Zora, Zora, Zora

It amazes me the number of people who are not familiar with Zora Neal Hurston. Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) is probably the most significant collector and interpreter of southern rural African American culture in the 20th century. A gifted writer, a woman of great intensity and charisma, and single-minded in her pursuit of collecting material on "the Negro farthest down", Zora has secured her place among America's cultural giants.

This article is about Oprah and her production of Zora's Their Eyes Were Watching God.
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Remote Control: Oprah and Halle Give Us Zora Neale Hurston's 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'

By Ronda Racha Penrice, AOL BlackVoices columnist

Those who have taken a black literature course or visited the black section of their favorite bookstore are very familiar with "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. After discovering Hurston's work in the 1970s, Alice Walker ignited a literary renaissance for Hurston and this book in particular spawned countless papers, two major biographies and the Zora Neale Hurston Festival now entering its 17th year. . So, ABC's Sunday broadcast of "Oprah Winfrey Presents Their Eyes Were Watching God" definitely has some high expectations to meet in the literary community. But expectations do not always sync with those of the general community.

If you are unfamiliar with this landmark work or its creator, let me bring you up to speed. Hurston, as it is now believed, was born in Notasulga, Ala., (not in Eatonville, Fla., as her autobiography "Dust Tracks on a Road" claims) in 1891. Eatonville, however, was where she spent the bulk of her childhood. She loved that it was an all-black town and credited that experience with her self-pride, which led her to dedicate herself to collecting Negro folklore. Those elements found their way into her creative work and though she published many books, "Their Eyes Were Watching God" remains her most popular.

For years, countless readers have bonded with the character of Janie Crawford, a motherless girl raised by her grandmother. As a teenager, Janie is married off to a much older, but financially secure man. She, however, meets another man along the road who has big dreams and runs off with him to Eatonville. When he dies, she takes up with a much younger man and this experience helps her rediscover herself. This now classic novel depicts a black woman taking agency for her own life.

To bring this novel, published in 1937, to life, Oprah Winfrey, who has worked on this project for over a decade, enlisted Oscar winner Halle Berry. She also tapped Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, best known for "Topdog/Underdog," to adapt the book into a script and Latina director Darnell Martin, best known for the 1994 film "I Like It Like That," to direct it.

The film is visually stunning. It looks lush, Southern and rural. Additionally, Halle looks a lot like the Janie Crawford I envisioned when I read the work. Ruby Dee as Nanny, Janie's grandmother, is also fitting, especially since it is this character who is responsible for the novel's key revelation that "de nigger woman is de mule uh de world." Parks' adaptation is pretty faithful.

Although there are lesser known actors in the film such as Nikki Micheaux, whom most of us recognize as the woman tempting Kenny on "Soul Food," Terrence Dashon Howard, Lorraine Toussaint and Ruben Santiago-Hudson also show up. It is Michael Ealy (Ricky from "Barbershop") as Tea Cake, who will probably delight most female viewers. This, however, really is Halle's movie.

For the most part she's fine. The story is somewhat accelerated but entertaining, with Halle playing Janie from teenager to grown woman of 40. During most of the film, she strikes a very good balance between being delicate and strong. Even still Tea Cake and Janie do not necessarily work for me. Despite real-life rumors of coupledom, here, Berry and Ealy do not have great chemistry.

Oprah disagrees with me. During a session at the Television Critics' Tour, she declared that she would offer her open checkbook and some beachfront property for a kiss like the one Berry and Ealy share. Even more than their lack of chemistry, the music selected for their scenes disturb me more. At different points, I heard a voice akin to Donny Hathaway's and his sound dates several decades later.

Unlike me, most Hurston die-hards will probably dislike the film from start to finish. The overwhelming majority of black women will enjoy "Their Eyes Were Watching God" precisely because most of the characters look good and there is a real progressive energy to the film.

For Oprah, who has been involved with the film versions of the black literary classics "The Color Purple," "The Women of Brewster Place" and "Beloved," she's finally made a film version for one of the books she loves most. Additionally, she's said, "I just hope that [the film] introduces the book to high school kids and reading moms and a public that probably never would have heard of her." With Oprah, that mission is so easily accomplished.

Baring A Little

Said I'm gone close my eyes
Said I'm gon' live my life
Despite what you think
I'm gone be free
I'm a be me
~ Ashanti

I hate my apartment! Don't get me wrong I love living on my own (been doing it since 17). I love being able to do who, what, and where.. when I feel like it. So I guess it's not the apartment that I am unhappy with... It's what's inside it... and what surrounds it that drives me nuts. I didn't have this problem a few months ago because I was able to use my second bedroom (and it's closet) for storage. Well my mother moved in with me and I had to give up that space temporarily... didn't realize how much I depended on it.

I HAVE WAY TOO MUCH STUFF!

I go through my belongings regularly to get rid of things that I don't use or have no intentions of using. Today it was my closet. I threw away a few items and organized the most of the rest. I have come to realize that I need a damn makeover! My life is nothing like I envisioned it. That is not to say that I'm disappointed with my life... It just isn't anything like I planned it.

So my project this weekend is going to be to toss out anything that isn't useful to me right this minute... That goes for People as well as inanimate objects. Then I will work on rebuilding it all.

I'll Get Back... Wish Me Luck!

Show Me The Money!

If you haven't heard by now there are loads and loads of property worth millions of dollars out there that is just sitting in each state's (and even good ole' DC) treasury departments. There was a segment on Good Morning America today that had the wheels in my brain turning.

All you have to do is put your first and last name in and if they get a match it will pop up on the screen. Check out this site here. Select which state you want to look up and then click on the link.

When I clicked on Pennsylvania it said that the link couldn't be connected. I decided to check the main page for the state of Pennsylvania to see if I could find the treasury (which is where most unclaimed property is held in each state) I found the treasure page here. This is only for the Man I started pluggin in the names of my family members to see what treasures might be waiting for my family to pick up...

I went online to discover that there are also loads of places online where you can check to find unclaimed property. Some are free others you have to pay for. But start with this one. You never know what you might turn up...

Here's a tip... When you put in information for people... try all of the states that they have ever lived in because state treasury departments do not share information.

From The Mouth's Of BABE's

I am so fed up... not with babies though...

Why is it you cannot get people to be up front and honest with you? We all got our day to day activities and commitments that prevent us from tending to every single thing in our lives with detail that we desire. But if you are seeing someone... or attempting to see them on some level there are a few things that are big don'ts (at least in my book and the book of most if not all of my female friends)

My only job is to be as happy as I can be about my life, and feel as good as I can about myself, and to lead as full and eventful a life as I can, so that it doesn't ever feel like I'm waiting for a guy to come around and finally treat me the way I deserve.

1. Deal with me as I am... Not as you would like me to be. If that goes for me betta believe it goes for you too... Present your whole self when you are approaching someone...especially me. Don't show me what you think I want to see... Give me some credit. I'm not that shallow!
2. I have major issues with the telephone. I talk to those in my circle daily. Why is it that in the beginning a man can call and call and call you (two three four times a day even) and then one day you realize that you are doing the majority of the calling. All of a sudden I'm getting the voicemail more often and the calling patterns have changed.... Hmmmm. Kind of suspect to me! In this day and age of modern technology there is no reason why you shouldn't be calling your significant other at least twice a day.... If you can find him... Then He can find you! You mean to tell me that your life is so full and you are so busy that you cannot take a second to tell the person you care for good morning or anything? And what about at night... After work is all said and done and you are home... maybe even ready to goto bed... You can't call your sweetie to recap the day and say I love ya? Hmmmmm. Like I said before that is suspect behavior... Are they really on your mind? Like Madea said... Major deduction! I love to take a break from my generally mundane day to talk to someone I like. It makes me happy. (I know corny right... LOL) If I am diggin' you you would be the bright spot in my horribly busy day. Which would be a day that I am never too busy to call you. Barring disaster... someone had to be rushed to the hospital, got fired, got his car keyed or something like that.. There really aren't many excuses in my book that justify someone forgetting to call. I want the man that will forget about everything else (within reason) brfore he forgets about me. Selfish maybe... But that's what I want.
3. Excuses. Shit happens... Things get out of our control on an almost daily basis. I understand this and live it in my line of work. There has to be a point where you take a look at all of the excuses that you have been given and decide whether they are genuine or if they just not-so-polite rejections
4. If a man likes you he's gonna ask you out... I don't have too many old fashioned tendancies. I do believe that there should be some proper courting happening when you are dating. I don't think that I have ever asked a man out before he has asked me. Now before you get you panties all up in a bunch... I am not saying that I have never asked out a man but trust me it was only after we had been going out (at least once) that I may have suggested that we do something.

Bottom Line....

People Tell You Who They Are All The Time... Sometimes with their word... More often with their actions.... Learn to read the signs and follow your instincts.

For The Love Of The Game...

Got this off of BlackVoices... (now owned by AOL)

NBA’s Future Remains Bright, Despite What You Might Have Read

By Marc J. Spears, AOL BlackVoices ColumnistThe Nov. 19 fight between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans was played on everything from ESPN to The Weather Channel. Kobe Bryant's drama on and off the court owned the headlines for months at a time. Latrell Sprewell said that millions of dollars weren't enough to feed his family. And if the NBA and the Players Union don't work out a new collective bargaining agreement this summer, another lockout could be on the horizon.

Through all this drama, NBA Commissioner David Stern is still smiling. Why? The NBA's most positive and promotional time of the season is about to take place during the 2005 All-Star Weekend in Denver. And considering how young many of the NBA's top stars are, Stern believes that his league will recover from the hits and be stronger in the future. "It couldn’t be in better basketball shape," Stern said. "Despite the hit that our players' reputation has taken, I say to you that Allen Iverson has become a senior statesman. Look at his Olympic experience.

Then go down the list.

Yao (Ming), Tracy (McGrady), Tim (Duncan), Kevin (Garnett), Kobe, Grant (Hill), Ray Allen, LeBron (James), Shaq (O’Neal). "These are good people. Then when you go down the rookies and the sophomores, you got a complete sense of what is going on here in terms of the transformation of our league."

To get an even better look at just how young the NBA's stars are, look at the All-Star rosters. The over-30 crowd is sparse, consisting of O’Neal (32), Hill (32), Steve Nash (31) and Ben Wallace (30).

The 20-somethings comprise the bulk of the rosters with Allen Iverson (29), Antawn Jamison (28), Jermaine O'Neal (26), Ray Allen (29), Tim Duncan (28), Manu Ginobili (27), Kevin Garnett (28), Vince Carter (28), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (29) and Paul Pierce (27). But much of the NBA's best and brightest are still young'uns: Bryant (26), McGrady (25), James (20), Dwyane Wade (23), Yao (24), Amare Stoudemire (22), Shawn Marion (26), Rashard Lewis (25), Dirk Nowitzki (26) and Gilbert Arenas (23).

"Shaquille O’Neal at the age of 32 is the grand old man of the All-Star game. Shaq and Grant," Stern said. When did Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) play in his last All-Star game? Karl Malone?" Well, Abdul-Jabbar played in his last All-Star game at 41 years old in 1989. Malone’s swan song was at 38 years old in 2002.

On the flip side, James will be the youngest player ever to take part in an NBA All-Star game other than Bryant. Bryant, born Aug. 23, 1978, played in the 1998 NBA All-Star game at age 19. "King James," born Dec. 30, 1984,will be 20 years old when he takes part in the game. Prior to those two, the record holder was Magic Johnson, who was four months older than James when he participated in his first All-Star Game in 1980. That's a pretty good reason to be optimistic.

James also will be playing in the Rookie Challenge and possibly enter the dunk contest. The Sprite Rising Stars dunk contest is also expected to include Stoudemire and two rookies in Atlanta's Josh Smith and New Orleans' J.R. Smith. During NBA All-Star Saturday, the dunk contest has always received the best ratings of all the contests. James represents the new era of NBA players and is the leader of a group nicknamed the "Young Gunnas." And the nickname means hoops, not guns. This up-and-coming crew includes James, Stoudemire, Wade and future All-Star Carmelo Anthony (20). The four came up with the nickname for their crew while teammates for the 2004 USA Olympic basketball team.

The Young Gunnas have some other youngsters trying to come up behind them as well. Don't forget Chris Bosh. Or such rookies as Dwight Howard, Emeka Okafor, Josh Smith, Ben Gordon or Luol Deng. The college and international ranks is also loaded with young talent that will soon be on its way to the NBA as well.

"I’ve had owners complaining to me that their players were not selected for the Rookie Challenge," Stern said. "When one sees what's been going on this year… To see Dwight Howard, Ben Gordon and Josh Smith, and of course the sophomores with Dwayne Wade and LeBron and Luke Ridnour and Carmelo and Chris Bosh… To the effect that we're the basketball league we are, that part of the league is in great shape -- both the existing All-Stars and the future All-Stars." The state of the NBA could definitely be better right now. But in order to overcome everything, all that is needed is some good basketball. And considering the stable of young talent the NBA has now and will have, Stern has reason to be optimistic that everything will be just fine in time and will be reminded about it when watching the play during All-Star weekend.

Marc J. Spears is the NBA beat writer for the Denver Post and is a regular contributor to AOL BlackVoices. His column appears every other Tuesday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDI!

Lydia & Me!
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

This is one of my oldest and dearest friends... She is celebrating her birthday Today! We have been friends for 13 years. She has seen some of my darkest moments and always been there for me. It would take my lifetime to repay her in friendship and that is just what I plan to do!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYDI! LOVE YOU GURL!

My Anti Valentine

I am a romantic at heart... I love being in love and the thought of someone loving me. But since I cannot spend the requisite time with my Honey-Do I have decided to post some of the things that I've come across that take a cynical look at heart day... I found these at meish dot org Enjoy!

Yes, it's that special time of year when chocolate manufacturers and greetings card companies encourage you to demonstrate the extent of your fondness in cold, hard, cash (or the satin-covered equivalent) on February 14th.

Fuck that.

This year, celebrate or commiserate (if you are really a Heart Day Scrooge... LOL) with one of these... My twisted mind found them to be hilarious! Leave a Comment and let me know what you would do if you ever received a card with one of theses sentiments on it. Or worse yet what if your significant or not-so-significant other uttered these words to you...

• Valentine's Day is like herpes: just when you think its gone for good, it rears its ugly head once more. No wonder some people prefer to call it VD.
• You say Valentine's Day is stupid and commercial and meaningless and over-rated and then you moan when I don't get your a card. So, fine: Here's your card... Happy Now?
• I'd rather have a good Cup o' Joe than a bad shag.
• You'll Do.
• This is just to let you know that although I always say that Valentine's Day is stupid and meaningless and commercial etc etc, if you don't get me something really nice, I'm going to go into a massive huff for days and tell all my friends how useless you are, and they'll glare at you witheringly every time they see you for at least the next six mohths! Yes, I'm an effin hypocrite. Any questions?
• I know everything about you. I know where you live. I know what you like to do before bed. I know which washing powder you use. I know where you kee your spare key. I love you.
• (with a pic of an arrow through the heart) It's okay, I didn't need that particular ventricle anyway.
• Uprooted plantlife and sugar-saturated caffeineated fat blocks? (pause) You shouldn't have.
• (printed on a theatre ticket) "Admit One" Single is Good
• You're Chucked.
• SORRY... I won't be giving you my heart this year but I do have another throbbing organ that you might be interested in...
• Happy unimaginative, consumerist-oriented, entirely arbitrary, manipulative & shallow interpretation of romance Day... LOL (This is my favorite of all... LOL)

Funny Money...

Time to check ya wallets gang. You may have more money than you realize in ya pocket.


Flawed Wisconsin Quarters Worth a Mint

MILWAUKEE (Feb. 8) - Some Wisconsin quarters issued last year are turning out to be worth considerably more than 25 cents. Coin collectors say quarters with two variations in the design of a cornstalk on the back of the coin have been spotted at Tucson, Ariz., and San Antonio.

The two coins have been issued with variations, unusual markings on the back resembling extra corn leaves. ( Arizona Daily Star / AP) Rick Snow, who owns Eagle Eye Rare Coins Inc. in Tucson, said he started paying $50 each for the quarters when he learned of them." As soon as word got out about that, the prices escalated," Snow said.

On Monday, he was offering a set of three Wisconsin quarters - the normal one, one with a leaf marking pointed up and a third with the marking pointed down - for as much as $1,099. Individual coins with the variations were selling for $500 to $600, depending on condition, he said.The U.S. Mint, which produced 453 million Wisconsin quarters for its state coin series, is trying to determine how the differences came about."

Throughout history, there have been some instances of variations - very, very rare instances," said U.S. Mint spokesman Mike White. "If there is any kind of situation like this, we just take a very close look at the process and all the different steps."

Saturday, February 12, 2005

Saturday, February 12, 2005
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

I just love Huey!

The Power Of Bloggers

There is something to be said for bloggin' yall. I am an admitted addict. My posting to yahoogroups has drastically dropped because by the time I'm finished checking all of my favorited blogs and responding to the entries I am too pooped to putt... Let alone answer any more emails. There have been many instances where bloggers have altered the outcome/circumstances of various events. Case in point... do you guys remember the Exit Poll Situation during last years elections... Well the accusation is that bloggers took the exit poll information and called the potential election outcomes in error.

One blogger used data released by CNN about 8AM Nov 3 (yes, twelve hours after most polls closed the exit poll data was still changing.). This cut shows Bush leading Kerry 51% to 48% but for the heck of it our blogger decided to add up the state by state total and KERRY WINS! The blogger tries again adding male and female votes by state and KERRY WINS! Oops. With that type of logic it's no wonder the GOP is trying to ban all exit polls.

The most recent occurance of bloggers affecting the media is here It turns out this dude who has some shaky affiliations with sexually themed internet sites was hired as a reporter and was asking our President (shudder) questions that were not cleared by Playschool... LOL

I am a big fan of Google. I put everyone I know up in there to see what type content may be out on the web about them... What would I find if I Googled you? Well bloggers did some searching (Search Engines are a wonderful tool) and found all types of dirt on him and blasted him. In the end it resulted in his resigning from his post as reporter for the news rags that he was working for... didn't these folk do their research and know about his backgroud before offering a postion to this dude?

Jumpin' On The Bandwagon

livestrong
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

I was watching Oprah yesterday and she had Lance Armstrong on as a guest. Everyone within camera range (and probably the entire studio audience) were wearing his yellow LiveStrong armbands. We have such a bandwagon mentality. Some may call it being "sheep-like" even. Even celebs are "doing it"

Have you seen these colorful wristbands that EVERYONE's wearing?

While all the proceeds for the yellow "Livestrong" wristbands sold at Nike and Discovery Channel stores were being donated to cancer research, only one-third of the proceeds for the camouflage-green "Support Our Troops" wristbands sold at 7-Eleven were being donated to the USO. I have since learned that 7-Eleven isn't the only business taking a substantial cut of the proceeds from the sale of so-called "awareness bracelets." As the varieties of these bracelets have proliferated during recent months, the charitable impulse that is their ostensible reason for existence has steadily declined.

For instance, a tsunami-relief bracelet costs $2, only half of which goes toward relieving problems caused by the recent massive tidal wave in southern Asia. But that's still better than the 10-percent cut that tsunami victims receive when you buy your bracelet on something called AwarenessDepot.com, where you can also purchase "USA" bracelets, "Jesus Loves You" bracelets, and "God Bless the Dead" bracelets.

Some people would argue that the point of awareness bracelets isn't to raise money for charity so much as it is to raise, well, awareness. The wristbands invite onlookers to take a moment to think about cancer victims, or American troops in Iraq, or any one of a variety of other groups who need help or who perform difficult work for which the rest of us should be grateful.

But over time, that goal has been subverted, too.

The Worst Has Yet To Come

The Worst Has Yet To Come
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

If I have never been had a reason to be afraid I believe Today just might be the day. This cover is from one of my favorite political rag. If you haven't heard North Korea has FINALLY admitted that they have Nuclear Weapons and don't have a problem using them to defend themselves against us if they have to.

Not only that but they have stopped (without plans to resume) any talks of disarmament. If you remember... G-Dub made a point to tell the world that he would make it his mission to end North Korea's nuclear program through a series of talks.

How the heck is he gonna convince North Korea to give up their weapons when he knows good and well the U.S. isn't even entertaining the thought of giving up the ones we have right here at home!

If you are not the praying kind... I suggest you take it up! I feel for our troops and all of us! And we thought that Social Security was the issue of the day!

Giving It Up...

I am a Christian. However, I am not Catholic. So please forgive me if I don't get the terminolgy dead on. For some reason over the course of the last couple of days I've been giving much thought to Lent and the practices that go along with it. Particularly the one which some people give up "something" in their lives for a certain period of time as a sybolic way to strenthen their spirit/walk with God.

For the first time in 26 years I believe, The current Pope (who was hospitalized on Feb 1) did not give the "sermon" that goes with kickin' off this Easter holiday season (for lack of a PC term). That was a bit disturbing for me and I'm not really sure why. I have a problem with the Pope (as in the job itself) having to hold on to the last minute of life is running out of his body before they name another "seasoned" soul the next Pope. It will be interesting to see what the next few weeks will bring as far as News bulletins from the Vatican and the rest of the media.

But I digress...

I've decided to give up my favorite liquid tonic for the next 40 days... Those that know me know that I love Diet Dr. Pepper. I was majorly addicted to Dr. Pepper while I was in college but along the way I developed Type II Diabetes and couldn't drink it like I use to... *didn't stop me when I really need a fix though. It was only after my diagnosis that I even knew that there was such a thing as Diet DP. Over the years I have grown to love it! buy it by the 12 pack and keep it in the fridge...

I would say that I drink around 4 a day...

Yea...

It's like that for me...

No other diet drink for me... Just give me the DDP!

So now you see why giving it up is really a sacrifice for me. We will see how it goes. Especially since they have just introduced the Cherry Vanilla DP......... Yummy! I haven't tasted it yet but I know it has got to be slammin'.

The real question you should be askin is... What will I replace it with? Not really sure just yet... But I think it will be a combonation of iced/hot tea and water.

Angry Black Woman

I took this quiz and according to my answers this is the type of Angry Black Woman that I am. They writer states that all of us (READ: Black Women) are ABW's we are just different types of ABW's. While I have been known on occasion to "Cuss A Nukka Out" I am not generally like this.

You are a Curse-You-Out-in-a-Heartbeat Angry Black Woman... Let's get ready to rumble! This ABW is no joke. Sistah girl is like a world-class boxer who will pummel those who would dare spar with her. Always on high alert of any little slight, real or imagined, this ABW has been known to knock out opponents with a blistering combination of body blows (comments about victims' physical appearance) and the crowd favorite, the below-the-belt blow (remarks about home life or sexual prowess). Most opponents don't last the second round and are often left in tears, catatonic states of shock, mouths agape in front of sell-out crowds.

FAMOUS ABWs: Aunt Esther from SANFORD AND SON, Mary J. Blige, Mo'Nique

Super Bowl Smash

Ok... Ok... OK!

I am saddened by the outcome of last nights game. If you haven't heard the news already (or watched the highs and lows like I did... The Patriots won. Yep. I know you think that was a given. With Branch and his 11 receptions and Brady being on fire like he was. But the Eagles gave me hope up until that LAST turnover... You have got to give it to N.E. "dem boys brought their A game... At least for the second half of the game. I don't know what the heck they were doing in that first half... getting a feel for each other or shaking off the Superbowl Spotlight jitters perhaps.

I got a question though... What the hayell was going on with that lame ass Halftime show... Now I like Paul as much as the next person but come on... The networks were so afraid of having another "Wardrobe Malfunction" That they gave us a watered down show instead of one that would get everyone pumped up a bit more... (I guess the fans in the stands didn't really need any help... They were off the hook!)

And what about the advertisers... Those were the weakest halftime commercials that I can ever remember seeing! The only one that made me chuckle were the Ameriquest commercials that had the caption "Don't Judge Too Quickly" or something like that. Not sure what that has to do with that mortgage company specificallly but I liked it none-the-less. When that woman walked in that apartment I was crackin' up. LOL

The FCC has got everyone shook y'all! The gov't got a bonafied bully on the payroll! LOL

Snowflakes I Love 'Em!

If you can remember from my Snowy Day and The Aftermath posts... I got a thing for percipitation. More love than hate but a thing none-the-less.

Do you remember making snowflakes with paper and sissors? I use to love making them. I found this site that lets you build your own snowflakes. Not only can you build as many any you want but you can look at some of the one's being built by other people all over the globe. Some of them were breathtaking. You gotta check it out. After you build you own flake you will see tons of other flakes falling. Some are close up (meaning you can actually see the finished flake) and others will look like little white dots. When you see the little white dots just hover your mouse over them and the finished product will appear.

Idle hands... you know what they say... LOL

Sweet Revenge!

You ever have an occassion to have a moment of stillness in your home. You know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a period of time where there aren't any television, radio, internt (well let's not get too crazy... LOL), and there isn't another soul around to ask for anything...

Well I had a moment like that yesterday. My house was quiet. Still. Peaceful. My mother and neice decided to go on an outing and that left me to have my place back to it's original state... With just me in it. I haven't had a moment like that in months. I took me a bubble bath with my current love Coconut Lime Verbena (Luscious blend of fresh coconut, lime and fragrant verbena warmed by vanilla and musk). Make me wanna eat my own skin. Put in my favorite movie of all time. (If you didn't know that then you need to be spending more time gettin' to know me. And settled down with my dinner and Tropical Fruit Chardannay.

Just as Verbal is spinnin' his web and roping you in... This music started blaring from above...

*Side Note... I live in a building that's a throwback from the 70's... wood paneling and all. It's a three floor, six unit walk-up. I hate it but it is where home is right now... For the moment. The walls are paper thin. The only saving grace is the fact that I am only connected to the apartments above or below me not the one next to me.

I got mad issues with my neighbors The ones above ( like to party all night or play video games at top volume or... their most recent issue... Chirpin' that damn Nextel phone all damn night) and the ones that live below (who like to re-inact scenes from Ike & Tina's hey day).

I was surfin' online and found the perfect solution... The Revenge CD. What better way to show my neighbors what I think of them without someone having to call the law... lol I think I just might have to put it on and accidentally leave the CD on repeat while at work... These non-working mofo's would get a taste of their own medicine....

I wonder what tracks would be the best one to leave on repeat. Here are the tracks on the disc.

1. Drill
2. Party (At Least 200 People)
3. Orgasm (Outstanding)
4. Train
5. Drum (Played by a Child)
6. Inhuman Screams
7. Walking (High Heels)
8. Domestic Squabble
9. Doors Banging
10. Bowling
11. Unhappy Dog
12. Practicing Scales (Violin)
13. Traffic Jam
14. Garbage Truck
15. Newborn
16. Phone Ringing
17. Ball Game
18. Pigeons
19. Spring Cleaning
20. Cock-a-Doodle-Doo

Memory Lane

Think back through the warmer side of your love life, the relationships you’ve been party to. Remember your sweethearts’ faces, the scents of their hair, that little something each did that turned up the corners of your mouth. Think of the ones whom you haven’t seen in a while.
Now consider, just for a moment or two, running into one of these out-of-touch former sweethearts in the park, at the market, on the street.

Which of your former sweethearts would you most like to run into now? Who do you want to see again? Describe this person, as you imagine her or him to be now. In your mind’s eye, look into this person’s soul. Then tell your readers about her or him, how you would like to meet again, what you might say to one another.

Perhaps Fate is eavesdropping at this very moment, listening for the energy directed by your thoughts and by the conscious act of blogging about meeting up with this long lost soul. Focus on the details of this person; imagine what she or he may be like now, on this day.

If you think hard enough, perhaps Fate might arrange the meeting for you.

Celebrity Leakage

I was just surfing around the net and ran across Black Lilly's post on I'm So Confused. I wonder how often celebs purposely leak info to the masses. I bet it is to beat out someone who was planning to leak the story for money or something... LOL Click the link and tell me what ya think.

Chitown Bash

Chitown Bash
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

I don't live in Chicago but it sounds like a fun outing none the less. I would probably attend if I did.

This was taken from and posted for 601am:

Kris and I have decided it was about time the gay and lesbian bloggers of Chicagoland meet up to drink. Anyone is welcome to come, even if you don't blog. Bring your friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, straight friends, or mom.

Check for more details on the main site.

R.I.P. Ossie Davis

Ossie Davis
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

Ossie Davis (December 18, 1917 - February 4, 2005) was an African-American actor and activist. I don't know about you guys but I feel like one of my extended family members has gone.
He was born Raiford Chatman Davis in Cogdell, Georgia in 1917. His acting career, which spanned SEVEN decades, began in 1939 with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem. He made his film debut in 1950 in the Sidney Poitier film No Way Out. He was in Miami to film a new movie called "Retirement" when he passed away.

Davis had the same struggle that many African-American actors of his generation had. He wanted to work but he didn't want to play the butler roles that were the standard for black actors of his generation. So instead, he tried to follow Poitier and play more distinguished characters. Or, if he had to play a Pullman Porter or a butler, he tried to do it with some sort of dignity.

Davis found recognition late in his life by working in several of director Spike Lee's films, including Jungle Fever, She Hate Me and Get on the Bus. He also found work as a commercial voice-over artist.

Ossie Davis and his wife, actor Ruby Dee (they married in 1948), were well-known civil rights activists, being personal friends of Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Davis delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Malcolm X. He re-read part of the eulogy at the end of Spike Lee's film Malcolm X.

Davis and wife Ruby Dee were receipients of the Kennedy Center honors in 2004. They were also named to the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame in 1989.

Partial filmography
She Hate Me (2004)
Baadasssss! (2003) - Grandad
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) - Jack
12 Angry Men (1997) - Juror #2
The Stand (1994) - Judge Richard Farris
Grumpy Old Men (1993) - Chuck
Alex Haley's Queen (1993) - Parson Dick
Roots: The Next Generations (1979) - Dad Jones
No Way Out (1950) - John Brooks
Do The Right Thing (1989) - Da Mayor

The Aftermath

BigSnow
Originally uploaded by Audacity08.

We are currently living the hangover that was the First Big Snow of 2005. As I was walking home from work in the balmy 36 degree temperature I realized that aside from the actual snowfall... This shyt sucks! It's a mess to get around in whether you are on foot or in a semi.

First it covers all of the areas on the ground that are unstable (you know the parts of the sidewalk that you avoid because the ground is all cracked up or uneven)

Secondly, you have to risk frostbite shoveling out your driveway, front steps, sidewalk.. or worst yet your car. That little car in the upper right of the pic is still buried in snow.

And then just when you think that you cannot take one more blustery day the sun comes out. Yes! Maybe just maybe the temp will actually reach the double digits.

Now this is where my problem of the day comes in. This morning I walked to work and I was slippin' and slidin' all over the damn place. That was nothing compared to my walk home.

Where there was once firmly packed areas of snow on the ground was now replaced with these saturated shadows of their former selves. It looks like the same mound of snow but wait... Where you once had to worry about slipping and crushing your behind you now had to figure out if the inside of your shoes were weatherproof since they were now full of sub-zero temped water!

Can ya tell I had a fantastic walk home?

All in all I love the cold weather... Just keep the percipitation floating in the air like I captured it in this photo!

NYC ~ Casting Call

Casting Call: So you want to be an Apprentice?

If you're in NYC on Friday (2/4/05), you may get your chance. You'll want to be a 40 Wall Street, The Trump Building, in plenty of time to get your contestant wristband by 8am(EST). Appearing will be Trump and the winners of the last two rounds of NBC's The Apprentice, Bill Rancic and Kelly Perdew. Interviews begin at 9am. Bring your A Game, you're gonna need it.

History On Black History

Black History Month is celebrated annually in the United States in the month of February. Black History Month originated as "Negro History Week", the second week in February.

This celebration of black history in America was started by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who wanted to bring national attention to the large contribution of African-Americans to the history of their country, in 1926. History books had barely started covering black history when the tradition of Black History Month was started.

At that point, most representation of blacks in history books was only in reference to the low social position they held. Many black radical/nationalist groups, e.g the Nation of Islam, have criticized Black History Month.