November 29, 2012

Real Talk

Beauty, Booty & Beyonce: Loving My Black Body

Over the weekend Beyonce posted the note you see above on her Tumblr page and immediately her Beyhive started swarming. Without realizing or even considering that this may not even be a direct quote from Baby Blue’s momma, folks were in a hizzy over the first sentence. The idea that Beyonce would think, never mind write, that she was ugly had folks scratching their head, hypothesizing all kinds of scenarios. Most bloggers thought this letter Read more...

November 20, 2012

Real Talk

Getting Through The Ins & Outs of Thanksgiving

Without fail Thanksgiving always brings on a certain amount of stress, confusion and anticipation in my life. The day after Halloween when snack candy packs are half-price and Wonder Woman costumes are going for $5, I know that the time has come to ask my mom the BIG question: “What are we doing for Thanksgiving this year?” I never have an inkling as to what the answer will be, but I am fully aware of Read more...

November 15, 2012

Real Talk

Victoria’s Secret’s Idea of Honoring Thanksgiving

So this was Victoria’s Secret’s idea of honoring Native Americans and celebrating Thanksgiving? Last week during VS’s annual fashion show, which reportedly cost a whopping $12 million and had an American holiday theme, producers thought it would be a fantastic idea to represent Thanksgiving by adorning model Karlie Kloss in turquoise jewelry, tassels and a floor-length feather headdress.

Never mind that the outfit is hideous, the idea of having a model wear such a major Read more...

November 12, 2012

theHigh-5

November Hotness!

Twelve days into November and there’s been more history-making excitement, chills and thrills then there has been in the past 12 months! Firstly, the election was nothing short of historic. President Barack Obama, standing with the 47% and against a hailstorm of lies, loot and lunacy (ie. Trump), won his re-election bid and with that showed that Americans had grown weary and intolerant of angry rich white men who think gays, Latinos, Blacks and women Read more...

November 6, 2012

Real Talk

My Election Anxiety

When I’m nervous I don’t bite my nails, I just pick-up my emery board and go totown. I start filing them down. Way down. Looking at my laptop now I see the filed sawdust-like remnants of what two days ago was a beautiful manicure. Now I’m typing with stubs. It’s Election Day and I’m stressed the crunk out!

My phone rings: “Hey Nicole!” It’s my gumbo-making, Texas born, pistol-handling godmother. “Yeah, I’m calling to tell Read more...

October 31, 2012

First Lady

The Wonder That Is Michelle Obama!

It’s Halloween and my mind couldn’t be further away from tricks and treats than it is right now. Yes, I’m stunned, transfixed even, by the images on my television of the devastation left in Sandy’s wake. And to be honest, right now there is probably only one thing that grips my heart harder than the images of the burnt smoldering ash that was once the thriving neighborhood of Breezy Point and that’s the fact that Read more...

October 24, 2012

theHigh-5

Unexpected Delights: Brandy, Parenthood, Aveda!

Recently with so many let downs (Obama’s performance at 1st Presidential debate & Stacy’s Dash’s endorsement of Mitt Romney), put downs (crazy Coulter) it’s so refreshing when something unexpected happens that puts a smile on our faces like Joe Biden’s VP debate stance; like getting a “Thinking About You” card in the mail amongst all the bills; like finding money in a jacket pocket. Homestead Survival had a great idea for literally holding on to Read more...

October 15, 2012

Real Talk, TV/Film

Ava Duvernay’s MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

I was thrilled when I read last night that MIDDLE OF NOWHERE was the #1 debut at the box office this weekend for indie films and, averaging $13,000 per screen, it had the biggest per-screen total for any film currently in theaters (even making twice the per screen figures of both Taken and Argo). This is major and no doubt a direct result of Ava Duvernay’s refusal to fail mixed with her massive grassroots Read more...

September 27, 2012

Real Talk, theHigh-5

Getting Unstuck & Getting Free: 5 Steps

For the last two weeks Writer’s Block, anxiety, insomnia, and a “Things-To-Do-List” that rivals the Ten Commandments in magnitude and length has been looming over my head like mistletoe over the heads of two total strangers. I felt pressured to make a move, but couldn’t. I sat at my laptop struggling to spit out rhyme and reason and to somehow make literary the garble of confused ideas ricocheting back-n-forth in my mind. I fought, unsuccessfully, Read more...

September 11, 2012

Real Talk

September 11th: Reflections

11 years ago today, the NYC skyline and all of our lives were forever altered.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  It was a bright, clear, brisk morning. Just like today actually.  I was exuberant about the prospects of a meeting I was to have at 10am next door to the downtown Century 21 located mere blocks away from the World Trade Center. I was rushing out of my apartment to vote in Read more...