Oct 272007

Questions

Happy Saturday everyone! It is time once again for those questions I have swimming around in my head that I need your help in answering…here we go:

21—As this T.I. story begins to unfold, don’t you begin to think that there is a little more to it than T.I. buying guns? I am beginning to think something else was going on…I mean I know he was set up, but I can’t wait for the full story…

20—Britney Spears’ mom is writing a book on parenting…last time I checked, her daughter was a drug addicted party girl who had lost custody of her kids…what the hell does she know about parenting?

19—Why does a drug store make sick people walk all the way to the back to get their medicine but smokers can get their cigs right up front?

18—Aren’t the two episodes of Good Times where James dies the best episodes?

17—Why does Tyler Perry seemingly endure so much persecution? I mean, the man is talented and blessed, and seems to go through so much hell…but he handles it so well…

16—Hillary Rodham Clinton is not my choice for president; why do all the media outlets continue to try to shove her down my throats as the winner? All the articles I’ve read of late have been about her “romantic” husband, her positive views, while the articles on all the other candidates have been negative…pay attention…

15—When is someone going to let Keyshia Cole know that her hair color is not cute? I think she’s a very pretty girl, but that hair color is not for her!

14—I usually make a big deal out of my birthday every year…sending reminder e-mails to my friends and family, planning a big event. Why do I not care this year?

13—Doesn’t Halle look all…mommy-ish? I think she looks so beautiful and happy in this pic…

12—With Genarlow Wilson free now, do you think he should sue the hell out of the state of Georgia? I think he should, if he can, for stealing his youth, for dragging out this case, for attempting to make him a sexual predator, for violating his civil rights, for unlawfully imprisoning him, for whatever he and his lawyer can contrive to sue them for…

11—What’s your favorite musical? I love Dreamgirls…the story, the music, the singing, the drama…there is nothing like putting a story to music…

10—Jill Scott’s new CD, The Real Thing, is nice…out of her three CDs, which is your favorite? I still have to go with Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds, Vol. 1…that CD got me through some thangs, you feel me?

9—Where the hell is Maxwell?!

8—Jay-Z wants to be called by his birth name, Shawn Carter…now, really, who is going to go around calling him Shawn but Beyonce’ and his momma?

7—Kelis has been dropped by her record company…do you care? I happened to love Caught Out There (such anger; I used to listen to this song in the car and people would look at me like I was crazy because I would be going off), Milkshake (’cause it do bring all the boys to the yard and if I teach you, I’d have to charge), and Bossy (you don’t have to love me, you don’t even have to like me…but you will respect me)…but other than that her music was a little different to me…she was more popular in Europe than she was here but I think she’s a little more resigned now to being Nas’ wife…thanks to A Hot Mess! for the info…

6—Didn’t D’Angelo just make you stop and look in the Untitled (How Does It Feel) video? That video…that video…hmm…here, just take a moment and look…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/7ULZuCK_fgo&rel=1">]

5—Do you know how many different uses there are for Vaseline? Here are a few: a little dab will help to shine up your purses and shoes, use it to remove makeup stains from your clothes, removes gum from hair, rub it on the caps of your nail polish bottles and the bottle caps will not stick…there are countless others…here’s a good list: 50 Beautiful Things You Can Do With Vaseline

4—The Sudan has declared a truce at the opening session of the talks scheduled to end the violence in the country. The rebel groups were not in attendance so any talks of ending the violence would probably not produce any results. I appreciate anything that has a purpose of bringing peace to this region, but without the actual groups that are fighting, what do the talks hope to gain? What is it going to take to get this to stop?

3—How can you accomplish anything if you keep running away from your fears? Face them head on and do what you have been put here to do.

2—What does music mean to you? Music provides the soundtrack for my life…without it, I think I would not be able to breathe. When I’m feeling heartbroken or out of love, I put on maybe some Donny Hathaway or old Mary J. Blige (you know, the My Life album); when I need to talk to a girlfriend because I’m down or feeling blue, it’s Jill, when I’m feeling rebellious, it’s Pac, Jay-Z, or T.I., when I’m feeling conscious or just want to be intellectual or want to listen to some good flow, it’s Common or Kanye…there is a song for every mood I’m in and I wouldn’t have it any other way…

1—Have you ever been faced with racial inequality or plain old racial hatred? I can say that I have not been, at least to my face. Oh, I’m not too naive to know that my race has played parts in me getting jobs or not getting jobs, the way that I’ve been treated or mistreated in stores, restaurants, and other places, but it has never been blatantly thrown in my face. In these times, it’s both a blessing and a curse to be African-American; I’m proud to be Black, proud of the accomplishments of all those before me, proud of the accomplishments of my brothers and sisters alongside me; jealousy does not have any place in my spirit. But it is a curse in that as a Black person, I also have to accept the fact that my brothers’ and sisters’ faults are my own; what is wrong with them, is ultimately wrong with me…if I turn my back and say that it is their problem, then I am part of that problem and not part of the solution. I want to help, not hinder.

That’s it for this week…

It’s all love, baby…

© 2007. Marva Allen-Fowler. All Rights Reserved.

MarvalusOne

That's exactly why I put them as the best two...the show eclipsed with James' death and went downhill from there...at least that is how I saw it...

M

Marcus Langford

Very much an interesting 21 sis. But...um...the 'Good Times' really stood out. 'Good Times' is one of my all-time favorite shows; I watch it throughout the week. However, and in my humble opinion, the worst episodes of Good Times were when James died because the show started to lose its fire from that point on out. I mean, the episodes following James' death were good, but Good Times was Good Times because of James. James made the episodes funny. Damn! Damn! Damn!

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MarvalusOne

Hey, Ms. Adrienne!

Thanks for the Happy Birthday...I've got two weeks left to go...I think I'm just going to quietly let it come and go this year...I'll do my dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and that's pretty much it...

I do believe there is such a thing as a good parent...I also believe that children can get away from you, no matter how hard you try...you're right, it should be interesting...I'd like to hear what she has to say about parenting; she should be able to shed some light on why her daughter turned into a drug addicted party girl and how she got away from her...

I guess what I meant when I said that my people's problems are my own is that I don't want to put myself above them...I don't want to say, "Oh that's their problem," and turn my back and not try to help...I work in my child's school (mind you, we live in the 'burbs) but when I volunteer, it's the little black kids that seem to need the most help, like the little boy who is waaay behind in reading...and it seems that all he needs is someone to sit with him and read with him and be patient. Something that someone at home could be doing with him, you know? I guess that's what I mean. I know that I am a woman before I am a Black woman and I expect to be seen as such and I teach my son that (he is a young man before he is a Black young man)...I understand where you come from and I understand what you mean...

Anyway, this is a conversation that could go on forever...thanks for the talk!

Marvalus

Adrienne Zurub

Interesting 21! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I have to go with 'Who is Jill Scott' first album also. The absolute effin bomb!

No Hilary 4 me! Read my piece about my Father on my blog (Now,I know my life has a purpose). After reading that, there's no doubt it is Obama! This is one of those times in life, when our vote is truly, truly important for the sake of our collective future...as a planet! (http://adriennezurub.typeapd.com)

I don't know a lot about Lindsey Lohan. I don't follow any of the stars. But, it seems that her mother is not her problem. After the age of thirteen,sixteen or so, YOU try telling a teenage girl what to do! I dare you! Once the hormones come...get out of the way! Besides, I don't like anything that 'blames the mother' come on! No one is a good parent. Everyone is learning as they go. Some are better at it than others. I think her book will be interesting!

What your #1, do you mean your biological brothers and sisters or the black community as your brothers and sisters. In answering in the communcal sense, how and why would you accept the incredible burden of the faults of your brothers and sisters as your own???!!!
How pray tell can what is ultimately wrong with them be ultimately wrong with you!? That smacks of determinism, a lack of individuality, a lack of divine purpose, not regarding yourself as a PERSON first and not just a color!
You are NOT your skin color, regardless of what this transistory society and culture defines you as!!!!
And, no, I am not saying racism does not exist. I am saying that it cannot and should not define your existence,your being, or command more attention than the process of articulating who and what you are as a human being!

Adrienne Zurub
(overachiever,Aries,iconoclast,i>u,comedian,moody,speaker,oldest of 9 kids!,actor,i=u,pOet,disturbed,writer,awesome,quietly LOUD,visionary,some imagination,grrl,artist,wannabe,inspiring,RN,seeker,philosophical,grown-azzed WOMAN!)

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