie Cunningham" sweaters really did it for me... Sidenote: Kadeem Hardison (aka Dwayne Wayne) used to date Cree Summer (aka Freddie) and has definitely referred to her as the love of his life. So romantical! I'm totes jeal.

Watch it. now. on youtube or elsewhere. It is just so good!

ps check out the homies loving each other now! adorabs!

ughs perfection

2008-10-17T22:08:00.000-04:00

i love this show. and miss it. espesh dwayne wayne. love that guy!

and miss when shows like that were on tv. more on this later!

The City is Mine

2008-10-16T17:38:00.000-04:00

I just recently moved into an apartment in Brooklyn, and while it is in a neighborhood that I've been living in intermittently during summer breaks from Wesleyan and crashing at my sister's place (who bt dubs, now lives down the street), I'm realizing what a far cry adult city life is from youth in the 'burbs, and college in Middletown, CT.

Thinking about this city move, and spending hours on the train, unearthing crazy lost tunes on my ipod, has led me to re-encounter this gem from late 1998...

Its a single off of Jay-Z's second album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, entitled "THE CITY IS MINE." Basically, it's Jay bigging himself up, with the choral contribution from one of my favorite brown boy (man?) groups, Blackstreet. Remember Teddy Riley? Anywho, the song uses elements of "You Belong to the City" by Glenn Frey to get its point across. That, and the little simultaneous and coordinated hand choreography by the group. I'm not sure that this song got a whole lot of airplay, in fact i'm sure it didn't (it's not exactly the prime example of hip hop), but it always holds a spot in my heart, for its catchiness, and for the memories of riding in the yellow cheese bus and all the junior high whack stars singing along...

also. check out the cameo by Michael Rapaport. he loves playing cops. and the only thing he loves more than playing cops, are people of color.

Doppelganging During the Deb8

2008-10-16T16:49:00.000-04:00

Who watched the debate last night?? The past few have been intensely scary for me to watch, because no matter how correctly my man Obamz pronounces "Pakistan," it doesn't change what he's saying about what he wants to do there. And the delusions that support John McCain's candidacy and his followers are beyond my comprehension. But some very good points about health care and the economy were brought to light by Mr. B.O., as well as trying to take the higher road in campaigns that have become particularly nasty. Beyond that, this time around, I was into Bob Schieffer's ability to ask candid and pointed questions without getting lost in time reminders a la Mr. Brokaw, and guide a fluid debate.

Also, he gave me the perfect opportunity for some split screenage:

Yes. Bob Schieffer looks like Dr. Frasier (and Niles! Don't sleep on the younger bro!) Crane's lovable, huggable, retired-cop-in-Seattle-with-the-gross-chair father, Martin Crane, as played by John Mahoney.

I gotta agree with my one of my fellow debate watchers, Adele, in the wish to catch a glimpse of Eddie, poss running up to one of the candidates with a doggy toy in his mouth, maybe shaped like a golden wrench, as a plumber making $250,000 a year might carry... hm.

Promas Jefferson says...

2008-10-13T13:12:00.000-04:00

Its been a busy week(end) for your girl. I apologize for the slacking in blog postage, but thats not to say that I don't love ya!

Forget Me Nots (Single Version) - Patrice Rushen

To prove how loyal I am to you, the three people that read my blog (hi wifey!), I have decided to honor the call for completion of the My Quirks survey, which Jillian over at the mindblowingly awesome Trendology has tagged me for! This is my first survey since seventh grade, friends, and i hope it iZn'T 2 boRiNg 4 U!

1) I love eating steak and cheese sandwiches.
and I will do so, any time of day, any day of the week. Just ask various forepersons in the cart cuisine industry... (my fave is on the corner of 15th St. and 8th Ave from my Sadie Nash days!) holla!

2) I'm really particular about my eyeliner. Ya'll that know me know that I never really leave the house feeling 100% unless I'm wearing my black liquid eyeliner. Over the years, I've expanded my arsenal of makeupping,to include pencils and varying shades of blues, greens and violets. But the only thing that makes me feel totes comfy and happy and norm is Maybelline Water-Proof Lineworks liner in Black . Its something about the shape of the applicator I think... but its perfection. (much like this photo of my boo, yokasta! gorgeous!)

3) I get really into sports. I definitely have zero athletic ability. But I periodically become obsessed obsessed with watching team sports and players. There have been some embarrassing ones in the past (Allen Iverson, Cristiano Ronaldo, etc.) but I have been known to defend them hardbody, until I come upon indefensible actions. For Iverson, it wasn't the ball hogging, but the holding his wife up at gunpoint that did it for me. And for Ronaldo, it wasn't the diving so much as the inexcusable addiction to the tanning that he clearly has. Homeboy is practically purple! yikes!
4) Okay, I know I said I love steak and cheese sandwiches, but I have an issue with eating messy foods. They make me feel self conscious. I hate biting into foods... even tiny little bits of heaven like cupcakes make me nervous. Womp (x3)5) I have a fear that my love for guilty pleasures has taken over, and has now morphed into my TASTE. When "The Cutting Edge" (the ultimate love/skate relationship) fails to be an embarrassing feel good release movie and becomes my legit fave, thats when I know I've broken. Until then... listening to Lisa Lisa's "All Cried Out" is a joke, not a real way to get over a break-up... right?!

6) This might be a dealbreaker for some of you. So I'm a little hesitant to divulge this information. But my disclaimer is as follows: THIS IS A PHENOM OF THE PAST! It is not my current state of being! The truth is, when I was younger, I had a thick phobia of Prince. It was when he was "The Artist," and there was something about his makeup, the uncomfortably focused eye-contact and high falsetto that freaked me out, I think. I think this was a case of some serious self-hate, because as we know from my aforementioned quirk, I totes invoke the ARTIST when applying my makeup each day, and Ralphie T. is my fave member of New Edition on account of the falsetto. That doesn't explain the eye-contact though. It was "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" video in specific...

Watch More Videos Uploaded by http://www.bebo.com/watchuser/3845817713

I hope this doesn't discredit my love/musings on the world of pop culture for you. I can and do appreciate Prince for his genius! I really do!

(because the only other blogs I follow are ones that have been tagged in this particular survey, it ends here with me!) love love

HB ZTB!!!

2008-10-09T22:36:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday, Zachary Ty Bryan!
few could hold their own next to the marvel that was JTT!!! loved that guy

Part Deux

2008-10-09T22:32:00.000-04:00

Though this isn't technically nostalgia-inducing for all, it makes me nostalgic for my sophomore year of college. Holla WOC House!!! Love you ladies.

YA'LL SHOULD CHECK OUT MY BOOFACE (FORMER HOUSEMATE!) JILLIAN'S NEW FABULOUS BLOG TURNED UHMAZING WEBSITE: TRENDOLOGY.ORG!!!!

PS. This dude looks like my pops! ...And Linde's... And lots of other South Asian Chemist mustachioed dads!

Action Jackson Thursday!

2008-10-09T16:07:00.001-04:00

Its that time of the week, lovers! ACTION JACKSON time! So last week we featured "Beat It" by Michael and "If" by Janet, and this week, as a special favor to one of the loves of my life, J. Chesley B., I have decided to feature Janet's very own "Rhythm Nation"!!!

Now one would think the appeal of the song/video is its promotion and urging toward societal unity and working toward social justice. And on some real shiz, racial unity and harmony among nations and in promise of "looking for a better way of life" doesn't sound all that bad, now does it? Chessles and I agree however, that besides the B&W badass choreography and fierce costuming, the real draw of the video is when Ms. J commands the listeners to "Sing it up!"holla! Slash the dance breaks about 3 and then 4 min are pretty fly.

Also, see if you can spot cameo by Tyrin Turner of Menace II Society fame.

Now, which MJ is comparable enough for a head to head? I considered putting one of Michael's many social commentary jams to compare with janet's call for cultural harmony... but poss Earth song is too intense for the beginnings of my blog. Maybe one that emphasizes the dancing aspect? Nah. Rhythm Nation was the title track of the LEGENDARY album that spawned are you ready for this? SEVEN TOP FIVE SINGLES!!! Who does that? She fly.

So which one of MJ's albums is like that? hmm...

When I was younger, I would go to these Bengali family picnics, and there would be this crew of dudes, and one toward the back (the funny, pudgy one... the one i probz had the crush on! whatchu know about that?) would carry a boom box on his shoulders blasting this particular album...

and i remember thinking. Wow that shit is old. LOSERS. It wasn't until years later and I revisted THRILLER that I realized how truly genius it is. Anyway, I won't say too too much about the video, we've all (hopefully) seen it. I just recently shared the video with my adorable 11 yr old cousin who only had one thing to say:

"Whoa. Where did you find this??"

MJ's creative aptitude is a miracle of its own...
1) Where is Ola Ray these days? She's hot stuff!
2) Scary music by Elmer Bernstein... I watched this animated biology video in 10th grade, and he composed music for that too!
3) The dancers were so well (over?) rehearsed, that you know that part when they all jump at the same time? If you pause the video at precisely that moment, you can draw a straight line under all of them. Thats crazy.

Sorry Chris Brown. You can try, but you'll never be able to recreate the eveeeel of the Thriller!

Thriller (EPK) lyrics - Michael Jackson lyrics

Thriller (EPK) Video - Michael Jackson Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

Playas Gon' Play

2008-10-07T11:53:00.000-04:00

And haters they gonna hate...

Today when I woke up, I dressed for a brisk autumn morning. And then I got outside and it was freakin COLD. Winter is upon us, friends. And as much as i loooove the sweaty stickiness of summer, saying farewell to ethnic fabulous dresses and booty shorts in favor of gloves, scarves and bubble jackets is not something i'm looking forward to.

What I AM excited for is invoking the INDOOR RECESS TIME of yore, protecting my wallet and engaging in some inexpensive, good natured, well meaning, and poss inebriated Game Nights!

A few weeks ago, me and one of my high school besties, Stevie B. (he is an awesome singer for drive. crash. burn., a band you should definitely check out, bt dubs), foreshadowed this phenomenon of game nighting one suburban night when we didn't feel like going to the Palisades Mall, AGAIN. It was actually a blast, I had brought the dated, but classic Trivial Pursuit Genus Edition (thats the very first ever, mark it!), but we ended up playing Uno and Scrabble for hours. Steven's a sweetheart and allowed abbreves and acronyms in our game, and your girl definitely scored 33 points for "B.J."! Holla!

In any case, it's not like game nights don't happen on the reg, and that its necessarily a nostalgia thing... but i'm not talking about Taboo or Cranium. Real talk... Indoor recess.

We outwitted one another...

and performed surgical procedures...

We challenged our investigative prowess...

and Guess(ed) Who?!

And when times got really tough, we even exchanged contraband...

Lets conference on the current reality of these things. Now you can get human size Connect Four. Operation! can be performed on Homer Simpson, the Incredible Hulk and Dick Cheney. Clue has revamped its rules and given its characters first names, new jobs, new weapons and racial identities. Whoa buddy. I just hope I dont get stuck in the Spa with former football player Jack Mustard with the Ax! And I have no contemporary comments about Guess Who?, but doesnt George up there look like a Gary Busey in a fedora? Sad. All I got to say about Lisa Frank is:

Retire. I miss my orig Polar Paradise stationary kit.

Ballers they gon' ball. Shot callers, they gonna call.

Homiez in Red

2008-10-05T01:46:00.001-04:00

We should do a remix of that Chris DeBurgh joint...

Happy Birfday, Big Sis!

2008-10-05T01:10:00.000-04:00

Enjoy a classic remake.
Oct. 5 is a day we celebrate the birth of a true original!
Tanwi Nandini Islam, She da best!
Love and then more.

Undercover Brotherz Tryna Holla

2008-10-05T00:26:00.000-04:00

Do ya’ll remember New York Undercover? Michael DeLorenzo and Malik Yoba were undercover detectives for the NYPD and were always finding themselves in disturbing and elaborate criminal schemes. I remember watching the show, but I don’t remember actually caring about it. It wasn’t a sick addiction like Law and Order: SVU became for me, during my last years in high school. Maybe it was the lack of consistent marathoning that prevented that from happening.

A couple years ago, my friend Ngozi and I friended Michael DeLorenzo on MySpace and he accepted!! Michael DeLorenzo is apparently trying out his luck as a pop sensation now so… good luck with that, Mike!

Noteworthy: NYUndercover was the first American police drama to feature two people of color in lead roles. And it lasted for longer than a year! Holla! I guess people were really committed to the life and work of Julius Clarence “JC” Williams and partner Eduardo “Eddie” Torres. Delish.

From a previous post, ya’ll already know that Michael used to be a dancer. He totes held his own with the King of Pop as a dancing gangbanger in the epic music video, “Beat It.” Love his muscle tee! And pirouettes! He was also the object of drama, Private Santiago, in one of my fave guilty pleasure courtroom dramas, “A Few Good Men (1992)” with Tom Cruise (I want the truth!) and Jack Nicholson (YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!), Demi Moore, and cameos by Noah Wylie (ER blog post coming soon!) and the ubiquitous KEVIN BACON!

Now, the other dude, Malik Yoba (I should totes friend him on MySpace too. hm) … I unfortunately haven't kept up so much with his career. My aforementioned friend, Ngozi (who has great New York Undercover celeb luck!) had an interaction with Mr. Yoba when she was living here in Fort Greene, recently before she peaced to OR.

It seems that the ashy lipped homeboy stopped the strikingly attractive Ms. Gozanne on the street and said, “I’m sorry but… do I know you?”

Now Malik, we know she’s magnetic and all, but you really need to stop tryin to act like the real question you were asking wasn’t…

“Do you know ME?”

!!!!!!!

Womp (x3).

don't need no hateration, holleration

2008-10-04T23:36:00.000-04:00

In this aftermath of graduation, I’ve really been trying to unearth the things that make me feel happy and good, solid yet powerful enough to move. And musically, this has drawn me back to Mary J. Blige.

1994 Mary. Holla!

Mmmm some of that shiyet is Just. So. Good. This is Mary before she sampled the theme song from Young and the Restless and made up words for lyricslets get it percolatin it why you waitin so jus dance for me?”

Also way before she was just fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine!

Just fine fine fine fine fine!

This was Mary at her life’s lowest. Drug addicted and new to fame and fortune. Her music relationship with Puffy (now: PDiddy) ending and her life getting away from her. I watched a lot of Behind the Music in my day.

Anyway. Mary J. Blige’s album “My Life” is so beautifully real, and raw. It is the output of a woman who’s falling but trying to fight gravity to keep herself alive long enough to get her message out, and hopefully and thankfully, come back up and out, happy and strong. Sometimes, the lyrics don’t even have to be desolate or sad to get across the breadth of emotional weight that someone is carrying on their own. Just listen to her voice. Shit is deep! Mary J.’s popularity and her talent is rooted out of her uncompromising and sortof mindblowing conviction, as an artist, and as a creator. I love her. Mary, U Bring Me Joy!

U Bring Me Joy - Mary J. Blige

Can't Hold a Candle to the JET

2008-10-03T00:25:00.001-04:00

I was talking to one of my lovebugs the other day, D-Moneyyy, and we were conferencing about the unveiling of my blog and the maturation of MIKE VITA R (who, bt dubs hasn’t yet hit the BIG 3-0! After alla that!). And homegirl had these pearls of wisdom to share:

It’s not like he turned out that bad. I mean, he’s no RALPH MACCHIO. Now, that’s a lost cause.

HAHAHA

Firstly, can I just say how much I love how my friends are so on top of their shit! Loves it, D!!! Such a throwback, aimed to perfection!

Secondly, to give ya’ll a refresher course, Ralph Macchio was the star of the ORIGINAL KARATE KID (that is, pre-Hilary Swank). He was just so adorable in all the right ways, athletic AND working hard to achieve a goal, with Pat Morita, and most importantly, AGAINST ALL ODDS.

Damn. So good. So wholesomely good.

This is how Ralph turned out:

Dizzamn. Do we agree with D- Money?

also - there have been rumors that CHUCK NORRIS was supposed to be in this film as the evil John Kreese. wow. can you imagine the pop culture repercussions of such casting!?

Action Jackson!

2008-10-03T00:06:00.000-04:00

Poppin that cherry.
What kind of nostalgia blog would this be, if it didn't include recurring and permanent mentions of the epic JACKSON FAMILY. I love the Jacksons, from top to bottom, front to back. I love how crazy they are, how they all look strangely similar even after all of their plastic surgery pursuits, how fiercely loyal (except for LaToya!) they are to each other's crazy! It's such good stuff. EPIC.

Every week, I'm gonna offer a head to head video challenge for the two Jackson Titans. Sorry 3T (re: Tito's kids, "Anything" 1995 international R&B hit). This is all about Michael and Janet.

So. for the first ever ACTION JACKSON post, I offer my two favorite vidz! Now, these might be a little too mainstream for you hard core Jacksonites (esp. those that I have subjected to my MJ #1's dvd on too many an occasion), but we start big and then move into the obscure. enjoy!

Beat It lyrics - Michael Jackson lyrics

Beat It Video - Michael Jackson Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

If lyrics - Janet Jackson lyrics

If Video - Janet Jackson Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

check out the cameo by Michael DeLorenzo of NY Undercover fame as a dancer in MJ's Vid.
Eddie Van Halen was the guitar soloist for Beat It, but refused to appear in the video because he "didn't think it was a hit." Herb.
also - love janets tight black vest/pants look. she fly
i had never seen the full version of the "if" video. awk racial representations happening... hm.

thats it lovelyz. you're welcome!

how did you get here??

2008-10-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

nobody's supposed to be here!

ps. count the amount of times she says "no"... i dare you.

Give it that extra umph

2008-10-02T01:48:00.000-04:00

I had one of these....

Did you?

The possibilities are endless.
Just Ask Lenny

The Namesake

2008-09-30T23:45:00.000-04:00

None of that Jhumpa shizz.
Which one of these??

Brandy and Monica power duo
The Girl Is Mine with Paul McCartney - Michael Jackson
Michael and Paul power duo

want 2 chat?

2008-09-30T22:35:00.000-04:00

ReMeMBeR wHen cHaTTiNg oNliNe wAs nEW n wE UsEd 2 tALk LyKe Dis?

Buh Bye Bug A Booz!

2008-09-30T22:31:00.001-04:00

Bug-A-Boo lyrics - Destiny's Child lyrics

Bug-A-Boo Video - Destiny's Child Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

Late summer, early fall in NYC, spending time with so many fly hunnies, has me encountering lots of BUG A BOOS.

What is a bug a boo? one might ask. Isn’t that just a term that Beyonce made up for platinum purposes and The Writing on the Wall? The answer could be yes, but I have re-incorporated the term into my everyday vernacular, for both humor and accuracy.

A bug a boo is one who is trifling. Someone who just doesn’t know HOW TO ACT. Ze doesn’t know how to treat others or to maintain the boundaries of a normal human relationship. Ze is, essentially, a HOT MESS.

SEE: lyrics from “Bug A Boo,” by Beyonce Knowles, and 3 other people who were apparently in a girl group with her.

When I first met you, you were cool/ But it was game, you had me fooled / 'Cause 20 minutes after I gave you my number/ You already had my mailbox full

Sounds like some shit me and Carebear had to deal with in Ghanz… and in NYC, maybe the only reason it hasn’t come to fruition in that exact way is bc I’m hesitant to give out my number like that. Too bad Beyonce and Co.’s solutions are so dated:

You make me wanna throw/ My pager out the window/ Tell MCI to cut the phone poles/ Break my lease so I can move/ ‘Cause you a bug a boo/ A bug a boo/ I wanna put your number on the call block/ Have AOL make my email stop/ ‘Cause you’re a bug a boo/ You’re buggin me/ You’re buggin what?/ You’re buggin who?/ You’re buggin me!/ And don’t you see it ain’t cool

This song is full of near obsolete technologies!!! BEEPERS MCI AOL. How’s a modern girl to deal?

Solution: Think of bug a boo-ing as an evolving art. The true bug a boos, will always find new means for old tricks. SO BEWARE AND BE VIGILANT. Just because they’re persistent and buggin, does not mean they get to talk to you!!!

PS. check out this hot J.Lo/DC power mashup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj6QniWt_NM
love that woman.

JET SET!

2008-09-29T01:22:00.000-04:00

A billion years ago, my bestie Linde started a facebook group at Wesleyan called “I HEART BENNY.” At that point, during my freshman year, I didn’t know her that well, but I came across this group and was just like, “wow who is this genius. This group is so necessary.”

For all of you who don’t know who BENNY is: Watch.

The Sandlot. He was the dreamy, knowledgeable and ridiculously talented young baseballer in a movie filled with doofy little kids with big dreams. And he was a “man” of color.

BENNY "The Jet" RODRIGUEZ, mmm he was IT. I don’t know how many young women and men I’ve bonded with over the years over our mutual love for homeboy when we were kids. And I felt a kindred link with Linde when encountering this facebook group. Also to each and every wunderkind that joined the group.

Benny was played by Mike Vitar, but in our hearts and souls, he’s always BENNY. Even when he was in D2: The Mighty Ducks, as the hockey player who couldn’t figure out how to stop skating once he started, he was always just BENNY. He was the type of dude, that you would look at and be like, “damn. That kid is gonna grow up GOOD.” He was the type of dude that when you see the movies on TV now, that you’re awkwardly and ashamedly drawn to… (yikes. Poss too much info). But where’d he go? And most importantly…

HOW DID HE TURN OUT???

Mike Vitar is now a firefighter… fighting fires, sexy. But Mike Vitar is clearly no longer BENNY. His face looks totally different! Who IS that?!

Judge for yourselves!!

Strap On, Strap Off

2008-09-29T00:30:00.000-04:00

I was on the train the other day and I’m sitting there, not into the book I had brought along with me on the ride, and lacking the room to enact the deliberately blank and disinterested upward gaze necessary to make it through a long ride into Brooklyn from Queens without getting any unwanted attention. I tried my hand at an understated upward (UU), and failing, I found myself eye to eye with the gentlemen bits of a particularly tall passenger. Bummer.

The goodies of the standing an unavoidable vision for the poor, unsuspecting sitting.

My eyes sank, and I saw that he was wearing CARPENTER PANTS. Remember those? They’re those pants that had a thin strap on the side, angled diagonally and serving no real purpose. They’re inspired by pants worn by carpenters that had such a strap so as to make it easier to lug a hammer around at a worksite. Practical. (see: pants)

Now I know I don’t know a whole lot about the world of fashion, and how things come to me... its like that Devil Wears Prada scene where Meryl Streep’s character rips Anne Hathaway to shreds talking about her turquoise sweater and how she was the enabler of even the possibility of outfit because she put it on the cover of her magazine during some spring of some year, and there was a subsequent trickle down through designers and distributors until it finally reached the sales rack at Target. Like, Biatch, you don’t even know where the shit you’re wearing comes from.

So please excuse my ignorance with regards to the cultural significance of the carpenter strap as per the world of fashion. I don’t know what sortof mad scientist fashion designer had the a-ha moment to add this crucial, poss ironical detail to worldwide denim.

In any case, I think the Carpenter Strap is really interesting in that for a while, you couldn’t buy a pair of pants that didn’t have it. This was all pre-flares, and defi pre-skinny jean. That world seems so long ago: The JNCO World with widelegs that you could quite easily fit like ten more of your legs in. My pet peeve was when wide pants like that were just perfectly short, stopping right when the sneaker started. Urgggghhhh. It’s annoying me just to think about it. I just feel that the denouement of trousers like that should be more gradual.

I kindof miss it though. The baggy, anything goes style is so much more doable for women, and made it a lot easier to feel like you can be stylish and with the times without having to put your body so out there and try to fit into the tightest, skankiest, most impossible outfits to be both current and fly. But I’m not lying to myself. Most women wore the big, baggy flannel (lumberjacks, what!) button-downs under the tight white tank. I like it though. Its like, the power of suggestion, a subtlety that barely exists anymore. Hmm… more on this later.

Still, I wonder where that dude on the train got those Carpenter Pants in 2008. Uhmazing.

Who's Da Boss?

2008-09-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

So. Last Tues, I went for a late lunch from work, and was walking down Madison Ave at like 3 in the afternoon or something, stopped at a crosswalk, blasting Hindi music on my ipod, and who do i spot? JUDITH LIGHT!!!!

When I saw her, she was on her phone and we made DIRECT eye contact. It was intense and beautiful… Okay, maybe neither of those are appropriate adjectives, but it definitely was something that happened that I didn’t think ever would in my lifetime. The JL sighting is actually the catalyzing force behind my energies in getting this blog started. So, thanks Judy!

The queer activist extraordinaire and Mama Meade on today’s Ugly Betty will always always be dear to me as Tony Danza’s employer/boo on Who’s the Boss? Hence, the aforewritten all-caps and multiple exclamations are totes necess, thanks.

She was so uptight, so obnoxious, so PERFECT for the anal WASP who had her world turned upside down by the exciting Italian from Brooklyn, whose finished career as a player for the St. Louis Cardinals (holla STL!) brought him to Connecticut to cook dinners, and vacuum curtains. Remember how he used to say her name? ANgeluhhh. Her mom, Mona, was that red head who would wear the high waisted pants and always go on dates. I think she was supposed to be a sexy milfy type of person… strange. Jeez, how do these shows get made? The premise is so bizarrely specific and brings up questions of class, privilege, gender roles and diversities in our conceptions of whiteness. Maaaybe the whole thing was a political project! Tony was white but Italian, and even though he could’ve presumably been rich from his baseball days, his Brooklyn roots and role as Angela’s maid made a romantical connection with her against all odds. BUT if he wasn’t white, who are we kidding? she probs wouldn’t even hire him, let alone marry him by the end…anyway, I’d have to go back and watch an episode and see how it makes me feel now. But I remember what it was like to watch back then.

Another significant point: Alyssa Milano got her start on that show. She’s so fly, and so BAD. (Poison Ivy II, anyone?) She was always playing the bad girl roles after WTB? – love it! Who remembers how she used to be Justin Timberlake’s special lady, pre- Jessica Biel (famous for no reason) and Cameron Diaz (whom I secretly don’t hate). Oh, Alyssa Milano. Oh, Who’s the Boss? Oh, Judith Light. I love it all! I miss you! I don’t know that I ever cared when I had you!

Does it all still matter? I suggest you watch the following and decide. Love the Tony Danza boxing clip. The choice is up to you m’friend!

CrazySexyKewl

2008-09-28T22:51:00.000-04:00

Hey friend(s).

Don’t be fooled by the title. The purpose is not to hold my own with the Crazy ones that Make Shit Happen. The Arbiters of Sexy. The Titans of Cool.

Do you want to know the secret to uncovering what your life is missing in order to be fly girls and boys, or about fresh, new and glamorous happenings that would enrich your being and livelihood? Do you want to know how to make affordable and adorable necklaces that one should not live without?

I can’t help you! Womp (x3).I can barely help myself, kids. I can’t sophista-funk or dip into a crate o' honey. My terribly true blue boos do it. And they’re so good, they about to take off and fly.

Okay. No more shoutouts! They actually have readers! My shit is what you already know. What you’ve already felt and experienced, what made you into the person that you are. My shit is the shit that is nearly useless to know, and yet we care somehow.

The Blog is Mine Redux. Prepare to think about stuff you never thought you would after eighth grade. Prepare to care. About mini backpacks and songs by Total feat L.L. Cool J. About how Charlie Sheen’s real name is Carlos Estevez and songs like Rock the Boat by the Hues Corporation should get more airplay on lite fm radio stations. About where Montell Jordan is presently, after his This is How We Do It comeback came only a mere four years later in the form of Get it on Tonite. See? I’m trying to link the past with the NOW, the need for nostalgia marked by the need to move forward. Let’s do this thing! Woo!