1016: Ten Sixteen

hello...

2011-03-01T20:26:00.000-08:00

Stay In Your Lane

2010-04-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Greatest Show in TV History

2010-03-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hey! So, yeah, I've been MIA. What's new right? I'm blogging up a storm elsewhere (Change, Black Voices, Lemondrop and even my own pieces of 'Net, Uptown Literati and Fille).

I've discovered a new use for this blog, though. The Wire! The Greatest Show on TV, one of the faves.

[me and my beloved series! p.s. totally not naked in pic, wearing strapless top]

I just got the complete series from my sister as a gift and I'll be gracing you guys with commentary on all 60 episodes *silent scream*!

Women's Nude Bodies Still Media's Preferred Currency

2010-02-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

Originally written for Change.org.

As a woman endowed with lady parts of any size, take note: Your body is a tool to be used for profit, shock value and publicity. And when a company or cause wants to send a message, you and your ilk will no doubt be called upon to strip down and show the boys what you got.

The latest offender is Love magazine, a new fashion magazine that grabbed attention by putting plus-sized singer and columnist Elizabeth Ditto on their inaugural cover last summer (she later claimed that her image was altered to appear bigger than her actual body size). Their octople-cover third issue features top models wearing nothing but their birthday suits. What else could we expect from such a classy mag?

Of course they have a very good reason for baring the ladies' skin: "We took eight women who are generally acknowledged as the most beautiful in the world, got them to show off their bodies -- widely regarded as the most perfect in the world -- and photographed them all in exactly the same position for for the cover," Editor-in-Chief Katie Grand said. "We did this to show how much they differed physically from one another, which is why we also printed their measurements."

I don't believe for a second that they seriously thought that people would see eight nude super-models, including Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, and begin to see the beauty in their differences. Besides, their measurements may vary slightly, but all eight models are stick thin. Not exactly a celebration of diversity. And I'm not about promoting fatness or thinness or any other body type as ideal or normal or "real" (I mean, Naomi Campbell is just as real of a woman as I am), but I don't think that exploiting the nude female form provides any awareness for anything but the magazine. And if Love is about self-promotion and shock value at any costs, the least they could do is own up to it.

Another issue is the fact that a nude woman has become the advertisement du jour. PETA routinely exploits women for the betterment of their cause. Men's magazines and network TV shows may not be able to show the entree, but they definitely advertise female near-nudity as a side dish. Films with gratuitous female nudity like Monster's Ball are rewarded and applauded for their "edgy" love scenes that conveniently keep the men protected. These images aren't celebrating femininity or the human body; they're used purely to draw attention to a product (or, in PETA's case, an idea) that is being pushed.

And if the shoe were on the other foot, with males being asked to bear everything for the sake of commerce, would these types of outcomes still be acceptable? Doubtful.

Love Put Eight Naked Supermodels on the Cover to Show How Different Their Measurements Are

Overheard on IM: The Occoasional Chubby-Chaser

2010-01-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

IMFriend: are u attracted to fat guys?

or chubby guys

me: maybe

are u?

IMFriend: not at all

me: lowl

IMF: i am not like [friend] at all

"i keeps me a plus sized man"

vomit

me: LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

IMF: there is always that football player or teddy bear exception

me: she's a chubby-chaser!

IMF: but by and large, nope

yup she is

she used to say two fat ppl cant be together

I guess she re-nigged on that

I don't want my man to have curves

me: LMAO

real men have curves!

IMF: no real men love Jesus lol

me: You say that like they're mutually exclusive

everybody knows Moses had a little junk

well Moses didn't love Jesus, bad example

Paul

Paul was a full-figured man

IMF: who told u that?

ROFL @ full figured

me: nobody

IMF: ROFL

me: I'm making it up

IMF: I'm not gone sit here and listen to your lies!

like Nene

Good online times!

'I Had An Abortion'

2010-01-22T11:02:00.001-08:00

I really haven't had an abortion, but if I had I would hope that I wouldn't be ashamed to acknowledge the fact, especially since today is the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the monumental Supreme Court ruling that gave women the right to choose.

[Gloria Steinem]

I titled this post "I Had An Abortion" after a landmark Ms. magazine campaign that featured notable women unabashedly supporting their decisions. They did the campaign again in 2006.

I think it's incredibly important for Black women to be a part of the pro-choice discussion, not only to support the legality of abortions, but also to help take away the stigma the practice has in our communities. I don't think anyone, of any culture or ethnicity, is thrilled to think of women getting abortions, but Black people in particular are vigilant in their out-and-out non-support or in their silence. It has something to do with the gnarled relationship with "The Church" and our stricter, more absolute ideas about sluts and virgins, that shames a lot of Black women out of getting them or of ever speaking out about their experiences.

TheRoot.com ran a really excellent piece today encouraging Black pro-choicers not to sit out the debate. Here's a passage:

To the untrained eye, it would appear that African Americans are not concerned with abortion rights, one way or another. But that perception could not be further from reality.

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control, black women accounted for 36.4 percent of all abortion services performed in 2006. Black women are roughly 8.5 percent of the national population, yet we seek more pregnancy termination services than other minority groups. Yet, when the right to choose is under siege, many in our community choose to remain silent.

Google "African Americans and abortion," and you’ll find many links to sites decrying "genocide" and how "Planned Parenthood has killed more blacks than the Ku Klux Klan;" few provide straightforward information about abortion statistics in the African-American community. Discussions about race and reproductive rights are hard to navigate. Statistically, African Americans are more religious than the general population in the United States; most major religions frown upon the practice of abortion. Then there’s the fact that African Americans have had a unique history in America: We’ve often been the targets of sterilization programs. (Along with American Indian, mentally handicapped and Puerto Rican women living on the island.) The original founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was also a staunch believer in eugenics, and made specific references to "racial regeneration" through the promotion of abortion.

Where do you stand on the issue? Ever had an abortion? Ever had a baby?

Read: Blacks and Roe v. Wade [TheRoot.com]

STFU: YourTango.com's 'Is Interracial Dating Racist'

2010-01-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

In doing my duty for Lemondrop, I ran across this story on YourTango.com called "Is Interracial Dating Racist?" I clicked on the deceptive picture of a White man and Black woman and was shocked to see that they were rehashing and opining about ReggieGate--the online scandal created after Essence made Reggie Bush the cover man for their Black Men, Love and Relationships issue.

Here's a snippet of the story, penned by Rajul Punjabi (I googled to see what her deal was, but could only find a Facebook page):

Essence magazine has caused a bit of a stir by putting NFL yum-yum Reggie Bush on the cover of February's "Black men, love, and relationships" issue. It seems that his status as Mr. Kim Kardashian has a lot of panties in a knot—and not in a good way.

She went on to quote a BET.com blog that had captured a bit of the Essence.com comments about the cover and said this (emphasis mine) :

One crotchety commenter says, "Why put a man who clearly prefers the bottom of the barrel of white women than a good black woman on your cover? Clearly, he has no love for the sisters. This magazine is supposed to empower black women not remind us of the disadvantages that we face in today's society. Please don't insult our intelligence."

But in this day and age, a committed, loving relationship—like that of "Bush and the Tush"—should to be celebrated rather than berated. We applaud Essence and Reggie Bush—because empowerment begins with an open mind.

Did I miss something? How do you know Reggie and Kim have a "committed, loving relationship?" It was my understanding that it was sort of on-again-off-again. Why should it be celebrated?

And if she's implying that Essence should be applauded for being tolerant of interracial relationships, that's a moot point. From what I understand, Essence wasn't trying to make a statement about Reggie and Kim or about interracial relationships. They were providing eye candy for an issue that actually celebrated Black-on-Black love.

What's the most disturbing is this whole color-blind notion. We don't live in a color-blind, colorlesss, post-racial or melting pot world. We live in a world where people have distinct ethnicities, cultures, races and colors, and that's not a bad thing. Just because people date outside of their race doesn't mean that they are not racist or more tolerant than anyone else, so interracial relationships shouldn't be "applauded" or "celebrated" on any other principle than that they presumably involve two people in love.

The entire tone of the story is also disturbing. The author writes off the outrage of black women (who were, btw, outraged at Essence, a publication that is unquestionably for black women) as petty, outdated jealousy or ignorance. These women had every right to have an opinion about a magazine that they support and that is supposed to represent their interests.

Beyond the clueless-ness of the author, the comments for the story were a whole other story. One said, "you love who you love." Err, that's great but that's not the issue here.

Another wrote, "I think that the women who complained about this article are exactly the reason they can't find that Black man they want. They are too busy worrying about the ones who are taken." Since when did expressing an opinion make you an undesirable romantic partner? And again, missing the issue.

I noticed after this whole scandal went down last week that a lot of women had this "I don't see what the big deal is" attitude towards the cover. If you don't have an opinion about it, good for you, but don't belittle other people and make them feel like they are overreacting for having a discussion about a publication that is for them, supported by them and, ultimately, should be aware of their concerns. I'm sure the folks at Essence were happy for the feedback, so don't attempt to write off the issue as trivial just because it didn't hit one of your nerves.

Read:

YourTango: Is Interracial Dating Racist?

A Belle In Brooklyn: Reflections: Reggie Bush

The Beautiful Struggler: Deep Cover

V Magazine's 'Size' Issue: Getting Warmer

2010-01-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

[Gabourey Sidibe, who everyone says is 250-pounds, covers V's "Size" issue. Another cover features teeny Dakota Fanning]

Most magazine's have some sort of special issue that celebrates the beauty-maligned: Vogue does their annual Age issue to prove that (shocker!) women retain and even acquire great style past age 40; Glamour did a Size issue that they made sure was seen 'round the world. The purpose of that seemed to be more, "See, perfectly-proportioned women are hot even when they're not really skinny."

With the average American woman wearing a double-digit dress size (I didn't have to research that fact; it's everywhere), media companies are running and jumping on the plus-size bandwagon. But most do it really, really wrong.

First off, instead of assuming that different women have different bodies, most of the packages have a sort of zoo animal feel to them that assumes that the reader is thin and learning something new about being plus-sized, when the reality is probably the reverse. And the women are always marginalized. Like, "here's the fat people section," instead of casually dropping a few bigger models in a spread or on the cover of the magazine. The ta-da factor, if you will, is annoying.

[To their credit, the Glamour's plus-size spread was gorgeous]

V's Size issue is pretty great though. From what I've seen online, they truly celebrate women's bodies instead of giving themselves a pat on the back for recognizing the non-thin population (I'm jabbing you, Glamour).

And, really, I think that's all women want: A celebration of who we are, just as we are. So many magazines seem to exist to change us, to get us to be our best selves, which in and of itself assumes that we aren't already satisfied. There's talk of how to get a man (singledom is hell, y'all) and how to lose weight (fatties to the back) and how to get whiter teeth and how to protect ourselves against breast cancer and how to get pregnant and how to, how to, how to, how to.

[“I loved the opportunity to show that you can be beautiful and sexy outside the narrow interpretations that normally define us,” said V's photog Solve Sundsbo]

What I also love is the fleshiness of the models in the V shoot. I know that sounds pervy, but whenever you see plus-sized models in magazines they've always been posed or airbrushed to appear as these perfectly proportioned people that are just slightly bigger than the average model, and probably around the same size as the average woman. V's shoot seems to not be afraid to show a little jelly. Again, I mean that in the least pervy way.

What do you think of "Size" issues?

Plus-size models buck thin trend in V magazine -- MSNBC.com

Baby Mama Drama

2009-12-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

Do you want to get married? Do you know why you want to get married? If you actually answered these questions, you probably sprouted off some trite answer like "companionship" or something about the Bible. I'm not so sure there really is a compelling argument for marriage...at least not for me. I don't knock other people's choices, but I'm not 100 percent that will be the end-all for me.

This is completely opposite of my family and how I was raised. My family is Black, Southern, Christian and conservative. We don't shack (that's living with a boyfriend/girlfriend without the benefit of marriage, for the uninitiated), we don't have shotgun weddings (when the first baby's an unseen guest at the wedding reception) and we don't become baby mamas. Period.

So when I read A Belle In Brooklyn's treatise on Black women and single motherhood, I was prepared to roll my eyes and disagree with yet another snobbish, elitist, East Coast conservative view of unmarried women and their threat to the family values of Black America. But I didn't. I thought her reflections were an attempt to understand what is going on and relay her own experiences. Above all, she seemed to be searching for answers.

Here's a little of what she wrote:

I don’t judge “trends” by what celebs do because they are a lil’ different than the masses (and I also don’t think being popular or talented makes you an automatic “role model”), but the prevalence of single Black moms in “reality” is backed up by the by the numbers— 70% of Black children are born to unwed mothers. And in case you think that’s just manipulated stats at work, the writer-icon (a very involved Mommy) estimates that four out of five women that she talks to about mommy-stuff are single moms.

I thought this was interesting and telling. When I envision my perfect family life, I don't necessarily see a ring or a wedding album, but I see a man by my side and children. When I hear that 70 percent of Black children born to unwed mothers I know (from my own interactions with Black women and children) that those kids won't have a consistent man in their lives. I know that their mothers want to get married, they want the white dress, ring and fond memories of Pop Pop doing the electric slide at the reception.

Belle's blog assumed something that I don't necessarily see as true: That when women get married, they stay married, thereby ensuring that family structure throughout the child's life. This doesn't usually happen for American families and is even more unlikely for Black American families.

Overall, I like that someone is talking about the Black family, because we do have a lot of work to do. Not to get "back" to any perceived familial utopia, but to move forward and get to place where we are more functional. For some that may include marriage, and for others something else.

Read: Reflections: Single Mothers

--Whitney

Disconnect: Cosmetics + Career

2009-12-26T16:43:00.000-08:00

Why is that when a woman is successful and stylish or successful and beautiful, both of those traits have to be acknowledged, as if they are expected to be mutually exclusive?

Example: "Producer [of London's production of Legally Blonde]Sonia Friedman says she, 'Identified with Elle. It's embarrassing, but I did. Elle is a great role model for women. She shows that there's nothing wrong with wearing pretty clothes and lipstick, while still being a strong woman.'" [via Jezebel.com]

Huh? Whoever said that being a strong women meant forgoing style and cosmetics?

It's sometimes hard for me to understand how it was for older women who climbed corporate ladders and broke glass ceilings and what-not, but it's annoying when women like Elle Woods are supposed to be a world apart from other career women because they like pink. Oy vey.

Black Feminism: Uncool But So Necessary

2009-11-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

[What does a Black Feminist look like?]

Modern Feminism is hot, hot, hot, and probably has been since Gloria Steinem, donning the most mod pair of glasses ever, hit the international stage with intelligence, style and a gang of White supporters.

I have identified as a feminist for a short while, probably less than two years, but I've made up for lost time by voraciously consuming pro-women's media (Cosmopolitan doesn't count) and staying abreast of and supporting campaigns, elections and movements that help women. There are young feminists, old feminists, feminist blogs, feminist Twitters, feminist magazines, but there aren't any Black feminists.

Oh sure, there are Black women who call themselves feminists (like me), but women exploring the gnarled, juxtaposed relationship between race, class and gender? Not really. And if they're there, they're not buoyed up like their White counterparts. Even mainstream media doesn't ignore Black women, but they make the fatal mistake of attempting to discuss our gender and social station without also discussing race and class, which makes any argument only surface-level.

I want to do that. My friend and Twitter soulmate Nikita wants to do that. I'm sure there are other Black women that want to.

Food for thought:

"Black feminism argues that sexism, class oppression, and racism are inextricably bound together"

In Search of Our Mother's Gardens: Womanist Prose by Alice Walker

Womanist Musings.com

Latoya Peterson, the hip-hop feminist, is amazing...Google her ("older feminists being insensitive to issues of race, class or sexuality")

Erica Kennedy's a feminista

Rebecca's Walker's "How my mother's fanatical feminist views tore us apart"

Rebecca Walker on Twitter

Tales of the Public School Nothings

2009-11-02T07:22:00.000-08:00

“Why do you talk like that?” “You’re not like those Black kids.”

Before I donned the standard white dress of my fifth grade graduation, I had heard phrases like that all too many times. According to a report from National Public Radio titled “Mind the Gap: Why Good Schools are Failing Black Students,” I was something of a “straddler,” or Black kids that navigate the rift between privileged classmates in advanced academic programs and the friends they leave behind, mainly Blacks and Latinos without the same societal expectations. This peculiar duality that many minorities experience is precisely one of the reasons why schools are failing them.

At my neighborhood elementary school, I took classes in a small annex that was dubbed “the pod,” where the city’s only elementary Magnet program was housed. While the greater school was predominantly African-American, the Magnet school was mostly White. I excelled in my classes and still managed to retain neighborhood friendships, though both sets of peers regarded me as something of an oddity. I didn’t appear to subscribe to the limited and often negative view of Black achievement, as others did.

And because of my educational environment, I was taught: challenged, constructively criticized, encouraged, and rewarded. I was told that I was smart, and expected to behave accordingly. My teachers were given positive cues on how to deal with me because of my past markings. And while my education was the best that my city could inexpensively offer, it often felt that my schooling was nothing more than an accident, a byproduct of being in a class full of White students that the teachers were eager to reach.

But the real achievement wasn’t a Black girl making the grades, rather a Black girl making the grades without “selling out.” “Mind the Gap,” spoke to students in Northern New Jersey who were straddling the space between achievement and authentic African-Americana, which are often seen as being contrary.

At the core of this issue is a damaged sense of self in the Black community that is reinforced by academic tracking, which is often prejudiced and biased. Black children who make it to honors, Advanced Placement, or Magnet classes (in and of itself a feat at some schools) find themselves ostracized and forced to deal with social implications never present for White or Asian students, who see themselves all throughout the top tier of their school’s hierarchy.

There are certainly Black success stories within public schools. I did well throughout primary school and attended a prestigious all-Black college on a full scholarship. I graduated in three years and am now a writer. It’s not a stretch to say that in the gamble that is the nation’s public schools, I won. But what can be done about the losers?

The solution certainly isn’t a simple one, but part of it should be a representative sampling of ethnicities at all levels of education. Standing against this, as “Mind the Gap” proved, are the middle class parents who are mobilized and ready to fight for their kids’ spots at the top. But the question that’s never asked is, “What have those children done to deserve their status?” Is it really a question of intelligence or hard work, or have those children simply been dealt a winning hand?

Listen to the documentary in its entirety at www.prx.org.

Don't I Look Like a Feminist?

2009-10-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get someone to tell me how I can become a full-fledged member of feminism's third wave...to no avail. Oh well, at least this pic makes me look informed, intelligent and infuriated.

-- Whitney

Project FAIL

2009-10-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Hello (in a sad voice). I miss this little blog! I feel like I haven't posted in forever, even though I was getting some momentum earlier in the year. The culprit is, as it always is, my maniacal, obsessive personality.

You see, I started a book blog with one of the my best friends. It's called Uptown Literati and it's got a blogspot, but we've also got a dot com and we update daily and we have contributors and we do interviews and we just joined a blog network and we also have a weekly column on Clutch and we need to get someone to design the template and we try to Twitter a couple of times a day and we update our Facebook page too...and I'm not good at balance, which is ironic because I'm a Libra and this is my birthday month and our sign is the scales. My partner (blog partner, not life partner) still manages to keep her blog looking fresh and dazzling, despite the UL strain. I can't do that.

It's like when I get on one of my exercise kicks. I'll work out everyday at 180% until I make myself sore and don't want to work out for weeks, except that I don't get sore from being chained to my laptop. I type and type, send emails, edit posts, post posts, research partnerships, read books online, look for new contributors, connect with other nerds on Twitter, I send frantic text messages at all hours in the morning (Nicole normally ignores them...), we email back and forth all day, I spend HOURS editing posts to plump them up and make them perfect (in my eyes). I put friendships on the line, all that, and it does nothing but feed my gluttonous need to see UL succeed. Guys, it's SUCH a cute idea :)

I've also become a little obsessed with Erica Kennedy. There, I said it. She's AMAZING! She's soooo smart, and she wrote a really great book that I can't stop talking about (literally! UL blogged about it, I wrote about it on Clutch...twice!) and I can't stop checking her blog, which she updates, like thrice daily with the most relevant and interesting stories that people proceed to write the most relevant and interesting comments on. Ugh. It's an obsession. She also Twitters and I find out about other fab Twitters through her. It's really, really sad.

Sooooo...that's why I neglect you, 1016, because I'm too busy obsessing about other blogs that are not you. I apologize....

Am I Black Enough For Ya?

2009-08-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

No, actually you are not.

The crop of '80s babies whose parents sacrificed for their kids to grow up in the right neighborhoods (i.e. not a brown face in sight), attend the right schools (again, mostly white, regardless of the rigorless curriculum) and talk right (i.e. using white colloquolisms, not proper grammar) really piss me off.

In some ways, I'm one of them. Technically, I've always lived West of the interstate that runs through my hometown, either in a suburb or sufficiently close to one to be considered suburbia. I entered a Montossori program at 5, a magnet school at 6 and thus was privy to my share of "Well, that's an interesting hairstyle" comments and damn-I'm-the-only-Black-girl-at-this-sleepover-again moments.

But, on the other hand, I grew up with a huge Souhern Black family. Which meant that I always knew the latest ghetto dance, had plenty a recommendation for a good, cheap hairbraider and could hand-game with the best of them.

Because I've moved within different worlds my whole life, it always annoys me when people who are more one-sided feel superior about it. Like, "Oh, I'm a wannabe Valley girl with bad weave. I'm better than you." Or, "I'm so hoooooood. Get on my level." Either personality is annoying, but the Oreo complex is the most offensive. Mainly because it's rooted in the same prejudices that kept Black people out of those white (not rich) neighborhoods and schools. The idea that because white people embrace it, it must be better.

Just because you listen to Maroon 5, doesn't mean you have eclectic taste. It only means that you like Top 40 hits. Like the rest of the world. Just because the slang you use isn't normally heard on MLK Boulevard, doesn't mean that you're speaking the King's English. Your speak isn't "better" than so-called African-American venecular; it's just different. Just because you have "Daddy Bought It" plates on your car instead of a baby Jordan dangling from the rearview, doesn't mean you are more cultured; your culture is just not stereotypically Black. But you still are.

And again, I find it so obnoxious because the mentality behind it is "Well, this is white, so it must be better." I attended Howard University ("H-U!") and I vividly remember all of those Freshman year, "rep your set" talks. The Black-neighborhood kids against the white-neighborhood kids (I repped both), the private school folks against the public school people. The gist of what a lot of the Oreo kids would say is that their parents wanted the best for them, so sending them to ABC Avenue High School and making them the only one in their class was the best option. The school's often didn't offer any special programs or super-duper advanced classes to prepare them for a good college. They were just white.

I just never understood that. Probably because my mom was so vehemently against me and my sister going to school in predominantly White neighborhoods. She never explained to me why, but I believe it was because she understood the sense of pride and community you get when your principal, counselor, teachers and fellow students are Black. When everyone is actively engaged in the process of learning and growing, not just about academics, but also about history and culture. Maybe it was because she recognized that some of the best academic programs our city had to offer weren't at the nearby Catholic school or Joe Schmo White School, but in historically Black neighborhoods, like the one that she was raised in and where our grandmother lived.

But at the end of the day, that's high school, or middle school, or some other school that's in the past. So anyone that carries that experience around like a badge of honor, please shut up and sit down.

--Whitney

Gratuitous Inspiration

2009-07-31T11:36:00.001-07:00

I love these chicks! And the way left-side twin is rocking the strapless-high waist look is so inspiring. Boxy blazers and a empire waist? Nothing wrong with that either. I'm collecting images in the hopes that it will ignite my imagination for my fall wardrobe. Y'all know how much I love that season, and this time, I want to make it extra fly!

Besos!

The New Black

2009-06-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

[Careers in non-profit organizations are the new black]

Here's a thought: Careers at non-profits are the new magazine jobs. Let me explain. So, I was IMing my friend yesterday when we got on a pretty familiar topic.

Friend: I don't know. I think [my magazine freelancer friend] is actually leaning in another direction outside of journalism now.

Mags are over.
me: here here!
me: i think i'd like to go into nonprofits when my mag career is over

NP's are the new mag

Friend: I like that.

The demise of the magazine industry is a popular point of discussion among Journalism alums (myself included), so I've had some time to think about what my post-magazine career should be, and a non-profit is the perfect fit.

Consider this: Both careers offer fashionably low pay rates, stylishly dressed co-workers (albeit, a different sort of style) and that self-righteous attitude that can only come with industries populated by upper class white people.

To further prove my point, Stuff White People Like rated Unpaid Internships in both fields #105 on their list. They said, "White people view the internship as their foot into the door to such high-profile low-paying career fields as journalism, film, politics, art, non-profits, and anything associated with a museum. Any white person who takes an internship outside of these industries is either the wrong type of white person or a law student. There are no exceptions."

[Lisa Bonet, clutching one of her babies at the Farmers Market. How much of a stereotype can you be?]

And if the quick-to-spend, quick-to-drink Carrie Bradshaw was the woman du jour of the '90s, certainly altruistic Earth mothers like Angelina Jolie and Lisa Bonet are the It girls every yuppie or buppie worth her salt aspires to in this decade.

Media, Magazines, and Me

2009-05-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

I have an on-again, off-again love affair with women's magazines. It's well-documented throughout this blog, if you care to take a look. For example, after swearing off the book as an overrated, grown-up version of Seventeen, I bought a copy of Cosmopolitan this weekend (for research, though) and actually enjoyed flipping through it. Yes, there are much better ways to feed my mind, but sometimes it feels good to get lost in a trashy romance novel (see Cosmo's red-hot read section) or take a silly quiz about your commitment style.

[This is the issue I bought, and it rocks]

I recently listened to an old episode of Fresh Air on NPR that featured Zadie Smith. Being a literary novelist, one wouldn't expect her to be all that keen on non-news magazines, and she wasn't. She said something that struck me and stayed with me:

[Zadie Smith, author of novels like White Teeth and On Beauty]

I was glad there were no magazines for black women when I was a kid because I didn't want to read that stuff. And when I do read a lot of magazines about women I just feel very depressed and very alienated and very sad...The idea of being publicly represented, even though it was a big idea in the 80s and 90s, I think every representation is a generalization. I'd rather be my particular weirdo self than have a magazine called, I don't know, Mixed-Race Girls. I'd just rather be my own mixed-race girl, I don't really want advice on how to be a mixed-race girl.

Keep in mind that she's British, so maybe she wasn't aware of magazines like Essence or Honey when she was a teen or young adult. But I've never really been able to sum up what bothers me about women's magazines until I heard her say "I don't really want advice on how to be a mixed-race girl." I've hinted that all the self-help tips annoy me, but that seems like a really succinct way to say that most lifestyle content is about being better in some way, which is always a disaster.

Also keep in mind that I pen lifestyle content for a living, so I may be biased.

-- Whitney

On Mother's Day

2009-05-04T12:32:00.001-07:00

On Mother's Day, I have a whole lot to be thankful for, and a lot of that is wrapped up in Ronda, my mom.

I'm so thankful that she lived to raise me. I'm so thankful that she loved me, and nurtured me, and put up with my stubborness, and taught me any number of really cool things. Among them: how to make a Dairy Queen blizzard at home, how to hem my jeans, how to be a good Christian woman, how to fill out a job application and how to effectively complain about bad service at a a restaurant. I think that last one comes in handy the most.

Beyond childhood, I'm thankful that I can pick up the phone and call my mom whenever I want. My cousins, who lost their mom when they were 18 and 25 respectively, aren't that lucky.

I'm thankful that she taught me to be a good daughter and a good sister. Her and my granny were so close, they were like best friends. They called each other all day long and saw each other everyday. My mom was well into her 30s and my granny was still washing, drying and folding her clothes. And those of me and my sister, too. What can I say: the perks of being the baby of the family. My mom is also best friends with her older sisters (she has four of them). Two of them have passed away, but they were an extremely close unit of women. I learned by example that a sister is the very best thing in the world a girl can have, and nothing, not money or men, friendship or job, should weaken that bond.

I'm thankful that she loves me. Totally, unconditionally, fully and without preamble, in a way that I probably will never understand unless I have kids of my own. When I hurt, she hurts. When I'm glad, she's glad.

I'm thankful that she taught me to be my own woman. To not let others' opinions or wills dictate my life. When I was 16, she let me go off to a boarding school, even though she told me (years later) that she cried for days before I left. She knew it was a great opportunity and wasn't selfish with me. When I was 18, she put her foot down and said that I couldn't go all the way to Washington to attend Howard University. I went anyway, and I'm thankful that she challenged me. It let me realize how strong I was.

And, finally, I'm thankful that she is who she is, because it has allowed me to be who I am.

Animals: They're Just Like Us

2009-05-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of seeing earth last week with two of my girls, and I loved it! Of course, halfway through the movie, Nicole leaned over to me and said, "This is amazing. Most of this footage was on the Discovery channel show 'Planet Earth.'" Damn! So I just paid $8 (I buy the children's tickets at the kiosk. Shh, don't tell) to see something that other folks saw for free?! Well, on the show they have Sigourney Weaver narrating while the movie featured James Earl Jones, but still.

This segment of the series (I believe it will be three parts; the next part is Ocean coming Earth Day 2010) focused on mommies and babies around the planet. There was a polar bear family, a herd of elephants and a humpback whale with her baby, along with some other interesting characters thrown in.

Even if you're not nature-y (I'm completely not), you'll appreciate the careful storytelling and magnificent score of the movie. I was glued to the screen, feeling nearly every emotion along with the on-screen families. I was heartbroken when a baby elephant lost his mother in a cloud of dessert sand. He managed to follow his mom's footprints and set off on a trail, only in the wrong direction. When the humpback and her calf literally crossed the world in search of delicious vittles, I was tense as they navigated treacherous waters and were forced to loudly flap their wings so that the other would know that they were present and safe. And the adorable polar bear cubs! Seeing their first, exciting adventure outside of the cave that they were born in, watch them learn to walk on the slippery snow and eventually leave mama bear's cave, was really really cute.

Something that I kept thinking is how fortunate we humans are to have hands. The elephant, the polar bear and the humpback could only will their babies to stay close to them, and were unable to scoop them up and carry them. My friend Latrice said that I was applying human emotions to animals, but I think that we're wrong to underestimate the complexity of non-human intellect and emotion. I'm certain that any mom, human or polar bear, wishes for more ways to keep their babies close and safe from danger.

I also couldn't help but make a couple of food chain comparisons. The elephants that were forced to make themselves vulnerable to hungry lions at the watering hole, the shark that came out of nowhere to take a bite out of some very large mammal. Even though there isn't another animal out there that naturally eats humans, people are pretty good at making themselves predatory. Credit card companies, mortgage lenders, slumlords and companies that feed on the poor (hey Wal-Mart!) all come to mind when I think of human predators.

earth is a freakishly enjoyable movie, full of brilliant images, haunting music and the gentle pride that is James Earl Jones' voice. Go see immediately!

-- Whitney

Girl Genius Over Here!

2009-04-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

[No idea what this picture has to do with anything]

Have you ever come across an old email, or letter, or story and thought, "Wow, I wrote that?" We all walk around with the vague impression that we're competent and maybe mildly intelligent (well, at least I do), but every once in awhile we're forced to sit up, look in the mirror, grin slyly and think, "Damn, you're fierce."

This happened to me today as I was going through my emails from last summer. I was trying to find the cute little tree do-hicky that Hearst Corp. puts on the end of their emails that say, like, don't print this email or the Earth will perish, or something to that effect. I ran across my application to become a style writer for my absolute favorite website, Jezebel. I was just a young buck then. 22-years old, interning with the uber-fab Translation and looking for a full-time editorial gig. My cover letter (which is excerpted below) scored me an interview with the company, the opportunity to do an edit test, but no cigar. Still, I think it was pretty hot. I wrote:

The writing bug hit me around 2^nd grade (with no warning and quite rudely) and my dream since then was to work for a glossy, women's magazine. Through the years I regularly sated my fixation by devouring Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, and Marie Claire and the like before I came to the realization that the magazines, collectively, kind of suck (this category, of course, excludes Jane. May she rest in peace). Besides lacking in substance and ignoring real issues that real women deal with, they exist on the presumed platform that women are wack and need to improve. Get Thinner Thighs! Shiny Hair is Yours Now! Make Him Want You!

Where is the voice that gives a big, jovial high-five to women as they are? The presence that says you and your beer belly are fine the way that they are and, more importantly, the ice caps are melting, public schools are failing, our economy is in the tubes and John McCain is actually serious about becoming president—these are of equal importance. So, though I love to write about women and what's relevant to us, I'd rather do it at place that includes all that we are, not just weight-loss and/or sex tips. Enter Jezebel, Stage Right.

Amazingly, I still feel that way. Of course I looked at the letter and immediately spotted some punctuation errors that I wish I could go back and correct, but c'est la vie.

--Whitney

Weird Girls

2009-04-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

[Lady GaGa]

If you read this blog even a little bit, then I'm assuming you're a bit of a weird girl/guy. After all, the whole premise of the site was to create a space for me to put my unique, quirky, and always weird spin on everything from pop culture to politics to style.

I've always been a little weird. Ask my mom, my sister, my aunts or cousins and they'll probably tell you that they always thought that girl was strange. I read a whole lot, I could be a little withdrawn in social and family settings and I never felt like I fit in growing up in my hometown. Fast-forward 20-something years and I know that all those things were mandatory experiences for an aspiring writing. I mean, when was the last time a book about being perfect and having all the answers won a Pulitzer?

Music has always been a place for weirdos. See Prince, Sinead O'Connor, Tupac and Erykah Badu. And being different has always been sort of a gimmack, I guess. But the onslaught of weird girls, arguably the first generation of strangies really allowed to roam and be themselves, have been marketed, monetized and analyzed to the nth degree. I'm talking about Amy Winehouse, Janelle Monae, my new favorite Lady GaGa and a slew of others that I'm forgetting. Solange, Rihanna and the like were always sort of the commercialized version of weird, so I won't include them.

As I was jamming to The Fame in the car this weekend, I began to think how absolutely cool it is to listen to an album by a woman writer who isn't constantly waxing pathetic about her man. Yes, that is a not-so-subtle nod to the Beyonces, Jazmine Sullivans, Monicas and Keri Hilsons of the world. I love their music, but a girl needs a break from all that heartache.

I heart GaGa even more after reading quotes like these:

"Because of Amy [Winehouse] very strange girls like me go to prom with very good-looking guys."

Heart, heart, heart her. Long live all the weird girls of the world.

-- Whitney

Remembering Bea

2009-04-27T15:51:00.001-07:00

[Bea Arthur]

I didn't want to start this post with lyrics from "Thank You For Being a Friend," because, frankly, I'm tired of the deluge of media folk referencing that song. I actually didn't know how to start this post. I've watched "Golden Girls" since 1990, when I was 5 years old and used to snuggle up to my g-ma and watch GG and "Empty Nest" back to back after the 10 o'clock news on Channel 5. The room would be ice cold (we're Southerners. No heat gets in our home.) and my granny would have on her silky nightgown. She would cackle all throughout the thirty minute episodes. I would laugh too, but mostly at the facial expressions or physical stuff, since I had no idea what menopause, Fez Parker or impotence meant.

Between 1990 and today, I have never stopped watching that show. Reruns on Lifetime, then I bought the DVDs, plus watching them on YouTube, the show is just as much alive to me (and many of my Black, 20-something friends) today as it was in the 80s and 90s.

As I got older, it wasn't just Dorothy's deep voice or Rose's confused expression that made me laugh; I started to understand the jokes. Rose was even more naive than I was in seventh grade. Blanche was waaaay too hot in the pants to be post-menopausal. Dorothy and Sophia were the funniest mother/daughter duo I've ever seen on screen.

So, of course I was deeply saddened when Estelle Getty, famous for playing little, minxy Sophia, passed away. And when my sister texted me Saturday afternoon that Bea Arthur was gone, I was gone. I had dug up my first season DVDs earlier that day out of boredom and was watching the hilarity that started it all when I heard the news. I wonder if, by some strange chance, my deep, deep devotion to the show had led me to those episodes? Don't laugh, it's possible!

How can I put into words how amazing Bea was? We all know she was funny and intelligent and unflinching in her portrayal of all sides of a woman. I wasn't aware until recently that she was a staunch supporter of AIDS awareness and animal rights. Ashleigh told me that she also hated cheesecake. Really?!

She was my favorite Golden Girl, the one who I most identified with. And, since many other bloggers have echoed the same sentiment, I'd be willing to guess that she was the most popular; probably because she was everywoman, in a way.

Before "Sex and the City," before "Living Single," before "Girlfriends," there were four single ladies living it up in a stucco house in Miami, eating cheesecake, telling stories, sharing joys and pain, for the world to see. Age was only a state of mind for them, as they were as active and vital as anyone else running across the primetime screen.

It goes without saying that I am mourning the loss of Bea, and what she represents.

Read other tributes to her:

Jezebel: Bea Arthur's Top 5 Contributions To Pop Culture
NPR: Cheers to 'Maude' Bea Arthur
The Cynical Ones: Bye, Bea
Afrobella: RIP Bea Arthur

-- Whitney

Kim K Ain't No Thicky Thick Girl

2009-04-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

[Not A Plus-Size Body, Us Weekly]

As if she read my mind, Kim Kardashian recently updated her blog, and responded to Us Weekly's assertion that she would be rocking anything from Forever 21's plus-sized line.

She said:

"I am a huge fan of Forever 21 and I'm very happy they have expanded their line to include a plus-size range, but I am not in that size category and this article makes it sound like I am! I am a curvy girl and I love my curves, but curvy and plus-sized are two very different things. I work really hard to maintain my curves while staying slim and healthy, so to be classed as a 'fuller-figured woman' of extra large proportions is a little offensive. For the record, I am a size 2, not 2XL."

Yes, the tone was a bit snarky, but she's ultimately right. A round ass and big boobs do not a plus-size person make.

Read my earlier thoughts on the curvy vs. fat thing here.

Bitch-made

2009-04-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

[Katherine as Allison, Seth as Ben in Knocked Up]

I was watching Knocked Up last night, as is my custom when I am bored and need to keep the TV on as background noise. As usual, the annoying twit that is Katherine Heigl's character Allison was really getting under my skin. I twittered my hate of her, but that still didn't absolve my feelings.

Maybe because my 'Net was down (f&*k you, Comcast!) and because my apartment was a mess, but I didn't feel like cleaning it up, or because my hair was also a mess but I didn't have time to wash it and let it dry before I had to go to bed, but I just started to get really mad at Katherine-as-Allison, and her ilk.

Why is it that cool dudes always go for bitches? When I say bitch I mean a girl that's prissy for no reason. A girl that's stuck up for no reason. A girl that thinks she's God's gift to a dude because she has a vagina. A girl that treats a guy like crap just because she can. I don't have anything fundamentally against girls like that, but it's sort of annoying when it seems like trill guys go for them.

Like Seth Rogen as Ben Stone in Knocked Up. That's a dude that I'd kick it with. He's funny, nice, unpretentious and understands the merits of being intoxicated. So why did he immediately fall for a girl that is the exact opposite of cool?

It's like when guys complain that women like asshole-y guys. Now I feel like I know what they mean. Is it woman and man's natural tendency to go for mean people? Is it about balance, or is it really a cultural thing that we believe that if someone's a bitch it must mean that they have a lot to offer?

Whatever it is, add it to the list of things that supremely piss me off.

--Whitney

Thicky Thick Girls

2009-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

[Image courtesy of Clutch]

The media, it seems, will never tire of dissecting women's bodies. They claim that women think about their bodies all the time. They claim that so-called real women look to celebrities for body inspiration. They claim that our body image effects the way that we carry ourselves and prompts us to sometimes engage in not-so-great behavior.

Frankly, it's a little annoying. The only discussions about body that I ever seem to have are between some web story and the comments section. Two of my favorite websites, Jezebel and Clutch, both recently ran stories about body image, from two decidedly different angles.

Jezzie hypothesized the world's new acceptance of curvier figures, like Coke bottle Joan Holloway from "Mad Men." Hortense argued that we aren't really beginning to accept new body types, but rather just replacing one unrealistic expectation with another. Good point, as the ultra-sensual, tiny waist/big breast/round ass combo doesn't present itself naturally for many women.

One thing that's always really weird for me when white media types talk about "curvy" is the fact that most of the women don't actually have curves. Curvy, at least in my mind, denotes a roundness in some desirable place, like your breasts or hips. It urks me when it's slapped on someone just because they're overweight. Like Queen Latifah or Adele. I have lots of curves in my stomach; they are called rolls. And no, I don't consider myself curvy. Humph.

Along those same lines, I really wish black people would stop calling fat people thick. Clutch explores the fairly recent phenomenon here. I blame that damn Mo'Nique. I don't know if it's the desire to take a word with a positive connotation and apply it to a body that the world doesn't view as positive or even attractive, or something else. But it's just misleading, annoying and inaccurate. Furthermore, what are you saying about yourself if you have to lie and describe yourself untruthfully?

Which also brings up a wider question. Is acceptance of our nation's growing waistlines even healthy? Five years ago I would have said yes. We are all unique individuals and have a right to live our lives the way we want to. No one should judge you solely by how you look anyway. Today, the answer is pretty gray for me. I wrote a story about a new scientific study that literally scared the pizza out of my hands. The gist: Black folks have horrible heart health and we die prematurely because of it. The sad part is that I shouldn't have had to read it; I've lived it.

My grandmother, grandfather, uncle, aunt and another aunt all passed away within just a few years (my uncle and aunt died just three weeks apart), and all to preventable disorders like heart failure, obesity and stroke. One of my aunts had been overweight nearly her whole life and, growing up in the South, hadn't wanted for male attention. In fact, my mother (who has always been scrawny), used to wish that she had the big legs and full boobs of her older sister.

I'm not placing the blame of anyone's health on our culture; I think it's amazing that Black people have created our own standard of beauty. But over half of my entire immediate family was wiped out my freshman year of high school, and the cause was essentially a horrible (albeit very typical for Southern Blacks) lifestyle. And that lifestyle, which sometimes produces beautiful thickey thick girls, is what I am afraid we glorify when we denounce someone who is obese as just thick.

Does anyone out there hear me? Do you feel me?

-- Whitney

Embarassed, much?

2009-04-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

I'm not easily embarrassed. Well, at least not by other people. I embarrass myself constantly. Like when I walk around all day thinking that I'm looking cute, but realize around 7 p.m. that my zipper's been down since I went to the bathroom at noon, or when I notice a fellow commuter noticing me plucking my facial hairs in the car. Those, to me, are sufficiently embarrassing moments.

What other people do, whether my friends or family, with me or away from me, isn't reflective of me, therefore I can't be embarrassed by it. I find that, among similarly upwardly mobile black people, I am in the minority with this opinion. Is it just me, or does it seem like BAPs are the most easily abashed folks in the world. Especially when they're in a mostly-white environment. These strange creatures from Planet Uppity-For-No-Reason are quick to shush their friends ("being an ill-educated arsehole is quiet work, you minion!") and work extra hard to distance themselves from restaurant or store patrons that are engaging in too much blackery for their taste.

I've had this theory for a few years, but it has been fully honed since entering the virtual training ground for empty attitudes that is my alma mater. I was once at a party with a friend when one of my favorite songs came on. I deigned to raise one arm and let out an excited yell, only to be met with "We are not going to get drunk and act crazy tonight!" Umm, excuse me?! Why the hell not?! Oh, sorry, I forgot that the invisible ass sticks we're all clinching prohibits fun.

I recently went to my neighborhood Ross store and was forcibly and annoyingly reminded of this concept. I was attempting to return a nightstand that I had bought a few weeks back, but had sat in my trunk since then. I was partly too lazy to bring it in to my apartment, but otherwise just forgot that I had bought it. I figured that if it wasn't memorable enough to make it out of the car, I shouldn't have wasted the cash on it to begin with.

So, after waiting in line for nearly half an hour, mere moments from passing out from the mysterious, flu-like sickness that had washed over me that day, I went up to the register and handed the attendant my receipt. The barcode was smudged, and therefore she claimed that she couldn't process the return. Dear readers, what would you have done? I made a stink. Not a mean one, not a loud one, not a disrespectful one. It was just stinky enough to show the cashier (and later her manager) that I was not one to be dicked by Ross Dress for Less.

While waiting for the manager to make a few calls, I watched the cashier take the next few customers, all of whom were black. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn that they were all extra-polite to her. She, the non-English speaking woman that looked at them up and down with disgust as they smiled and said "Hi," seemingly imploring with their eyes that she (a woman who probably hates blacks in general and looks down on you because of your skin. Regardless of your college alumni plates and Pan-Hel window stickers) not lump them into the same category of neck-rolling, finger-pointing Negroes that dare to demand rational, fair treatment at discount stores.

RME. Fellow Ross patrons and your ilk, please get a life.

--Whitney

Inspiration...

2009-03-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

[dorothy dandridge]

Biracial Glamour

2009-03-09T09:54:00.001-07:00

[Alexis Bledel as Rosie the Riveter]

By now I'm sure that you've seen the Glamour magazine tribute photos floating around the 'net. To celebrate the mag's 70th anniversary, they got some of Tinseltown's pretty young things to re-create iconic photos of glamorous, legendary women.

The honoree list was top-notch, if not a little predictable. Billie Holiday, Michelle Obama and Althea Gibson were the only African-American women, while Dolores Huerta was the only other woman of color depicted. To start, I loved the concept. Old meets new, flavors of the month meet icons, yatta, yatta, yatta.

But I was a bit peeved that out of the three Black women honored, all of them were replicated by biracial women. Paula Patton as Billie Holiday, Alicia Keys as Michelle Obama and Chanel Iman as Althea Gibson. Billie Holiday was a pretty fair-skinned (though, by my knowledge identified as African-American, not as mixed) woman, so it wasn't much of a stretch to see Paula don the famous flowered headdress. Michelle Obama is not only the product of two Black parents, she is by most accounts of a dark brown complexion.

[Paula Patton as Billie Holiday]

[Chanel Iman as Althea Gibson]

[Alicia Keys as Michelle Obama]

So Alicia Keys, though she is beautiful and fabulous, was a bit of head-scratcher. As my co-worker pointed out while we were discussing the issue, it would have been a great opportunity for a high-profile book like Glamour to feature a dark-skinned woman for a change. I don't regularly read the mag, but I can be certain that women of color in general are a rare sight.

Now, I don't personally know the staff of Glamour, but I am completely sure that they are incredibly hard-working, talented and smart, if not clueless when it comes to the Black community. So, I'll give them some insight into who I would have loved to see portray Lady O:

[Gabrielle Union. She's a UCLA graduate from a strong, Midwestern family. Resemblance, much?]

[Kerry Washington. Yes, you're probably tired of me talking about her, but she keeps it classy and chic, just like Michelle. ]

[Keshia Knight Pulliam. She's a Spelman grad, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and an all-around wholesome young woman. And, umm, she's Rudy Huxtable. Need I type more?!]

If you haven't seen the images, they are on Glamour's website. I posted a few of my faves below.

[America Ferrera as Dolores Huerta]

[Emma Stone as Carrie Bradshaw]

[Hayden Panettiere as Amelia Earhart]

Who would you have liked to see portray these feminine icons? What other icons would you have liked to see Glamour honor?

Enjoy the day!
Whitney

She's A Twit

2009-03-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

Oh, that Solange. You all know about my well-documented love/hate with that highly debatable child and she insists on providing me with fresh fodder on a near daily basis.

Today my girl is at a hair salon getting extensions. How do I know this, you ask? Because she tweeted me so. Her status updates for the last hour (as of March 3) have been something like this:

"At the hurrr salon. Under the dryer. Mad @ my stylist. I told him I just got this damn tattoo so be delicate. He didn't listen."

And "My moms been a salon owner for almost 30 years. I think growing up in one, I'm the anti "guuuurrrl" hair salon."

Hmm, where do I start? First off, I fully recognize that I'm lame because I do follow her twits (I'm one of the 17,772) and secondly, I'm actually dedicating thirty minutes to typing up this post. Yes, yes, I realize this.

But isn't there something to said about a celebrity that updates thousands with her every move, even when those moves take place in a hospital or hair salon?

It's weird because I don't feel there's anything wrong with it when I do it (twitter.com/BadGirl1016, check me out!), but it all of a sudden becomes really perverse and self-serving when album-hocking singers do it.

My friend Michael, who keeps me laughing all day with his blunt, completely truthful observations said this over Gchat:

Michael: She will be twittering at her own funeral.

"I'm dead, ya'll."

2 seconds later: "It's not so bad."

4 seconds later: "I wonder if God likes Bjork, too?"

My sentiments exactly. Check out this story I wrote on Diddy's tantric sex twitter extravaganza.

-- Whitney

Separated at Birth?

2009-03-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

[Richard Wright from "Sex and the City", Professor from "Gilligan's Island"]

Or, not really since one is like 50 years older than the other. Very random observation: Richard Wright from "Sex and the City" and the Professor from "Gilligan's Island" look sooo much alike! Is Richard (don't know his real name, sorry!) like the Professor's son or something? It's crazy.

And who wants to see another appearance from the infamous Richard "eating another woman's sushi" Wright in the Sex and the City sequel? Anyone, besides me?!

-- Whitney

Mermaid Dresses Become Her

2009-02-26T15:08:00.001-08:00

Take a look at these two dresses. One she wore to the Oscars last weekend and the other she wore in a recent photoshoot with Ebony magazine (cover image below). Though I wasn't a fan of the Oscar choice (it was a House of Dereon original, y'all), you have to give it to Bey for sticking to what works for her.

One word: Fierce! First off, let's talk about the hair. Big, curly and a more natural, darker hue definitely works for my girl. Could this be a return to the "Work it Out" days?

Actually, now that I look at this still from the video, that yellow-gold hair color was too, too much.

Something about Beyonce that I absolutely love? She gives Black publications the very best interviews. Remember that last Vibe cover that she did? Or the Giant issue where she boldly went where no other pop star had went before: posed for a magazine with hair curlers atop her head.

In this issue, she revealed a little something about her new, domesticated life with Jigga and why she'll never retire. Check it out.

-- Whitney

You Look Like You Work at a Hasidic Meth Lab!

2009-02-23T07:54:00.001-08:00

This was the hands down funniest moment of the Academy Awards last night. Ben Stiller's dead on imitation of Joaquin Phoenix was worth every other painstakingly tedious moment of the rest of the telecast.

FYI: "You look like you work at a Hasidic Meth Lab!" will be my standard insult from here on out.

-- Whitney

Solange sipping (and twittering) on sizzurp

2009-02-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

Note: This story didn't make it onto another website, so I'm going to throw it you cool cats.

Solange Knowles recently had a little run-in with a syrup bottle. Don't worry, it wasn't the illegal, chopped and screwed kind, but it did land the "I Decided" singer on the floor of an airport (probably Los Angeles' LAX) and eventually in a hospital for dehydration.

According to Sol-Angel's twitter blog, she drank a little bit too much NyQuil sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. EST on February 17 (her twitter status was "never taking nyquil again. I feel so wierd.").

What happened next is unknown to anyone, even the singer who confirms that she passed out sometime between writing this tweet "I'm closer to Julez! I'm" and typing "Woaah......How'd I end up in the hosptal?" about an hour later, around 5 a.m. EST.

The youngest Knowles kept up a steady stream of Twitter updates, totaling 12 messages during the two hours that she was in the hospital, letting all of her 10,000 followers know that she was "super dehydrated" and hooked up to an IV, that Mama Tina came to see her in the hospital ("my mom is here! I'm ready to go! I'm fine now! Just let me go home and drink Gatorade!") and that she was pretty embarrassed about the whole thing ("I've been embarrassed enough today.")

Solange joins a recent celeb trend of blogging while in treatment. Erykah Badu recently twittered throughout the birth of her third child.

-- Whitney Teal

How much info is TMI? What do you think about celebs twittering through birth and dehydration?

Can I Have a Quick Word?

2009-02-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

To tell you how obsessed I am with purple (wait, have I already written about that here? Not sure...). It's my hands-down fave color and I'm really feeling this Solange with the purple, "Star Trek" meets tribal eyeshadow. You think I can get away with that for work tomorrow?

On another, but related, note. Will someone please buy me this new Baby G watch? Do you remember in 10th grade when anyone who was remotely cool had a "talking" Baby G? Mine was purple! Ha!

-- Whitney

Supermarket Survey

2009-02-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

My decision to stop at the store was a whim. I knew that I had waffle mix at home, plus bacon, but that I had gulped down the last of my Sunny-D. So I stopped in the neighborhood Safeway to pick up the juice drink, but also got a carton of eggs, a few Snickers ice cream bars, a box of frozen T.G.I. Friday's quesadillas, all impulse buys. With my few purchases loaded in the grocery cart, I wheeled it to a check stand and settled behind a tall, buff Black dude. As I put my stuff on the conveyor belt, that very familiar feeling of supermarket shame came over me. He was buying fruit, bottled water, healthy stuff. My junk food looked unhealthy, wasteful, and worst of all: immature.

What's worse is that I experience this feeling nearly every time I visit this store. I've never felt it before, but something about this boutique Safeway with the sophisticated clientele always makes me feel like an overgrown kid with a horrible diet. Ah, yes, and here is the woman with the large tub of Haagen-Dazs, a Butterfinger bar and a six-pack of Wild Cherry Pepsi putting her items in front of the lean, mean, running machine and his VitaminWater, boxed couscous and pita bread.

But amid all of that, I can always muster up a minute feeling of superiority when I bust out my Baggus. They're colorful, eco-friendly grocery bags that I carry with me always. After living in New York, I came to assume that everyone despised wasteful plastic bags as much as I did, but since moving to marry-land, I've seen that me and my strict, no-plastic policy are in the minorty. I lost one of my three baggu's recently, and therefore have been on the hunt to replace it.

I've considered trying out one of their new, funky-colored designs. Or moving away from the familiar brand to another, equally cute, equally cheap bag.

Decisions, decisions.

-- Whitney

I Love This Image

2009-02-11T08:08:00.001-08:00

[Michelle Obama, Vogue, March 2009]

25 Things, Divided by 5

2009-02-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

[Solange, Giant]

Everyone on Facebook has been posting these notes with 25 Things about them. The premise, as I'm sure you already know, is you write down 25 things that most people wouldn't know about you, or that you find interesting and you tag your friends, who are then supposed to post their own note. I've been tagged a couple of times, but I have a strict no-notes policy on Facebook so I haven't responded.

Plus, as I'm sure you know from reading this blog, I'm not terribly interesting and don't really believe that people care about when my left big toe was broken by a dresser drawer, then the toenail turned black and fell off, leaving me without a nail for like a month. True story.

So instead of doing it the traditional way, I've decided to post just 5 random, mildly interesting Fun Whit Facts. Enjoy. Criticize. Make Fun of. It's your choice.

5 Whit Facts:

1. I listen to NPR all day. Literally, all day. My car radio is always on WAMU 88.5 (although if someone is in the car with me I'll sometimes hastily turn the dial to WPGC or click on the Jazmine Sullivan disc in embarrassment). I also download the podcasts onto my work computer and listen to interviews and book readings on my iPhone while I'm doing my hair or brushing my teeth.

2. People that don't work (and complain about money) disgust me. Excluding people with disabilities or that for some other reason can't physically work. And, I don't include stay-at-home moms in this category since caring for children is HARD work. But, I mean people that complain about money, but won't go looking for a new job. Or people that turn down jobs because the pay is not what they want or it's not their absolute dream job. That kind of stuff really irks me and is so prevalent among young people today. I guess because I come from a family of stone-cold hustlers, it's really, really hard for me to have sympathy for someone who is lazy. My motto: If you don't work, you don't eat. I like to eat, therefore I work as much as possible.

3. I am the most easily annoyed person alive. Really, try me. I have a list of pet peeves as long as the state of Texas and will readily list them off to you. My latest is people that compare themselves to me. I'm me, you're you, no comparison. Like for example if I mention a new dress. "Ugh, I don't like dresses." Cricket, cricket. Hence why I bought it for myself, and not for you.

4. I tend to form really weird girl-crushes. Like my most recent ones are Solange and Zooey Deschanel. Zooey for the obvious reasons and Solange because I just dig her all of a sudden. She's still sort of an annoying twit, but you've got to love someone so unapologetically bratty. My girl-crushes, like my guy-crushes, rarely last long and they normally end after a month or two of me furiously googling them and reading every interview they've ever done, seeing/listening to all of their work and chatting about them endlessly to anyone who'll listen. Then I get burnt out and watch Superbad for the 800 millionth time.

5. You probably only know about 2% of me. I am really, really private. The people closest to me don't even really know me. I don't know why, but I've developed this idea that if I say what's really on my mind people will hate me afterwards. I'm working on not stifling my thoughts, but it takes awhile to re-train yourself, you know? If you read my blog then you are probably way more intimately acquainted with me than my friends and family.

-- Whitney

In Transition/Random Musings

2009-02-05T12:55:00.000-08:00

I'm growing out my hair relaxer and it's been a really great experience. The last time that I know for sure I had a relaxer was near Labor Day 2008, but I may have had another one after that, I'm not sure. I haven't been really strict with relaxing for a long time so it's hard to keep up.

Anywho, naturals call the in-between stage "transitioning," meaning that you probably have two very different hair textures coming out of your scalp and that you're having to tend to both textures.

I feel as if I'm constantly transitioning. The great profession that is writing/journalism/publishing (which I chose very, very willingly) has often put me through the ringer and required that I be very adaptable, moving from city to city, writing for different publications, freelancing here and there.

So much so that since I graduated from college in May of 2007 I've lived in three different apartments (two in the D.C. area and one in New York), not to mention the five months in Fort Worth, Tex. that I spent while I saved money to move to New York.

I've worked for countless companies since then, from temporary jobs to part-time retail jobs to internships to freelance gigs.

And I have to tell you, that I loved nearly every minute of it. My life has had such a feeling of vivrancy and immediacy and spirit. I feel like a hustler, someone who's able to make it anywhere. My goals and dreams come in very clear when my back is up against the wall, I learned from those experiences.

My life now feels settled. Which in some ways is AMAZING! I never thought that I'd enjoy doing things like paying bills online or furniture shopping or gasing up the car. But they're MY bills, paid with MY money, furniture for MY apartment, gas for MY car. I love it! Yet a sneaky part of me feels as if settled = domesticated. And I wonder if I'll ever write that novel before I turn 25, or publish any of my short stories in The New Yorker, or write a screenplay, or direct a documentary. When I feel like this I get soooo antsy. I start to think about moving to London or L.A. I tell myself that there's a whole big world out there that I haven't seen.

Which brings up some really fundamental questions. How do we ever have the time in the day, or the weeks in a year to pursue all of our dreams? When we've accomplished one goal, does that make the other, more distant goals less of a focus in our life? Is growing older really all about growing stale?

-- Whitney

My Water's Smarter Than Yours

2009-01-13T13:41:00.000-08:00

[my water's like, smart?]

Humph! The CVS across the street from my job had a sale on 33 oz. Glaceau Smart Waters, so I bought a few. They taste pretty normal, but I love that I can get 50% of my daily water requirement in one bottle.

I am NOT a big water drinker. At all. Never have been. But I know that H to the Izzo (pardon my corniness. I write corny stuff all day, errday, so it kind of seeps in) is essential to great skin and hair, not to mention controlling ones weight. Ugh.

So far, I've been pleasantly surprised by how much water I drink when I only have to think about getting through 2 bottles a day. Happy times are being had!

Luv,
Whit Whit

Inspiration...

2009-01-08T14:38:00.001-08:00

[john and alice coltrane]

Changing Faces

2009-01-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

So, I'm a little obsessed with the Photo Booth on my Mac...

[sometimes, i just look at it, and wonder who invented anything so cool...]

[but then i get caught up, and wonder what the hell is on my ceiling...]

[i've been setting my hair on small rollers, to help grow my relaxer out...]

[and i really can't stop pulling on the curls...]

I'm Officially in the DMV and...

2009-01-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

[my black, vintage mini-purse]

rocking a vintage black mini-purse. Life is good :)

Female Versions

2008-12-29T14:40:00.000-08:00

[beyonce on the set of her new vid, "Diva"]

A series of unfortunate events recently led me to have a listen or three to Beyonce's latest single, Diva. With my computer out of commission and the new opportunity to listen to local radio I've heard the song roughly one million times over the past week and a half. The lyrics are pretty trite, but, as with most of BK's songs, the hip-hop inspired, laidback boasting of the beat makes the song very singable. But could someone please explain to me why she has to be the "female vesion of a hustler?"

I get that she's been trying to pick up where Foxy Brown left off as the Bonnie to Jay-Z's Clyde since 2002, so calling herself some "version" of a hustler is cute and, I guess, fitting. But what's wrong with a plain old hustler? She's hard working, successful, with stacks upon stacks of cash that will probably someday outweigh those of her husband, so she really isn't the version of anything. It really annoys me because it's assuming that being professionally successful is a masculine thing, so therefore when a woman does it, she has to be some cutesy, non-important version. Beyonce, and whatever man wrote this song, please get over yourselves.

It's like when people call something a "black version." Girlfriends was the black version of Sex and the City. Brown Sugar was the "hip-hop" version of When Harry Met Sally. It's completely normal to make comparisons, that's how we process new concepts. But to say that anyone, or anything, is a version of something else is admitting that the original concept is exclusive to that group. Smart, sexy, successful women are exclusively white, while money-makers with a hustler's spirit are exclusively male. I got two freshly manicured middle fingers to hold up to anyone that thinks like this.

And while we're on the subject, let me air out another pet peeve: improper grammar usage. Female is an adjective, meaning it describes a noun. For example, a female dog.

¹fe·male Pronunciation: \ˈfē-ˌmāl\
Function:: adjective
Date:: 14th century

1 a (1): of, relating to, or being the sex that bears young or produces eggs
[what Merriam Webster has to say about it]

There is no such thing as a "female," if you wish to talk about a woman, just call her a woman. Tell that to all of your brothers, boyfriends, cousins, and friends that insist on butchering the King's English. Just a thought.

A-Changes...Again

2008-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

I know that you're still reeling over the last bomb I dropped (because my life is soooo important to you, right?), but I've got another one: me and hair relaxers are officially broken up. Like most B-Girls, I've sported chemically relaxed hair for longer than a little bit. But after being incredibly inspired by my big sis, who traded her lovely, straight hair for a gorgeous, curly 'fro earlier in the year, I've shown straighteners the door.

Like most girls making the "transition," my newest pastime is obsessing over colored girls with curly, kinky, nappy, wavy, or otherwise non-straight hair. Here are my latest hairspirations:

[tracee ellis ross]

I completely heart nearly everything about this woman's style, from head to toe. I especially love her free-spirited, devil-may-care, curl 'fro.

[mane and chic]

I don't really know what this person looks like, but I'm really into her blog that she started to document her transition from relaxed to natural hair. She does really great product reviews, posts pictures of her hair's progress and provides cool background info on natural products. I check the site like twice a day, even though she only updates a couple of times a week. Don't ask me why.

[yaya da costa]

Do you remember this woman from ANTM Cycle 3? She was moderately fierce then and she's full-blown amazingness now. I love her hair and the incredible diversity of kinky hair that she exemplifies.

I swear I only have like an inch of new growth and I'm already turning into Sista Soulja. When my hair is actually 100% natural you won't be able to stomach me, lol.

Times, They Are A-Changin'

2008-12-22T14:32:00.000-08:00

Ok, enough of the silence because I've got BIG news...I'm moving!

Yep, yep, NYC will be in my rearview mirror come January as I'll be taking up a post at a women's mag down in Washington, DC. I'm uber-excited to go "home" and enjoy all the luxuries medium-city livin' has to offer (car, one-bedrooms, washer and dryer in house, etc, etc, etc).

At the top of the year I'll be packing up my little Focus (I just got it this week and I'm soooo in love with it, lol) and moving into a cute little spot in Silver Spring, Md. After years of reading design zines like Blueprint and domino, what I'm most, most, most excited about is getting to decorate my place from scratch. It's pretty small (check the pics below) and has a layer of the dreaded suburban carpet, but I'm up for the challenge of still making it look cool, urban, and chic, just like it's owner ;)

[the living room, via the apt's website. please disregard the ugly furniture and plants]

[the bedroom. same with the furniture]

Luckily, one of my best buds, the genius behind Chestnut Orange, is also embarking on the one bedroom dance for the first time and is similarly design-obsessed. We've decided to kind of tag-blog about our adventures in home-land, complete with pics of the new digs. Keep a lookout for pics of the bare apartment next year, after I officially move in.

with lots of love,

whitney

Hoot! Wild About Owls

2008-11-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

Muchachas (and a few muchachos),

I am, indeed, still alive. I'm not going to bore you with excuses, but I will say that I have big news that I hope to announce very, very soon! Meanwhile, as I've been literally pulling my hair out over this ridiculously tedious story that I'm writing for one of my editors, I've taken solace in...owls?

Yes, owls! Part of my job is staying abreast of trends, i.e. scouring random websites for products that might work for some of the websites that I contribute to. And recently, they've all seemed to have owls on the brain...hoot, hoot? LOL. Here are some that I'm completely feeling:

[White Owl Lamp, tiny mcsmall]

Would you believe it's made for a kids room? Screw that, I'd take this eccentric-looking piece and totally rock it on my bedside table.

[Pewter Winking Bird Pendant, Lago Jewelry]

I tend to stick to basic black dresses (really, like every single day), so I love to buy stand-out jewelry to add a lil bit of umph to my wardrobe.

[Owl Umbrella Stand, Urban Outfitters]

I have a love/hate/love relationship with the pseudo-thrift store look of Urban Outfitters. But I love, love, love this umbrella stand. Looks like something straight out of Domino mag, right?

[Owl Stud Earrings, Juicy Couture]

Studs are great because you can get away with colors/designs that would just look silly if you wore them on larger earrings. These cute studs could make any basic jeans and tee look pop, or be that hint of go-girl push you need with a business suit (for something that's not too conservative).

Happy 1016!

2008-10-16T07:48:00.001-07:00

It's my Birthday! October 16th, the day I was born and this blog's namesake. Go do something crazy in the name of this occasion. My suggest? Take a vodka or tequila shot 16 minutes after every hour. Or better yet, just go get stupid drunk tonight...because I am!

Yo...

2008-10-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

Got a semi-functional new keyboard and will be back soon...but, are you checking out my Twitter? I have the entire Mad Men clan, from Don to Betty to Peggy to people I've never even heard of...weird!

Thought You Should Know...

2008-10-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

That this speech is absoultely awesome! My sis and I often talk about how pitiful it is when we see everyday, non-six figure salary Americans support McCain. This is a great example of regular men and women that realize how important it is to have a President of the people, that's not ashamed to be of the people, that will fight for the people. I'm talking about Obama. Check it out.

Thanks, kareemblack's twitter for hipping me to the vid.

Oh, and still on vacation since "the key" is still, in fact, dead.

LOVE,
W

On Vacation...

2008-09-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Well, not really, but I have taken a mini-vacay from updating this blog for several reasons. The main being that I can no longer type the letter "b" on my keyboard (though I've thought of lots of creative ways to get the letter into this post) and it makes it insanely annoying to type anything.

Secondly, because between working a couple of in-office jobs and freelancing my ass off when I get home, I'm normally pretty konked and my brain's fried and unable to think up any witty/sarcastic (or stupid/mindless, it's your call) topics to post.

So, I'm waiting until I'm struck with inspiration, or have a day off, whichever comes first. Of course, hit up Uptown Literatti and my Twitter, which I, incidentally, never go more than a few hours without updating.

Kisses, hugs, smacks, tickles and all that.

9.3.08: Currently Obsessed With

2008-09-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

[somebody tell these shorties reach for the stars, instead they tell 'em how to reach through bars-Purple, Nas]

[Un-commercialized Great Ideas like The Communist Manifesto]

[Washington, DC-educated beauties like Georgetown University grad Amerie]

[And The George Washington University alumna Kerry Washington]

[CasaSugar]

[Sasha Obama. SO adorable. And Barack, Michelle and Malia too]

[The return of 90's flannel via Gap]

[The soulful, raspy voice of Ray LaMontagne]

[And his very downloadable album 'Till The Sun Turns Black]

[J. Crew's little sister, Madewell, is a lot spicier--like all lil sisters]

[See their colorful take on the ubiquitous city boots and scarves]

You Be Lorraine, I'll Be Nina

2008-09-02T03:29:00.000-07:00

[My girl Nina, smoking a spliff]

It's a new dawn/it's a new day/it's a new life for me/oooooo/and I'm feeling good- Nina Simone.

My very playful friends Mike and Char pegged themselves as modern-day James Baldwins and Lorraine Hansberrys, respectively. When we three started to hang Senior year at HU Charreah, graciously, told me that I could be Nina Simone. It didn't just come out of nowhere since Baldwin and Hansberry were good friends of Nina and the three frequently inspired each other. Balwin convinced Simone to use her art to promote social change and Hansberry inspired one of Simone's best known songs, To Be Young, Black and Gifted (after Hansberry's book of the same title).

How fitting since I absolutely love the sounds of Simone and hope to one day write stirring sentences that penetrate souls the way her voice does. My favorite Nina song is, hands, down Feeling Good. It's simple, soulful, peaceful and beautiful, from the serene, a cappella opening to the ballsy, brassy, high-intensity ending. Listen:

Feeling Good - Nina Simone

Lingerie's the new Fragrance!

2008-08-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

[Von Teese, "advocating glamour" modeling Wonderbra by Dita von Teese]

Celebrities and vanity projects go together like ham and cheese. Or like peanut butter and waffles. Once they build a viable "brand" as a singer, actress, designer, etc, it's nothing to add to that "brand" by stamping their names across everything from clothing lines to books to fragrances to cell phones, even ad agencies (see Jay-Z's Translation and Diddy's Blue Flame).

So, it's not surprising to learn that the likes of Dita Von Teese and Janet Jackson, both buxom women famous for, ahem, stripping down, are launching lingerie lines! Can you tell that I'm excited? One, because I hope that the lines will feature more sizes for the better endowed section of the female population.

Janet's, entitled Pleasure Principle (GENIUS!), is in conjunction with Australian designer Bruno Schiavi and is scheduled to hit the shelves (of where, I don't know) late this year or early next. But just in time for Valentine's Day, right?

[Janet with model wearing pieces by Pleasure Principle and designer, Schiavi]

The model looks great and all, but if 40-something year old Janet doesn't model the goods herself she's a fool!

And Ms. Von Teese (who I become more and more obsessed with by the day)'s line will be distributed through Wonderbra and will feature all the glamour and romance of the 30's and 40's with lots of comfort. I'm loving it already. Really.

More details to come! + Check out this throwback video:

JANET JACKSON - Pleasure Principle - JANET JACKSON

Fall has Fallen!

2008-08-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

Well, at least clothing-wise. I've told you guys over and over how much I luv Fall. There are so many great things about it, the new school year, the state fair, my birthday, Halloween and Thanksgiving. The colors are so rich and beautiful and the weather is the most perfect. It always makes me think of rainy nights, wind, Howard's Homecoming and riding boots, but not necessarily in that order.

Since I've been clocking hours as a part-time Banana Republic employee I've been anxiously awaiting the debut of it's fall pieces and when I walked into our store this weekend I was very pleasantly surprised. The bright yellows and pinks and oranges of the summer had been completely replaced with our transitional stock of burnt orange, pea green and chocolate brown blouses, jackets, boots, and dresses. Yes!

I was in a frenzy to finally use my discount and tried on lots of cute dresses that could work well now, in the fall and for a really big interview that I have coming up. I decided on this:

[Island Green Twist-front Dress]

I thought that it was chic and sophisticated enough for my interview but that I could also pair it with gladiator sandals for work or something more casual. Plus the material is cool enough for August but wouldn't leave me freezing should I drag the dress out with tights and boots for October or November.

But before I decided on that dress, I looked at lots more, like these:

I'm like going crazy with delight that two of my favorite colors, green and purple, are so prominently featured at Banana this season. And, even though they are not in my budget for another few weeks, I tried on nearly every pair of the new fall shoes that we got in and decided that, when the time is right, I'll definitely pick up a pair of these:

['Cecily' pull-on flat boot]

and these:

['Bree' wing-tipped high-heeled oxford ]

What are you anxious to pick up for fall?

T-Shirt Wearers

2008-08-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Refer to the my thoughts on this commercialization of great ideas.

But Jay's white tee is fresh :)

8.4.08: Currently Obsessed With

2008-08-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

[Uptown Literatti]

[Vogue Italia]

[New York's daily fashion blog, The Cut]

[Nia Long, the Love Jones years]

[twittering]

[My Isaac Mizrahi for Target's Bronze Faux Reptile Skin Sandals]

[My Baggu's]

[Hot Pink nail color by Nicole]

[The 1st Season of HBO's Tell Me You Love Me]

[Chloe Sevigny. And the name Chloe in general]

[Jezebel]

22 22's: Brittany

2008-08-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

When I Was 22: Take a look at a few great women that have recently passed 22. Share their wisdom, laugh at their pics. Enjoy!

22 22's: Brittany (2)

[Dallas, circa 2004, at 22]

Full Name: Brittany M., Esq.

Birthday: April 23

Birthplace: Houston, Texas

Currently Resides: Dallas, Texas

Famous For (Then): "Still dating my high school sweetheart, six years strong." Being my sister!

Famous For (Now): Blogging it up with 6 other EBP's over at The Real 7. The nickel jar where a 5 cents deposit is made for every time someone utters the phrase "Do you do Criminal Law?"

[Puerto Rico, 2007. Notice the giant hand clawing!]

Notorious For: "Telling it like it T-I-S. " Being the 'Miranda' of her clique. Snatching all the good genes before I was even born....

The Good Life: "[When I was 22] I had no idea how good I had it! Sure, I was broke and studied all the time, but I didn't have a job and I had way too much fun with my 22 year old classmates!" Yeah, yeah, but she's a big time law-ya now, so, I don't want to hear it!

Favorite Quotes: "It ain't always been easy!" Yes, I uttered this while being intoxicated for the very first time. It was kind of funny but strangely poignant.

Biggest Lesson: "That was a time of anticipation for me, as well as a fear of the unknown. I learned just how resilient I was and that everything really does work out OK in the end."

What I Miss About Being 22: "My dress size and lack of responsibilities!"

[with Me, Miami circa 2006, when popped collars were still relatively in]

I Can Be A Princess, Too!

2008-08-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Like most little girls, I fantasized about being a princess and really looked up to fictional ones. I LUVED Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White, Ariel, Belle and all of the other Disney princesses (but not Sleeping Beauty. The heffa just never moved me). But it didn't take too much growing up before I realized that none of them looked like me. Jasmine was kinda brown and so was Pocahontas, but the movies that I luved so much never featured African-American girls, and this really hurt. Where was our girl to look up to? With sable skin and raven hair, a recognizable voice and a tiara to match? She didn't exist, and by the time I grew out of watching Disney movies, I was convinced that she never would.

But that was before The Princess and the Frog.

A (hopefully) wonderful story of an honest-to-God Black princess and her frog, which I assume will turn into a prince. Set in New Orleans and voiced by Anike Noni Rose, the movie is getting lots of press because it will be the first Disney film to feature an African-American princess. Yay!!! I'm hella old now, but I'll still be in line to see this cute, groundbreaking-way-too-late film.

Check out the trailer, seen on this wonderful blog:

I Luv This Guy

2008-07-29T12:23:00.001-07:00

That's all.

22 22's: Lauren Conrad

2008-07-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm 22, but I will not always be. In fact, my days of repping deuce-deuces will end in 11 short weeks. The thought struck me today when I looked into smiling eyes of pseudo reality star Lauren Conrad (can you believe she landed a September cover?!) and read the quote, "Can you imagine being 22 and having your parents know everything about you?"

I hadn't ever thought that this proponent of the scripted life and I were the same age because we are soooooo different. Anyway, I got really interested in the idea of 22 and what it means to different people. So, I present to you the first 1016 editorial package: 22 22's. I'm going to be profiling darlings that happen to be this age, real, fictional, celebrity and normal, plus asking some of my besties that have passed this age to recount their memories of being 22.

22 22's: Lauren Conrad (1)

Full Name: Lauren Katherine Conrad

Birth Date: 2/1/1986

Hometown: Laguna Beach, California

Currently Resides: Los Angeles, California

Famous For: Being a third in a 90210-like love triangle with Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County co-stars Stephen and Kristin. Not designing a clothing line for LA's Kitson.

Notorious For: Feuding with former gal-pal Heidi Montag. Pretending to be an intern at Teen Vogue's LA Bureau. Long pauses between words. Great hair that she plays with a lot (while sitting down at her faux-internship).

The Good Life: She's a fashion intern, yet she sits down all day. Long glances, succinct dialogue and many, many tears satisfy a rabid following that supports her television show, website, clothing line and philanthropic efforts.

Great Quote: I don’t really even like attention on me.

And in case you haven't noticed, this is one 22 that I don't really luv.

But hey, look out for Season 4 of The Hills on MTV in August. And while you're at it, check out the inspiration for the title, Jay'Z's Reasonable Doubt track 22 Two's, here.

Missbehavin', Golden Girls Style

2008-07-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not be able to see from the blurry, unfocused image (damn PC's!), Missbehavemag is following my Twitter blog! I've been a HUGE fan of the site ever since Jezebel shouted them out a few months back for being just about the best women's magazine and filling a huge void for us anti-Cosmo gals out there ever since Jane left (RIP.)

Anywhoozlebees, I'm totally addicted to Twitter (check it out to your right ---->) and now feel an intense pressure to lead a more interesting life so that I may therefore have more interesting twitters. Yes, technology makes all of us step our game up.

Before I forget and while we're on the subject of great things that no longer exist, RIP Estelle Getty. I started a long and fabulous post about her and my love for the Golden Girls and how I think SATC copied off of them and how they are waaay more fab than SATC will be on anyday, but, like all of my Golden Girls tributes, it just didn't seem good enough for them. I really, really, really heart the show and my heart goes out to her family and former castmembers. I'll never hear "Let me tell you a story," "There once was a beautiful peasant girl," "Yutz," or any of her other catchphrases and not mourn her great comedic talent.

Talk later, see ya soon and all that...
Whitney

Nine (Musical) Degrees with Erykah Badu

2008-07-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

As I pre-order my bottle of White Patchouli, the Tom Ford fragrance that features singer Erykah Badu as the spokes-beauty, over at Neiman's, I noticed my iPod naturally gravitating towards more of Badu's music than usual. This isn't shocking, since I'm convinced that my 'Pod has a personality of her own (yes, her. I've named her Tina), but it did get me to thinking about some of my favorite Badu songs. Here go my favorite 9 songs, from Erykah herself or from related acts. Enjoy!

9. Call Tyrone, Erykah Badu. Any song that begins with "Keep in mind that I'm an artist, and I'm sensitive about my shit," is going to rate very high on my favorites list. Neo-soul lore has it that the song was a freestyle performed while she was in the midst of her first tour.

8. Retrospect for Life, Common featuring Lauryn Hill. This song, performed by Erykah's high-profile former boo, is a poignant, poetic, intelligent and thought-provoking story of love, sex, pregnancy, abortion and parenthood between young lovers.

7. You Got Me, The Roots featuring Erykah Badu and Eve. This is my second favorite song from The Roots. It's storytelling at its best with a soothing and soulful beat and a great verse from a young Eve.

6. Bag Lady, Erykah Badu. Girl power in the least possible cheesiest form, this song is a warning without being preachy and a testament to the diversity and strength of women. I heart.

5. Cruisin', D'Angelo. D'Angelo, a frequent collaborator with Erykah, fully utilizes his smoky, sexy, but still hood vocals on this amazing remake (Shh!! I like this better than Smokey's original). The 'Pod bumps it constantly.

4. A Millie (A Billie Remix), Lil Wayne featuring Jay-Z. Not a direct link, yes, but, Wayne does clearly say "They say I'm rapping like BIG, Jay, and Tupac, Andre 3000, where is Erykah Badu at?" That's enough for me. I just love the song, and especially the fact that the word consigliere finally made it into a rap song.

3. Otherside of the Game, Erykah Badu. I love this song, the cute video with Andre 3000. Singing "brother's got this complex occupation...."

2. Ms. Jackson, Outkast. Besides the fact that it kinda, sorta, a little bit sounds like Andre might be talking about Mrs. Wright on this song, it's just funny and oh-so-trill in true Outkast fashion. Plus the cats bobbing their heads in the video was precious.

1. On & On + Next Lifetime, Erykah Badu. The two songs that started it all with me and EB. Classic, no explanation needed.

Smell ya later,
Whitney

I Get A Little Obssessive...

2008-07-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

...about beautiful brown girls modeling fragrances.

Check out what (former Jane magazine) style.com staffer, Celia Ellenberg, wrote:

Given that it's coming from one of the fashion industry's visionaries, it's not that surprising that the launch of Tom Ford's newest fragrance is as much about the advertising image as it is about perfume itself. White Patchouli, which is a modern twist on the classic bohemian (read: dirty hippie) ingredient, will be available in September, along with a series of black-and-white photo ads—produced by Ford, shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, and starring… Erykah Badu. The Grammy Award-winning singer, known for her neo-soul musical stylings and eccentric fashion sense, credits the collaboration to a "mutual respect and admiration" between herself and the former Gucci group designer. "I trusted him to pair my image with a fragrance that was exquisite, and he did that and more," she says. "I look forward to working with him again." In the studio, perhaps? Ford seems like he'd have a great contralto.
—Celia Ellenberg

Photo: Courtesy of Tom Ford Beauty

The Commercialization of Ideas

2008-07-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

"All good things are wild and free" -Thoreau, goes the quote plastered across my wall. The only problem is that I tore it from a magazine where it was written in pink, lipstick typeface across an advertisement for surfwear company Billabong. Errr, so you see my dilemma?

Revolutionary authors have their thoughts whored out to companies that make thong bikinis, one of my favorite quotes by Laurel Ulrich Thatcher ("well-behaved women rarely make history,") is available on Facebook as a bumpersticker, the faces of Che Guevara and Barack Obama are plastered all across T-shirts, the likes of Common and The Roots name rap albums after classic books that they admit to never having read (Like Water for Chocolate, The Tipping Point, Things Fall Apart) and soulless singers like Solange Knowles freely evoke the words and images of great thinkers in music video clips that will play on MTV alongside Tila Tequila's A Shot at Love.

This, for me, is kind of a problem. Not only does it cheapen the art when, say, Biggie's Juicy is played during a Boost Mobile commercial, but it diminishes the importance of what that person, or that movement, stands for.

Jay-Z proudly wore his El Che T-shirt while performing his MTV Unplugged selections to an audience that probably neither knew nor cared who he was. I think that was kind of the end of great thinkers actually being famous for their thoughts.

Having worked for a marketing company that was very successful at convincing non-black people that black people were cool so that they'd buy products that were marketed to black people but were actually consumed by non-black people, I can attest to the hours spent brainstorming on everything from why black people like sweeter drinks to the history of black people and dance to sell things like gum or body oil. The simple fact is that images like revolutionary communists and words that big-up a woman's carefree side pull strings in our hearts that marketers know ultimately cause us to consume not just a product, but to believe that a brand "gets us." Yes, it's that deep.

I know this trend is really old and isn't going anywhere. I just wish that, alongside her proud Team Obama lapel pin, that 21-year-old Brooklyn hipster would read some of Obama's policies, or that when a neo-soul artist uses a book as inspiration for an album, they actually read it, OR that Solange doesn't plaster images of freedom fighters being hosed down during the Civil Rights movement and then write MySpace blog entries about A Piece of Cake being the best book she's ever read (meaning it was probably the third book she's ever finished. In life).

Handy (Wo)Man

2008-07-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I simultaneously realized my maturity and my shortcomings.

My apartment is hotter than hell this summer and I had been making due with two big box fans oscillating constantly in my room. When temps in NYC reached the high 90s, I spent my Saturday in Home Depot picking out the cheapest, possible air conditioner and lamenting over the fact that I had to pay $21 to get it delivered to my house.

Once I got it in my living room (only 10 minutes after the 3 hour window began), I spent another 10 minutes lugging it into my bedroom and carefully rolling it out of the box and onto the bed. I was excited to get it up and running when I realized that I needed to install screws and hammer nails. Damn! I had neither hammer nor screwdriver. I felt so helpless (but, hey, I didn't feel hot because I've been content to blast the AC from my windowsill.) and decided that I'd correctly install that unit if it was the last thing I did.

Then, I did the only logical thing and immediately googled "pink tools," which brought me to an eBay auction that was selling off this cute little baby for only $11. I put in my bid for $15, went to work, and got the triumphant email in a few hours that this cute and functional tool kit was all mine.

Here's to the fix it girl!
Whitney

I'm Really A Prep At Heart

2008-07-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

So I'm beginning to build my fall wardrobe in my mind (my wallet ain't nowhere near ready yet) and I checked out the online lookbook of designer Trina Turk. I realize that I buy the same items over and over, but I still get excited when I see something that looks like something I'd wear.

Enter this ABSTRACT HOUNDSTOOTH dress in Charcoal, accessorized with a great pair of berry-colored, fingerless gloves and matching tights. I love it! I'm a fool for a houndstooth print and the colored bottom takes me back to Morningside Elementary when I rocked different shades of tights each day of the week.

You already know that with the $278 pricetag that I probably won't be purchasing the real thing, but I hope to score a really good replica in the coming months.

Let you know as soon as I see something!
Whitney

The Case for Emily AKA The "She's Just Doing Her Job" Manifesto

2008-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of a previous post, I've decided to outline the many, many merits of Emily in The Devil Wears Prada (played by Emily Blunt).

Like Sex and the City, TDWP has garnered kind of a cult following among the up-and-comers in the arts, publishing and fashion. Interns, assistants, freelancers and contributors all took the film's true-to-life portrayal of life at the bottom like a gerfelta fish to water.

I, too, having loved the book, quickly became a member of the cult. I was a lowly fashion intern at a big-name publication when I first saw the movie and laughed and cried through the many, many tribulations of Andi and Emily.

Here's my question: why does everyone demonize Emily and glorify Andi?

Emily wasn't the devil. In my opinion, she was just as much a victim as Andi, but much less whiny. "The job a million girls would die for" wasn't just a catchy tagline for the book; it's the truth. I see it everyday as I live and work in publishing in New York, how uncharacteristically lucky it was for Andi to land a job of that magnitude without much effort. Yes Miranda's a bitch, but who isn't? The check-out girls at Target have to deal with as much from their bosses and they don't get free clothes.

The bottom line: Emily was a smart, efficient woman that took her cues from her boss. She was more savvy and professional than Andi could hope to be and if we didn't live in a world that rewarded ungrateful assistants with money and book deals in return for their gossipy, horribly-written, tell-alls, she'd undoubtedly be the more successful of two. Work is just that, work! It's not supposed to be easy. The most you can hope for is that it's leading you where you eventually want to go and pays your rent. Period.

And here's my two cents: young people should stop walking through life with their hands out. No one is going to give you anything and you don't deserve it anymore than the next person.

**Stepping down from my soapbox**

That is all.

Whitney

I Need This, Well Maybe Not This Exactly

2008-07-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

While working on my second official assignment as a Beauty Blogger, I stumbled across this online trunk show for Marc by Marc Jacob's Fall Collection. I will freely admit that I'm not as up-on-thangs when it comes to fashion as I am in other areas, so I'm sure this is old news.

But I'm still salivating for some of pieces, particularly a Script Plaid Twill Dress, priced at $458. I don't mind telling you that it's about 70% of what I pay each month for my apartment. Needless to say, it ain't happening.

BUT, what might happen is that I score a fabulous knock-off or shockingly similar piece at one of my favorite cheapy chic haunts like Target, H&M or Old Navy.

The dress if perfecta for several reasons:

-The cowl neckline: I'm a fool for a turtleneck (and I always have been, I think it started in, like, 1st grade), so I love that it gives the same effect with more edge.

-Houndstooth is my buddie: One of my favorite dresses last winter was a maroon and black houndstooth little number that I scored from target.com for about $8. It looked great with black tights and patent-leather mary-janes, or over a very mod, black turtleneck.

Am I the only one that trolls designer sites only to emulate the look for a fraction of the price?

Word to my (anorexic) clothing budget,
Whitney

Black Girls Readin'

2008-07-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you know that I'm kind of a bibliophile. I love to read and I love (almost as much) to discuss what I'm reading/have read. Enter, Uptown Literatti, a cute little book spot that my friend Nicole and I began back in April.

After one of our many "book talks," I revealed that in my sophomore year of high school I set out to read all of the classics; those undeniable great books that will constantly be referenced in popular culture and in contemporary books. The works that inspire artists of all genres like The Color Purple, Vanity Fair, Things Fall Apart, The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill A Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath. I got through about 10% of the list (that the Collegeboard outlined here) that year and read another portion throughout high school and college, but there were so many that I still hadn't conquered. Thus, Uptown Literatti was born.

Two of my favorite readers, Nikita and Melissa, wanted in on the action and so we formed our foursome of readers, and vowed to intrepidly slave through these masterpieces. We started with The Bell Jar, one of my favorites by Sylvia Plath that both Nicole and I related to a great deal. We went on to The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner and got as far as the second chapter before putting it in our "To-Read" pile. We just finished up A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce and we're on to something more contemporary.

Oh, did I mention, we'll also be compiling our own little list of Great Contemporary Books? I'm angling for us to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith next. My Harlem sublet is ending in September and I'm more than a little obsessed with the other borough these days. I've recently been seen rocking out to this 9th Wonder joint, Brooklyn on my Mind.

Lots of people have an idea about what a classic books makes, and they've outlined it. Check out some of my favorite "good book" lists and start reading. Just make sure to tell me what you think :)

-101 Great Books: The Collegeboard
-Strand 80: Strand Bookstore NYC
-Books of a Century: New York Public Library
-The Complete List of Oprah's Book Club
-Uptown Literatti's Great Contemporary Books

With Love and Literature,
Whitney

Officially on the Come Up!

2008-06-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hello World!

I'm in a greeaaat mood today (hmm, maybe I should resurrect a box of those Frosted Flakes) because now, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I am officially on the come up. For those of you that know me in "real" life, you already know that I am a *proud* graduate of Howard University and a writer that moved to NYC six months ago in pursuit of an elusive magazine staff job. I've had a blast interning with a marketing company on their beauty brand accounts, and interning/temping/writing for magazines and websites.

But today, I got triple dose of really good news. One, the food site that I temped at last week might want me back for a long-term editorial assignment. Yes!

Two, my monthly column in Sister 2 Sister magazine on all things food was given major props by a reader today. It feels great to have something that you put so much time and effort into recognized by the people for whom it was intended. Oh yeah!

And three, I am the official Contributing Beauty Editor for a new lifestyle website that's rolling out soon. I can't give too many details, but trust that in a few short months you'll be seeing your girls mug and byline on a very smart, sassy piece of the internet devoted to all things beautiful. I had been very wishy-washy about telling people this because I didn't know how important my section would be or if it would be something that could turn into a full-time gig or not, but I got the contract in my inbox today and I am very, very excited to see that it's official and could turn into something that I do full-time.

Being a Beauty Editor is something I've wanted to do for a long time and I never imagined that I'd get anywhere close at this stage in my career, but the site is for young people and it just made sense to have the editorial content come from people in the age group. I'm ridiculously excited!

I'm working on getting lots of PR contacts together and generating story ideas, so if you happen to represent a beauty brand (or know someone who does), let me know about it at whitneyteal85@aol.com. Or, if you love/hate beauty, let me know about that too.

So Excited!
Whitney

A Lot of Food + A Trip to Brooklyn Bourgeois Bohemia

2008-06-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

Since we've already established that the weekends are the only time I do things remotely interesting, I'll tell you about another, much more tame weekend. My friend Nicole (of the cute and fabulous blog Chestnut Orange) came to town last week to pursue a great passion; two of her photographs were being displayed at Positivity, a photo exhibition curated by Jamel Shabazz at the Danny Simmons' Corridor Gallery in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

The kick-off for the exhibit wasn't until Sunday so Nicole came to my house Saturday to chill and catch-up. After working my first week at the mag job, I was unnaturally tired (probably because this was coming off of 2 weeks of unemployment) so we decided to spend Saturday afternoon indoors and cook up some goodies rather than spend money on food. Writing about food all day and penning a food column can make a girl feel like she can really burn in the kitchen...even when she can't. Nic, obviously the better cook, made the fried chicken (some with honey BBQ sauce..mmmm) and I was tasked with pasta salad (out of a box), organic green beans (random, I know), biscuits, cookies for dessert and a fruity, carbonated drink that I've named Orangeade Fizz, a mixture of Tropicana Pink Lemonade (2/3) and Orange Fanta (1/3). Try it...it's good :)

Here's the end result. Nic, being a bomb ass photog, decided to get some shots of the food when we finished. It looked and tasted really good!

Next came Sunday, the big day for my friend who had no idea what she would be walking into at the gallery, but was pleasantly surprised by the great turn-out. Tons of people, all of the very similar artist community that seems to thrive only in places like Fort Greene and the East Village. I've named it la vie noir boheme (you know, like Rent). Just in case your thinking of moving to the area (which is idyllic by NYC standards, I must admit), the prereqs are:

-natural hair (the bigger, the better),
-an African companion (preferably a bf/gf but a close friend will do),
-a visable political statement or two whether it be a Marcus Garvey tee or a Barack Obama lapel pin and, of course,
-the obligatory Ivy League degree, or three

But I digress. It was all around good fun as Nicole and I, along with friends Charreah, Shaena and Eniola celebrated her success. Afterwards we wandered around the city for an hour looking for a suitable place to eat before settling on Spice, a Thai restaurant near NYU. The laughs were good and we were eventually joined by Jessica, the ever-hilarious, but the service was quite terrible. The waitress was weird and continually walked by our table asking the same questions over and over again ("Are you ready to order?" NO! We told you the first 10 times that we're waiting for other people to arrive) before taking away my plate of rice before I was done and attempting to do the same with my lemon chicken.

Later, we walked around aimlessly looking for a Crumbs bakery that was closed before going to a Cold Stone that didn't have waffle cones! What! That's like McDonald's not having fries! Sometime around midnight I hopped a train back uptown to watch the latest episode of The Next Food Network Star that I had missed (I'm really kind of addicted to that show). Sigh, another weekend under my belt.

Pictures from the exhibit to come very, very soon!

xoxo Whitney

Freaky Friday

2008-06-14T01:23:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 13th, 2008:

10:50am: Awoken by a phone call from a 212 number. Sleepily realize that it must be an employer and answer to discover that my staffing agency is looking for a web writer for a new food website. Yes! Please submit my resume.

11am: After using the restroom, lay in bed hoping that I get the job. Say a quick prayer that I get the job offer and that the rest of my scheduled interviews go well. Go back to sleep.

2:30pm: First interview with Banana Republic. Wearing my lucky black shift dress and sexy, professional patent leather heels. Store Manager Eric seems to like me and asks me to start immediately, must come in on Saturday. Yes! I rarely get offered jobs on the spot.

3:50pm: Glide to my second interview, on a strange yet unrecognizable high. Get a second job offer at the Jewelry company. But it's an unpaid internship...must think about this one.

4:10pm: Riding the elevator downstairs listen to voicemail from staffing agency...got the job with the magazine! Will start Monday! Almost cry from relief...rent is due in 2 weeks!

5:30pm: Tell mother and sister about wonderful day. Find the perfect shade of Cargo Lip Gloss Duo at Sephora. What a great day.

6pm: Text Charreah. She's up for a celebratory dinner :)

8pm: Meet Charreah and decide to head to some Caribbean restaurant. Riding the 3 train and want to go further downtown so decide on Dallas BBQ in Chelsea..then switch to Rosa Mexicano's in Union Square. Settle on Rosas.

9pm: Walking around for half an hour looking for Rosas. Find it. One hour wait for a table for two! No. Char knows a cool place around the corner. Find Punch, a very nice, affordable restaurant.

10pm: Oh no! My burger is way too pink. Polite staff brings me another. Delicious. Aged cheese just whiskied enough. My meal is free! We order chocolate bread pudding + ice cream for desert.

11pm: Bad news from a friend. She didn't get a job that she wanted. We decide that we can't let her be miserable on a Friday night. Go to Herald Square to get her. Spot the cutest yellow flowers on the way. Pick them up to cheer her up.

12:05pm: Said friend is cheered by the flowers! And she's rocking the hottest high-waisted pants. This, I think, is reason enough for her to be happy. Not all can pull off the look.

We decide to go out and notice it's after midnight. "Freaky Friday is officially over," says Char. D'oh! That's why today has been so weirdly great...it's Friday the 13th!

1am: End up at Barna, the only black people for quite awhile. The music is hot though (and the DJ kind of looks like Mark Ronson....) and I get double-cheek kissed by a hot French guy. The lucky dress continues ;)

1:30am: Friend seems to attract the strangest drunken white girls! No less than 3 come up to her and ask weird questions. One is so drunk and reminds me of a crackhead the way she is frenetically dancing. I crack up and we make up our own dance. I haven't laughed this hard in a loooooong time.

2am: A gaggle of guys begin to bombard our trio. One a short Nigerian dance machine, the second a taller, wanna-be cool Bald-y and the third a completely shitfaced, horny, Kappa that acts like a Que.

2:30am: Lips on my neck? The horny Kappa/Que is drunkenly kissing my scalp kitchen! Gross!

3am: Drink spilled on my leg by wanna-be cool Bald-y. Time to go home, but not before horny Kappa/Que gropes and tries to bite my boobs...am I back at a college houseparty?

3:30am: McDonald's in Herald Square. Ahhh, Sprite tastes so good and it's funny when the guy at the table next to us keeps repeating "I lost my mari-juana!" and then looks at us.

4:05am: Damn! We got on the wrong train and we're on our way to Queens instead of Harlem. Get off of said train and cab it back. Cab-naps are so much fun :)

4:41am: I gotta write all this down or I'll surely forget.

Hey Lover, This is More Than A Crush

2008-06-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm crushin'. Crushin' on a certain handsome, charismatic, educated, opinionated Lawyer of a man. Yes, yes, y'all I do mean Mr. Barack Obama, the Democratic Presidential hopeful that stamped out a field of worthy contenders (ahem, all middle-class white men and women) to snag the left-of-the-middle party's nomination.

And, man, oh, man, am I glad. I just have to think about my beautiful little niece-cousin Sarae, with her honey brown skin that she compares to chocolate milk and wide, innocent eyes that will look to the Senator's Presidential Campaign and think, "I can do that." Or the little Armenian-American boys that run up and down the stairs of my Harlem apartment, who will no doubt see the child of an immigrant in the Oval Office and say, "I can do that." It's a phrase I never would have thought possible, in my lifetime, for a non-white or non-male person.

I'm prepared to catch hell for this next statement, but I'm glad Hilary made it as far as she did. She campaigned hard (though not admirably) and was a worthy adversary for Obama, frankly much more of a challenge than I predict McCain will be in the Fall. And however much I do not agree with the way that she ran her campaign, especially towards the end, I'm thankful, as a woman, that she had the courage to do it and made history along the way.

I am so inspired by the possibility of a new America, one that I can be even more proud of and live even more fruitfully in, that I have decided to help Obama win the final contest against McCain. I've pledged to donate $1,000 to his efforts and I've already got $50 (woo-hoo!). Help us get the rest by checking out my fundraising page here. And, if you're so inclined, start one of your own! It only takes $10 from 100 friends to match my goal. Come on, challenge me!

The Case for Miranda Hobbs

2008-05-31T19:57:00.001-07:00

I would like to make a case for Miranda Hobbs, arguably the least popular of the gal pals featured on HBO's "Sex and the City" and upcoming movie. Smart, driven, honest and confident I can see how she isn't your typical female character. Unlike Carrie, she was financially stable and owned her own home. She was a loyal friend and often put their problems over her own, unlike Charlotte. She enjoyed sex, like Samantha, but unlike her she also enjoyed steady relationships. And unlike all the girls, she ended the show with the single woman's dream: the career, the guy, the kid, the house and the maid.

Unconventionally level-headed and straight-minded, Miranda Hobbs was a unique addition to the canon of women TV characters. She defied a slew of stereotypes that labeled women as either bleeding heart wanna-be housewives or hard as nails man-haters. Un-self-conscious in a way that most women on TV can only dream, Miranda endeared herself to me during those moments when she simultaneously showed off that Harvard Law education and that healthy dose of estrogen. She was Carrie's best friend, probably because she would put her in her place every once in awhile (remember when Carrie skipped out on helping Miranda up from the bathroom floor, and sent Aiden instead? Carrie didn't apologize and immediately launched into an essay on her problems. Miranda was quick to remind her sometimes selfish friend "that's bullshit!") and tried to refrain from judging the other two, even when she didn't agree with their choices.

A credit to the writers, I loved how Miranda truly owned her sexuality, much more than Carrie (hello! Ms. Bradshaw had the most b-o-r-i-n-g sex scenes on the history of HBO) and Charlotte, who disguised her whoreish ways by saying that every guy she met would be her future husband. Next to Sam, she was probably the best in bed...remember when she bedded the hot cop in Season 3 and told him, drunkenly, "I'm no Mena Suvari, but I'm great in bed!"

But the overwhelming evidence that puts Miranda up there as one of my favorite TV characters ever is the fact that she refused to be a doormat for anyone. I'm sure this next statement will come with much flack, but Carrie, Charlotte and even Samantha, allowed the men in their lives to use them, damage them and toss them aside for the next poor sap. Carrie's Big, who consistently pushed her away, got married while they were technically still together and willingly made her the "other woman," can't be blamed for all of that. Carrie can. Charlotte and Trey, who refused to stand up to his mother and allowed Bunnie, his impotency and her barrenness to end their marriage (which, by the way, he ended, not her.) And, to a lesser extent, Samantha and Richard. Miranda wouldn't stand for that nonsense and got the guy anyway.

She stands as a shining beacon of hope for all the women against silly girls everywhere, the voice that reminds us that our lives don't exist to be half of a couple, but to be one whole of a woman. I haven't seen the movie yet, but long live Miranda, Steve, Brady, Magda, Scout and Fatty as an example of what being smart and in love can get you.

As a sidenote: I really do love Carrie, Samantha and Charlotte. I just felt the need to defend Ms. Hobbs and point out to some subjective viewers her many merits.

Reunited and It Feels So Very Good

2008-05-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Break-ups and beefs are sooo 2007. This year has been all about reunions. I've recently been reunited with my favorite teen TV Shows (All That and Saved by the Bell on The N...get into it) and was inspired by all the other B, Big and bigger reunions out there. See my favorites below.

1) Yellow-Blond Beyonce: Yes, her darker 'do was only a temporary, wonderful reprieve before she debuted her tried and true goldie-locks at the Grammy's in February, but since then she has been skirting around the hue with highlights, lowlights and lights all over the place. This past week she has returned, with a vengence, with full-on blonde hair and the old faithful ponytail. Classic Beyonce and I luv it. Curious onlookers also notice the glass of wine in her hand...my emphatic pregnancy confirmation was obviously wrong.

2) Carrie & Co: Yes, BG's, the time has come for us to again bow down and worship at the temple of fashion, fur and friendship when the Sex & The City Movie premieres everywhere next weekend. Not only will audiences be reunited with their favorite 40-something freaks, but we will also hail the return of the rare All-Girl Summer Blockbuster, which we only discovered two summers ago with The Devil Wears Prada.

3) The Real HU: My alma mater, the place of so many great firsts and bests and of some of my truest friends. I went home to congratulate my original class, the Class of 2008, and to celebrate their commencement into the adult world. Tequila and a ticket to the Young Alumni Shin-dig at Love both conspired to make a wonderful reunion.

---notice the slightly dazed look in our eyes and the many droplets of alcohol on our dresses, sheer happiness kept us smiling after 1, 2, maybe 3 drinks were spilled on us.

So, So Good,
Whitney

Lots of Luv in The Heart of the City

2008-05-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

The final show of the MJB/Jay-Z Heart of the City Tour in one word? Perfection. From the circumstances under which my golden ticket was obtained to the last word, bellowed in unison by Mary, Jay and their random final guest Swizz Beatz ("Sweeeeet!!!!"), the performances went off without a hitch, well unless you count the multiple masterbation mimes performed by The Dream's dancers.

So here's the backstory: I work for a marketing company with lots-o ties to the music industry and the beauty company Carol's Daughter as a client, so when Jay and Mary decided to go out on tour our ever-industrious Chief Creative Officer decided to take the Carol's Daughter show along, literally following the tour buses and passing out samples before the concerts and at nearby colleges.

My co-workers and I (collectively known as "the Beauty team," see there we are smiling in front of the wrapped van...the stories behind that vehicle you don't want to know) worked tirelessly on this tour for months so our team leader decided that we deserved to at least experience the show...and her wish was granted! Four impossibly hard to get tickets in impossibly great seats for the impossibly hyped finale of the tour. Sweeeeettt.

Cut to tonight, in Madison Square Garden (my first time there), hit writer turned singer The Dream has wrapped up his short, opening set (taking his four 90's dancing, porn star in the making companions with him) and the clock is ticking in anticipation for the The Dreams that we really came to see -

<----see, there's a literal countdown. The crowd shouts "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" and BOOM! The duo rise out of the floor, standing back to back in matching sparkly ensembles and immediately jump into "Can't Knock the Hustle," the crime-pays record that started it all. Jay-Z falls back and lets the Queen do her thing. Always a fan but never a stan, I really began to understand the hold that Mary has over people, especially the downtrodden and wronged of the world. Opening with the sweetest rap song ever, "You're All I Need," she was soon joined by Method Man himself who spit the whole song and temporarily made me stop hating him for betraying Prop Joe (yes, The Wire is an obsession). She masterfully commanded the crowd as she glided through her barrage of hit songs before tearing up as she belted out the lyrics to "No More Drama," (and not in the cheesy, fake-crying way that Beyonce does). The tears didn't stop as she pushed through some of her sadder songs (read: the My Life album) including a crowd-pleasing "Not Gone Cry," that was complete with black lipstick. She took us to church on each song, crying, kneeling to the floor, spasming and stopping to drop pearls of wisdom in between, telling the men to stay with their women even when things start to droop (her words, not mine) and the women to celebrate their life as it is now but never to lose hope that Prince C will eventually show up.

After almost an hour with the emotional roller coaster that is Mary, Jay takes the stage and represents for the gents. From the coke rhymes ("Dead Presidents," "I Know," etc) to love songs to party anthems to a moving (well, moving to me) tribute to our future Prez Obama complete with a big picture of Bush that we all got to point our middle fingers at, he showed us why he's the most famous rapper alive. But famous as he is, he's still just very expensive arm candy for the hottest chick in the game who came out in all of her thick-thighed, blonde-haired fabulousness to strut and do a little shimmy to their jam, "Crazy In Love." While Jay had the crowd going nuts, B's 15 second performance took it to a new level.

Ending with "Heart of the City" and "You All Are Welcome," which sounds much better live than it does on the radio, the two locked arms with Swizz and exited, stage left. Sweeeetttt.

Does Anyone Else Feel Sorry for Mr. Whitaker?

2008-05-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

I recently read on allhiphop.com that:

Cash Money rapper Lil Wayne has signed on to co-star in a new major motion picture starring Forest Whitaker, titled The Patriots. Lil Wayne [...] began filming for the movie in his hometown of New Orleans earlier this week. The Patriots is about a basketball team that was assembled of players, who attended five different high schools before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans.

Given his errant drug use and lack of acting experience leading up to this role, does anyone else feel sorry for Forest Whitaker?

I've Found Love...The Ones I've Been Waiting My Whole Spring For

2008-04-30T11:14:00.001-07:00

There is always one. One piece of footwear that defines a season. Those treasured jellies you wore everywhere during the Summer of 1997, the worn flip-flops that found their way to your feet everyday of your Junior year in high school. Last summer saw me pairing everything with a great pair of wedges with a straw-like heel and the cutest, bohemian coral and acqua beading. But, like so many things that were of great importance in 2007, they are in the wind, no doubt left behind somewhere between DC, Fort Worth and New York.

Luckily, I found these hotness-on-heels while perusing Piperlime's winter shoe clearance (suede booties for $40, your life depends on checking it out). Seychelles, the perpetual maker of comfortably chic shoes, marked these at $90. After applying card member discounts and Piperlime's free shipping, I'm sure I'll feel just like the girl that caught the one that almost got away.

Officially Excited About Summer,

Whitney :)

And A White Man Shall Lead

2008-03-23T00:48:00.000-07:00

Today I suffered through what was quite possibly one of the worst films ever. What I really have to say about 10,000 BC (In case your wondering the BC stands for Boring Crap) is "Don't See It." But beyond that bit of advice I have to tell you that it is a stunning disaster, historically, logically and in the way that it is performed. Personally, I also felt a strong hatred towards the overall themes presented, ones that we are all familiar with, loathe, and yet never seem to leave the film industry.

So my journey with 10K Boring Crap began on my daily commute to Times Square where I saw a great poster featuring a man pointing a long spear at a humongo Saber-Toothed Tiger. Fun! I immediately wanted to see the film. When my good friend Nic came to town Thursday and admitted she wanted to see it too, I thought Great! I love a good "Man Saves His People" flick.

However, upon viewing the first shot of this misguided piece, I dreaded that the film would not live up to its enticing ads. There was a mysterious sounding narrator that said things like "My People" and shit about mountains to kick the whole thing off. Snooze. I then saw dozens of people in the weirdest looking tribe ever. White, yellow, brown people surrounding a large Polynesian woman, called Old Mother of all things, with bone accessories, fur loincloths and long, tangled locs, chanting in some primitive language. Okay, a United Colors of Bennetton ad with dreads and brown body paint. Gotcha.

Then the movie went all the way over to my bad side when the narrator spoke of a prophecy from Old Mother about a "blue-eyed girl" that would save their people. Enter a young, olive-skinned child with freaky, light blue contacts. Now, I've just told you that the tribe is supposed to be people of color, although many of the actors were white, so this whole "blue-eyed" girl will save us is weird. Clearly her blue eyes were something strange to them. Clearly they were the brown savages waiting to be saved by someone with more European features. The girl in question does arrive and is immediately put on a pedestal by the tribe and steals the heart of D'Leh, the young son of the tribe's head honcho. Hmmm.

So I pretty much hated it after that. Long story short, everyone cherishes the girl and her "unique" features including D'Leh. The village is devastated by a group of slave-hunters and ole Blue Eyes is captured leaving D'Leh with the mission of finding her. He battles Saber-Toothed Tigers, weird, gigantic ancient birds and the big, hulky, Jheri-curl-sporting slave-hunter (who, of course, becomes taken with Blue Eyes), all the while gathering groups of warriors who have lost their women and children to these mysterious people-hunters. The warriors are all African. They eventually reach a massive city full of slaves working to build pyramids for some person-god (pyramids in 10,000 BC?). D'Leh kills the god, but not before lots of weird scenes involving Jheri-Curl lecherously leering at Blue Eyes or scene-stealing Black Albino people hipping D'Leh and Co. to the god's secrets.

Okay, I feel the need to remind people that I am not militant, I do not hate white people and I recognize films as creative outputs that are not necessarily politically correct. There, the disclaimer. However, it bothers me when I see things like this because I believe that the more subtle racism is, the more damaging. Blatant slurs can easily be brushed off as one lunatic that doesn't reflect the entire culture. Subtleties go relatively unnoticed and permeate the culture, making them a lot harder to prove, dispel and overcome. Who the hell green-lighted this? Who thought that it was OK to make Albinos a race of wise, god servants? Why do all the Brown men have to bow down to the beauty of the white-like girl? Why couldn't the Black people have saved their own people instead of waiting for all two of the white men to lead them? Why are dreadlocks an indicator of primitiveness and savageness? Why, Why, Why?

Beyond the cultural implications, it just didn't make sense. There were holes upon holes upon holes in the plot. For example, D'Leh's father leaves the tribe in order to help them, but keeps the last part a secret, leaving everyone to believe that he was a Deserter. Okay. But we never find out how his leaving helped. Also, Old Mother speaks of four-legged demons that will be the end of their tribe. We then immediately see a herd of Woolly Mammoths charging. Are these the four-legged demons. Not sure. Oh, okay, here come men on horses, these must be the four-legged demons.

And the film jumps all over the place, leaving me to wonder, more than once, what the hell was the point. First they're fighting Woolly Mammoths, then their village is pillaged, then D'Leh's fighting over-sized dinosaur birds, then he's trapped in a pit with a Saber-Toothed Tiger. No, seeing all that did not make it any more clear.

I give this film two, very enthusiastic thumbs down. 1/2 a star, and that's only for the most tolerable performances by Cliff Curtis as Tic'Tic, D'Leh's mentor and by Nathanael Baring as Baku, the charming young wannabe hunter.

Goodnight, Hoppers, Goodnight, Po-Pos, Goodnight, The Wire, Goodnight, Moon

2008-03-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

Tonight I must say Good-bye to a very good friend. Well, lots of very good friends...Bunk, Michael, Bubbles, McNulty, Avon, Carver, Poot, Beadie, Prezbolyski, Marlo and Cheese, just to name a few. Of course I'm talking about all of the fantastic characters that assemble for HBO's best series to date: The Wire. Arguably the best thing that's ever been on the boob tube (and named so by many of the world's leading entertainment publications), no other television series has examined so accurately and non-obtrusively the make up of the modern American city. With close looks at life in a drug trafficking organization, an inner-city police force, in City Hall, in an urban classroom and in a big city newspaper, the show has created a virtual city while breaking down the inner mechanics of the typical, urban one.

I discovered this show in October 2006. I was a Senior at Howard and completely enamored with my seven HBO channels. I had heard of The Wire, but generally from the same sort of people that watched Oz, if you know what I mean, and didn't think it could ever be my show. But I stumbled upon an article in EW (which has the best Wire coverage ever, Slate is a close second) written by one of their contributors Stephen King that hailed it as the hottest thing smoking with those elusive qualities that only HBO dramas seem to possess: great writing + phenomenal acting - the overly dramatic touch of a major network. I found out that HBO was showing the first three episodes in Season 4 one night and decided to catch-up. It wasn't easy...

First off, those accents. Being in D.C. and befriending a few Baltimoreans, I knew it was authentic. But that didn't make it any easier to understand. And the characters, there were dozens of them. The police force, the police command, City Hall and its labyrinth of council members, judges and aides, the many drug corners of Marlo, Prop Joe and the independents and now, the schools. To add insult to injury, the producers played everything completely straight, no descriptive costumes in classrooms of 20 kids. Sex and the City only had four principle characters and we could still spot Charlotte, Samantha, Carrie or Miranda from a mile away just because of their distinctive looks.

Despite all of the obstacles, I became hooked. The show instantly made me feel as if I had been dropped on the West Side of Baltimore and given opera glasses to carefully move my gaze from Bodie's corner on Pacey to Mr. Prezbo's Math Class to Carcetti's campaign headquarters to Mayor Royce's office and back again to the streets to Marlo's lair near Druid Hill park.

Each week, I sat fixated for an hour, grimacing when baby Kenard called Micheal's mother a "f***ing dope fiend," screaming at the TV as Herc unknowingly outs Randy as a snitch, glaring as Carcetti's Chief of Staff says decisively, "Kids don't vote," and sobbing as if he were my own child when I witnessed Dukie on the corner selling drugs, wearing Micheal's old coat. I recently went back and discovered seasons 1-3, which were all as masterfully done as Season 4, but maybe not as heart wrenching, which is a good thing because no one can take the disappointment of Season 4 more than once.

The beauty of this show, is in the details. The glances, the gestures, the unspoken communications. My favorite moment of Season 1 is when McNulty and Bunk go back to an old crime scene and solve a cold murder case with nothing more than a series of "F***s" and the occasional "Motherf****er." The most poignant moment in Season 1 was D'Angelo Barksdale standing up to the vindictive Stinger Bell who walks out on D, but not before D begins to wildly ask, "Where's Wallace?! Huh? Where's Wallace?!" Over and over and over he screamed and I was weirdly gratified to know that the homeless, parentless corner boy was missed by someone. Seasons 2-5 have also been filled with these moments, which are pay-offs for regular viewers, who by now are trained to look for the nuances and file them away in their memory to be rediscovered in the season's ending episodes.

Season 5 has been pure Wire, building on prior storylines and setting us (rabid fans) up for the pay-off, or big let-down, however you want to look at it. I've had to say good-bye to some stalwarts over the past couple of years with The Wire...Bodie, Prop Joe, Omar, Snoop and I'm certain that at least a couple more will leave the world tonight. But who stays and who goes takes a backseat to the overall effect of the show as these people, that have managed to leap out of the screen and become 3-D forces in the minds of millions of viewers, have left their indelible mark on television and the world. And even though the real Dukies and Wallaces and "little bitches on the chessboard" will continue to be so, their stories have partially been told. This, I believe, has created a space for "the rest of us," the non-corner kids, to begin to understand the Why's and to question How we can change things. Hate It or Love It, The Underdog's Still On Bottom.

A Room With A View

2008-02-26T00:16:00.000-08:00

There is a room in my office that is, quite possibly, the most amazing space I've ever been in. No, Frank Gehry did not design it nor did Michelangelo coat the ceiling with paint. It's actually a conference room with a great, oak table in the center tons of fabric-covered chairs around the table and down the walls. The room features four massive windows that overlook Midtown Manhattan. While sitting at any point in the room, you can glance up and catch a glimpse of one of the most magnificent cities in the world. Whatever is going on, however I feel about myself, my job, my world, when I look out of one of those windows I feel majestic, invigorated and so damn lucky to live in New York City.

Today I Had A Thought

2008-02-11T17:08:00.000-08:00

“You don't need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!”-John Lennon

It seems that everywhere you look, someone is telling you what to wear, who to vote for, what to watch, what to do for a living, how to live. We are all born with everything that we need to live our lives and think for ourselves, yet we are trained from the day that we enter this world to follow others.

It's taken a lot for me to get to a point where I feel that my thoughts are really mine, and not someone else's that I have regurgitated. Because of that, I am fiercely protective of my thoughts, my ideas, my beliefs, myself. And I despise people that step on those things that make me, me.

Yea, I understand that we're all different. And I welcome a good discussion, but when I'm confronted with bossiness, a force that tramples over anything different with defiant ignorance, I completely repel, and either break out the quills like a threatened porcupine or I shrink back into myself. Lately, I have found myself confronted with people that have completely attempted to stamp over my personality. The constant act of either attacking or retreating has left me emotionally fatigued, exhausted even.

You know what I think? I think that people that are not very confident in their own selves tend to take any differing opinion as a personal assault and instinctively attack. It must be a very tiring existence to constantly be on the defensive.

Our society promotes this defiant ignorance. From day 1, we are socialized to talk louder, be faster, get ahead and focus on substance later. Who cares if you don't actually know the answer to a question, you were the first to raise your hand. It doesn't matter if you were the least active in your group project, you were the one that stood up and did the presentation.

I don't know everything, in fact, I don't know much. But I'm glad that I at least know that everyone is not like me and that that's not a bad thing. It's not my duty to criticize or berate people that are different, or attempt to censor someone else's originality. Thank God I know that much.

New Jacks Are Back

2007-10-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

We (black people, or people of other cultures greatly influenced by Black American culture, born in the United States after 1980 and before 1990) are, quite literally, New Jack Kids. So many of our cultural references were spawned from this era that is largely credited to have begun with a newspaper article about the drug-infestation of Detroit.

Consider this:

-Journalist Barry Michael Cooper published an article in The Village Voice entitled "Kids Killing Kids: New Jack City Eats Its Young," in December of 1987. He goes on to write the movie New Jack City, loosely based on drug lord Nicky Barnes.

-The term New Jack Swing was coined by Cooper to describe the sounds of producer Teddy Riley. Popular 1990's groups like Jodeci, Guy, Boyz II Men, Color Me Badd, Digital Underground and artists like MC Hammer, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill and R. Kelly all release hits under the genre.

-Ice-T released his hit "Cop Killer," after starring in New Jack City.

-Different World premieres in 1987 and is considered to be part of the New Jack era.

..........................Fast Forward to the 2000s:

-Bryan "Baby" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams found Cash Money Records after the Cash Money Brothers in the film New Jack City.

-VH1 Hip Hop Honors pays tribute to the New Jack Swing era.

-LL Cool J rhymes, "Now you Nino Brown/Rock roller wit' so much ice your cap's polar."

-Lil' Wayne begins a musical trilogy with Tha Carter, the name of the crack house Nino and the Cash Money Brothers use in New Jack City.

-Kanye West raps, "I ain't one of the Cosbys/I ain't go to Hillman."

-Young Joc puns on the move with his album titled New Joc City.

-Jay-Z raps, " Im like Pookie in New Jack/Clinked up with the roof back"

The Glam Squad: Brown Suga' Edition

2007-10-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

There is an old adage that says (and I'm paraphrasing), "You don't where you're going if you don't know where you came from." I take this completely to heart and am always quick to give props to women that came before me that are doing the damn thing. I feel so fortunate because I am constantly bombarded with images and profiles of women of color that are slaughtering negative stereotypes and chucking the deuces to that passe glass ceiling of opportunity. And the best part is, they do it all with great skin, shining tresses and oh-so-chic stilettos. G-L-A-M-OR-OUS indeed. My top picks:

Tia Williams: I luv, luv, luv this woman! I read about her in VibeVixen mag a couple of years ago and instantly became a certified SYB (shame on you if can't decode the acronym!), ran out and copped both of her books and decided that I would be just like her, but only still me, lol. I met her when she came to D.C. two Springs ago and ran up to her and hugged her the instant she walked in. She was probably a little taken aback, as we were strangers, but I had to explain that I felt like I knew her and that she was my role model.

Mara Brock Akil: She created one of my favorite shows (Girlfriends) and successfully changed the television landscape to include successful, intelligent black women from all spectra. Take that "Lisa Turtle" stereotype! Following that success she came back with The Game and changed the TV game yet again. Most importantly, she's a former Journalism student at Northwestern. Now who says Journalism majors don't make any money?

Lisa Price: You guys know I luv everything Carol's Daughter (especially in the Ocean collection) and the affection does not stop with the line's creator. Queen and I were so honored to meet her last Spring when she visited Howard University and spoke about her early financial struggles and the arrival/influence of Steve Stoute (the m-f-ing dude that brought in heavyweight investors like Jay-Z and Will Smith). Plus, she's got that great balance of work and family with her husband and sons. Luv, luv, luv her.

Christina Norman: Four words-Doing the D**N thing. Let's run down her stats: President of MTV since 2005, former President of VH-1, credited with hauling the network out of financial ruin with hit shows like The Fabulous Life of... and The Surreal Life, undoubtedly one of the most powerful black women in Entertainment. Need I type more? Me likes.

Get inspired people!

Whitney :)

Happy October!

2007-10-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Happy October! I luv this month....there's Halloween, My Birthday, Oktoberfest, Boo at the Zoo, The Texas State Fair, My Birthday. Another happy event? DailyCandy, the fabulous style/lifestyle email wire-service thing, has FINALLY got a chocolate-y image (see pic). I realize most people do not view the website as a Life in the City survival guide, but I do, so it's big for me. The drawings are always so cute and chic but sooo very vanilla. Check out the Dallas version, the editor's a Brown Girl and extremely smart and funny.

Take this mini-post and look for longer ones soon. Guys, I have sooo many ideas in my head and actually have started no less than 4 blog entries in the last 2 weeks that I never finished....I think they call this, blogger's block?

Luv Ya Like A Play Cousin,
Whitney

Fashion This, Fashion That

2007-09-20T08:33:00.001-07:00

New York Fashion Week is over. Sigh. But there have been some major developments in my world, fashion-wise, that beg to be blogged about.

Development #1: First glances of the Sex and the City movie.

Here we go! First off, can I shriek with enthusiasm over the Eiffel Tower replica? It's genius. Primarily because it tells me that they are picking up where they left off..no annoying gaps where you have to guess what happens. Secondly because it's hot and so absolutely Carrie. Again, can't wait, wait, wait for the movie.

Development #2: When It Comes to Accessories, Kate's Got It.

Way back in the day, 'round 1999/2000, Kate Spade was the former Vogue staffer turned It-Accessories Designer of the moment. Though she's kept a core "fanbase," she's definitely not an It-Girl any longer. I'm no expert, but I must say, when it comes to accessories, you are hard-pressed to find wallets, gloves, totes and paper products more chic, colorfull and still professional.

If erasers were that hot when I was in school, I would have made better grades in Math. I'm just saying.

Development #3: The New Generation of Black Fashion Icons.

This is really still developing, but is it just me, or have y'all noticed how wonderfully Rihanna, J. Hud, Tracee Ellis Ross, Gabrielle Union and Paula Patton have stepped into the shoes formerly occupied by Diana, Tina, Patti and Jayne? Maybe it's just me, but I dig what they wear these days.

Development #4: DVF's Pimp Hand Is SO Strong.

It is arguable that Diane von Furstenberg has never lost her swagger. From inventing one of the most important pieces in modern women's wardrobe (that classic wrapdress) to wedding a prince to revamping her company over and over again. But if one were to ever say that she has, she definitely got it back with her Spring 2008 collection.

From the pimp hats titled just so (see above) to the flowy dress in forgiving fabrics that scream summer on the veranda sipping ice tea and structured warm-weather sheaths perfect for the office, it was DVF at her best. Definitely my favorite of the week.

**Singing Fashion This and Fashion That, Fashion'll beat you down with a baseball bat**

Whitney

Hudson In The City?!

2007-09-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

Mes amies, you must know by now that there are fewer pleasures in my life greater than plumping (is that a word...) on the couch with chinese food and strawberry lemonade and watching some of my favorite episodes of Sex and the City. The FANTASTIC Sex and the City. The GROUNDBREAKING Sex and the City. Ahh...the good life.

Now, if there are any tragic flaws in the series, they must lie in the producers/casting directors ultimate refusal to portray any of the millions of fabulous, sexy, successful, single women of color residing in New York. Of course we had Maragaret Cho as the Runway Producer in Season 4 and Miranda's Black neighbor bitching about Brady's crying in Season 5 but it's a great stretch to say that they were characters...fillers really.

Sooooooo, imagine my utter excitement to find that Ms. Bradshaw would be hiring an assistant for the feature film version of the series. Someone young, gorgeous and a bonafide Fashion Plate, someone named JENNIFER HUDSON! When I tell you that I'm grinning like a mad woman and kicking my legs in the air with glee, please don't think that I'm exaggerating...because I kinda am! I mean, really, the levels. Any Black girl would have made my day, but y'all know how I feel about J. Hud (check this out).

My only concern? Jennifer is a tad....country. For lack of a better word. I am anxious to see how the writers will make her character align with the ultra-chic, sophisticated and worldy Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda. I will be first in line (ok, definitely not first, but I'll see it on the first day, ok?) to see it but I SWEAR if I see one roll of the eye, or pointing of the finger, I'll walk out and demand my $8 back. White writers have a tendency to think that accuracy in cross-cultural portrayal means writing a rude, ghetto Black woman or a spicy, slutty Latina. We'll see and I'll contain my pessimism....

But OH can you imagine the clothes? Hudson's been dressed by some of the best already (ALT, anyone?) but I can't wait until paparazzi pictures of the movie hit the 'net so that I can preview what Pat Field does with the girls, guys and Jennifer.

I predict there will be fur (no matter the season), diamonds (even on a lowly assistant who makes less than $30K annually) and high, high heels...perfect for running the streets of Manhattan on Carrie's bidding.

OK, enough about Jennifer...what are the rest of the girls up to? Are Carrie and Big together? Yeah he left California for New York but did they really manage to make it work? She put it perfectly when she said that, with Big, it's never different. How are the circumstances going to change so that those two can work out? But by far the biggest question is.....what's up with the kiddies??? SATC left us with the adorable Brady (about 1 1/2 when the show wrapped) and the cute little daughter that Charlotte and Harry adopted. Miranda can handle parenthood and a social life, but Charlotte? Definitely seems like the type to desert the clique for the baby...

Questions, questions everywhere and not a single answer in sight...

I'll keep you posted :)
Whitney

Cultural Swaggerjackers: Beyonce Wants to be A Goat!

2007-09-09T02:50:00.000-07:00

Beyonce wants to be Latina now that she's in Latina magazine. She's dumb, gullible and a bona fide publicity whore, but she's not the first to attempt to jack another culture. Because she's Black, oh excuse me, Creole, she is having a hell of a time trying to pull it off.

Latina magazine quoted her saying, “I’m just jealous that I wasn’t born Latina. I wish I had been because the culture is so beautiful.”

Latina.com, the online leg of the magazine, recently titled an article about her crossover attempt "Beyoncé and Other Wannabe Latina Divas."

The levels of ridiculousness can not be justifiably explained in this blog format. Suffice it to say that:

1) She needs to endure another round of media training.
2) She doesn't know who she is or what she wants to be. When Essence interviews her she is gushing about the beauty of Black women. If Hebrew Life magazine ever calls she'll attest to her lifelong ambition to learn Hebrew and visit the Holy Land.

After Bossip posted the quote a commenter accurately wrote that :

"I think if Beyonce were talking to [...] 'Goat Weekly'..she would have been like, I wish I were a goat."

3) It's completely offensive. I mean we all know that Justin Timberlake tries his best to get as close to Black as he can get without getting constant harassment from the police but do you see him running around saying he wants to be Black? NO, because he (or his publicist/managers/etc) have enough sense to see that it's offensive. You don't have to be Latina to sell albums in Spanish, B.

Moreover, if Essence or VibeVixen or any other magazine for Black women deigned to call Beyonce a wannabe anything, the powers that B would swoop down from their publicity trees like "WooKaa!" I am certain that because they are published for the lighter sistas, las hermanas if you will, they have license to say whatever they want about Black women.

Trust, Christina Aguilera did not get the same treatment from them after her Spanish album. In fact, they named her their Entertainer of the Year in 2000 and attempted to drag Vibe through the mud after booting her off of the cover for Bobby Brown (read here). Sure she has a Spanish surname but has just as few ties to any kind of Hispanic culture as Beyonce. Repeat for Jessica Alba and Cameron Diaz.

The moral of this story? Beyonce should refrain from speaking and it's absolutely OK to say anything about Black women.

How Many of Us Have Them?

2007-09-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

FRIENDS! How many of us have them? FRIENDS! Ones we can depend on? FRIENDS! Y'all, I'm blessed. I have more friends than I do fingers on my left hand. In my eyes, this is a humongous accomplishment since I put few in this category. The other day I was IMing one of my HU friends and something she said sparked an internal conversation (yes, with myself) about different types of friends.

Carrie Bradshaw once said that you can't depend on any one person to give you everything. While she was justifying cheating on her boyfriend with her new gay guy pal, I think the rationale perfectly applies to a circle of friends. Like those essential components of any Flyy Gals tote bag

(you know, iPod, face framing shades, titillating novel, etc), everyone should have, or instantly make, one of these friends:

1: The Sista-Friend: My sista-friend happens to really be my sister, but she still counts. This is the person that you share everything with. You know you can tell her about your successes, faults, embarassements, hopes and dreams and she won't judge you, criticize you or kick you when you're down. But please don't get it twisted, she'll let you know when you're wrong and never hesitate to remind you of your beginnings.

2: Ryde or Die: One word describes this friend. Ghetto. She makes up words (conversate?), may or may not have a gold tooth and always suggests that you slash somebody's tires. Or jump them. Either one will do. You probably met her in daycare or the low-income after school program you went to because it was within walking distance of your grandparents' house and never lost touch with her. Despite the different paths that your lives have taken, she remains one of your closest friends and is never more than a phone call away. Another word describes her: loyal.

3. The Frien-emy: I stole this word from Sex and the City because it's so incredibly fitting. Everyone has a friend that is 1 part friend, 2 parts fierce competitor and 1 part mortal enemy. You love each other to death but something about the other really brings it out of you. To figure out which of your friends fits the bill, think about which one prompts you let out a litany of profanities while chatting on AIM with her or to constantly roll your eyes while you lunch with her.

4. The Publicist: This chap or chick knows about everything approximately 10 days before it happens. Whether club promoters text her or restaurants keep him on speed dial, I don't know, but everyone needs someone in their life that is an official Guy/Gal About Town. Don't expect the publicist to listen to you complain about your internship or meet you on the highway when your car breaks down, but he/she is one of the most fun people to go out with...word to the wise, don't even think about calling it a night before 4am and since the Publicist is a fabulous gay guy 79% of the time, don't even think about coming out looking an inch less than your best.

5. The Career Connection: Your "At-Work" friend..think Whitney from The Hills. You guys met at work (hey Nicole! Essence C/O '06!) but instantly began spending all of your at-home time together. You can dish about office gossip, your career goals and ask her whether beaded sandals are appropriate for Casual Fridays. Though you met her later in life she has become one of those life friends you never expected to make after the age of 16.

I'm friendly with lots of people but the few that I count as my friends I love to pieces...Kisses!

I Heart Chucks!

2007-09-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

I luv my Chucks, yep, yep I luv my Chuck Taylors! And I'm not alone! This site says that 60% of Americans have owned a pair of the classic basketball sneakers.

Like so many other wardrobe pieces, Converse All-Star "Chuck Taylor"s began as a practical accessory for Akron Firestone player Charles "Chuck" H. Taylor in 1908. Now, almost 100 years later, B-girls, fashionistas and gals and guys around town alike can be seen sporting these sneaks.

Mine are old (circa 2004), beat-up, a little grey-ish and one of my favorite pair of shoes. I love wearing them with jeans and a sweater to Saturday brunches and this summer I was seen rocking them with sundresses and hoop earrings.

Let's make this week "Let's All Wear Chucks" week!

The Shopgirl Chronicles 1: What I've Learned In Retail

2007-08-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of gals my age I've worked at more places than I'd like to think about, most of which have been at different retail stores. Most of the time I have regarded these positions as ways to get things that I want, i.e. extra change and a great discount. But as I was folding minuscule skirts at my current job, a sort of Gap for the under-12 set, I started to think about some of the important lessons that I've learned working retail.

Here they go:

You're Only As Good As Your Last Hit:

Yesterday is history, all anyone cares about is today. Retail is all about numbers and all about performance. While working at a semi-upscale store for professional women I was instructed to "sell" the store credit card to everyone. One particular afternoon the District Manager (the person that supervises all of a city's stores) and the Regional Manager (does the same thing for a larger area) visited our store and I secured a credit card during their visit. I was bombarded with accolades from all of the managers ALL day. I walked into work the next day with a certain spring in my step expecting to get the same treatment...NOT! No one remembers what you did yesterday, nor do they care. Hence the phrase: EVERYDAY I'm Hustlin', as opposed to ONCE A WEEK I'm Hustlin'.

You Get What You Give:

In my tenure in the sales industry, I've learned that "Associates," as professionals in the industry like to refer to sales people, have lots of power. Very few operations require the consent of anyone higher. Price changes, returns and exchanges, discounts and markdowns are virtually all at the discretion of the person at the register. However, rude or annoying customers (or bitchy associates) prohibit most of these from happening for customers. I love helping people (what? I do!) and I hate for people to be unsatisfied since I am so often the disgruntled customer so I always do my best to stretch the rules. In return, I find that when I visit other stores associates are more than willing to offer me promotions and help me when I've forgotten my receipt or something. I think people call it Karma.

Repetition Is the Key to Success:

You know how in science a theory doesn't exist unless it can be proven over and over again? Retail is the very same. You clean and you straighten and re-arrange and make everything look super nice only to have hoards of people come through and ruin your creation. You are then forced to re-do everything. Constantly. All-day. Everyday. Success is the same way. To finish college, get that promotion, build a company, you have to be willing to get up every day and do the same thing over and over again, better than before every single day.

Part-time jobs rock!

Why I Hate Spoken Word/Minority Report

2007-08-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

As a black woman this is a traitorous statement. As a graduate of Howard University, former resident of Washington, DC and a writer, this is a blasphemous statement. But I do! All of the shows I have seen (and I've seen WAY more than I want to, I'm always being dragged to one, it seems) have been boring and recycle trite, stale, over-sexed statements that make all the women in room OOOHHH and AHHHHH and Umm, hmmm, girl! Not really my scene. And another reason I hate it, there's always some ridiculous name for the va jay-jay being worked into every single performance. Like honeypot or ocean of chocolate or some other asinine euphemism. The men are always saying things like my beautiful black queen and the women seem to love using warrior, soldier, and African prince a lot when describing men. And PLEASE don't get me started on the smoking. Yea, not at all my idea of interesting, entertaining or enlightening. But, please, prove me wrong. Invite me to a half-decent spoken word event and I'll give you a crisp $100 bill. Well, actually I won't because I don't have one, but I will put a symbolic bill in your had.

BUT, with that said, I love to analyze the lyrics to my favorite music (ridiculous segueway, I know). The closest thing to poetry I'll ever actually enjoy. You also have to know that Jay-z is one of my favorite artists of all time. He made only one good song on his latest album, well, one good song that I liked.

Minority Report is Shawn Carter all the way and at his best exploring some of the issues surrounding Hurricane Katrina and his reaction to the crisis ("Sure I ponied up a mill, but I didn't give my time /So in reality I didn't give a dime"). The MTV video is here.

The song is so powerful, with Ne-Yo singing his remorse and sounds of wind and water in the background. But the lyrics themselves are even better. Read.

Jay-Z
People was poor before the hurricane came
But the down pour poured is like when Mary J. sang
Every day it rains, so every day the pain
But ignored them, and showed em the risk was to blame
For life is a chain, cause and effected
Niggas off the chain because they affected
It's a dirty game so whatever is effective
From weed to selling kane, gotta put that in effect
Wouldn't you loot, if you didn't have the loot?
Baby needed food and you stuck on the roof
Helicopter swooped down just to get a scoop
Through his telescopic lens but he didn't scoop you
The next five days, no help ensued
They called you a refugee because you seek refuge
The commander-in-chief just flew by
Did he stop? No, he had a couple seats
Just proved jet blue he's not
Jet flew by the spot
What if he ran out of jet fuel and just dropped
hu,That woulda been something to watch
Helicopters doing fly-bys to take a couple of shots
Couple of portraits then ignored 'em
He'd be just another bush surrounded by a couple orchids
Poor kids just 'cause they were poor kids
Left 'em on they porches same old story in New Orleans
Silly rappers, because we got a couple Porches
MTV stopped by to film our fortresses
We forget the unfortunate
Sure I ponied up a mill, but I didn't give my time
So in reality I didn't give a dime, or a damn
I just put my monies in the hands of the same people that left my people stranded
Nothin' but a bandit
Left them folks abandoned
Damn, that money that we gave was just a band-aid
Can't say we better off than we was before
In synopsis this is my minority report
Can't say we better off than we was before
In synopsis this is my minority report

Ne-Yo
So many times I'm, covering my eyes
Peeking through my fingers
Tryin' to hide my, frustration at the way that we treat
(Seems like we don't even care)
Turn on the TV, seein' the pain
Sayin' such a shame
Then tryin' to go on with my life
Of that, I too, am guilty
(Seems like we don't even care)
So we send a lil' money, tell 'em it's alright
To be able to sleep at night
You will pay that price
While some of these folks' lost their whole life
(Seems like we don't even care)
Now it wasn't on the nightly news no more
Suddenly it didn't matter to you no more
In the end almost nothing changed
What the hell, what was that for?
(Seems like we don't even care)

Peace Out, My Beautiful Black Brothers and Sisters :)

Old Men I'd Like To...

2007-08-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, I was reading this blog yesterday and the author, whom I believe is in her early 20's, said that Harry Belafonte could get it. LOL! It got me to thinking about Old Men I wouldn't mind tapping, for lack of a better word. My sister likes to use the word "distinguished" to describe men in the over 50 set that could easily get it from any number of 20-somethings, however I prefer O-Milf: Old Men I'd Like to F***.

My Top Picks:

An obvious choice I know. But regardless of how often women of all ages swoon over this man he is quite beautiful. Smooth chocolate skin, that processed curl that only an old-y can pull off, those big white teeth. Mmm, mmm, mmm. He's sexy, and not just because of his movie star looks. He seems to be extremely devoted to his family, a humanitarian, educated, informed about the world around him. The complete package and a total O-Milf.

Who knew 58 was the age of total hotness? I have been crushing on Mr. Gere for years now (and I know I wasn't the only 5 year old plotting to marry him while watching "Pretty Woman"). The focal point of his hotness is, of course, those bedroom eyes. I've always hated that term but no other phrase better describes his slanted, crinkled, completely-focused-on- you eyes. Ladies and gents the almost 40 year age difference is NOTHING!

I know I might get flack for this one. I honestly don't think Hef does the F part of O-Milfs anymore, no matter what he claims. He is very sexy though. Clever, witty, successful, polite, he has that old-school charm that is completely lost on our generation. Plus the palatial mansion with a full staff on call 24 hours a day does not hurt is sex appeal ;)

Now you know mine, who are your favorite over-50 hotties?

Slackin' on My Pimpin'

2007-08-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here's what EVERYONE should know about me: I'm a Libra. Sure we're charismatic, fair, loving and artistic but we can also tend to be quite lethargic. Some people would even say lazy, hence where the "Lazy Libra" nickname derives. With that said, I have to admit that it is, at times, almost impossible to do anything that is remotely productive. But, faithful readers of this blog already know this.

However, when I put my mind to it, I can do anything...please cue the UNCF theme music. So, yes, I have been slacking on my blog pimpin'. Content to read the brilliant posts of some of my brilliant friends, I have been known to neglect my little space of internet. Whew. There's my confession. I feel 15 pounds lighter (what? you didn't know guilt was dense?).

In honor of this change I have re-christened this blog to 1016. Hot, right? I had been growing weary of the Bad Girls title for some time, not because it was bad or anything, I just wanted to find a name that was more mature. You know, get my grown woman on and all that. 1016 is simple and indicative, like that Usher album 9701. But BG's don't worry, the content, I assure you, will stay the same ;)

*Whitney*

Needles Are Fun!

2007-08-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

I've been getting acupuncture, the centuries old Chinese medical treatment that involves (inhale deeply) long needles puncturing your skin. Devotees have sworn by the treatment's ability to solve everything from infertility (see Sex and the City Season 6) to an addiction to smoking.

I went to help with weight loss and I have to admit that it is slightly effective. But, I've learned that there is NO cure-all. Losing weight takes determination to change and dedication to an effective plan, above all. But I'm all about study guides and I think that all of that needling is just that. I've lost 4 pounds to date. I WILL lose more.

How does it work? The first time I went I reclined on a typical doctor's office bed and bared my tummy. Three ultra-long needles were stuck into my stomach before I even realized the process had started. The doctor turned off the light, flicked on what must have been the official Mah Jong soundtrack and left me alone for almost an hour. It wasn't painful, but it was a little uncomfortable, especially when I yawned and flexed my ab muscles. Ouch!

The most painful part came when he grabbed all three needles at once and took them out. Double Ouch! Then, if that wasn't enough, he stuck 5 tiny needles inside of my ear for me to "massage" when I got a craving. Umm, massage? Doc, whose humongo crack rocks are you smoking? It hurts to even sleep on these, let alone massage!

But, as they say, Weight loss is pain, oh wait, is that not right? Whatever. You know what I mean.

Til Next Time,
Whitney

All the World's A Ralph Lauren Ad...

2007-07-20T19:30:00.001-07:00

I actually just love Ralph ads and plan to live a real-life version of them in the near future....

Peeps, I happened to take a gander at my alleged blog (only because I accidentally clicked the link at the top of my browser) and realized that it hadn't been updated in almost 2 months! ARRGH! It seems like just yesterday that I was regularly poring my heart out on this thing regularly.

Much has happened since I last posted...

-I've moved from my pseudo-home in Washington, DC to my real home in Fort Worth, Texas.

-The best magazine on newstands today, JANE, will cease production after the August 2007 issue.

-I've taken up the noble sport of running...pray for me y'all, I can barely do a mile and a half without having to practically re-charge my heart with those metal irons they use in movies.

-I've actually been paid to write A TON! Check out my latest spa review here.

-The fate of Harry Potter was decided! Call me a geek, but I love that little, orphaned, bespeckled wizard. I've followed his progress since I was a mere pre-teen and now am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the arrival of my pre-ordered copy...less than 24 hours!

Woo! Feels great to get some thoughts out...thanx to Mademoiselle M for encouraging me to continue to blog about my little life!

Luv Ya!
Whitney

Good-Bye World! You're SO Real Now...

2007-05-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hello, Good-bye. I sooo apologize for my frequent absence of posts, but guys, while being an alumna of the real HU has it's perks, the world out here is VERY real (so real that loans must begin to be re-paid the week before Christmas, ok?) and Bad Girl must make a living.

Alas, it was so much fun being an undergrad (the naps, marathons of Big Love on HBO, the HUB, did I mention the naps?), but that time is over and I am currently searching under every rock in New York for a job in media so my posts will be even more infrequent.

But before I go I decided to give you guys a survival guide, for those rough BGG-less nights!

BGG Summer Survival Guide:

5) Yahoo! Messenger:

The absolute only way to contact me. I am normally invisible, as I am supposed to be looking for jobs. But if you IM me, 99% of the time I'll respond.

4) Mossimo @ Target:

Some call it an addiction, I prefer passion. Since I've been home I've scored 2 of the cutest dresses I've bought in a long time AND the most perfect Jackie O. meets Nicole Richie shades. Perfection. Don't sleep on so-called discount stores!

3) T-Mobile Sidekick i-D:

I want the pink one. If you love me, you'll deposit the $99 + sales tax into my bank account. Now.

2) Strawberry Lemonade Frap @ Starbucks:

I've given up all drinks except water in an attempt to stop drinking my calories and lose a few pounds. Order one, take a sip, then pour a little out for the homie Whitney.

1) New York Biatches:

I'm moving there. Come see me if you visit.

Til Next Time!
Whitney

Hello World! It's Me Whitney :)

2007-05-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

So, I'm not dead, on bed rest or trapped under a 2 ton boulder. But I have been going to school, pulling double-duty in the part-time job department, ceding student organizational power and getting my ish together for my....drum roll please....GRADUATION!!!

Yes, ladies and gentle-man, I am officially an alumna of Howard University! Class of 2007, please stand up! And, to make things enormously better, Oprah Winfrey aka my Shero, was the Commencement Speaker!

Besides being her usual fabulous self, she was wonderfully inspiring. When President Swygert presented her with the honorary Doctor of Humanities degree, she cried beautifully stating that that the honor meant more to her than others because it came from her own :)

Her speech was poignant and exactly what I needed to here. The most memorable quote came in the very beginning when she told the crowd (over 27,000 including visitors in "remote viewing locations") that parents and grandparents all dream a dream for us, no matter how small. Her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee, told her to grow up and "get you some good white folks to work for." Oprah told us that she only wished that her grandmother had lived to see that she sure does "have some good white folks working for her." Ballin!

Beyond that, she spoke of working as a news anchor for 8 years, even though she hated it. She stayed partially because of her father, who told her that she'd never make $25,000 in one year if she quit. The network hated her work, telling her that she was too much and threw her on a talk show, just to run out her contract. From there she was brought to AM Chicago (later the Oprah Winfrey Show) and the rest, as they say, is history.

She warned us not to worry about finding our perfect job (great because I tend to obsess over this!) and to just be ourselves which allows us to find what we truly love.

Already determined to let the world know what's what, I am now infinitely more determined to do me and let all the success and happiness I can stand shower over me! Thanks Oprah!

I promise not to stay away so long :(
Whitney

What's Race Got To Do With It?

2007-03-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

So, I am mildly obsessed with the HBO Original Series Rome. As with most HBO shows, it's wonderfully done. Great scripts, aesthetically pleasing cinematography, brilliant costumes. But something really bothers me about it. First off, the actress that plays Cleopatra is not African. Now, I consider myself an educated person and I know that the "real" Cleopatra's ancestors were Macedonians and that she supposedly descended from a long line of Greeks, beginning with Alexander the Great.

But here's the problem. No one on the show is of African descent, yet half of the second season takes place in Egypt. There are black slaves, attendants (including Cleopatra's wig woman) and soldiers, but every single principle character is white.

With Italy, Asia and Africa being so close together and the Roman empire being as vast as it was, I find it very hard to believe that no influential person was of color.

White historians say it was impossible for Cleopatra to be black. Impossible for an African woman to rule over African people? I understand. Anything great, beautiful, civilized, cannot possibly be credited to African people. The situation really makes me think about how incredibly subjective history is.

And let's pretend that Cleopatra was not black, but Greek, with no traces of African blood. Hollywood's version of her is completely accurate. Olive skin, silky black hair and blue eyes. Authenticity personified.

What then of the other African women of influence that history and Hollywood have robbed us of? The Queen of Sheba, who readers of the Bible, Torah and Koran know as a dark-skinned African women, but who viewers of the 1959 romance Solomon and Sheba saw as someone quite a bit more fair.

Or Mariane Pearl, the Afro-Cuban and Dutch widow of murdered journalist David Pearl? Angelina Jolie was chosen to play her in the movie version of her husband's life and death **the cynic in me is thinking "Producers will do anything to keep from giving black woman her shine!"**

But what does race really have to do with it? It's just TV! But, I think we all know that it's not just TV. There is a proven link. Suburban girls watch Britney Spears and starve themselves. Models see Tyra Banks and call their plastic surgeons. So what do Black girls do when they see Elizabeth Taylor and Angelina Jolie in roles that may have better suited a woman of color? Our subconscious must think that Black really isn't beautiful, intelligent or worthy. Hollywood and history have done us all a great, grave disservice.

Keep Hope Alive!

Whitney :(