"Teen Beaten To Death Caught On Tape "

I had to post this because it broke my heart to see it. Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death on the side of a Chicago street in the middle of what was supposed to be a brawl between two gang cliques.

“After he hit the concrete, a gang of them just came over and started stomping him in the head and started beating him,” said an anonymous eyewitness to the tragedy. “It was over for him.” (FoxChicago News)





It is sad that bystanders let the fight escalade to the level it did. Furthermore, it is foolish for these young men to fight over nonsense such as 'hoods, colors, etc. Our young black men have to find other ways to approach their problems/frustrations without resorting to violence....My heart goes out to Derrion's family.

Not Fitting Into the Family Genes

As women, we often find ourselves conforming to society's standards and expectations of beauty. As black women, we want the flat abs, curvaceous bodies, and toned arms. However this "perfect body image" usually conflicts with our lifestyle full of soul food, stress, and limited exercise.

For me, my family genes conflict with my body standards and fitness goals. I come from a long line of "thunder thighs" and "bootylicious behinds". Not to mention, I have been a long time fan of assorted breads, sweets and fried foods and I am reminded of weight gain each time I ask for a biscuit, or go to the kitchen to eat a midnight snack.....Someone is always ready to say, "Girl, look around you, the family genes are gonna catch up with you sometime soon". Nonetheless, I stay active to maintain my body shape and monitor my weight.

I am currently in week three of my new workout plan. (Not that I find anything wrong with my body now, I just felt it couldn't hurt to tone some areas and work on my cardio) Because I have an athletic background, I figured it couldn't be too hard to do so. My goal is to tighten the abs and arms, and to lose some inches in the thighs. I'm learning now, that it is going to take more work and sacrafice to get the results I want in these areas. Although it will be challenging, I have removed some of my favorite foods and treats from my diet to help me reach my goal. Stay tuned for the results...

Until next blog, write you later!

MTV Video Music Awards

After just watching on of the greatest awards show ever, I had to highlight some of my favorite moments....

Janet's Tribute to MJ: This is the tribute Micheal would have been very impressed with. It had the most dancing out of all of them- Thriller, Beat It, and Scream with Janet. Although I am a hardcore Janet fan, her performance to Scream and dancing beside her brother (on the big screen video) was a heartfelt moment. As someone who is close to my older brother also, I couldnt imagine what she is going through and how hard it must be to live without him physically by her side....the performance made me tear up.


Lady Gaga: Although her performance was unusual and creepy, Lady Gaga is a very unique artist. I can understand how some people like her music. Not to mention, her wardrobe choices kept me entertained and laughing during the whole show, especially the bird nest around her face. HILARIOUS!

Kanye Strikes Again! Kanye's outburst during 17 yr old, Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for best female video was the highlight of the night. His disrespectful rant upset many fans and other artists; not to mention, he ruined Taylor's first music award. Not only did it cost him to get kicked out of the building, it may have cost him a decrease in his fan base.

Such a Classy Woman: After the Kanye incident the mood lightened when Beyonce shared her spotlight with Taylor Swift when she [Beyonce] accepted her Video of the Year Award.

All pictures attributed to mtv.com. Until next blog...

September Book Club Meeting

Despite the weather, we had our first Book Club meeting today. Our first book to read is "The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships" by Hill Harper. We will meet on Oct. 11, 2009 at 5p.m. to discuss it. At the moment, the location is To Be Announced.

Happy Reading!

A Friendship of Convenience

Friendship is something I value just as much as my family, therefore I am very selective of those who I consider to be my true friends. Unlike family, we have the privilege of choosing the company we keep, which sometimes is a reflection of who we are inside.

I have a friend I have known for a little over ten years now. (However, we have only been friends for about 5 years) She and I usually talk about almost everything. Rarely is there a time where we don't have anything to say on the phone. Just recently, I have had the feeling that she is taking advantage of the friendship and it is no longer a two-way street. I always find myself doing favors for my friend or being a helpful "ear" when she needs someone to listen to her talk about her problems; but lately, there hasn't been much reciprocation on her part. Lately, when I talk with her about an issue I have, her responses have been very negative and judgemental. As a result, it has caused me to devalue her thoughts, opinions, and sometimes friendship.

Another issue I have noticed lately is that she often blows me off to do things with her boyfriend/father of her kids. Now, I understand that they have to spend time together; I would be alarmed if she didn't at all. However, almost everything I ask her to do, she voluntarily includes him. I don't have anything against him at all, but I don't want to do everything with him and his friends. (Especially, when his friends hit on me majority of the time) The only time she wants to do "girlfriend stuff" is when they are on bad terms.

I am trying to get her to understand that this friendship should work both ways, and I don't want to be the "doormat she walks on only when it rains".

Thoughts???

Until next blog....