Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned. . . .

First off all, that’s a great song by Ms. Keys and if you haven’t copped it yet, do it!

I’ve been a bit MIA, I know. My bad; life called and she needed me to handle some grown woman things, but I’m back now- re-adjusted and more in my element. I know that it’s probably all the seasons cheer, but I can’t help but be a little reflective during this time of year. So before we finish the holiday parties and get dressed to the nines for the New Year, take a moment to think about how you spent last 365 days. . . .


Before you get too sentimental, lets take a quick re-cap of my “Top Ten Best’s of 2007”!
(Why a Best-only list? Because it was a good year!)

Best Comeback: Boston Celtics
Behind the talent and leadership of forward Kevin Garnett, forward Paul Pierce and guard Ray Allen, the Boston Celtics are poised to take their place as leaders of the wish-washy Eastern Conference. This is truly an amazing feat from a team that won a total of twenty four games last season.
Runner Up: Whitney Houston (Divorce-handled; rehab-done; album- working on it. She’s definitely back!)

Best Trainwreck: The Spears Clan
This award would have gone to Britney alone, but Jamie Lynn decided to jump on the boat. The whole Spears clan gave us one sorry mishap after another, making Bobby and Whitney look like the Brady Bunch. But you know you watched every pathetic minute of it.
Runner Up: Michael Vick (You already know this story. . .)

Best Excuses to Run INTO the Law (Tie): OJ Simpson and Robert Kelly. These two just don’t get it. Laying low should be among their top goals of 2008. Stealing your own memorabilia through force is a sure way to alert the authorities. Especially if you’ve been previously accused of murder and wrote a book about what would have happened if you did it. Especially so if you’re name is Orenthal James Simpson. And R. Kelly, who allegedly had a sexual relationship with his former publicist’s teenage daughter, has no excuse for this behavior. It's honestly any wonder this man has yet to serve any time. . .
Runner-Up: Akon

Best Guilty Pleasure: Soulja Boy
DeAndre Ramone Way, better known as Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em, has taken the world by storm with his dance craze. This seventeen –year old from Batesville, Mississippi had the whole world crankin it, from ballet schools to grandmas. Now if only he could make a song about voting and we’d be set
Runner Up: Tiffany Pollard aka New York

Best Un-Sung Hero: T-Pain
Okay, follow my reasoning here: think back to the chart-topping hits of 2007. Bet you can’t come across more than three before you come across the whining serenading of one Faheem Najm (T-Pain). Bartender (w. Akon), Imma Flirt (remix), Shawty (Plies), Kiss Kiss (Chris Brown), I’m So Hood (remix), Good Life (Kanye West), Low (Flo Rida), and my personal favorite Buy U A Drank- have all featured T-Pain; that’s why he’s 2007’s Un-Sung Hero.
Runner Up: Ne-yo

Best Reason to Stay In House: Andrew Speaker. While carrying an extensively drug-resistant strain of Tuberculosis, he boarded a trans-Atlantic flight and then gave a “I didn’t’ know I was contagious” as his best excuse. We didn’t know whether to arrest him or quarantine him first, but we surely didn’t want to run into him.
Runner Up: August 8th New York City Transit Stoppage. Yup a little bit of rain shut it down.

Best Reason to Watch Sports: Super Bowl XLI
Lovie Smith, Head Coach of the Chicago Bears
Tony Dungy, Head Coach of Indianapolis Colts
For the first time in the history of the National Football League, not one, but two Black coaches were featured in this prestigious event. No matter what the outcome, we still won.
Runner Up: Barry Bonds home-run chase (whatever, I’m stil not co-signing this)

Best Reason to Watch Cable: I Love New York Season II
New York was in the *$%&#$&%(@$$% house! You know you couldn’t help yourself. We all tuned in, if anything to see if Sister Patterson’s hairline finally grew back in.
Runner Up: Anything else on VH1 (since when did this channel get good?)

Best Reason NOT To Watch Cable: BET
I don’t care what Debra Lee and them have to say, BET programming has never been worse.
Runner Up: MTV (Tila Tequila- ‘nuff said)

Best Couple: Tameka “Tiny” Cottle and Clifford “T.I.” Harris
I’m a hater so Beyonce and Jay were not going to make this list. But for real, Tiny and T.I. were made for each other and their love has withstood its share of trials: a stillborn child, various trials, break-up, pregnancy, and TI’s latest run in with the Feds. And yet they are still hanging in there-gotta appreciate black love.
Runner Up: Nas and Kelis


Without getting too melodramatic, I’d like to leave you with some parting words from ’07, so that you can get your mind right in time for the New Year:

Life is not instant soup; it’s that home-cooked stew your grandmama used to make, you’ve got to add a couple things and ‘em simmer. . . . .

N

Holiday Jitters

Are you tired of the holidays yet? Are you beginning to worry about what you are going to get so-and-so? Are you bored at work?

No, no and kinda for me.

This morning on the CBS 2 Early Show, Senior Editor Nancy Miller of Wired Magazine (one of my fav mags!) talked about random Christmas time to-dos. One such to-do is the great online marketing agent created by Office Max called ‘Elf Yourself’. You go to the website, upload your picture and your face is superimposed onto the body of an elf. You can upload your voice to personalize it even more. The little critter can dance too. It’s neat. This is a cute way to kill some time while on the job, plus you can send the little critter as a joyous link to family and friends. Apparently, over 65 million have done so already. Miller estimated 8 elves are being created every second. Yeah, I couldn’t get fully develop my elf so I will have to try later. Go to http://www.elfyourself.com/.

Another time buster, Simponize yourself at http://www.simponizeme.com/. Courtesy of Burger King.

GIFT IDEAS FOR...

Hot Mamma:

Lotions & Potions. I always like scents and flavors. I don't have a signature scent and hate to smell like other people. I will avoid certain scents if I know they are popular or if I must have it, I'll mix it with something else to create my own thing. Some flavors I like are Satsuma Body Butter - The Body Shop; Paradise Found and Lavendar Souffle - Origins; Mimosa Hair Honey... OH, and SweetHoneyDip-ChocolateBrownSugah Body Butter (lawd you could eat it!)- Carol's Daughter; Love Spell Body Splash - Victoria's Secret; and Fort Greene Body Butter - Eva Handmade Beauty. See, I like a variety of things.

Pajamas. Don’t front. A good pair of PJs is always nice. Especially if they are breathable cotton with a high thread count.

Notecards. A woman should always have a good set of stationary to send Thank You notes, Thinking of You notes, or Secret Lover notes. An added touch is to add her name or initials to the notecards. Visit Kate’s Paperie or Papyrus for a large selection of classy styles. {Pictured upper left: Beaded Chrysanthemum – Keepsake from Papyrus}

The Dapper Dude:

Pocket Square. Look into Bobby Joseph. His online store has fly shit that includes sweaters and weird, cute little hand-crafted bears.

Pocketwatch. Classic and simple.

Accessory box. Not a jewelry box (even though it really is the same thing). Something he can keep his watches in (yes, they do sell separate watch boxes, I know), cufflinks, tie pins, etc. Help him get organized. {Pictured right: men's accessories box from Red Envelope}

Party hostess-with the mostess:

Cupcakes or cookies! If you can cook, food is always great. Or just buy the item. A three-tier stand stacked with mini cupcakes and or cookies. Cupcakes and cookies can be decorated in such a pretty manner that even if they are nasty, they look great. You can even make celebrity gingerbread cookies as seen on Chow.com. {Pictured left}

• Flowers and a pitcher. Once the flowers die, they can reuse the vase. Check out Crate & Barrel for nice, inexpensive vases.


• Fruit. Edible Arrangements does a great job of jazzing up your basic fruit platter.

Barware. Hey, this could work for guys and dolls alike. I like the D.D. Bullet Cocktail Shaker by Potterybarn. {Pictured right}

Pet people (I am one!):

Dog bowl. Fill the dog bowl with a couple of dog toys, snacks, and various generic treats. You don’t know if the pet has allergies, so play it safe with the generic treats.

Nice leash, collar or accessories. Avoid clothes. Especially if you don’t know the size. {Pictured left: Holiday Pet Antlers from Trixie & Peanut}

Pet Spa. Treat their pet to luxury grooming. It is a really cute idea.

If all else fails, a giftcard is always good!


Until next time…
Be Seen at the Top!

The Real HU?

The Big Apple Classic went down Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The games were Virginia Union vs. Bowie State and Hampton vs. Howard. I got there late and the PR people had wrapped up for the evening. Therefore, they didn’t have the credentials and didn’t know who had what information (does so-and-so have this or does she have that?) The media seats were assigned, but no one told us (SLAM mag Senior Editor and myself) where to go so we just sat wherever – later to find our real seats.

I tell you, the first game was a blur. The boys playing looked like grown-ass men. They were all tatted up, full beards, some even looking like they owed child support. The VA Union team’s coach was just screaming. I’m like ‘For what?’ We sat next to their bench so we heard all the antics. The team looked frazzled. I don’t even think Union had a personal trainer. At one point in the game, the athletes had to massage each other! Lol

So the game I really came to see was Hampton vs. Howard. Hampton Institute University holds a special place in my heart. My family has a looong standing history with Hampton. My grandfather helped to build one of the dorms while a student at the Institute (his father, Charles Wesley Murrell, Sr. - was the head master of Hampton Normal School for freed Black slaves and Native Americans. There are archive letters between he and my great-grandmother while she was living in Cuba (before she came the States)); numerous cousins attended; and my Mom was Ms. Hampton 1974-1975 (she was the first Ms. Hampton to be in Ebony magazine – the first time they did that campaign).

When the announcer called ‘The Real HU’ game, the crowd went WILD. Our true media seats ended up being directly in front of the Hampton crowd. They were quite entertaining. All you could hear was, “H.I.U. I love, I love, I love my H.I.U!” An administrator told us they brought 5 bus loads of kids. They were so proud to be there – drinking beer, painted faces, singing songs. The Howard side got ready and did their thing. Their band was on point and the cheerleaders were much better organized. Even the Bison mascots had it together. They brought two the male and female. Hampton’s mascot is a Pirate, however, I don’t understand why and HBCU had a White, blue-eyed Pirate.

Hampton’s starting line-up was:
#1 – Matthew Pilgrim, Forward, 6’8, 225lbs.
#3 – Rashad West, Guard, 6’1, 175
#13 – Jordan Brooks, Guard, 5’9 (Um, he was more like 5’4) 165lbs.
#21 – Mike Freeman, Forward, 6’8, 220lbs.
#31 – Donte Harrison, Forward/Center, 6’9, 220lbs.

Howard’s starting line-up:
#00 Curtis White, Guard, 6’4, 195lbs.
#1 – Kandi Mukole, Forward, 6’8, 215lbs.
(the Hampton crowd had a field day with his name telling him that his Momma knew he would be sweet, that’s why she named him Kandi. I just knew someone breakout singing Cameo)
#5 – Adam Walker, Forward, 6’8, 190lbs.
#10 – Randy Hampton, Forward, 6’5, 190lbs.
#33 – Eugene Myatt, Center, 6’5, 210lbs.

Myatt scored the first point of the game which was a 3pt for Howard. Hampton screamed ‘Hey, you, #54 you suck!” So Paul Kirkpatrick, Center, 6’9, 220lbs came back with a gentle slam dunk. Hampton couldn’t get it together from the right wing. They couldn’t shoot worth a damn from the sides. But when it came to antagonizing the opposing team, the sideline had the players back. It was amusing. The crowd told Howard to miss and they did. At one point, Howard’s #15 – Kyle Riley, Guard, 6’3, 180lbs. got faked out by someone and fell. It was quite embarrassing. As he layed on his back, everyone in MSG said “Ooooo”. It wasn’t expected and happened so fast. I can’t even tell you who broke the kid’s ankles.

By ½ time the score was 28-13 Hampton. Sad. I didn’t think Howard would make 30pts. I mean even in NBA Live, if you’re down by 21pts start over. Well this was read life and Hampton kept on… like a big brother teaching his lil bro a lesson.

As you can probably tell, most of my excitement came from the sideline commentary. Hampton shouted at their own coach to put them in the game so the players could rest and not waste their time. They yelled at #33 Eugene Myatt saying “Eugene, I know you must be mad. You should tell your coach that you hate him. Tel him that you don’t want to play anymore. Tell him that you want to go home and read a book.” One kid said, “This is the worst blow-out I’ve seen in the last 20yrs and I’m only 18!” Hilarious. Lmao.

Howard’s sideline was quiet. I mean what could they say. They were getting whooped. The cheerleaders kept a goodface – uh, well, they should. It got to the point where Hampton cheered when Howard finally made 30pts off a foul and they sighed “Aw” when the kid missed his second freethrow.

The game ended with Hampton singing “Hooooward. H.U. We whooped that ass. Whooped that ass” while doing the soul clap. Score 65-31 Hampton.

If anything, it was entertaining.


Until next time…

Be Seen at the Top!