If you arent up on Little Dragon by now...

please do.

Lou Draws just made me re-evaluate my after work attire.

This song is so 1994....

whenever my soul needs saving....

i turn to bjork.

peace and love.

The universe introduced me to Ursula Rucker in my very early twenties. This was a crucial time for me. I was searching for answers and trying to figure out how my wings worked. Ursula's words spoke to me and gave breath to my flight. Her music has a special place in my heart.

BAY AREA PET PEEVE NUMERO UNO.

I left my house tonight at 11:45 to meet some friends in town for the holidays from Los Angeles. I got a text from them at 11 asking me to come out. Even though I previously made plans with myself to stay in, get some work done, and watch CNN Heroes, I conceded and made my way out. RELUCTANTLY. I wanted to see my girls whom I havent really seen or talked to much since my relocation back to the Bay from LA. Anything for old school friends, right?
Which brings me to my FIRST issue with the Bay as a whole....
MuthaFuckas want to charge an arm and a leg at the door to get in a club! I went to Luka's, Downtown Oakland, no flashing lights, your regular everyday local bar, definitely ZERO eye candy, horrible music, and TEN dollars. Oh hell no! I turned my narrow behind right back around and proceeded to go home.
A note to BAY night clubs and bars,
Im coming from LA where some list love or a simple head nod to the security to recognize your less than superstar status will get you in the flyest club in Hollywood. If Im paying to support an artist thats one thing. But if you are trying to get ten or twenty off me and then 75 at the bar from my ass you have another thing coming. This is some bullshit.
If Im sounding a bit pompous or entitled, I apologize, but a cover charge is some Bay Area wackness if I ever seen some wackness! Look that up in Websters. WACKNESS.
Thank you for taking on my first blog rant ever. I apologize if any of my negative vibes rubbed off on your computer screen.
:)

Oh, and I missed CNN's hero of the year. hmph.

That New Q Tip.

I am shamed to say that yesterday was the first day in what seems like ages that I A) even stepped foot in a Virgin Megastore and B) paid cold hard cash for an album. In the days of downloads, burns, rips, pirates, and all around bootlegging just paying full price for some shit makes no sense. As an artist and supporter of all things "artsy" :) I feel well, less than supportive of the movement. So, now that Im done beating myself up.....
QTip's new album is finely crafted and full of all the niceties one would expect. I will admit that I do prefer Tip with Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammed. All alone, his voice is a bit much for an entire album. Id say 5 of the 13 songs were to my liking. Praises for producing all the beats but one and for having some amazing costars in the lineup. I still love you Kamal.

www.kiva.org

I have previously posted about Kiva. This is an awesome organization. Since this is the season for giving, I am taking the money I would usually use to buy gifts to give out gift certificates to my loved ones so they can get involved in the inspiring work this organization is doing. These certificates will allow them to log on to Kiva and choose a recipient of their choice. With the exception of a few family members who are really in need of support, I felt that this would be the best way to give. Please take the time to go to their site and do what you can to support the cause.

Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.

The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals in need of funding - not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.


Kiva partners with existing expert microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified entrepreneurs. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva, our partners upload their entrepreneur profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them. When you do, not only do you get a unique experience connecting to a specific entrepreneur on the other side of the planet, but our microfinance partners can do more of what they do, more efficiently.

Kiva provides a data-rich, transparent lending platform. We are constantly working to make the system more transparent to show how money flows throughout the entire cycle, and what effect it has on the people and institutions lending it, borrowing it, and managing it along the way. To do this, we are using the power of the internet to facilitate one-to-one connections that were previously prohibitively expensive. Child sponsorship has always been a high overhead business. Kiva creates a similar interpersonal connection at much lower costs due to the instant, inexpensive nature of internet delivery. The individuals featured on our website are real people who need a loan and are waiting for socially-minded individuals like you to lend them money.

RIP MC BREED.

I must pay ode to MC BREED. I went to PST tonight in San Francisco and Sake One played music on behalf of the death of MC Breed. I am sad that I had no idea he had passed away. The reason this touched me so deeply is that the first concert I ever attended was Too Short and MC Breed and I LOVED MC Breed! I was twelve years old. My best friend Danita and I spent all week looking for outfits to wear to this show. We had our best jean jackets with matching jean and ruffle skirts, chinese shoes, and hairstyles to match!! Stop playin! Rest in Power.

Random goings on in my head.

Luciana Souza sings Pablo Neruda

It's today: all of yesterday dropped away
among the fingers of the light and the sleeping eyes.
Tomorrow will come on its green footsteps;
no one can stop the river of the dawn.

No one can stop the river of your hands,
your eyes and their sleepiness, my dearest.
You are the trembling of time, which passes
between the vertical light and the darkening sky.

The sky folds its wings over you,
lifting you, carrying you to my arms
with its punctual, mysterious courtesy.
That is why I sing to the day and to the moon,
to the sea, to time, to all the planets,
to your daily voice, to your nocturnal skin.

It's today: all of yesterday dropped away
among the fingers of the light and the sleeping eyes.
Tomorrow will come on its green footsteps;
no one can stop the river of the dawn.

It's today, it's today...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Weary Blues

I love jazz and poetry. These two things possess the joy and blues that live in my heart. No two art forms can bring me to an emotional eruption like them. It seems jazz and poetry go hand in hand. Langston Hughes has always been a favorite. I hope you find the beauty in this video the way I did.

Two dear friends who you all should pay attention to.....

Loving This Look.

FIERCE

I know the election has come and gone but I found this video today and was very moved by its vulnerability and simplicity.

Los Angeles on Fire!

This past weekend Donald and I went to LA for a mini-vaca and to celebrate his 30th birthday. With all the work we have been doing in the Bay it was nice to get away and much needed! For real. It felt really good to home amongst all our friends and fam. Here are a couple of shots courtesy of my girl Thuy. Ill post more later.

this pic makes me miss some hot fun in the sun miami!
its freezing in oakland....

Shakyla Saved Me.

still giddy.

Nieces are awesome!