Rihanna on Chris

So a several day news blitz has finally come to an end tonight (hopefully) on 20/20 with the Dianne Sawyer interviewing Rihanna about the now legendary abuse that happened so many months ago.

My question is why now? Why are you coming to tell this story so many months later?

Did it have to do with the push back she admitted receiving in the interview from her corporate endorsers? Is it perfect free publicity for the new album that is dropping soon? Or is it that she is finally at a place where she can discuss this?

Whatever her reason I am glad that Chris has talked to Larry King and Rihanna now has had her moment to get her version of the story out... that this goes away. Because neither one of them are mature enough to be dealing with this in the media spotlight. There are a lot of issues ere that need to be dealt with and its unfortunate that their parents and handlers are allowing this to be played out in public. Now I must say she looked absolutely amazing as she recounted the story of the night and why she went back to him, but hopefully we are now done.

So You Think You Can Dance... season 6 begins

I thought this past summer's series was mediocre at best... and so far this season of So You Think You Can Dance is not grabbing my attention. But as a fan of dance I will watch faithfully each week.

I have always been a fan of dance, even before my years working at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where I was exposed to many different dance styles. But Tap has never been a favorite... never even a like for me. Very surprised that they decided on three tappers... and their opening introductions are so annoying. I was disappointed at the judges decision to send Arianna home. Not only was she a cutey... but she was by far not the worse female dancer last night.

Victor Smalley and Bianca's Travis Wall's routine was by far my favorite. Victor is a cute guy and probably the only thing to swoon over this season. He definitely brought it in that routine. The contemporary piece was steamy, passionate, and filled with emotions, that also required a lot of strength to accomplish the moves.

I am excited to see what the choreographers bring this season while Victor is a cutey... I guess every season can't have Danny Tidwell...

just 4 laughs: Top 60 Ghetto Names...

One thing that annoys the shit out of me is stupidity. Because stupidty can be prevented by listening and educating yourself on the subject at hand.

Yesterday the DC Council held an open forum for citizens to speak about the upcoming vote on the Same Sex Marriage Bill before the council. Below you have a prime case of stupidity.



I wish people would understand two things: (1) The United States of America Constitution's 1st Amendement states that there is a freedom of religion in this country. This means the government can not pass a bill based on your religious beliefs on how I should conduct my life. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (2) this is not even a religious debate... so keep your Bible quotes in your church where they belong.

My New Toy... HTC Hero

Just as I was considering abandoning Sprint after an 8 year run. They finally released the best phone they have offered on their service in some time.

I am on week 2 of Sprint's version of the HTC Hero and I must say so far i am quite pleased. There are so many things I like about the phone. The new Android platform allows for a new cell phone experience on this service. One of my favorite features is the ability to link your contacts with your social networking contacts. So now I can see all of the contact information and latest Facebook update, message or picture. The customizable display and 5.0 megapixel camera with zooming features are also quite hot.

The only drawback that I have experienced so far is the short battery life. While I can go the entire work day without it dying... I would be nervous to go from work to dinner or drinks without loosing all battery life. Luckily my bestfriend once had an HTC phone so I have a new car charger and backup charger for the office coming soon.

Good going Sprint hopefully this phone and the great plans you have will keep you a float for awhile longer.

Push, a novel by Sapphire

I had never heard of this book before Oprah and Tyler Perry started talking about their part in bringing it to the big screen earlier this year. It wasn't until I started seeing the trailers of Lee Daniel's upcoming film called Precious which is based on this novel that I wanted to read the novel.

With the pending rainy weekend, I walked the one block to Barnes and Noble to get a copy, only to be disappointed by the less than 200 pages. At least it would occupy a few hours.

Push, covers a two to three year period of Clairice Precious Jones, an illiterate, overweight, dark skin girl growing up in Harlem who is pregnant by her father... for the second time. The book is short and the movie will be out in a few week so I won't cover all the tribulations that face Precious and the other women and girls in the book... but the first thing I said when I closed the back cover was, "no one should have to deal with everything she has dealt with." But while reading this book I knew it was a work of fiction, but I also knew there were people who have truly lived the life depicted.

Excellent story... highly recommend the book and I am definitely looking forward to the movie.

A long pause...

I guess I should have posted this sooner... but I have just been uninspired which is why I haven't written anything. Which is odd because there is a lot going on or not going on.

Two years ago I left the association event planning world to go into the private sector and started working in the hospitality industry which I had been planning to do for years prior. Well with the fall out of the economy it has proven to not have been the absolute best time for that transition. Luxury hotels have been hit extremely hard. With occupancy and revenue down, we have seen several lay offs and hiring freezes. I am thankful to God that I have escaped two rounds of layoffs but getting the promotion (and much needed salary bump)that was on my career plan is pretty much on hold. But yet again glad to have a job and coworkers I enjoy seeing every day.

I have several trips coming up... NY at the beginning of November for a housewarming party. And then a 2 week vacation around Thanksgiving that will take me to Atlanta, Birmingham, Auburn, and St. Kitts ... and will end the vacation in NY at a friends birthday party. 5 cities in 14 days... I am going to need 2 more days just to rest.

As for the personal side of life... I decided earlier this summer not to discuss that on here for now out of courtesy of a mutual agreement to keep things out of discussions. Things are good... could be better... but definitely content with what I have now.

I just picked up Saphhire's Push (aka the movie Precious) at the Barnes and Noble near my job... it should only take a day to finish this small book especially on a rainy weekend like this... and I am sure it will give me something to write about so I will be back soon.

And that is what is going on with me... sorry for the long pause.

Farewell... Ted Kennedy

I had the opportunity to meet Edward Kennedy in 2002 while working at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. From our brief conversation as I walked him to the Presidential Box of the Opera House, I was quickly drawn into the charismatic appeal that the every Kennedy has seemed to possess.

I felt honored at that time to meet a man who had become such an icon and force in the US Senate. And now with the recent passing of him and his sister Eunice... it leaves me to wonder who do we have now that will carry on the legacy that Kennedy and others during the Civil Rights movement and recent times. I think we are coming complacent now that Obama sits in the Oval Office. But this country is far from where it should be and there is so much to be done. And I personally have little faith in most of those who sit in elected seats.

Ted Kennedy wrote over 300 bills that were enacted into law and has co-sponsored another 550 bills that became law since 1973. Often described as the most bipartisan Democratic Senator by Republicans, he was also one of the most liberal. The Boston Globe wrote, "By the early 21st century, the achievements of the younger brother would be enough to rival those of many presidents."

The Nine Lives of Marion Barry...

Before watching HBO's documentary, The Nine Lives of Marion Barry, I never quite understood why DC's Ward 8, the blackest and poorest ward, kept electing 'this crack head' into office.

The film chronicles DC's former mayor's 2004 City Council campaign by looking back at Barry's long love affair and political career with Washington. Barry served second elected mayor of Washington DC from 1979 to 1991, and again as the fourth mayor from 1995 to 1999. During his original tenure of mayor DC prospered to having the largest black middle class in the country. But like Barry, the prevalence of crack in the 80s took that away.

I learned a lot from the 90 minute documentary... I never knew the civil rights activist and organizer that Barry was. And quite a cat daddy in his past. But like all good things they must come to an end. Since his federal drug bust in 1990, the former mayor has continued on the same controversial path. From tax evasion, to failing court ordered drug tests, even to his most recent Washington City Paper expose. He has proven by his continuous lack in judgement he has no right to serve the city of Washington or be a role mode to the many young residents. Like Chris Rock said... how can you teach kids not to smoke crack... when all they will say is why not when I can smoke crack and become mayor.

Recently in response to the City Council's vote to recognize gay marriage, Barry stated "All hell is going to break loose. We may have a civil war. The black community is just adamant against this." Well Mr. Barry... not the entire black community.

Random Thoughts this Monday Morning...

1. Clash for Clunkers... Health reform... Supreme Court Justices... one thing I miss about not being in DC is the ability to tune all of this shit out sometimes. It is like virtually impossible to do so in DC.

2. I think people just need something to complain about... on Facebook a few months ago everyone was complaining that it was too cold and would summer ever arrive... now that it is summer these same loosers are complaining that its too hot. Like seriously get a grip and shut up.

3. Speaking of Facebook... why does everyone want to subject you to their Holy Roly rants and prophetic quotes. I mean seriously its Facebook not that serious.

4. It amazes me even when I try to keep to myself and keep my personal life quiet... certain people still find themselves discussing me... my life is rather boring so theirs must be even worse.

5. I finally got a chance to watch Soledad O'Brien's Black in America 2 this weekend. I think she did a great job of exposing yet another aspect of Black America... and has inspired me to want to go back to South Africa and do a mission trip.

6. GI Joe... wasn't a classic and by far wasn't perfect but I enjoyed every moment of it. Go Joe! Since it pulled in $56.2 million this opening weekend I think others agreed.

7. Less than a month to go to vacation part deux and I am sooo ready! South Beach, rum, and my bestfriends... love it!

8. I guess rooftop pools and bars are the hottest rage in DC this summer... The W, The Liason, The Donovan House, The Beacon... if you don't mention one in your FaceBook status message at least once a week you are so not cool.

9. I feel a mental health day coming on...

10. I lost way too much weight this spring and I don't have any pants that fit... I am trying my best to stay away from gaining some of this weight back the McDonalds way.

No Words

The Almost Real Housewives of Atlanta... are back...

The ladies are back with a New Attitude, in the Same ATL... and last night's episode was full of plenty laughs... from the beginning to the very well scripted end. But for me the humor came from things I am sure the producer's weren't planning... or were they?!

The new season started off with NeNe showing off her yet again rented house with no furniture but bragging about some multi thousand dollar drapes... "Really NeNe... Really?" . The house was definitely the deal and is allegedly in the same neighborhood as baller Lisa. A tour of the house shows that other than a pool table the house is empty... but the uber late Dwight and his over the top gayness to the rescue. Hopefully he decorates the house better than his fashion sense.

Kim is back and now that "Big Poppa" has kicked her to the curb... she is off to her next hair brain idea of creating a wig line... with no knowledge of hair or interest in learning... I am sure this idea will go as far as her country CD.

Lisa had the most boring storyline in the first episode... debating on having a second child at 38... I hope she doesn't turn into the boring one that is no longer on the show... can't think of her name for the life of me.

Speaking of last season's boring one, Kandi from Xscape joins... she brought me a lot of comedy from when she walked into Lisa's house with that awful hair style... to when she was singing in her home studio sounding quite awful... to when her daughter said she didn't want her mother to marry the man with 6 kids... pure comedy.

But by far the best part of the first episode was the obviously scripted fight between She by Sheree and her alleged party planner. This woman has no job or career but has more parties than anyone in Atlanta... I wonder are these rent parties? Remember the fashion show with no fashions... how dreadful. The fight while fake was quite funny... especially when the planner tells She by Sheree that her mother is a bitch too...

I am definitely looking forward to seeing what the writers and producers have in store this season. It will be interesting if the She by Sheree and NeNe truce lasts and if Kim finds a friend after what seems like everyone ganging up on her.

Farewell... E. Lynn Harris

For me E. Lynn came into my life at a time when I needed him most. I remember the time quite vividly... I was in the midst of finals during the end of my freshman year. I was finally coming into accepting myself when a good friend asked me if I had ever read, Invisible Life. I had never heard of the book or even the woman, so I thought, who had wrote it. The next day i stopped by our library and to my surprise they had the book. I checked it out along with several other books... hoping no one would see it in my stack. I exited out the side entrance dropping all of the other books back into the return drop and made my way back to my apartment.

Neglecting the studying I needed to do for my final the next day... I got comfortable on my couch and began to read only stopping to go take the test the next day. I finished the book in less than two days and was amazed that someone was writing about a life that was so foreign to me... but whose title was ironic.

Over the next few weeks I read all the books he had published at that time... and eagerly awaited his next one. He was my first introduction into this genre of literature which led me to discover Keith Boykin's One More River to Cross and James Earl Hardy and other authors.

I thank E. Lynn most of all comforting me and reassuring me when I needed it. But also for exposing me to writings I never knew existed.

Halo by David Sides

Me in New York... A possibility

I have spent a lot of time over the years visiting New York... but after this past 4 day weekend, I finally saw myself as possibly being able to live in this city.

Granted this trip was a little different from any of my previous trips. I had a suite on the 38th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel... I spent most of my time in the midtown areas versus my usual stops in the Village and SoHo... and I had the opportunity to visit my company's luxurious office right off Park Avenue.

Now I know I would not be able to afford to live off Madison and 57th... but if a position opens up in that office I am going to be all over it.

The hot weekend was capped off by partying with friends including a hotel lobby pool party and a rooftop Junior Vasquez party... definitely a great weekend in the city.

My DC: Acadiana

Nine times out of ten on a Friday afternoon/ early evening... I am starting off my happy hour and weekend at Acadiana.

Acadiana located at 9th and New York Avenue across from the DC Museum... that overpriced parking lot... and the convention center... bills itself as capturing the true spirit of Louisiana. As someone who has spent quite a lot of his life in New Orleans... I will say they do a good job of capturing it but it is far from the authentic cuisine I grew up on.

Now the restaurant features an outdoor patio for dining which I love... even though most of the times I am at the bar eating, drinking, and enjoying the company of my two favorite bartenders Erin and Garrick. The recently ended crawfish boil is to my knowledge the only one in the Washington area... but the happy hour features $5 drinks and half priced bar food.

Street parking nearby opens up at 6:30pm... but of course there are lots around.

Favorite Signature Drink: Category 5

Favorite Entree: New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

Favorite Dessert: Decadent Chocolate Doberge Cake

The MJ/Pepsi Commercial... ouch

Wendy Williams teaches Jimmy Fallon... How You Doin?

Music is back... Thanks Maxwell

It has been 8 years but this past Tuesday, Maxwell finally released "BLACKsummers' Night," the first part of a trilogy he plans to deliver over the next few years. I first mentioned his return in February 2007... and it took a full 2 and a half years for it to come to fruition.

Worth the wait... I am unsure but I will say I have thoroughly enjoyed the CD this past week. Maxwell's approach to this album is the same as his prior albums and what makes him stand out as an artist. Unlike the current selections of R&B music on the scene, whose music is meant to be catchy, quickly absorbed and feature lyrics that would be better suited for a nursery rhyme or sidewalk jump rope.

For me his stand alone hits on the album are Prettywings, which has been tempted and teased since 2007 and Bad Habits, the CD opener, and Fistfull of Tears. Like his other albums I can listen all the way through and will definitely use the CD as background music at the next dinner party. Unlike other music out there Maxwell not only uses but features live instrumentation.. which for me is one component of great music.

Seeing that I saw Maxwell in concert back in November... and the album is coming out 8 months later... I hope he doesn't fall victim to lack of marketing from Sony.

I think the genius of this album will become more apparent as the subsequent parts of the trilogy are released... but definitely think it was worth the purchase and constant rotation for awhile.

Shit Your Momma Should Have Taught You #8: Everybody wasn't raised the way you were raised.

I am amazed that I can still remember the first time my mother gave me this little jewel. It was a Saturday and like every Saturday, my mother, her sister, and her cousin and my four cousins would spend the Saturday at the mall and running errands. At some point during the day we were separated from my mother and aunt... and my mother's cousin bought her 2 kids icecream or something but not me and my other cousin. As we sat there and watched them enjoying it... I remember being pissed cause hell I wanted some too.

Later on that evening when me and my mother were on our way home I asked why I couldn't have any icecream or whatever it was. She started explaining why her cousin would do what she did but the only thing that stook out was... Everybody wasn't raised the way you were raised.

I have said before that I am far from perfect but definitely working on it. And before judging someone, I often go back to this thought my mother gave me when I wonder why people react or do things differently than how I would.

So recently a friend of mine got offended by something I relayed about him to a mutual friend. Instead of bringing it to my attention he went around to several of our mutual friends "putting me on blast". The thing that surprised me was that 1) it is nothing I haven't told him before already and 2) if he had an issue with it why has he never told me his alleged friend. While I was surprised by his actions... I just looked at it as maybe he wasn't raised the way I was to go to the root of your problem and decided to accept his way of dealing with it and approach him myself. Now that all has been cleared up... I thank my mother for helping me look at other peoples actions through their point of view.

Yes some people have asinine reactions or actions but you can't control that... you can only control what you say or do and once you let go of expectations of others life is alot easier.