Here they are in no particular order:
1) Shia LaBeouf
2) Lance Gross
3) Common
4) Laz Alonso
5) Paul Rudd
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Day 12: Five Guys I Find Attractive
I want to preface this post with the fact that I have a great appreciation for "man candy." =P
Here they are in no particular order:
1) Shia LaBeouf
2) Lance Gross
3) Common
4) Laz Alonso
5) Paul Rudd
Here they are in no particular order:
1) Shia LaBeouf
2) Lance Gross
3) Common
4) Laz Alonso
5) Paul Rudd
Friday, September 2, 2011
Day 11: Mi Familia
The word family is still an unfolding definition for me.
I am the oldest of five- two brothers and a sister from my father, and a sister from my mom.
In a nutshell, family = complicated in both the family tree and the relationship sense.
Both my mother and father have very distant family dynamics.
My mom is African-American and was raised as an only child. On my mother's side, I don't know my grandfather and most of my cousins on my grandmother's side live out of state. Hence, I was not raised with them.
My father Cuban & Bajan and is the youngest of 4. I didn't meet my father until I was 18, and only now at 26 am I actually meeting members of his side of the family, like my brothers, step-mom, cousins, etc. He is also not very connected with his family.
Its only in the past few months of greater interaction with my father's side of the family that I realize that my working definition of what is family is very much limited. I don't know what it functionally looks like, and how to maneuver in it. This is due to 1) having non-existent relationships with extended family, and 2) being met with great responsibility within my family unit. I'm in the process of trying to build relationship with the members of my family on both sides, right now more so on my father's side since I don't know them at all, as opposed to my mom's side where we at least know one another as family, though distant.
My family experiences definitely warrant some sessions on Dr. Phil's couch. Its been a a hard road trying to reconcile the desire for family, the desire for present parents, family stability, sisterhood, sibling relationship... with the reality of what I know and have experienced, with the massive back story that shapes and explains why things are the way they are.
My hope for the future with my family is that relationships can be created, mended, rectified, strengthened, deepened, and unified. In many respects this leaves me as the one to keep people connected (particularly on my mom's side). I can only hope and pray that I don't pass on the same experiences to my future family and children because it certainly isn't easy.
I am the oldest of five- two brothers and a sister from my father, and a sister from my mom.
In a nutshell, family = complicated in both the family tree and the relationship sense.
Both my mother and father have very distant family dynamics.
My mom is African-American and was raised as an only child. On my mother's side, I don't know my grandfather and most of my cousins on my grandmother's side live out of state. Hence, I was not raised with them.
My father Cuban & Bajan and is the youngest of 4. I didn't meet my father until I was 18, and only now at 26 am I actually meeting members of his side of the family, like my brothers, step-mom, cousins, etc. He is also not very connected with his family.
Its only in the past few months of greater interaction with my father's side of the family that I realize that my working definition of what is family is very much limited. I don't know what it functionally looks like, and how to maneuver in it. This is due to 1) having non-existent relationships with extended family, and 2) being met with great responsibility within my family unit. I'm in the process of trying to build relationship with the members of my family on both sides, right now more so on my father's side since I don't know them at all, as opposed to my mom's side where we at least know one another as family, though distant.
My family experiences definitely warrant some sessions on Dr. Phil's couch. Its been a a hard road trying to reconcile the desire for family, the desire for present parents, family stability, sisterhood, sibling relationship... with the reality of what I know and have experienced, with the massive back story that shapes and explains why things are the way they are.
My hope for the future with my family is that relationships can be created, mended, rectified, strengthened, deepened, and unified. In many respects this leaves me as the one to keep people connected (particularly on my mom's side). I can only hope and pray that I don't pass on the same experiences to my future family and children because it certainly isn't easy.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Day 10: Do the Ipod Shuffle
- The Temptations- Just My Imagination
- Carlos Santana- Nothing At All (Feat. Musiq)
- Mariah Carey- Fantasy
- Mariah Carey- Dream Lover
- Aaliyah- 4 Page Letter
- Kirk Whalum- Falling In Love With Jesus
- Kelly Price- This is Who I Am
- Destiny's Child- Lose My Breath
- Jill Scott- Cross My Mind
- Beyonce- Check On It (Club Mix)
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Day 9: Importance of Education
Today is August 31st, which for many signals the end of the summer vacation, and the beginning of a new school year. This year for me is particularly different since I am starting at a new school teaching 11st grade US History, Advisory and an elective course which I'm trying to make into a spoken word class. Its a bittersweet moment- the gaining of new opportunities but the loss of the familiarity and relationships that came with my old job. I'm going to miss my students; the chance to guide them to graduation and beyond, to see them grow and mature, to guide them through the day to day... I miss my babies. I don't regret my decision to leave, but it doesn't make it an easy one by any means.
This new opportunity affords me the chance to further educate myself, develop, and grow within this profession, as well as work with a group of students who don't have the same opportunities as my last group of students. I know I'll develop new relationships, and have new "babies", and God-willing have the opportunity to impact new lives. Teaching is not just a job for me, it is the chance to breathe life into each body that sits in my classroom, life through education.
----------------------------------------------------
Education is imperative. It is a non-negotiable. It is the prerequisite to the rest of one's life. Education or the lack thereof can open windows or slam doors shut. Growing up, education, specifically college was a non-option. It wasn't something that I was beaten over the head with. Rather, it was a matter-of-fact reality of life. Watching shows like The Cosby Show and A Different World made college seem exciting and desirable. Knowing my mother and grandmother's sacrifices to be college educated showed me the importance of education. Admittedly, it makes it difficult to truly grasp why college, let alone high school, becomes an "option" in this day and age. A bachelor's degree has become the new high school diploma. There are jobs out there today that won't even look at you if you don't have a master's degree.
A large part of the reason as to why I teach and form the relationships I create with my students is because I know how important education is. I teach not just for my students to learn a set of facts, but to also learn about life and themselves. I form personal relationships with them in the hopes of making my "product" relevant to their lives. Education broadens not just your opportunities, but your perspective in life. It challenges you. It stretches you. It makes you a more well-rounded person if you let it. So in my conversations with my students, I work to show them how the point A of education can get them to point B, the rest of their lives. I understand that traditional college may not be for everyone, but you have to at minimum graduate high school and pursue some sort of career training outside of high school.
Its because of the importance of a college degree that college should be a lot cheaper here in the states. (another conversation for another time...)
As I prepare to embark on another school year, I am reflective on the importance of education, and what methodologies I can use to bring this knowledge and realization to my classroom. Wish me luck.
This new opportunity affords me the chance to further educate myself, develop, and grow within this profession, as well as work with a group of students who don't have the same opportunities as my last group of students. I know I'll develop new relationships, and have new "babies", and God-willing have the opportunity to impact new lives. Teaching is not just a job for me, it is the chance to breathe life into each body that sits in my classroom, life through education.
----------------------------------------------------
Education is imperative. It is a non-negotiable. It is the prerequisite to the rest of one's life. Education or the lack thereof can open windows or slam doors shut. Growing up, education, specifically college was a non-option. It wasn't something that I was beaten over the head with. Rather, it was a matter-of-fact reality of life. Watching shows like The Cosby Show and A Different World made college seem exciting and desirable. Knowing my mother and grandmother's sacrifices to be college educated showed me the importance of education. Admittedly, it makes it difficult to truly grasp why college, let alone high school, becomes an "option" in this day and age. A bachelor's degree has become the new high school diploma. There are jobs out there today that won't even look at you if you don't have a master's degree.
A large part of the reason as to why I teach and form the relationships I create with my students is because I know how important education is. I teach not just for my students to learn a set of facts, but to also learn about life and themselves. I form personal relationships with them in the hopes of making my "product" relevant to their lives. Education broadens not just your opportunities, but your perspective in life. It challenges you. It stretches you. It makes you a more well-rounded person if you let it. So in my conversations with my students, I work to show them how the point A of education can get them to point B, the rest of their lives. I understand that traditional college may not be for everyone, but you have to at minimum graduate high school and pursue some sort of career training outside of high school.
Its because of the importance of a college degree that college should be a lot cheaper here in the states. (another conversation for another time...)
As I prepare to embark on another school year, I am reflective on the importance of education, and what methodologies I can use to bring this knowledge and realization to my classroom. Wish me luck.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Day 8: What Did I Eat Today?
I ate...
Breakfast- Cinnamon english muffin & a small bowl of grapes
Lunch- margarita pizza slice & garlic knots
Snack- bowl of frosted Rice Krispies; whipped cream
Dinner- Popeyes chicken
Dessert- 2 chocolate chip cookies
Breakfast- Cinnamon english muffin & a small bowl of grapes
Lunch- margarita pizza slice & garlic knots
Snack- bowl of frosted Rice Krispies; whipped cream
Dinner- Popeyes chicken
Dessert- 2 chocolate chip cookies
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Day 7: Five Pet Peeves
Five things that make me cringe...
Liars
Loud popping sounds
Creased books & papers
Bad drivers
Pedestrians & Bike riders (not all, just the annoying ones)
- Arrogance
- Stubbornness
- Poor grammar & spelling
- "Alot" instead of "a lot" is the top of that list.
- Sticky/dirty fingers (I wash/wipe my hands a lot)
- Personal space invaders
Liars
Loud popping sounds
Creased books & papers
Bad drivers
Pedestrians & Bike riders (not all, just the annoying ones)
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Day 6: Feelings on Mainstream Music
Can we actually refer to the mass marketed, cookie-cutter, over-sexualized, auto-tune/club beats stuff they overplay on the radio music today?
When I think of music, I think of the music I was exposed to growing up- The Temptations, The Beatles, The Isley Brothers, Lauryn Hill, SWV, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men... artists who believed in actually singing, with real lyrics, harmonies, and production value. These and many other artists have songs, shoot albums, that are classic and ultimately timeless. And yes, during these times, there were those artists that were much more commercialized, and/or more risque. I mean, who really wants their young child singing, "I wanna sex you up" or pretty much anything by Lil' Kim or Foxy Brown. But, even in those instances, there was actual talent present, even if the songs themselves were not appropriate for wider audiences.
Today'sartists entertainers have reduced us to such classic lyrics such as "I just wanna f*** every girl in the world," "wheelchair stuntin'- Spongebob making crabby patties," or "sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me." Mainstream music today is "aight" for parties and one hit wonders. And admittedly, there are those songs out there that as much as I want to hate on it do catch my ear. (I had to hate myself for lovin' Waka Flocka's No Hands but that sucka was catchy). But to find real music by real artists who are about the craft, for the most part you have to look underground, which is sad.
Sadly, I feel the same applies to gospel music today as well. Gospel is what I grew up on and secular was something that came later. I don't even really follow gospel today because of it. In a recent conversation with a friend, he commented on how back in the day it was gospel music that influenced our secular music. It was artists who came out of the church who took that same sound and brought it to the masses. Today it's the opposite, with gospel biting off of the secular to still seem "hip" or "modern."
Bottom line, whatever happened to originality and actual musical talent in mainstream music?
When I think of music, I think of the music I was exposed to growing up- The Temptations, The Beatles, The Isley Brothers, Lauryn Hill, SWV, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men... artists who believed in actually singing, with real lyrics, harmonies, and production value. These and many other artists have songs, shoot albums, that are classic and ultimately timeless. And yes, during these times, there were those artists that were much more commercialized, and/or more risque. I mean, who really wants their young child singing, "I wanna sex you up" or pretty much anything by Lil' Kim or Foxy Brown. But, even in those instances, there was actual talent present, even if the songs themselves were not appropriate for wider audiences.
Today's
Sadly, I feel the same applies to gospel music today as well. Gospel is what I grew up on and secular was something that came later. I don't even really follow gospel today because of it. In a recent conversation with a friend, he commented on how back in the day it was gospel music that influenced our secular music. It was artists who came out of the church who took that same sound and brought it to the masses. Today it's the opposite, with gospel biting off of the secular to still seem "hip" or "modern."
Bottom line, whatever happened to originality and actual musical talent in mainstream music?