amena brown

Christmas Poem Videos, Script, and Download

2011-12-12T12:25:00.002-05:00

Through a partnership with 4Thought Media, I have released two new Christmas poem videos: "Shine His Light" and "Unlikely Situations." These two are available for download at 4ThoughtMedia.com.

Below the Script and Download for "Unlikely Situations" is available for purchase as well. We had some broken links previously so if you have any trouble downloading this, please email amena@amenabrown.com.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

AMENA BROWN - CHRISTMAS POEM SCRIPT

AMENA BROWN - CHRISTMAS POEM DOWNLOAD

poem: for the girls at wellspring

2011-11-13T16:22:00.002-05:00

started scribbling this poem after beginning a monthly writing session at the wellspring living victory program, a home for girls who have been victims of sex trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. you can check out more info and support the work of wellspring living here: http://www.wellspringliving.org.

for the girls at wellspring

these women
have seen more storms before the age of 16 than I have known in all my years
these girls were forced to be women
responsibility and sexuality and violation forced down their throats and in between their legs
they had no silver spoon
were never spoon fed anything except miniscule amounts of love

one writes
of a dark alley
watching the ravaging of another girl
wishing for superheroes or God to save her
another writes
of her proud Latina heritage
the rhythm of her people dancing in the consonants of her poetry
another writes
of anger pent up, folded, rolled and stuffed
that now must be opened up, examined and freed

I feel inadequate
what do I have to teach these women?
I am a student in their classroom of how to survive
how to not let life beat you down
how to crucify and resurrect

I write and talk with them
a few are bubbly attention-getters
some are quietly ruminating
some listen to and watch me but refuse to talk or scribble
some sleep through the entire session

this is no ordinary classroom
I work with who I can
whisper silent blessings and gratitude over those who albeit quiet are here and alive to tell of it

words and stories
sit in the stomachs of women like these
crawl up their windpipe
tire, fatigue and then rest in the throat
eventually, the weary words make it to the tongue, to ink
and this is the day I hope for these precious ones
a place to be free and unedited

poem: letter to the emcee

2011-04-27T21:45:00.002-04:00

so it's national poetry month. figured i could at least post one poem before the month runs out. here's one of the newest ones i've written. i wrote this poem at a hip hop show while watching a wack emcee perform. goes to show that wackness can be its own form of inspiration. :)

letter to the emcee

i don't want your
wack rap lines
don't want your tired metaphors and limp analogies
sick of your false manhood and your oversexuality disguised as womanhood
do not want to see your button down unbuttoned three buttons down
do not prefer your short shorts and skirts
showing your breasts, thighs, chest, biceps, doesn't entice me
nor does it make your rhymes have skill
I don't care about your endorsements
about your mixtape download remix
your jesus piece doesn't matter to me
your rented cars and fronted g4 flights bore me
could care less about your record deal, your advance, the units you pushed, the gold platinum you sold
don't care about your crew, your set, your peeps, your hoes
don't want to hear about your sexual exploits
about your tongue's run in with bottles and cans
how much money has changed hands
how much tapping and banging and smashing
about your high class vacations and exclusive hotels
so what?
oh well
i. don't. care.

what i like
what i wanna see you do
is stand on the corner in your own hood
shove one hand into the pocket of your hoodie
place one hand on your chest
pull that hood over your head and ears
and listen to your heart
listen to the streets you came from
tell me a story i've never heard
tell me a story i've heard a thousand times and help me see it through new eyes
break out your spiral notebook
scrawl. scribble. write.
until your hand cramps up
until the sun comes up
until your lunch break is over
until your boss catches you
until all the words in your head rest
so you can catch shuteye for a few hours to wake up and do it all again

rhyme.
while you restock the shelves at walmart
after you put the kids to bed
while your math teacher lectures equations
unspool the lines wound in your head
hold them in your mouth until you can give them a place to play

i don't need you to be pretty or rich or sexy or gangsta or hood
i need you to be an artist
a master of ceremony
who finds the break beat
laying rhymes into it like so much mortar and brick
building verse and chorus with the technique of a sculptor

freestyle
like your family's mouths depended on it
like the beat beats in your chest
like hip hop runs through your capillaries
give me music to listen to
prove to me that keep it real is no cliche
make fresh and dope and cool more meaningful than words marketing companies throw on ads and tshirts
tell me the hook so i can say it after you
so i can raise one hand in the air and keep it there

i'll be waiting for you
with an old set of headphones, a boombox and an mpc
please
for me
just be an emcee.

The Artist's Dance

2011-01-12T21:45:00.003-05:00

*I originally wrote this article for CatalystSpace.com and thought I'd repost it here.

When was the last time you danced? – Cee-lo Green

A couple of years ago I took dance lessons, learned a dance that requires you to simultaneously count steps, feel the music, and follow your partner. Found myself thinking less about the steps as my feet intuitively learned what to do. Then, life got busy. I was too tired, too preoccupied with knocking off my to do list to make time for dancing. By the time I tried the dance again, my feet were clueless, slow going like a child’s brain struggling to remember vocabulary words on the first day of school after a summer spent with water slides and ice cream cones.

The artistic journey is like this for many of us. We wrote, painted, danced, sang, played, until we were spent. Then, responsibility got the best of us. We “grew up” became “responsible.” Too busy for dancing.

Your desire to artistically dance will not go away. The Creator of creativity put it there. The question is will you come back to the dance floor. Will you endure the process of your feet clumsily rediscovering what to do?

All artists fear the same thing. Whether it’s a canvas, page, sheet music, or a blinking cursor, we detest the blank. It’s the time when all these creepy, negative voices start peeling out of the darkness like dancers from the Thriller music video taunting you with all of the reasons why no one is ever going to read, listen to, watch, care about whatever it is you're doing. Sometimes in the humdrum of life, jobs, responsibility, we shy away from being artists, because it forces us to reckon with what we’re not doing with the gifts God gave us.

As much as you fear failing and having no audience but your mom who thinks everything you make is amazing, you want the journey, the stumble, to feel the fear blowing hard against your skin. You want to lean into it and do what’s in your heart. The following are some guideposts to help get those creepy Thriller dancers with their negativity, put in their proper place so you can get your art to dancing again.

Cultivate a Creative Place.
Despite the propaganda pushed by many artists, inspiration is not a spontaneous, effortless experience. Creativity is akin to discipline, a muscle that must be worked and stretched to prevent atrophy. Train your creative brain to know when and how to open up and be creative. I can find a creative space anywhere as long as I have pen, page, and John Coltrane. What are your tools of the trade? Where can you go consistently and often to find your creative place?

Giving way to the art inside you will require solitude. Even Jesus had a place where he withdrew to be with God, alone. Prayer and creativity coexist. In the same way that you can find a solitary place to connect with your Creator, acclimating your soul to opening up to him, you can learn the rhythm of creativity straight from the Creator. Find a place to connect with God and bring your instrument of choice.

Hone your craft. When Solomon was getting ready to build the temple he didn’t just call for people who were passionate about what they did, he called for master artisans (2 Chronicles 2:5-7).

Stay connected with the arts scene.
In the book of Acts when Paul was making his case to the people of Athens about how near God was to them, about how they lived, moved, and could find their being in him, he quoted one of their poets. This is an excellent example of why it’s important to know “the poets” or influential voices in the culture where you are living life and sharing Jesus. The only way Paul was able to quote their poets was to listen to them.

Stay current with your arts scene through social networking, blogging, and checking out artistic events in your local city. Try engaging with art that is opposite of the genre you normally work in.

Shine is not a bling reference, nor is this about creating buzz for yourself. This is about shining a Jesus light, the kind of light that never goes out. In a room full of lamps, more light doesn’t so much matter. In a place with only shadow, light rescues. God wants art to introduce all of us to him, in whatever way he chooses to do this.

I love how Paul says it here, “Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night…” (Phillippians 2:14-16, The Message)

How can you engage more with people who may not believe like you? With other artists and creative people?

At some point this week, find your solitary place and grab a pen, paintbrush, instrument, or piece of choreography. Yes you’ll be clumsy at first. You’ll stumble around until you find your way, but eventually you’ll dance again.

Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. – Paul (Galatians 6:5)

Christmas Poem Script Available for Download!

2010-11-27T10:10:00.006-05:00

Some of you have asked if I have poems based on holiday themes. I don't have a poem for every holiday but I do have one for Christmas. The script is available for download as well as an mp3. I hope this is helpful especially for those of you planning services and events. Let me know how it goes!

AMENA BROWN - CHRISTMAS POEM SCRIPT

AMENA BROWN - CHRISTMAS POEM DOWNLOAD

Poem: God Bless Mom

2010-05-09T10:48:00.001-04:00

happy mother's day to my wonderful mom, jeanne brown. thank you for your constant love, support, and encouragement. your determination, dedication and love for God inspires me! i love you!

God Bless Mom

My mother read books to the swollen stomach that would become me
Read about what to expect when you’re expecting
About disciples, apostles, prophets, sinners and saints
Until her semi-colon burst
Sending amniotic vowels and consonants to splitting apart
The time between my sentences grew less than five minutes apart
My paragraph had arrived

Her margins stretched ten sonometers wide
So quickly that there would be no time for epidural or explanation
She must breathe, push, labor count to ten
And then count ten fingers and ten toes
Traced her fingers along the lines of
Little ears little nose little mouth little eyes

From the light of touch lamp on nightstand
She read me golden books
Sat me down in peter’s chair
Kicked me rhymes from the berenstein bears
We put our hands together and said our prayers
That God would bless teddy ruxpin
Barbie and ken
That God would bless Sydney, my one-eyed stuffed animal koala bear best friend
That God would bless daddy and grandma,
Right before mom showed me where the wild things are

She read to me until I was reading her to sleep
Words given to me by the number 5 and the letter a on sesame street
And Oh the places I would go
With Sam, green eggs and ham in tow
Searching for golden tickets in Roald Dahl’s prose
I wanted to float on giant peaches with James
Read Beverly Cleary, Ramona and Beezus until I was Amena the Brave
I never went through that stage of slipping my little girl feet into my mom’s heels to play dress up
I just wanted to read her library when I grew up
Hoping I could be one of Mufaro’s beautiful daughters
Maybe one day, turn the pages of Tar Baby
She took me to find my roots in the handshake of Alex Haley
Taught me to love the stale paper scent of the library
To treasure books, cards, and stationary

Years later she joins me at kitchen table,
Talking womanhood over the scent of earl gray tea
Taking in all the mystery, life’s and Walter Mosley’s
Trading Baldwin and Baraka
Singing Songs of Solomon
Exchanging journals, wisdom and pens
She reminds me with skillful subtlety that sometimes this is where the sidewalk ends
That many storylines come to an end only for better ones to begin
Life is a page-turner and you should write your own plot twists
Words are written to be read even if the only reader is you
Many will call themselves writers, but there’s only one Author who knows the end from the beginning
Sometimes the hardest and best thing you’ll ever do in your life is trust him
Never forget to pay close attention to your character
Remember that people are characters, they come and go but never discount them
People are characters and your story won’t happen without them

There is light in the attic, at the end of tunnels, and in her eyes
So, tonight before I shut off nightstand light
I’ll pray for God to bless mom and I’ll read myself to sleep

Poem: Roots & Wings

2010-04-12T10:49:00.002-04:00

in follow-up to "chocolate mista" and in celebration of national poetry month, here is the poem "roots & wings" that chronicles my first time performing my own poetry in public. the video footage is from my performance of "roots and wings" live at java monkey coffeehouse in decatur, ga in 2008 and is also featured on the live at java monkey cd. enjoy. :)

Roots & Wings

I didn’t mean to do it
I mean they sold me out
As soon he asked were there any poets in the house
I was the one who got fingerpointed
Pushed and shoved to the center of a carpet stage
A tiny bookstore, Montgomery, Alabama
It was called Roots and Wings
I was probably standing somewhere between Nikki Giovanni’s love poems and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I think I recalled Nathan McCall, because it definitely made me wanna holla
When I looked out at the 50 some odd of my classmates faces staring back at me
While I nervously tried my photographic memory
Trying to recall the words on a page I’d written over and over again
But never imagined I’d say out loud in front of anyone

I couldn’t believe that anybody was on the edge of their seat listening to me
I was only seventeen
Somewhere I found the courage and it carried me line for line until the end
And after all the hugs and smiles from friends
I was still shaking
That’s when I knew this was real
That words have wings
That they are kind of like birds but mostly like children
Who you groom and raise
You hope you’ve shaped them well
That a sky that has no limits will receive them
That someday somebody will take them home
Call them their own
That they will find a place to belong

I came from a line where righteousness ran through the blood like sugar and rolling stone daddies
And maybe the people who were pushing me had been here long before my classmates
Maybe my grandparents and their preacher sisters and brothers were pushing me too
They fed me parables and I acquired a taste for truth
They stood behind pulpits and I stand behind this mic
Just like them I have to get on my knees and hum prayers when words don’t suffice
Sing the hymns that can’t be found in hymnbooks
Learn to lean on everlasting arms and hold fast to the words that only God can write on hearts
These hands never knew picking cotton
But the hands that did knew how to spin stories
Knew how to sew quilts of memory so I could read my family history in a stitch
Every time my grandmother speaks I realize that words have roots
That they are kind of like trees but mostly like seeds
Who you groom and raise
You hope you plant them well
That fertile ground will receive them
That they will find a place to stand and stretch their meaning
That someday somebody will take them home
Call them their own
That they will find a place to belong

Words keep teaching me to dream
Keep reminding me that God listens when I sing
That’s how I know this is real
And I am still shaking.

Poem: Chocolate Mista

2010-04-05T11:13:00.003-04:00

it's national poetry month! last year i tried writing a poem a day...i only made it to day 7. lol this year i'm posting some of my favorite poetry quotes on facebook and i'm posting the work of some of my favorite poets on twitter. i am also digging some poems out of the archives and thought it would be fitting to start with this one. i'll be posting a difference archive once a week this month so check back for more shenanigans. :)

"chocolate mista" is the first performance poem i ever wrote. i was seventeen and had probably recently watched love jones. lol i performed this piece for the first time during spring break of my senior year in high school in a bookstore called roots & wings. wrote a poem about that too so maybe i'll post that one later this month also. :D haven't performed this piece since college so i figured it can now see the light of day. here goes... ;)

Chocolate Mista

The crowd is alive and thrives
On the sound that is music to our ears and water to our souls.
My eyes scanned panoramically and danced dynamically
At the sight of so many chocolate faces.
I whirled and twirled
Like a childhood ballerina to the music that is wind to my wings
And I bumped into him.

The Nubian prince I dreamed of,
The chocolate mista. I have seen love
Come and go for some,
But his eyes and my eyes
They met like the sun and the moon exchanging high fives
Just before it is the moon's time to shine.
My, my, could his beauty and mine
Have intertwined
Like held hands!
But I looked away.

Avoiding the vision that just encompassed me
By looking too deep
Into the chocolate eyes
Of this chocolate mista
As chocolate mist
Began to fall over the heads of all of us.
God would solve for us,
The mystery of this man
With a plan
To understand me.
Not just romance me but have some truth to his game.
He caught my eyes like a wild butterfly held captive in the hand,
And like the band
The terms that flowed from his lips mingled and hobnobbed to become one voice comprised of all the parts of life
As he said...Hello.

What could my reply be but the same?
And names exchanged
Made conversation easy.
It pleased me
That he was not intimidated by my dark skin
Nor the soft angel within.

We could stand in the midst of the mist,
And if an honest answer is like being kissed
He kissed me gently each time he said a word.
I thought of so many things to say but lost my nerve.
My heartbeat could not be heard
Above the rejoicing of the people around us.
They may have clowned us,
But the mist drowned us
In a tingling feeling that can only be described as dejavu.

Where were you, Boo?
In all my lonely moments and the happy ones,
So I could share your smile,
But my style
Is much too chill for that.
So, I strolled through the crowd as the fall of the mist ended,
Befriended
By this chocolate mista
Who complemented this dark sista
Nicely.

Good Man Month 2010

2010-02-01T12:39:00.002-05:00

Today is the first day of Good Man Month. This month also marks Black History Month and Valentine’s Day. As with any celebration that’s worthwhile, whether it’s love, history, culture, or celebrating the people that have made an impact on your life, it’s something that should be celebrated more than just one particular day or month. But the celebration is a start at remembering and reminding ourselves of what's important.

Black History Month
So this month if you’re short on black history facts…say, have no idea who Gordon Parks is, have never read the Crispus Attucks story, or don’t know much about King Tut outside of the pyramids (and this is just to name a few)…get your google on and send links on what you learned.

Every Day is The 14th – Andre Benjamin
As far as Valentine’s Day goes, if you have someone in your life that love or at least like a whole lot…spend time with them, do something special. I really have a closed ear to that whole this-is-just-a-hallmark-holiday argument, and girl-you-know-I-care-about-you-what-does-it-matter-if-I-show-it-to-you-on-Valentine’s-Day or if-he-doesn’t buy-me-_____-I’m-through-with-him. Stop that. If you really care about someone any day is a perfect excuse to express that to them. So stop making excuses, stop focusing only on yourself, and show and tell them how you feel…hallmark holiday or not. End of soapbox.

Good Man Month Challenge
Now…onto my feature celebration…this marks the fourth annual celebration of Good Man Month and this year I’m celebrating facebook and twitter style. Each day I will be highlighting just a few of the good men who have impacted my life personally, there are honestly too many to highlight them all. My challenge to you is to highlight the good men you know. Write them a letter, leave them a voicemail, send them a text, shout them out on twitter or facebook. Let them know they are appreciated.

Why celebrate good men? Because good men don’t get enough press. Because you hear enough stories about cheating men, lying men, trifling men and not enough headlines about men who love their wives, take care of their children, serve their community, carry themselves with respect, open doors, pull out chairs, and live their lives for something bigger than themselves.

Homework Assignment
Ladies…find at least 10 good men you know and tell them you appreciate them.

Fellas…commit at least 10 random acts of goodness.

Follow Good Man Month developments on twitter with this hashtag #goodmanmonth.

Now get to celebrating! ☺

Scouting the Divine: A Personal Review

2009-11-02T23:35:00.003-05:00

Imagine Jesus, crowd full of listeners who did not have the luxury of googling him, tweeting his quotables, or posting on their facebook status that they were chillin’ at the Mount of Olives listening to this dude from Nazareth. No, they weren’t the most high-tech of crowds, but like many of us they were soul weary, tired, longing for something, someone true and real.

Enter what looked like an ordinary man. Born in a small town like theirs, went to school, learned a trade just like they had, but something was different. Something about this man made you want to follow him, listen to him, probe him with questions about this life and the one after. He always had a story in his pocket, a sensory metaphor with the intent to enlighten; a truth teller who could literally close his message with “seewhatimsayin’” and mean it.

I’ve read his stories, listened to them retold and re-spun. At some points truthfully felt like I heard it all, but I was approaching his and the other stories in the bible as if they were museum artifacts. Meant to be viewed and admired but never touched. Margaret Feinberg’s book Scouting the Divine, will not allow such distance. Choosing three metaphors from the Bible: wool, wine, and honey, Margaret gets up close, dirty and personal in an effort to unfold the reality behind these truths. Interviewing and walking the land with a shepherd, a vintner, and a beekeeper, Margaret brings to life this ancient world that people in the Bible knew that is so unfamiliar to our hyperlink connected world. God’s role as shepherd and vintner, and the land of milk and honey are just a few references that Margaret unpacks here along with her own questions and moments of understanding.

The vintner reference hit home most for me. I literally had to close the book and think about it after reading through a few of the passages. How God, in an effort to want me to grow, would cut and prune (in essence allow me to be in pain) so that when the time comes to be fruitful I can withstand, I can have what it takes. That God doesn’t view me as some work of art that he looks on and keeps in some dusty room that no one ever visits like that frozen living room my aunt’s kept in their houses. Reading about these roles of God from this perspective helped me to see that God is involved in my world every moment, more than I can imagine.

Maybe now when life pinches and prunes, when I feel led down a path and I can’t see the way, I’ll remember as Margaret explored here, that scouting the divine is a journey that never ends and that the dude from Nazareth is worth following.

Featured on Raising Poetry Blog!

2009-06-14T22:19:00.003-04:00

A month ago I was featured on the Raising Poetry blog in a profile written by Ty Scott of hip hop group Platinum Souls. Check it out!

Amena Brown: The Voice of the People

by: Ty Scott

“Born a seed in the south,” with the stature of a God’s Top Model, a humble air of confidence, and a smile that lights up the darkest environments; Amena Brown has blessed audiences across the country with her polished poetic prose. For years, she’s successfully juggled a schedule full of: blazing open mics, ministering at churches such as: New Birth (GA), Buckhead Church (GA), Lakewood Community Church (TX), and Irving Bible Church (TX), and as of last year, competing nationally as a member of the 2008 Java Monkey Poetry Slam Team. Simply put- Amena Brown is a modern day rock star. And I for one wanted to re-connect with this Renaissance woman to pick her brain, and her soul, for some spiritual insight.

I’ve always been told that if you want the whole story, you must of course start at the beginning; which for Amena, poetically speaking, was at the age of 13. At a time when most of her peers were probably doodling boy’s names in their notebooks, she was discovering her own “power to excite, ignite, and inspire.” So when she hit the stage at 17, she blew audiences away. And, her refusal to be just another act is what continues to set Amena apart. She has made a commitment to bare her soul and use her words to ignite a fire for Christ amongst her generation.

“Every struggle I’ve had has turned into something I can share with other people that will hopefully help them. When I was in college my pastor used to say that God never wastes an experience and I have found that to be true. Pretty much any struggle I’ve had shows up in a poem, in a conversation, or in a talk or breakout session at some point.” Amena openly admits “one thing I really struggled with was breaking away from being so religious. I grew up in church most of my life and church was what I knew. In my 20s I’ve learned a lot of who God really is and had to unlearn being so afraid of messing up, doing things to keep up appearances, or doing all the right things for all the wrong reasons. That’s a journey I’m still on, but God has really changed my perspective on who he is and what it really means to be a believer.”

Another of Amena’s issues is one that is common to a vast majority of people around the globe- insecurities about her appearance. “When I was younger I didn’t feel like I was beautiful and I hid behind my glasses, my hair, my baggy clothes. As I grew older, I met people that saw behind all my hiding and encouraged me to not be afraid to be myself and love myself just like I was. Over time that love and learning how beautiful God thinks I am and how much time and detail he put into making me, helped me to realize I was beautiful and that I didn’t have to hide behind anything, especially not my outward appearance, religion, or trying to impress other people. I still deal with insecurities today, but the more I mature the more I am learning to accept myself as I am and other people as they are.”

Through it all, Amena’s innate ability to take personal observations and experiences, and weave them into tales that paint vivid pictures and captivate the hearts of her listeners, has placed her on platforms to spread the truth of the gospel across racial, cultural, and religious lines. Her words remind us that we are not alone in our struggles. Amena stands in the gap for many, showing us that just like she’s been through those rough places, and come out of it all more alive, we too can do the same.

To the naked eye, it would seem that she has a full plate before her. But, as a woman of great faith, Amena’s spiritual eyes see much more on the horizon. For starters, she has taken her skills to yet another level, and outlet, by establishing herself as a contributing writer for several well-respected publications. As a female freelance writer, Amena is seizing the opportunity to show other women that you can “carry yourself as a professional and as a classy woman in situations where the industry you’re working with needs to see that. I also really enjoy meeting and talking with other women who are in my similar life situation or industry. Meeting other women who are walking the same path as you is so encouraging, because we can help to keep each other’s heads up.”

Obviously, Amena’s favorite childhood hobby of reading has served her well. And now, God is writing an extraordinary story through her. She is an inspiration to women, and men alike. Having stepped out of boxes of complacency, tradition, religion, and gender stereotypes, Amena is carving a path all her own.

“I think my major ah-ha moment came in my mid-twenties. That’s when I realized I didn’t know who I was if I wasn’t busy doing ministry and that a lot of the reason I was praying, spending time with God, doing “spiritual” things was because other people were looking at me. At that point, God started me on a journey of unearthing the motivations of my heart, stripping me of pleasing people, and bringing me to a place where I want to please him above all. I’m still learning and growing, and I hope I’m learning and growing the rest of my life.”

Her experiences of being raised in the church, attending & graduating college away from home, discovering her “voice” through poetry, and traveling to spread the good news, are building a powerful testimony. When she’s gone from this world, Amena wants to “leave a legacy of living my life to the fullest, leaving no dreams unturned, being real and downright honest, while living my life for God. I would like those things to permeate everything I do.” At least that was her answer at the time of this interview, because as she said: “that’s a big question, and I’m sure my answer will change as I live.”

You can keep up with the globe-trotting, Proverbs 31 woman, and download some of her master-pieces, by visiting her at:

http://www.amenabrown.com

www.myspace.com/amenabrown

Scotty Barnhart CD Release: Saying it Plain

2009-06-05T13:34:00.004-04:00

*Thanks to guest blogger, Wayne James for covering this show for me and to Fiona Bloom for the media pass!

by Wayne James, blogger and bass player for Gritz and Jelly Butter

I have to admit that I am guilty of a certain kind of elitism when it comes to distinguishing the traditional art form of jazz from the newest variations. Not that variations are bad, but I suppose I want to separate the unmistakable sound that my father’s jazz represented from...well, everything else. So when I got the opportunity to cover the release of solo CD Saying it Plain, by one of Atlanta’s jazz greats, trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, I jumped at the chance to be reminded of the original beauty and passion of this distinctly American art form.

Barnhart has toured the world with definitive jazz institutions such as the Count Basie Orchestra, and has recorded with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cab Calloway, Joe Williams, Ray Charles and Tito Puentes. Say It Plain includes musical contributions from Eddie & Wynton Marsalis, Clark Terry, and Marcus Roberts among others, standing as a testament to Barnhart’s high regard among his peers.

Barnhart played trumpet as a young boy at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and was christened by Martin Luther King Jr., and baptized by Martin Luther King Sr. Barnhart’s performance at the historic Martin Luther King, Jr. Center was double billed as both a CD release and an honorable tribute to an era and a people that were at the heart of the civil rights revolution and heavily influenced his early life.

I was taken immediately by the simplicity, humility, and effortless nature of Barnhart’s sound especially when compared with the backdrop of today’s entertainment-oriented music scene. With Bill Peterson on piano, Kevin Smith on bass, and Leon Anderson on drums, Barnhart walked on stage, cordially greeted the audience, and began to make beautiful music. The album’s title track, “Say It Plain,” eased us into his world with an infectious, finger-snapping groove, peppered with Barnhart’s growling trumpet. His set grew adventurous as he plunged the audience head first into “Burning Sands,” an exhilarating and up-tempo display of his technical prowess wrought with rapid tempo and mood changes.

The night included guest appearances from a number of talented artists/musicians: saxophonist Ricardo Pascal, jazz guitarist Rik Waller, and vocalist Jamie Davis who joined Barnhart for the classic ballad, “Young at Heart.” Davis’ warm, husky baritone, reminiscent of Lou Rawls, combined with Barnhart’s muted trumpet had me grimacing with appreciation.

By the time we got to “Haley’s Passage,” a soft & contemplative stroll that successfully highlights Barnhart’s well-known soloist ability, I was a committed fan. Barnhart and his band closed out the night with an all out jam session during which any musician in the audience was invited to participate.

After the concert, I asked Scotty what he’d say to younger musicians trying to find their way in this new era of music. He paused for a moment and said, “Pay attention to what you’ve been given”. Now that is saying it plain.

Atlanta Intown Article: Creative Community

2009-05-21T12:53:00.004-04:00

Creative Community
Atlanta INtown Newspaper May Issue

Westside Arts District emerges as gallery destination

Atlanta's Westside, between Howell Mill Road and Means Street, has become a burgeoning locale for contemporary art. Long a gathering place for creative people, the area has become home to a collective of nine gallery spaces now known as the Westside Arts District.

Westside Arts District is a mix of commercial galleries, nonprofit spaces, and a coffeehouse: Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, Bobbe Gillis Gallery, Emily Amy Gallery, Get This! Gallery, Kiang Gallery, Octane Coffee Bar, SALTWORKS, the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum and Sandler Hudson Gallery. Created in January, the district's monthly "Westside Art Walks" are already creating a buzz among artists and art lovers.

"I sent out a blanket e-mail to all the galleries I knew that existed in the area and said I think we should try to get together and collaborate on something," said Emily Amy, owner of Emily Amy Gallery. "I didn't know any of the gallery owners at the time. I was almost shocked at how quickly everyone responded. We talked about forming the organization during our first meeting."

Although the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Octane and Sandler Hudson Gallery have been established in the area for more than four years, other galleries migrated to the area in the last two years from Castleberry Hills and the Old Fourth Ward, citing location and lower rents.

"Castleberry has stalled as a visual arts area and become more of a center for nightlife," said Ben Roosevelt, an artist whose work whose work has been shown at Get This! Gallery and will be featured at the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum. "The challenge of Atlanta, with everything spread so far apart, is that there's not really one arts district. The Westside is a great location because it's more accessible to the greater population of Atlanta."

Every Third Saturday, Westside Arts District hosts the Art Walk, encouraging the Atlanta community to engage in a fresh way with contemporary art. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. families, students, and art enthusiasts take their sneakers to the streets, touring the art gallery spaces and attending educational talks. The art spaces are all within one mile of each other and two or three lectures or artist talks are included each month.

"There are people out there who are curious buyers, but they would rather get on a plane and go to New York because they don't know what's available here," said Christina Caudill, co-owner of SALTWORKS. "We want to make people aware, both the buyer and the general public, of what we're doing here."

Octane, the only arts space in the collective that doubles as a coffeehouse, has its art curated by owner Tony Riffel and is a place where people gather to discuss arts before and after the monthly arts walk.

Said Riffel, "Art has been a big part of what we have been doing from day one. Our walls are great for different exhibits. We rotate every month, and we only focus on local art. We're really trying to capture the artists that aren't getting attention from other galleries. It's been great to see the creative community grow around us. To see it come to life now is really exciting."

Music Moments Blog 2: What Was Your Musical First?

2009-05-11T13:41:00.003-04:00

May is Mena’s Music Month and as many of you know I have a habit of coining random celebrations. lol Blogging about musical moments and memories is not only a great way to celebrate May but it’s also alliteration. Everyone needs alliteration! This week I solicited some quotes from a few cool people about their musical firsts. The amazing thing about music is that it holds memories for all of us across generation, culture, and gender. So read on for some nostalgic musical firsts and feel free to share some of your own.

FIRST ROCK SONG
Amena Brown, writer/talker/spoons player
Sixth grade. I had just moved from Silver Spring, MD to San Antonio, TX and was highly unhappy about it. Felt like I went from really cool place to live to really slow, cowboy boots, flatland place to live. (no offense to my Texas peeps! lol) I was having a hard time fitting in, but somehow found a friend in a tall freckle-faced, brown haired boy named Daniel. Daniel was always in trouble, so when our class went to do fun stuff like play on the computer or have recess, he was typically leaning against some wall at the teacher’s behest for his bad behavior. I would stop and talk to him sometimes since we kind of had something in common. He couldn’t have fun with the class and I frankly didn’t want to. lol He told me about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Asked me if I’d ever heard a song called “Under the Bridge.” I hadn’t so he sang me the words and told me to check it out. I caught the video on MTV and loved it! After that I’d always check on Daniel during his times of detention and sing a few of the lines with him. I still know all the words to that song.

FIRST LIVE SHOW
Leaf, Singer/Songwriter
I think my first live show was Goapele. I actually went to go see another artist that night at the temple bar in Los Angeles and stayed around to see the other artists. And I must tell you that watching her with her band inspired my brother to encourage me to put my own band together which I did soon after. It was really a great show but my most favorite live show was AMEL @ Sugar Hill in ATL. There was just something about the magnitude of energy and love reciprocated in the room between Amel and us fans that I have yet to experience again. Hopefully it will be one of my own shows.

FIRST INSTRUMENT I LEARNED
Leaf, Singer/Songwriter
The first instrument I learned was the guitar. At four years old while living in Los Angeles, 54th and Venice in South Central, a friend of my parents brought over an old beat up guitar with holes in it and just two strings. And my dad used to tell the story that I just walked over and started playing and I've been playing ever since.

FIRST HIP HOP MOMENT
Marc McCartney, Blogger
Director of Events, www.RightNow.org
My Dad was a football coach and I loved being around him. So as a little kid, I spent a ton of hours on the practice field and in the locker room. Music was always the pulse of the locker room. I could walk into the locker room and just by listening to the music I would know what was going on.

Before games you hear something with lots of bass to get the juices flowing. Before practice you might hear something a little more upbeat, but not too intense. After practice is going to be something mellow and lazy. After a loss – no music! But after a win – that’s when you get the hip hop. Everyone was excited and juiced up and ready to let it all out. The team would sing the songs aloud – practically shouting the music – it was a party in that locker room and it was so much fun! Run DMC, Sir Mix A Lot, Public Enemy, Biz Markie, Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, and the list goes on… those were the days!

FIRST LIVE SHOW AND FIRST 45
Chuck Woo, Managing Director, Woo Media Works
Blogger/Marketing Consultant, www.chuckwoo.com
As a 6 year old being able to witness the hardest working man in show business and the smooth Temptations gave me a soulful appreciation of music and entertainment. James Brown was the best entertainer and could move the crowd just dancing.

Don't know if I remember my first music store experience, however the first 45 that I bought for 67 cents was James Brown, which I think I still have somewhere.

FIRST ALBUM
Dan Kimball, author/speaker, www.dankimball.com
I think the first full album I ever bought was KISS's "Destroyer" album. I was fascinated with KISS as a kid. I think it was the whole stage show, lighting, smoke machines, the drums that rose in the air during the drum solo and all the theatrics that they did that no one else was doing like that back then. I am quite embarrassed to say but I saw KISS 3 times live in concert while in high school.

FIRST DEEJAY EXPERIENCE
Matthew “Opie” Owen, DJ and Saxophone player
The first time I was on my turntables in front of a crowd, a large youth group had hired me to come and make it hot that night. I was kind of panicking because I wasn't exactly sure how to hook everything up, but I didn't want to let them know that. Even though my right table was coming out of my left on the mixer and my left was coming out of the right, the crowd was moving and I've been in love ever since.

FIRST CASSETTE TAPE
AJ Joiner, www.TheASpot.com
“It’s not bippety-bop mama.” I pleaded sincerely as I tried to convince my Mama to cough up $7.99 so I could buy UTFO.  I’d heard ‘Roxanne, Roxanne’ and ‘The Real Roxanne’ at friends’ houses, but Grandma wasn’t allowing that ‘bee-bop mess’ in her house, and Mama wasn’t either. Shortly thereafter I scammed my Uncle into buying the tape and it. Was. On.   

We spent weeks with the tape deck locked, loaded and on record/pause. I wrote lyrics in my ‘Rap notebook’ and was ready at a moment’s notice for a ‘battle’ with my brother and friends to rap the lyrics to anything by UTFO.  “Calling Her a Crab, Roxanne, Roxanne, Bite It, The Real Roxanne” are all classics in their own right. Dr. Ice, Kangol Kid, Mixmaster Ice, and the Educated Rapper pioneered the early 80’s version of what we call ‘diss’ and reply albums.   No true hip hop head can stroll down Hip Hop memory lane without touching the Untouchable Force Organization better known as UTFO.   

What were some of your musical firsts?

Music Moments Blog 1: Theme Songs

2009-05-04T12:11:00.002-04:00

theme song: \ˈthēm\ \ˈsoŋ\ noun 1 a musical composition that inspires and motivates

I’ve learned that the only time dreams just happen to you is in your sleep. In real life, the achieving of dreams takes work, risking failure and rejection, and refusing to settle for what is comfortable or convenient. A theme song can be a great way to keep yourself focused and motivated. These tunes keep me encouraged to be myself, to keep going even when it would seem easier to call it quits, to sing really loud, to dance, and to believe.

Off the Wall – Michael Jackson
Yes, this song is about the boogie, but let’s dig a little deeper. Michael is singing a metaphor here, something Pink picked up on in “God is a Deejay.” Life -- the dance floor. God – the deejay. You – hopefully are not leaning against the wall scared to dance. Not only does this song rock, but also it reminds me to not get too comfortable leaning against the wall in life.

“Life ain’t so bad at all if you’re living off the wall.” – Michael Jackson

Strength, Courage and Wisdom – India.Arie
India.Arie is one of my FAVORITE artists. She writes the songs that say what I want to say, and this one is closest to my heart out of all of them. I love this song because it communicates the balance of living your dream: I do my part and God does his. There are times to make a move and times to let it be. This is also a great workout song! (Shout out to the treadmill!)

“I close my eyes and I think of all the things that I wanna see…” – India.Arie

Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
I’ll admit it. I LOVED Kelly Clarkson’s first album (shout out to dr. hoch who hipped me to it!) When I first heard the song “Breakaway,” Andy Stanley was doing a series of messages with the same title at Buckhead Church. I cried at all of them because I knew that breaking away from what was comfortable is what I would have to do if I was going to live my life to the fullest. At the time that was a tall order because it meant a serious interruption in my routine and perspective. Looking back on that moment I’m glad I took the risk of leaving my convenience and comfort to pursue something new.

“Make a wish, take a chance, make a change, and breakaway.” – Kelly Clarkson

Pretty Girl – Eric Roberson
I believe God can speak to us through many things and I realized after listening to this on repeat 20 zillion times lol that I love this song because it sounds like something God would say. I can imagine him watching this girl, the same way a dad marvels at, loves, and protects his daughter. Telling her that she doesn’t have to settle for less than what she’s worth. That there is more to her than her physical appearance. That he sees beauty in her beyond her smile. This song, reminds me of how big God’s love is and that thankfully his love doesn’t depend on how good we are or how much we have it together.

“Open your eyes and realize you’re worth much more. Oh so much more.” – Eric Roberson

“That’s my theme music. Every good hero should have some.” – John Slade, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (check the video around 7:50...really watch all of it, it's hilarious! lol)

Your turn. What are some of your theme songs?

J*Davey show at Sugar Hill

2009-03-17T21:18:00.009-04:00

Saturday night I was doing double duty, wearing two wonderfully artistic hats. One as a poet at a qualifying slam with the Java Monkey Decatur, GA and Knoxville, TN slam teams and the other as a journalist/blogger at the J*Davey show at Sugar Hill. My homeboy and fellow writer Adam Beane agreed to tag team blog with me about the J*Davey show so none of the festivities would be missed. He is officially a part of history -- my first guest blogger. :) What follows is an insider view into the evening. A glimpse, if you will, of conversation, texts, and pseudo-twittering. lol For your reading pleasure...

Adam arrives at 9:30, sure he’s late, but hears DJ TaBone and remembers that nothing in Atlanta starts on time - absolutely nothing.

Adam is absorbing the scene: white guys in suits & ties, faux blipsters in flannels and ladies with more variations of natural than Whole Foods, Sevananda and Trader Joe’s combined.

Adam peeps the paintings being constructed by Flux of Binkis Recs on the side of the stage.

Adam watches a white girl who he thinks is CJ from 95.5 The Beat welcome the crowd.

Adam thought Dres tha Beatnik was hosting…???

Adam sees Ali “ALIen” Warren take the stage on some Clyde Stubblefield drumming meets Rahzel “Godfather of Noyze”.

Adam accompanies ALI’s DJ through the medley of hip hop crowd movers…yes, I concur Hov “Brooklyn, we do, in fact, go hard”

Adam is mesmerized as the only thing ALIen is unable to do on drums is sit still. So sick…

Adam watches ALIen take off his shirt (no E. Lynn Harris) while drumming…stand on the kick while drumming…and walk through the audience with his snare while (you guessed it) still drumming.

Adam is digging how ALIen pours the Red Bull can over the drum set providing the audience with an 80’s glam rock video splash scene every time he “click-clacks(!)”.

Thoroughly entertained, Adam is wondering why ALIen wasn’t billed on the flyer…?

Adam has no time to contemplate, Atlanta-native The Doll Daze promptly takes the stage donning masquerade half masks.
Adam is digging her indie rock soul vibe.

Adam was doing fine until the Acid Girls, The Doll Daze’s promo team, walked in front of him trying to steal his attention.
Adam peeps Janelle Monae slide into the venue with Brittany Bosco.

Back on his grizzly, Adam thinks The Doll Daze pleasantly fill a void left by RES.

Adam wonders if RES, Kweli and this Idle Warship joint is really gonna produce results for either of them…

Single tracking my train of thought, Adam is grooving to “Words”, “2040” and “Please Everybody” which is a good sign for Doll Daze if I can remember the names of your songs.

Adam applauds as Doll Daze bids farewell to an appreciative audience.

Adam considers getting a drink until he looks at how packed the bar has become and realizes a cranberry juice ain’t worth all that.

Adam sees Brittany Bosco’s band take their places and digs the two keyboardists, bassist, guitarist, drummer and DJ that Bosco has brought along with her.

Adam listens as somehow Brittany gets two intros…one from the white girl followed by another from Dres.

Adam is feeling how Brittany Bosco comes out looking like Lena Horne…long eyelashes and all.

Adam watches as Brittany’s commanding voice fills the room and her body’s contortions ensure all eyes are on her.

Adam can’t quite get the “City of Nowhere” chant right that Brittany wants everybody to sing.

Adam thinks Brittany Bosco is about as dynamic a performer as you’re going to see before becoming famous.

Adam is slightly distracted as the couple next to him discusses Brittany Bosco’s unconventional looks.

Adam likes that Brittany and her cousin (pulled from the audience) end her set singing a duet of “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)”.

Adam decides that he’s seen Brittany Bosco perform even better, but loves that she always seems to leave it all on the stage.

Adam is eagerly anticipating J*Davey when he gets a tap on his shoulder from his pen sister Amena.

amena is trying to catch up with adam but got distracted looking at how the guy next to adam was focusing some serious energy on his two step, then dres and the deejay got on that al green love and happiness, at which time amena had to cut a lil rug.

amena wants to thank dj tabone for playing this..."i wanna rock right now. i'm rob base and i came to get down. i'm not internationally known, but i'm known to rock the microphone!"

amena got some cool footage of janelle monae and dres tha beatnik dancing to a groove.

amena thinks j*davey's music has the ability to make you feel like you have been transported inside your radio.

amena thinks some of j*davey's beats rock.

amena went to the front to snap a picture and caught a whiff of smoke, not of the nicotine kind.

amena wonders if this whiff helps the audience to enjoy j*davey's music.

amena watches people party like it's 1988 while listening to j*davey.

pseudo tweet blog: java monkey/knoxville slam

2009-03-17T21:02:00.003-04:00

As previously stated in this here blog, my cell phone is incapable of 21st duties such as checking email, facebook, twittering and the like. In an effort to update my status at events I go old school and write down what I would twitter if I could. For your reading pleasure, my "tweets or something like that" about the qualifying slam I participated in between the Java Monkey and Knoxville slam teams on Saturday, March 14.

amena is hanging out with kim possible and j marie on the way to java monkey.

amena is listening to kim possible read a portion of outliers and feeling inspired.

amena is happy to see rhea sunshine and black atticus from the knoxville slam team.
amena just saw bryan patillo without his locks...wow!

amena huddles up with tonight’s java monkey slam team: tavares, gypsee yo, and bryan patillo, to coolly strategize for the slam.

amena wants to make it known that coolly strategize is another term for four poets looking at each other and saying "so whatchu wanna do?"

amena is digging tavares' poem about inspiring the kids.

amena is sniffling some and hopes it won't affect her performance.

amena performs "God bless mom" and gets the two judges who've been giving high 7s and low 8s all night to come up a couple of decimal points.

amena gets a blasted time penalty for taking her sweet time on "God bless mom."

amena realizes that when rhea sings it sounds like chuuuuuuch.

amena is a gypsee yo fan!

amena watched gypsee yo perform autobiography and had to stand up and shout!

amena wants to thank courageous from knoxville for standing up for the good men and for showing love to everyday women. I’m about that! :D

amena thinks it’s ridiculous that tavares’ amazing poem about the birth of his son got such low scores. haters.

amena enjoyed slamming and having a friendly win with the java team.

Class of 3000 LIVE: A Trip to Cool School

2009-03-09T17:06:00.003-04:00

Outkast’s Andre 3000 and Tom Lynch’s animated cartoon brainchild, Cartoon Network’s Emmy award-winning Class of 3000, debuted Saturday as a live stage show to an audience full of Atlanta celebrities, families, and kids at the Alliance Theater. Set in Atlanta, the play hinges on a chance meeting between Li’l D, a middle school student who has just discovered his school has lost its music teacher, and Sunny Bridges, an international jazz and blues performer who after leaving his music career is in need of some inspiration. Here are four reasons to love this animated cartoon turned stage play.

4 Reasons to Love Class of 3000 LIVE

1. An Atlanta World Premiere: Class of 3000 LIVE is the second stage play to host its world premiere in Atlanta at the Alliance Theater this year. Shows like this help to highlight what many people already know about Atlanta, that it is a city brimming with art and talent.

2. Cool Cast: Jonathan Davis (Kam), Bernard Jones (Li’l D), Wendy Melkonian (Madison), Brandon O’Dell (Phil), Zany Pohlel (Kim), Justin Tanner (Eddie), and Sharisa Whatley (Tamika), played the live class of 3000 with song, choreography, and humor that adults and kids alike could enjoy. From the first time Li’l D yells, “let’s crank this thing up!” you want to follow him on the journey to convince his idol, Sunny Bridges, to become the kids’ music teacher. Scott Warren, actor/puppeteer, added hilarity to each role he played from Sunny’s manager to the kids’ principal.

3. Sunny Bridges: Not only is the animated character inspired by Atlanta’s own Andre 3000, but Sinatra Onyewuchi, embodied his character’s animation and eclectic style, with a signature straw hat, fluid dance moves, and a smile that invited cast and audience members to join in the fun.

4. Inspirational Tunes: Sunny and his new cadre of kids perform songs from the animated series, showing that there is more to good music than what you hear on the radio. Towards the end of the show, the kids sing “be yourself, because no one else can take your seat in cool school.” This advice, like the show, is good for all ages.

inspirational women month: dear grandma sudie

2009-03-05T21:10:00.002-05:00

march is women's history month, but i like to celebrate it as inspiration women month by highlighting the women who inspire me. here is a poem about my great grandmother.

Dear Grandma Sudie

She had cheeks as dark brown as tree trunks.
See the years of courage weaved like the grain of tobacco leaves between her fingertips.
These same lips fed me spoonfuls of truth, thick and hot like stone ground grits.
She knew the blood of Jesus for its pardon and its power,
Called on his name in a way book knowledge cannot teach.
Siphon the wisdom in her silver strands and I could take sips of womanhood everyday,
Learn a love that follows the curve of her hips and longs to lay beside the man of her dreams for the rest of her life.
I believe in dreams with shoes under pillows.
I believe in your legend.
You were lean, graceful, quiet but knowing,
Strong in the silent enduring sense of the word.

If you were here today, I would kiss you on your cheek,
Ask you if you needed anything
Bring you cool glasses of water
Silence my busy mind and listen to you.
I would sit at your feet and write your life story on my hand so I could retell it to me after you were gone.
Hum you a hymn you taught to me until you went to sleep
Fine-tooth comb your gently pressed hair, scratch your scalp and line it with white rose.
Ask you to teach me the recipe for collard greens, chicken pastry, chitlins, parenting, 60-year love, love of God.
I would follow your recipe by the ounce until I made it my own.

Completely biased CD review - India.Arie’s Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics

2009-02-13T11:34:00.004-05:00

Disclaimer, preface, intro, explanation: pretty much any album India.Arie puts out has my wholehearted endorsement so this CD review is a departure from any attempt to be an unbiased journalist or culture and arts commentator.

…having said that let’s get into what I’m sure will be one of my favorite albums of 2009! :D

I believe everyone has an artist they love who somehow has the uncanny knack of taking your story, thoughts, and emotions and filtering it through their music as if they read your journal or eavesdropped on your conversations. For some, it’s Tupac. My brother told me once that listening to Tupac made him ponder the deeper things of life, even his relationship with God. For others, it’s Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill. For me, that artist is India.Arie (…and Eric Roberson lol but that’s for another cd review).

This Tuesday, India released her fourth album, Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. Here’s a review track for track:

1. Intro – Grains
I dig the intro, interlude, outro set up. India has stayed true to this for all four albums. This is the first time I actually wanted to hear a full song come of these interludes. “I’m grateful that, you continue to amaze me…”

2. Therapy
This song and “He Heals Me” are cut from the same cloth. Great wordplay here and I love how India can be sweet and sassy all at the same time.

3. Ghetto (featuring Gramps Morgan)
Interesting turn on the term ghetto in this song, I love how India used this song as a panoramic view of global and domestic poverty.

4. Chocolate High (featuring Musiq Soulchild)
Admittedly, I wasn’t in love with this song when I first heard it. It still isn’t one of my favorites on the album, but it’s got a nice groove, so it’s growing on me.

5. He Heals Me
Ladies and gentleman, stop the presses! Pause! This is BY FAR my FAVORITE song on the album. Is that enough CAPS for YOU?! LOL Okay, I have this thing about CDs where there is always a song that is really track 1 for me. Por ejemplo: On Anthony David’s Red Clay Chronicles for me the album starts at Smoke One. On Jay-Z’s American Gangster the album starts for me at American Dreamin’ and on Eric Roberson’s Left the album starts at Pen Just Cries Away. This album for me starts at He Heals Me. This song makes me want to cry every time I hear it. It’s beautifully written and the piano creates the perfect mood for her words. I could go on…sigh…sigh emoticon…but I’ll move on for now. :)

6. Interlude – Grains

7. Pearls (featuring Dobet Gnahore)
There are two images here that struck me as strong metaphor. 1) the idea that we all have something to offer, to hold as precious, and the stories of women across the world who go through such pains to do so. 2) the idea of something hurting like brand new shoes. How typically, a woman’s shoes are a symbol of the pain we endure for what we think is beautiful. Haunting, yet beautiful imagery here.

8. River Rise
This song has such reverence and hope in its lyrics. The organ lilt gives this tune the feel of an old spiritual or hymn. This one also makes me want to cry when I hear it. “I bow down, I surrender today. I can’t do this, Lord I need your help.”

9. Yellow (featuring Terrell Carter)
Cliché to say I love the color of this one? LOL I like the groove and the imagery here too and Terrell Carter’s presence doesn’t hurt at all! :D

10. Better Way
I like how this one rocks. The guitar on this one is great!

11. Interlude – Grains

12. Long Goodbye
The dichotomy and tension in this song is so honest. This is one of my favorites.

13. Psalms 23 (featuring MC Lyte)
Um can we say how AMAZING it is that India.Arie and the LYTE are on the same song! I love the release-the-haters-and-negativity message here and hearing Lyte kick the lyrics was a wonderful bonus! Kudos on the artist choice for this India. Love it!

14. The Cure (featuring Sezen Aksu)
This is a feel good song with a positive message. I like that she doesn’t just sing about love as the cure but challenges the listener to action.

15. Outro – Grains

16. A Beautiful Day
This is the theme song I pull from the album. I always get a theme song from India’s albums. First Album: Strength, Courage & Wisdom. Second Album: Beautiful Surprise. Third Album: I Choose. And now this one. What a great way to end the album.

Okay fellow India fans…what are your favorite songs from the album? What are your India theme songs from any of the albums? Let’s tawk. :)

dear mr. nice guy

2009-02-08T13:34:00.000-05:00

this is an essay i wrote awhile ago for submission to a regional publication. it wasn't chosen for publication but i thought it would be fitting to post it here in honor of good man month.

Dear Mr. Nice Guy,

Good men are hard to find and even harder to keep. It’s unforgiveable to let one go. Just like you, they keep slipping through my hands like so much sand in an hourglass. You’re right. You are underappreciated. You’ve been given a bad rap and truthfully I preferred a broken and bruised heart to your respectful ways. I’m sorry I said you were boring. I’m sorry I said you were soft. I’m sorry I said you weren’t sexy enough. I’m sorry for not giving you a chance.

When we first met, you confused me. Seriously, who’s honest anymore Mr. Nice Guy? Who says what they mean in the dating game these days? I suppose you do, and it’s clear you don’t believe in playing with my emotions. What’s a single woman to do with all that free time, now that she has no reason to spend her time psychoanalyzing too short text messages, missed calls with no voicemail, and first dates that never make it to a second one?

And another thing Mr. Nice Guy, how dare you be into commitment? I mean who’s into getting serious? Who wants the pressure of a man who wants to be with only me? I would much rather prefer a man who’s juggling me and sixty other women across the city. I like a man who keeps me guessing.

Marriage, commitment, rings, his and hers sinks and towels, matching outfits – these words didn’t scare you. In fact, you welcomed them, wanted them, wanted me, but I wasn’t ready for you. My early 20s mind couldn’t fathom giving up the freedom of singleness to settle down with you. I couldn’t imagine my one and your one becoming one. I couldn’t bring myself to give up the lottery-like possibility of finding five other men that might be the one. I was standing on the side of the road with a hitchhiker’s thumb, passing up the most safe ride home. I was waiting for something better. Like baiting a unicorn on a fishing pole, I was stupid to throw you back into the sea that clichés say is running aplenty with fish.

Trust me. When my night’s get lonely, when I’m out with some ignorant fool who doesn’t know opening the door for a lady from throwing a shot of tequila down his throat, who assumes that dinner and a second date means sex, I think of you. Don’t tell anyone I’m writing this but sometimes I daydream of you. You, the one any woman wants to bring home to meet a dysfunctional family. You, who would rub my back while my family argues the merit of scripture and scrabble, and gaze at me with the look that said you loved and accepted me just for me and would do the same for them. You, who would make love, make babies, and stick around to deal with me, my horrible hormonal attitude, and alien cravings; stick around for baby names, birth, pre-k, middle school, college, and empty nest until it’s back to just us. You, who even as you are reading this forgives the silly me that sent you on your way in the first place.

The phrase “no more Mr. Nice Guy” has haunted me since I ended things with you. You made me question my definition of a man. As if the paramount of testosterone has to equal hairy machismo, never-ending noncommittal, and grunts-only communication. You had character, endurance, perseverance, respect, patience, and I was just too fireworks-driven to see it.

You have no reason to trust these words coming from the pen of a woman who so quickly and easily dismissed you, but years and life and trouble and struggle have shaped that woman with the same indelible imprint with which quick rivers slowly hewn canyons. I see you more clearly now, as I see myself.

I really just wanted to let you know that the phrase “nice guys finish last” is propaganda pushed by bad boys in gentlemen’s clothing. Whatever you do in life, don’t shy away from being the nice guy, especially not because of women like me. Sooner or later some woman is going to relish your gentlemanly gestures. She will find your respectful hand in the small of her back so much more sexy than a strange first-date hand attempting the squeeze on her inner thigh. She will be swept away by your chivalrous door-opening, coat-holding, pulling out her chair, and she will not ditch you for the next smooth swagger, emotionally unavailable, slick talker. Hold out for her and don’t settle for less.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to reply. I wouldn’t dare ask you for a second chance. I just wanted to clear the air and hopefully give myself a clean slate. And maybe, just maybe I’ll cross paths with another nice guy and this time I won’t give him back.

Sincerely,
Me

poem: a few good men

2009-02-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

yes, it's the third annual good man month! it's also black history month, so as my mom would say get your black history on! you can start here! :D

every february on my poetry and journalist myspace pages i rotate a different set of good men and men who are good at they do as my top friends. this year i'm stepping it up. my personal assignment is to post some pieces i've written that were inspired by good men. here's the first one...and videos are coming soon!

you have an assignment too. ladies, your assignment is to encourage one good man in your life each week this month. let him know he is appreciated. fellas, your assignment is to commit one random act of goodness (some of you already do this stuff and if so keep it up!) i.e. opening the door for a lady, giving a classy compliment, pulling out a lady's chair, etc. hit me up and let me know how it's going. in the meantime...here's "a few good men."

A Few Good Men

By: Amena J. Brown

His walk is R-E-S-P-E-C-T
He’s got tender loving care up his sleeve
He sees God in me like India.Arie
Something about his swagger
Something about his walk
I get all caught up in that truth he talks

His only game is telling me his name
Or asking for mine
He wants to know what I’m about
He wants to know if I’m about what he’s about
For his character even God can vouch
Check his heavenly references
He’s got clout where it counts

He appreciates the complexity of a woman’s mind
Deserves words well seasoned and well defined
And did I mention that he was fine?
His good deeds may never make it to the news
But he showed me that chivalry has been resurrected as the new cool

He opens doors
He walks on the outside nearest the street
He pulls out chairs
Sometimes he pushes my cash away and says it’s his treat
Telling me it was his pleasure at the end of the night
Walking me to my car just to say good night
Insisting I call to let him know I made it home safe
He makes me feel safe because he is so secure
Imagine that even his sexiness is pure

He gives sweet and thoughtful gifts
Like conversations that take unexpected turns like jazz riffs
Leaving me wanting more of his music
More of his deep voice reflections
More of his intellectual connections
More of him

'Cause meeting a man like him is like finding a four-leaf clover
You’ve been looking for one all your life
But never thought you'd get the chance to hold one
I can’t really say that he brings me good luck
But I do know he brings so much love, concern, intelligence
So much friendship, kinship, and common sense

If his status ain’t good, I ain’t checking for him
Better know how to be sweet if he’s looking at me
'Cause despite popular belie... size really does matter
A big heart can go a long way
A man who believes that obstacles won’t stop dreams can carry you a long way
He’s the kind who drapes his coat over your cold shoulders
Quick to correct you when you turn pebbles into boulders
His type of love grows stronger as the two of you get older

His love is patient, kind, his love waits
His love gives more than his love takes
Honesty is the first kind of love he makes
He takes his time
Cultivating a connection of the spiritual kind
Investigate his mind and you might find
Pages of psalm 139
I can read his life, line upon line
Discover how his heart aligns with God’s divine design
I am inclined to try to make him mine
But, all in due time

He doesn’t rush which makes his gentle touch mean so much
Just the thought of holding his hand makes me blush
To him, intimacy is a gift, not an expectation
Which means he skips all the compromising situations
He wants me to save my best and no playing games
He won’t ask for my body until he gives me his name

Take a few trifling experiences plus all the sad statistics
And it might seem that a man like him no longer existed
I stand as a witness I’ve encountered a few
I treasure them for all the gentlemanly things they do
I cherish them for the good men they are
The kind of men that a woman can trust with her heart

Atlanta INtown Article: Art Fusion

2009-02-02T10:01:00.001-05:00

Atlanta Nightlife: Call Me Up

2009-02-02T09:43:00.001-05:00

The team that brought you Play Date and Paint By Numbers, can’t stop won’t stop in 2009. Imari Havard and his Timeless Entertainment Concepts crew added new event Call Me Up to their repertoire in front of a packed house at 595 North on Saturday night.

Call Me Up is a combination of Comic View and improv theater, with the added twist that audience members could be called on to join a scene at any moment by the ring of their cell phone. In scenes such as “Ridin’ Miss Daisy” where Miss Daisy and her driver Henry transform from old and harmless to Bonnie & Clyde ’09, an audience participant was called on stage and forced to choose whether she would ride or die. Call Me Up provides an alternative to standard club hopping, dinner and a movie options. More events to come from this creative crew.

Atlanta Theater: Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel

2009-02-02T09:36:00.003-05:00

Four years ago, Atlanta hosted the premiere of a fresh take on Alice Walker’s The Color Purple – a musical. “The Color Purple” danced from its southern roots to Broadway, embarking on a national tour that eventually led the moving production back to its premiere roots.

This year, the Alliance Theater premieres another new look at a classic story, “Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel.” Retaining original lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the gospel version is conceived and arranged by Grammy award-winning songwriter Louis St. Louis, who penned songs for both Grease and Grease 2. St. Louis takes the vulnerable story of Jesus Christ Superstar and harkens to his Detroit Pentecostal church roots to bring swinging soul to Webber’s rock hits.

The stone/marble set with added choir risers, created the backdrop for the choir ensemble and cast, clad in all white modern day attire. Mary Magdalene played by Nicole Long and Judas played by Darryl Jovan Williams were particular vocal standouts. Eric Jordan Young’s turn as a pimpish Herod added a new panache to the role and one of the most well executed scenes of the production. Hopefully this choir-rocking, hand-clapping production will also make its way from a southern soul mecca premiere to a Broadway run.

Atlanta INtown Article: Ivy Hall

2009-01-16T18:47:00.001-05:00

Atlanta INtown Newspaper – November Issue

Old and New: SCAD Completes Ivy Hall Restoration

The Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta (SCAD) officially celebrated the opening of its new cultural and writing center, Ivy Hall, in October. The newly restored 19th century mansion sits at the corner of Piedmont and Ponce de Leon avenues in Midtown, juxtaposed with the new condominiums (also called Ivy Hall) that surround it.

Built in 1886 for Edward Peters, one of Atlanta’s founders, Ivy Hall might be best known to many Atlantans as the now defunct Mansion Restaurant. Much of the first floor was destroyed by fire in 2000, which forced the restaurant to close. After it lay dormant for several years and was named one of Atlanta’s endangered buildings, the owners, William Swearingen of S.D.H. Investment Corporation, William Dunaway and Harry Hill, donated the house to SCAD in 2007.

Since then, led my SCAD’s historic preservation specialist, Bob Dickensheets, SCAD staff and students have preserved Ivy Hall’s historic architecture and updated the mansion’s more than 4,000 square feet.

“Imagine the ceilings falling in, the windows knocked out, a fire, the roof falling in, the hardware gone, the doors stolen. It was just a mess,” Dickensheets recalled. “We do what the college does best, preserve beautiful old buildings.”

Ivy Hall was hailed as one of the first examples of Queen Anne Victorian architecture in the city. Originally designed by architect Gottfrid L. Norman in 1883, the house still maintains some of Norman’s signature Japanese-inspired design: hand-carved wood panels, lincrusta fabric panels, a carved pulpit as the centerpiece of the front staircase, and ivy accents throughout the décor. Updates to the house include computer and data ports, an apartment to house artists-in-residence, and lecture and classroom space.

This winter SCAD will host open-to-the-public lectures and writers’ series as well as a holiday concert in Ivy Hall.

For more info, visit www.artofrestoration.org.

Atlanta Intown Article: Good Moves

2009-01-16T17:56:00.004-05:00

Atlanta INtown Newspaper - September Issue

Dance Company Keeps Atlanta Youth In Step

Some believe that the best way to live is to work yourself out of a job. Atlanta natives Annette Lewis and Carolyn McLaughlin, director and associate director, respectively, of the youth dance company Good Moves are following a similar notion: train their dancers to outgrow their instruction.

• Outreach: Includes dance performances, workshops and lectures for the community.
• Ed Source: Economical, high quality dance instruction for various levels of expertise.
• The Consort: A pre-professional performing ensemble.
• Moving On: A young professional performing ensemble designed to support and employ students in the off-season.

Good Moves also encourages dancers to participate in ongoing instruction within the organization, as well as to take classes with other local dance companies.

The company’s commitment to artistic excellence means plenty of hard work, but McLaughlin describes it as “joyful work” that challenges and excites its charges.

“Even our youngest students learn and work in the first class,” McLaughlin said, “Our job is to make it so they don’t need us anymore – to get them ready to away, not stay with us.”

Lewis, who has been involved with Good Moves since its inception, discovered a newfound passion for dancing at 25 years old, and studied dance with Alvin Ailey, Agnes DeMille, and Robert Joffrey, among others. Becoming a dancer, choreographer and teacher later in life, Lewis focused more in training and less on dancers who had a particular look.

“As an older dancer, the majority of the people in my classes didn’t have perfect bodies,” she said, “I wanted to work with kids like that, and make sure everybody had a chance to dance. I want to assure the modern dance world continues to improve. To me, it’s about staying connected to the past and building on the future.”

Good Moves will present two new works this season. Lewis will choreograph Buffett Buffet, a montage of Jimmy Buffett songs, all referencing food, and another work entitled The Prince and the Pauper to music by the English rock band Queen. McLaughlin will choreograph a work inspired by Sandra Boynton’s book/CD for children Rhinoceros Tap, incorporating movement and the spoken word.

Good Moves will also host the Inman Park Dance Festival in March 2009, which will feature The Consort and Moving On, along with dancers and choreographers from all over the nation.

For more: (404) 518-1646 or www.goodmoves.org

featured in november charisma mag

2009-01-14T16:47:00.002-05:00

forgot to post this when it hit newsstands but here it is for your reading pleasure! :) i was included in a charisma mag article in november featuring young people doing their thing in all types of arenas (shout out to zach hunter who was also included), titled "voices of a new generation." there is also an excerpt of the interview on the charisma website.

Amena Brown knew from a young age that she was called to talk. What she didn’t know was that she would use spoken-word poetry to illuminate God’s glory and communicate biblical truth. Through her “performance poetry,” which she presents at Christian events such as the Passion and Fusion conferences for young adults, as well as at secular “poetry slam” competitions, Brown is helping the church reclaim the arts. “I think it’s cool to see how some of the constraints are coming off,” she says. “I’m looking forward to seeing what God s going to do with art in general in opening our eyes as believers to how big God is.”-written by Adrienne Gaines

blog for single men!

2008-12-03T00:13:00.000-05:00

whether it’s via IM, cell phone, over coffee or dinner, I have countless conversations with my single girlfriends about men, about our current occupation versus our life purpose, about setting standards, having rules and all the situations where we keep to them and those we don’t. it is these conversations that prompted me to do a workshop for single women only at the fusion conference.

being a single women isn’t easy, but it’s not purgatory or the 7th level of hades either. the purpose of my single women's session was to challenge single women to live their lives to the fullest. to not bemoan or complain about things they either need to accept or change.

at the beginning of my session, a guy walks up and lets me know in no uncertain terms how he might be feeling somewhat discriminated against since I didn’t do a session addressing the single men. well, I promised him (hey amos!) what I knew I could deliver…a blog about the topic. as a single woman, i know the hangups, struggles, and opportunities for growth that single women have, but i'm not schooled on those issues for single guys, so i reached out to a varied crew of fellas to get some answers and boy did they deliver.

I must say, the men who responded did so thoughtfully and honestly, and I learned a lot from reading their responses. so if you’re a single man, pick up some of the free wisdom offered here. ladies, let this post take you to school if you’re willing to learn. ☺

1. Find Your Life’s Work
“Most men are extremely passionate! Channeling that passion in to something healthy and productive is the goal. Our passion is what makes us extremely good and extremely bad. If the good can be expressed and the bad circumvented, we as men would be pretty much unstoppable.”

“Purpose is of paramount importance to a man's sense of self worth. That is why our occupation becomes so important to us, because we usually associate our self worth based on what we do well. From sports, to business, to our sex life, we usually love what it is we DO, and not necessarily who it is we ARE. Love for ourselves can only be found in fellowship with our Father, and only then can we say like David, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Marvelous are Your works, and my soul knows it very well!"

“Get a dream - find something that you can pour yourself into...wholeheartedly...with reckless abandonment. find something to do where the "doing" is its own reward. this will not only occupy your time and give you focus, but it has the unintended side effect of garnering attention from the women-folk. exhibited passion is quite the aphrodisiac.”

2. Identify a Mentor
“Since we mostly come from single parent households, men don’t live in households where they see the things they should be doing to keep a relationship alive and they aren’t being taught those things either. Soooo, I think having some vision for those things would be a challenge that we need help with.”

“Befriend a married couple - make a monthly appointment with that older frat brother whose love got locked down five years ago or perhaps an older couple in your church will let you slide over for Sunday dinner. its good and inspiring to see what these folks deal with and how they relate. it can help you identify what you want in a relationship and what you're not ready to take on in your life.”

3. Remember where you’ve been, Evaluate where you are, and Know where you’re going

“I think many single men have a hard time enjoying where they are because quite honestly they don't know where they are supposed to be. There are so many different opinions as to where a man should be at different ages and stages of life. "You should have graduated from college by now", "You should have this type of job by now", You should have a house by now", on and on and on. I think we need to find out where we (as men) are going before we can determine if we can enjoy where we are.”

“Don't forget where you've been: If you forget the kind of women you've dated and not clicked with and just fall into the rut of dating the same kind of woman over and over again because ‘That's what you're attracted to’ then you will find yourself in the same place over and over again, unhappy.”

“Search out and come to terms with your own demons, regrets, feelings of regret or resentment, and fears. More than anything else, these often hidden feelings and perspectives do the most to impede our happiness, growth, and accomplishment.”

5. Develop a Dating M.O.

“Wouldn't it just trip most women out if a man takes them out on a date and he rattles off his M.O. to them? He probably would have more women after him than he could imagine. Men are leaders, and nothing says leadership like SELF leadership. "Here are my standards and boundaries. I promise to respect yours as long as you respect mine."

“Men sometimes leave one relationship for another, or leave for another relationship before the first is even finished. Emotions take time to heal and to jump from relationship to relationship without taking time to heal and evaluate is not healthy. So sit you're bed hopping a-- down for a second, get your mind right and decide what you really want in a woman and a relationship. Then maybe you won't have to jump around so much from house of pain to house of pain and you can find something that will everlast (bad pun but I couldn't help it).”

“The odds of you meeting a quality woman while shouting "My name is [insert your name here]!" over the music around 2:00 a.m. @ Esso's is Slim and Shady.”

“You can't have sex with em all ... you think you can ... you will want to try to ... but you can't! the best thing you can do is find a woman that loves you, that you love in return and live happily ever after because there will always be a girl that's cuter, that has a better body and that's sexier but there will not always be another woman that can make you happy. Once those breasts start to sag and that a-- turns to flab you better be with someone you can love, live and grow with.”

“do NOT let society, your friends, your ego, or unchecked desire drive your partner selection process. Many of the ideals we have about women are void of the most important criteria and focus on surface characteristics that do not stand the test of time.”

7. Surrender to God

“Most men have a hard time with this, but we must trust our lives to the One who gave it to us. If we do what we can, God can do what He wills. The result will always bring us out on top!”

“A woman will only submit to you to the degree that you submit to God. Everyone (men included) are considered to be married to God, in essence God's wives. So in order to be a good husband you must first be a good wife.”

cd review: kanye west's 808s and heartbreak

2008-11-24T11:21:00.002-05:00

there are only a few artists that get my money without a thought. no need to hear a single, see an interview, hear what inspired the music. among them: India.arie, eric Roberson, jay-z, and kanye west.

I bought kanye’s first one because everybody had been talking about him. my brother told me a year before college dropout released about a producer turned rapper rhyming with his jaw wired shut. so I purchased the cd and it did not disappoint. in fact that cd still gets some listens from me.

‘ye’s second release, late registration had me curious. his first two singles “touch the sky” and “heard ‘em say” weren’t soundscan bangers, but when I heard he was working with Fiona apple’s producer jon brion, I purchased the album just to see what these two creative minds would come up with. late registration also did not disappoint. it had texture. it felt experimental and I loved the orchestration.

graduation came out right on time. I can’t count how many Friday and Monday mornings I bumped ‘ye on my way to the office of my corporate job. graduation was celebratory and arrogant in all the right places. felt like ‘ye at his best…excluding “drunk and hot girls” of course. :O

now winter is on the way and I must admit I’m jonesin for a good new cd. looks like jay’s not gonna drop til next year and dre 3 stacks is content hopping on other people’s songs, so that left me with kanye and beyonce (who I’ll comment on later) to carry me through the end of ’09. I haven’t been listening to much radio or watching music tv so I hadn’t heard a single from yeezy’s new record, but I had heard the rumors of him singing t-pain style on the album. thankfully kanye and his people saw fit to post the album in its entirety on his myspace page so I could see what I’d be getting into.

after two full listens here are my thoughts...”love lockdown” is my favorite so far., with a nod to “welcome to heartbreak” and “amazing.” i also liked “bad news,” the only song on the album about his mom. (if you can tell me the sample he used here you get some points!) kanye has done a good job mastering the concept album. this album like his previous three releases is consistent and thorough. gone are the goofy skits that must be fast forwarded. gone is the mouthy enthusiasm.

you know what this record reminds me of? the roots’ game theory. game theory was a moody album, not the joint you’re gonna bump in your ride by any means, but black thought had some things to get off his chest and used the mic to do so. clearly kanye’s had a tough year, major breakup and the loss of his mother, and 808s and heartbreak was his place to pour out some of that emotion.

now…let’s talk nuts and bolts…rhymes? not really much to speak on. kanye is vocoder singing most of this album. the lyrics here are not so much cleverly written as they are bare bones honest and vulnerable. production? consistent, 80s, synthesized. if you’re looking for club bangers you’ll be disappointed here. the album is contemplative and melancholy, but because of its consistent sound, you can still listen to it beginning to end. out of 5 stars? I give it 3. it’s not the kanye album I’m used to, but after two listens I can’t say it’s a bad album either.

so all of this to volley back to you...what do you dig or dislike about the album?

Video Blog: Congrats President Obama!

2008-11-05T10:22:00.000-05:00

back from sacramento, cd recording, podcast interview

2008-10-24T15:33:00.002-04:00

back from sacramento
ladies and gentlemen, i survived that ridiculously long flight to sacramento. no offense to all my west coast people, but i'm good if i don't fly west for awhile, unless i can be completely knocked out for the whole trip! LOL on the way there, kimpossible and i took some tylenol pm (thanks for the suggestion on that phil) in hopes of being knocked out for the duration of the flight. um wrong answer. a cute lil boy in front of us found a way to make the most piercing noise to express his dissatisfaction for THE ENTIRE first leg of our flight. now seeing as how his parents were having a hard time handling him, i have to be truthful. i normally don't try to handle other people's children, but the thought of pinching that lil boy like your mama used to do in church crossed my mind more than once as it became apparent that there would be no sleeping on this flight.

while i'm venting let me say that all this charging some airlines are doing now is getting out of hand. charge to check your bag, charge to eat, charge to drink. i'm wondering if we're gonna have to start paying to go through security too! (end of rant)

on a more positive note, been back from sacramento for a couple of weeks and now it's time to get geared up for nywc pittsburgh. gotta give some sacramento shoutouts!...to kimpossible, my manager, sister, and friend, thank you for your insight, the laughs, and your encouraging words. i appreciate you! to my sacramento volunteers destiny and ashlee', thanks for helping a sista's merch table to run smoothly. to clete and the bigstuf crew thanks for the great video behind the poem. looking forward to doing it again in pittsburgh. to spencer...not even sure if you're on myspace but thank you sir for that run dmc shirt! you get mad respect for naming those run dmc songs on demand! and to phil and natalie thanks for letting a sista utilize your studio to record the new poem i wrote for nywc "seriously ridiculous" which can be downloaded on my myspace.

podcast interview
thanks to kevin gibson from worshipodcast.com who interviewed me a few weeks ago. we talked poetry, writing, worship, and i'm sure i told an ignorant story or two! :) check out the interview in it's entirety at www.worshippodcast.com

new cd recording
at the beginning of this year, i had the chance to be a part of a live recording for sublime, the high school ministry at north metro church in kennesaw, ga. well the cd is complete and you can get a hold of it at www.isublime.com. you'll find poems "you," "to worship you," and a scripture piece called "inside out" on the cd along with some songs you'll recognize plus some things written specifically for the project. shoutout to rob greene (got the cd in the mail. thank you!), the sublime staff and students, and the band from the live recording.

ignt youtube video
ok so between my tries at video blogging and the things i've typed here, you have probably figured out that my airplane adventures can get kinda ignorant. lol well courtesy of kimpossible, you can now experience for yourself what's it's like to sit next to me on a flight. this footage was shot on the second leg of our flight, after the no sleep debacle during the first leg. enjoy! lol

Andre 3000 Benjamin Bixby Clothing Line Launch

2008-10-20T22:25:00.003-04:00

Had a chance to swing through the Atlanta launch event for Andre 3000's clothing line Benjamin Bixby on Thursday, October 16. Inspired by 1930's Brooklyn style, the line is complete with tweed, old-style suspenders, and crisp, clean, button-downs. An excellent reflection of Andre's cool eclectic style. Check out the pics!

Upgrade Your Social Life: Salsa!

2008-10-20T21:29:00.005-04:00

Okay, if you've been checking out my blog the past couple of months then you know I've been wanting to get my salsa on for quite some time. Well, I went to two really cool salsa events so far and had to reportback on them. I LOVE salsa! It's a great way to meet people, and the best way to learn how to salsa is to get out there and dance! No leaning against the wall!

Shout out to Raymundo, for deejaying at both events and for teaching me the bachata. Thanks to Julian for the thorough salsa lesson! I felt like I nearly knew what I was doing. :) Thanks to Marvin for being a great salsa partner! Here's more info:

Salsa @ Paris on Ponce – Antique store Paris on Ponce houses a free salsa lesson and party every last Sunday, from 1 to 5pm. Free snacks, free water, free vino, and live performances. www.salsapop.com (check out the pic!)

Havana Nights - Every second Friday at Salsa Havana, 8:30pm until you can't dance anymore! $5 cover. 1 hour lesson.

Voting Do’s & Don’ts

2008-10-06T08:14:00.002-04:00

We interrupt your regularly schedule program of reporting on social upgrade shenanigans to report on a more important topic!

VOTING!

In the state of Georgia, Monday, October 6, is your LAST DAY to register to vote for the November presidential election. Check out the following do’s and don’ts to make sure you can cast your ballot.

DO get registered! No excuses! You can register online, at your local public library, election office, and at your college registrar’s office. If you haven’t registered, DO IT TODAY! If you know someone who hasn’t registered, gently apply some good old peer pressure. It’s for a good cause. ☺

DO make sure your current address matches the address on your license. Voting in a county different from the one you live in can cause your vote not to count.

DON’T wear t-shirts, buttons, headbands, jersey socks, or earrings tricked out with the face or name of your favorite candidate. Direct quote from the Georgia secretary of state election site: No person may campaign; distribute literature of written or printed matter of any kind; wear campaign buttons, signs, pins, stickers, T-shirts, etc.; circulate petitions; or perform similar activities within 150 feet of the building in which a polling place is located. Check the polling place policy in your state.

DO your research. Be an informed voter. Make yourself aware of the issues not only on the presidential side of the ballot, but the senate, house of representatives, judges, and other pertinent races in your county and state.

Check out these sites:

Nationwide: Rock the Vote, Vote for Change
GA residents: Ballot, Georgia Election Guide 2008

Upgrade Your Social Life: 5 Fav Atlanta Live Music Spots

2008-10-05T10:33:00.002-04:00

It is officially fall, which means it’s time to explore some social options that cater to the arriving cool wind. The live music venue is a great place to start. My first live music show in Atlanta was at Centennial Park for the now defunct On the Bricks series. I saw Kanye West and John Legend for $5. I probably also filled my tank up for somewhere near two dollars a gallon…but that’s for another blog. :O Since then, I’ve been hooked on checking out live shows and Atlanta’s social scene has much to offer if you want to see your favorite song performed live onstage. Here are my five favs for live show venues in ATL.

The Tabernacle – For me, the purpose of the live show is to get close to the stage where the speakers are so loud I can feel it in my chest. A typical Tabernacle show will be standing room only near the stage, with seats available in the balcony.
+ If you can stand the crowd you can get close to the stage and see a great show.
- There will be lots of smoke, and ladies, unless you plan on spending the evening sitting in the balcony you might want to leave the heels at home.

Chastain Amphitheater– Imagine listening to Jill Scott with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra while watching the sunset. An outside amphitheater, Chastain seats hundreds while maintaining an intimate concert experience.
+ You can’t go to Chastain without packing a picnic. Break out the basket, the candles, some wine and cheese, and enjoy great music under the stars.
- The show will go on rain or shine, so you may want to bring rain gear or extra cash for a poncho, just in case.

Sugar Hill – A soulful concert venue, Sugar Hill showcases local and independent stars, as well as national headliners. Located in Underground Atlanta, Sugar Hill can be standing room only or cozy with couches near the stage. There is also a seated balcony.
+ You’ll see some of the best soul artists in this venue and it houses regularly scheduled music shows such as Harmony in Life and a Tuesday jam session.
-Ladies you might want to pack a flat shoe in that too big purse of yours. Seats are usually limited.

MJQ –You may have passed by the metal shack door that is the entrance to MJQ and never knew that some of the best partying in Atlanta was taking place beneath its doors. MJQ is an underground club venue where your favorite deejay’s favorite deejay, spins house, hip hop, reggae, and old school.
+ MJQ is about dancing, not holding up the wall. Ladies, no heels necessary. Throw on a sneaker or a Timberland if you want to.
- There will be smoke and sweat. Don’t ruin your good clothes or your good shoes.

Churchill Grounds – One of the best live jazz venues in Atlanta, Churchill Grounds’ The Whisper Room is an intimate music venue where you can hear straight-ahead jazz by local musicians as well as featured out-of-town musicians.
+ Intimate room with skilled jazz musicians playing almost every night of the week. Great date spot.
- There will be a door charge and a table minimum.

Upgrade Your Social Life: Foxtrot, Rumba, Tango...Oh my!

2008-09-08T17:04:00.006-04:00

[Pics: Cathy Smith, a dance student with instructor Josh Jones. Jorge Morales, one of the founders of Academy Ballroom, instructing me on a little salsa. Paul Kemper, a dance student, and I, on the dancefloor. Cathy and another dance student, dancing the night away. *Special thanks to Cathy for being such a great photographer!)

When I walked into Academy Ballroom, I was a little bit skeptical. The room was filled with mostly older people doing what looked to be the waltz. I was under the impression that I was coming to a salsa party, so I was definitely expecting something louder, faster, and more hip. Since I was already there I decided to take a seat and take a look. I had to give it to them, they made this dancing look effortless and classic. Turns out I had arrived on the wrong night if I was looking for a salsa party. This was Academy Ballroom’s Grand Party, a night for dance students and anyone else interested to come together and dance whatever dance the music led them to.

I wasn’t seated long, and didn’t have much time to ponder whether or not I should stay, before an older gentleman asked me to dance. I responded with what became my intro line of the night, “…uh, this is my first time here, so you’ll have to teach me a little bit.” This gentleman, and most of the gentleman there were not put off by my firsttimeness. He started off teaching me the basic step to the tango. Before the night ended, I had learned the basic steps to the tango, rumba, waltz, swing, foxtrot, and salsa.

One way I like to upgrade my social life is to go to something where I will be walking in to a room full of strangers. This night fit the bill. I started off unsure, but after a couple of hours I had danced so much that my calves were talking back to me about it. This may not be the best place to meet Mr. Tender Fine (and I personally haven’t discovered the corner market for where Mr. Tender Fine and his crew tend to hang out. I’ll reportback when and if I do LOL), but it was a great place to don your classy attire, dance the night away, and enjoy an evening of gentleman respectfully holding out there hand to ask you to dance versus coming up behind you and attempting to shake what their mama did and didn’t give them. Check below for the links to Academy Ballroom and some other places you can get your formal dance on.

09/13 – Academy Ballroom Salsa Social. 8:30pm. Cover $10. www.academyballroomatl.com

09/26 – Tango Night at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. 8:00pm. $15 cover for tango lesson and party. www.callanwolde.org

09/27 – Academy Ballroom Salsa Social. 8:30pm. Cover $10.

Next up on my upgrade agenda…salsa, FREE events, and (yeah I said it) sports!

Upgrade Your Social Life: Chicago Step in the Name of Love

2008-09-03T19:56:00.002-04:00

I have to admit…I have been frontin'. Every time "Step in the Name of Love" comes on, I hit the dance floor and do something that is trying desperately to pass for Chicago steppin'. I have always wanted to learn how to step for real so I stopped through a stepper's evening sponsored by My Steppers Club, held at the Atlanta Executive Center every third Sunday.

The folks at My Steppers Club, showed me a thing or two about how deceitfully easy Kells and his Chi-town cronies make steppin' look. Special thanks to Sarah and Ron, step class instructors, and to the deejay (whose name I sadly didn't get!) for helping me to review the steps I just learned. Here are some things to note about learning how to Chicago step:

1. You can't make stepping up as you go. It has structure and specific steps. I started off with two: The "push off" and the "full 8."

2. In this dance, the man takes the lead and the lady follows…which is a metaphor that could incite a whole other level of conversation but we'll save that for another blog series. ☺

3. Ladies heels are a must so pick a comfortable pair that you won't mind dancing in most of the night.

4. Practice, practice, practice!

For more steppin' check out this event: Sunday, Sept. 7, Hot Steppin' in Red at the Crowe's Nest Mega-Plex. Free Steppin' Lessons from 7-8pm, open dance floor until 12am. $10 cover. Visit www.classactsteppers.com for more information or call 404.663.9269.

Next social life upgrade…salsa lessons!

Upgrade Your Social Life: So You Think You Can Dance?! pt 1

2008-08-18T18:58:00.003-04:00

belly dancing is not a game, this morning my abs, quads, and lower back can attest to it. yesterday, I visited the nazeem allayl belly dancing studio in perimeter. I was feeling a little shy and unsure of what to expect, but leena (instructor) and aseelah (member of the nazeem almassah dance troupe), made a sista feel right at home.

the studio is wall to wall deep orange with the requisite mirror and small stage for the instructor. I took a belly dancing fitness class, a good instructional for beginners or for those who want to work on their moves as they attend another nazeem class. belly dancing can't be learned in one session, but leena's class showed me the benefits of the art.

1. sorry fellas, but this class is just for ladies. belly dancing is all about hips and curves and celebrates a regular woman's body. it's hard to find anything that celebrates that these days. so ladies, no worries about sucking your stomach in for once.

2. belly dancing works your core. it's a beautiful, but isn't just about looking pretty. the isolated movements required, tighten your stomach, abs, and gluts.

3. the fitness class is actually fun. the instructor teaches you various belly dancing moves to latin, middle eastern, African, and r&b music. we even danced to mary j. blige's "just fine," which was so apropos because a big portion of belly dancing is about your own body confidence. if you're low on that, I think belly dancing on a consistent basis can help you out.

4. nazeem allayl studios have a perimeter and little five points location, plus a very thorough website explaining everything from belly dancing's origin to what to wear to your first class.

5. I thought I knew how to dance, but my body had to learn how to move in a different way to get those belly dance steps right. thankfully, leena and aseelah helped those of us who were belly or hips challenged. after an hour of class my belly could make it dancing through at least one song and what more can you ask for? lol

6. the nazeem allayl studio has six-session belly dancing from beginner to advanced, along with a performance troop. i recommend the six week class if you are serious about teaching your belly to dance..

next up for my social life upgrade: Chicago steppin' and salsa…in the meantime I gotta give these abs a rest. J

national slam blog: day 6...in conclusion

2008-08-10T10:16:00.004-04:00

first off…I got aholt to some squeaky cheese (a+), fried cheese curds...check the pic (c-), and frozen custard (b) all in a matter of a few minutes, and of course videotaped the whole thing. as soon as I get to the crib and compress the footage I’ll post it here in all it’s goofy glory! lol

ok the championship bout on final stage was crazy good! and I found out who that fourth team was. lol Austin, new york louder arts, charlotte, and boston. final stage opened with a montage of arts stuff. an African band performed and then First Wave, a University of Wisconsin program dedicated to creating a community of hip hop and spoken word at UW danced with some poets mixed inbetween, including Mo Brown and Phenom (Detroit). poet josh healey, head honcho of first wave, performed a great piece about peter Norman, the Australian Olympian who stood with Tommie smith and john carlos at the 1968 olympics as they raised their fists in protest.

nps gave Shannon leigh’s mom, affectionately known as dr. Sheila, the spirit of slam award, followed by a very moving group performance of a poem dr. Sheila wrote about her daughter. during this dedication the poets read off stage, leaving the spotlight and one mic center stage in shannon’s honor. there were lots of tears on this one. Shannon made a definite impact in the poetry community and she is truly missed.

Dasha Kelly, this year’s national slam coordinator, performed an original piece and introduced the hostess with the mostest, Sonya renee. so the judges were in place, scorekeeper and bout manager, at their table, Sonya renee at the mic looking fabulous and an audience full of some Madison residents but mostly poets and poetry aficionados who had traveled across the country for this.

the bout was filled with interesting perspectives from personal accounts of homelessness and domestic violence to comical tributes to the state of texas to a letter from the perspective of charles chapman, a black man falsely accused of rape then exonerated decades later, to his accuser. charlotte stole the show with a group piece likened to the stolen identity commercials, where blkswan stood on stage alone at the mic, mouthing bluz vocal as he spoke from the perspective of a rapist while offstage. the piece was phenomenal and scored the only thirty of the night securing the championship for team charlotte. congrats to bluz, blkswan, starr, carlos robson, and mike simms for doing their thing again this year! down south all day!!!

closing comments:
this was my first year at nationals and I heard A LOT of poetry this week. so much poetry in fact that i might need a poetry break. no haikus, no sonnets, no couplets, i might not even listen to hip hop...ok...that's taking it too far. lol i'll be listening to hip hop as soon as i get back to my wonderful car coltrane. lol), the poetry...some good, some not-so-good, some inspirational, and some so abstract I still don’t get it, some amazing, and some that really spoke to my life.

there’s a slam phrase that gets thrown around quite a bit, that the points are not the point. but when you rehearse for weeks, memorizing, writing, meeting, strategizing how you can win, you start to feel that the opposite is really true. and sometimes maybe it is.

but on the way home to Atlanta (which I have sorely missed), after I rest up from the crazy schedule we’ve been keeping here and settle back into my normal routine, I hope to return to the heart and passion that sent me to penning words in the first place. I hope to remember that twelve year old girl who kept her poems in a steno pad and never thought about if an audience would like them. the freshman in college who just had something to say and stayed up late writing, only to get up early and write some more, wrestling with questions she wasn’t sure she’d ever have the answers to.

art in its truest form is never about the points, whether the points come from a judge’s scoreboard, soundscan ratings, uproarious applause, myspace plays per day, or the amount of dineros paid.

ahem…don’t get me wrong, it’s cool to have points and we all love dineros, cuz artists like to create just as much as we like to know someone’s looking or listening to what we do. and we especially like it if what we love to do can pay a bill or two. ☺ but I hope that no matter how many points or dineros I get for putting these words together that I still find it in my heart to do this because i love it. that waking up with words I can’t ignore is still what sends me to the page. I hope that will always be the point.

national slam blog: day 5

2008-08-09T10:40:00.001-04:00

dear readers, there is good news and not-so-good news…good news is our team did their thing thing at semis. gypsee and chas went up first with a group piece “obligation” about speaking up for those who don’t speak English. henzbo went up with “danny” an ode to his autistic uncle. gypsee yo went up with “autobiography” a piece about the pain and triumph of women across the globe. and we closed the bout with gypsee, bryan, chas, and I doing “krakatoa.”

not-so-good news, the bout was no cake walk, going up against Hollywood, Austin, Richmond, and Denver. all of the teams were putting up good work in hopes of making it to final stage. we came in third with Austin winning the bout, leaving Austin, charlotte, louder arts (ny), and one other team I’m not sure of, going to final stage tonight. I’ll reportback on that later. ☺

I must say, that is has been a joy being on the slam team with chas, bryan, henzbo (you too henzbro ☺), and gypsee. we have a good time together and it’s cool to admire the work of your teammates and actually dig them as people. so to that…l’chaim!

tonight we’ll be cheering on the four teams who made it to final stage and dear reader, I will be partaking of some Wisconsin cuisine. I hear that you have to have cheese curds (hoping this tastes much better than it sounds) and frozen custard while you’re here, so I am endeavoring to reportback on these food experiences. ☺

I’ll hit you back tomorrow with a final blog on who the winner is.

national slam blog day 3, day 4, lit conference

2008-08-07T23:56:00.007-04:00

check out the pics: me, seth and jessica tondry and me at the lit conf, and henzbo, and versiz (detroit) at a prelim bout wed. night

got back to the hotel around two a.m. after watching a really good bout between charlotte, Detroit, Columbus, and cincinatti. great poetry and a lot of creative ideas brought to the stage. charlotte pulled the win with a good combination of creative group pieces and strong individual pieces. went back to the room, packed a little bag, slept for a couple of hours, and with henzbo, henzbro, and bryan in tow headed to the airport for a 6am flight. delayed in Detroit because of birds on the plane, which is decidedly different than snakes on the plane (and brings a kanye line to mind but that’s for another time).

I discovered something the last couple of times I’ve traveled. I don’t like to drink a lot of anything when I’m flying because I hate plane and airport bathrooms. so what happens is, I get dehydrated. and when I get dehydrated my sinuses act a plum fool. so on the flight from Detroit to Jacksonville my sinuses were crazy irritated and I kept sneezing. add to this that I was sitting next to a guy that looked and dressed like Kevin federline. I was sneezing up a storm even as we were filing out of the plane. I sneezed one last time and mr. federline backed away like he was afraid I was going to get him sick. had I not been sneezing like crazy I would have LOL.

kimpossible and I met up in Jacksonville to be a part of the lit conference, an event targeting high school students and encouraging them to live their faith in a way that could change the world. got a chance to meet some cool people, cody and Katie deese who help to run the lit conference, katie’s mom, dad, and brother, 16-year old author/activist zach hunter and worship leader seth tondry and his wife. the video blog is coming together people, I even did some interviews this time, so it is coming soon.

just heard the report from our team historian chas jackson, that we won our second bout. gypsee and henzbo performed a group piece, “sing us a song” which is full of insightful political commentary, bryan did “icebergs and electrical outlets,” chas performed “three-letter word” which is about the hurt of being wrongfully accused of being homosexual, and gypsee closed out the evening with “the universe is a love poem.” I am so proud of our team! l’chaim! ☺

ok I gotta go to bed soon. gotta leave for the airport at 4:30 a.m. to be back in WI for semis. til next time dear readers…

national slam day 2

2008-08-06T10:26:00.003-04:00

it was nearly 2am here in WI when we got back to the hotel and a sista is drag down tired. we won our first bout against cincinnati, Detroit, and Philadelphia. henzbo went up in round 1 with “shake the world,” a piece about turning world leaders and the status quo topsy turvy for the greater good.

bryan came in round 2 with “spiritual band,” a piece about a sick with it band whose players just happen to be jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad, to name a few. gypsee yo and I did my poem “Margaret” as a group piece, which is an ode to judy blume’s book are you there God it’s me Margaret and all the womanhood lessons that came along with it. and gypsee yo closed out the bout with ema’s poem, a dedication to her young daughter, telling the story of motherhood, and the hope of raising a child in the way she should go.

Detroit gave us a run for our money, they came in second to us by only tenths of a point, following by Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. we went and had celebratory pizza and most of all a sista enjoyed some celebratory sleep. ☺

next up…our next prelim bout is Thursday. I won’t be here for that one because I’ll be scooting down to Jacksonville, fl for the lit conference. but as promised the blogging won’t stop. I’ll keep you posted on the goings on in WI and you’ll get to follow me down to FL as I meet with kim p, steve fee, and a bunch of high school students at lit.

slam nationals is like a relay race where you play your part and hand off the baton to someone on your team to make sure the job gets done and that it gets done right. winning this first bout was like the first leg of the race for us, but of course the ultimate goal is to win the whole shebang.

I’m gonna go catch the last of this continental breakfast and get ready to run through some pieces. ttys

Check here for constant bout updates!

national slam day 1

2008-08-05T09:13:00.004-04:00

I arrived in Madison, wi for the national poetry slam yesterday. the java monkey team and I will be spending the week up here competing and meeting other poets from around the country. right now, I’m in the lobby of the hotel about to jump on the free continental breakfast. ☺ (check out the pic of me and the crew: bryan, chas, gypsee yo, and henzbo)

those of you who tuned in to my challenge 08 blog are well aware of how I feel about the jet plane. made for a great American song, not for a good stomach experience. ☹ but the little bitty jet from Milwaukee to Madison turned out to be a 15 minute flight. not enough time for a sista to get nauseous. lol couple of things to note:

1. I still stand by Midwest airlines and those freshly baked cookies. you need to fly Midwest at least once in your lifetime. and instead of having first class and coach, they have equally divided the seat space so that every passenger gets some leg room. no more walking by the first class cats as they look down at their newspaper and try not to pity you. equal opportunity leg room and chocolate chip cookies for all!

2. first thing I saw after I grabbed my bag full of too many clothes from the claim carousel was isthmus. madison’s version of creative loafing or the village voice. found out there is definitely more to do in Madison than eat cheese and read poetry which for some reason sounds like a bad combination. in fact, boyz II men and midnight star will be performing in town this week. if I come up on some free tickets I’ll let you know. ☺

3. after a day full of travelling and shuttling between hotel and airport, our team is present and accounted for. bryan and chas arrived yesterday morning, I picked up the afternoon shift and gypsee yo and henzbo arrived last night. our first bout is tonight.

I’ll keep you posted as fast as my fingers can type.

10 Ways to Upgrade Your Social Life

2008-08-05T08:51:00.003-04:00

1. Read! – I know reading is a solitary activity, but talking about the latest thing you’ve read can be a great jump starter for conversation. So grab a book, a cool magazine, or check out an interesting blog – that way you’ve got something to keep people talking. My latest cool reads: Stephen King’s On Writing, and O Magazine.

2. Take a class! – Your high school teacher told you to never stop learning and as soon as you graduated you forgot that along with how to say “where is the bathroom?” in that foreign language you studied. Want to work on that screenplay or learn how to merengue? Sign up for a class/workshop and you’ll come out with new knowledge and meet some new people in the process. My last cool class: Beginner’s Acting at Pro Actor’s Studio.

3. Get out of your comfort zone! – Set a goal of doing something once a month that is completely out of your typical routine. You dig sports? Go to an art gallery. Into rock music? Go to a live jazz show. Doing something different every once awhile can keep you from getting too comfortable doing your same ole, same ole. Comfort Zone Stretcher: I usually go to soul/hip hop shows, so I went to a rock show at the Star Bar to see band, The Lord is My Shotgun.

4. Talk to strangers – While you are upgrading your social life, you are bound to see some new faces. Take advantage of the opportunity and become a better conversationalist. Great conversations are about the balance of listening and talking, do too much of one or the other and you may find yourself the central character of someone’s terrible night out story. Site for some convo tips: Did You Know? Conversation Starters

5. Go it alone – Going out by yourself has its plus points. You don’t have to worry about staying at a horrible event too long or leaving too early from a great one all because your ride is ready to go. Rolling solo can also make for a great way to meet people, since you don’t have the comfort of chatting it up with the friends you came with.

6. Feel good – Run, walk, yoga, kickbox, lift weights, skip, cartwheel, whatever you have to do get your cardio up and some endorphins flowing. When you feel good about you, it shows, so tighten up those abs, decrease the complaining, and think a little more positive. My favorite workout feel good: Yoga. I dig how it’s relaxing and strenuous all at the same time. I stand by a Rodney Yee video...I guarantee it! A hot yoga blog is coming soon…

7. Join a team – If you like sports, joining a team can be a great way to expand your social horizons. If you’re like me and you’re not into sports, sweating, and the like, cheering friends from the sidelines can be just as fun. ☺

8. Volunteer – From cleaning up in the community to delivering meals and reading to kids, there’s always something you can do to help someone else. When you volunteer you get to be a part of something bigger than you, and the good feeling afterwards makes the whole thing priceless. Find a place to volunteer.

9. Tagalong – We’ve all got friends that are into some interesting stuff. I for one have friends who love trees, hiking, scrapbooking, Indian food, and a host of other things that I would never have been into before I met them. Let the people you know act as tour guides to a new experience for you. My last tagalong adventure: A tree walk. I know sounds strange at first, it turned out to be a cool experience and now I know the difference between a Japanese maple and a dogwood (thanks Bethany!)

10. Find your passion and DO IT! – If you are struggling to get out of bed each morning and drag yourself to your job, you may need to find an outlet to do something you love to do. If you have a dream you haven’t pursued take at least one step towards accomplishing it. Pursuing my dream as a writer is one of the reasons I’m typing this to you. ☺ How to Find Your Passion

Next up: New social adventures…I will be reporting back on how I’m upgrading my social life, inviting your comments and suggestions along the way.

Quiz: Do You Need a Social Life Upgrade?

2008-07-28T07:59:00.004-04:00

this is the start of a new blog series I’ll be posting called “upgrade your social life.” a couple of years ago, I realized my social life was at an all time low. I had established a tightly wound routine, kicking it with the same people and doing the same things week in and week out. since then, I have become an ambassador for fresh socializing if you will, a champion of “get up, get out, and do something.” your social life is like a well-made automobile, it can take you places but it’s your job to make sure it gets the necessary tune-ups and fuel it needs to keep moving.

so for the next few weeks I’ll be embarking on giving my own social life a recharge and writing the tips, suggestions, and ignorant stories I encounter along the way. I invite you, dear reader, to join me in upgrading your social life. but first a pop quiz. ☺

Do you dread Friday night? Has blockbuster become your best friend? Can’t remember the last time you went out and had a good time? Sounds like you need a social life upgrade! Take the following quiz to see if your social life is in need of an extreme makeover.

1. Your typical Friday night consists of:

a) out on the town of course! what else is friday for?
b) sweatpants, blockbuster, and a snack.
c) working on your laptop.

2. In the past two weeks you met ___ new people.
a) 4 or more
b) 1-3
c) 0

3. The last book you read was:
a) by one of your favorite authors.
b) for a class.
c) had more pictures than words.

4. In a room full of strangers you:
a) introduce yourself to the person next to you with a smile and a firm handshake.
b) keep it low key until you see someone you know.
c) hold up the wall most of the night.

5. The last time you did something that stretched you out of your comfort zone was:
a) today!
b) not too long ago.
c) ....you can't recall.

6. When asked what you like to do for fun you:
a) could talk for hours.
b) after "watch movies and listen to music," you run out of things to say.
c) can't really think of anything.

7. You typically go out on the town:
a) once a week.
b) once a month.
c) a few times a year.

8. When you and your friends go out you:
a) typically suggest a place.
b) go with the flow, whatever they suggest.
c) decline the invitation.

9. The idea of going out alone makes you:
a) excited! You enjoy hanging out by yourself.
b) invite other people to go with you. You don’t roll solo.
c) scared. Who wants to go out alone?

10. In a conversation, you typically:
a) talk the other person’s ear off.
b) a little bit of both.
c) listen quietly.

Mostly As...Social butterfly
You enjoy going out, experiencing new things, and meeting new people. You thrive in a crowd and see a room full of strangers as an opportunity rather than a daunting moment. You don’t let anything stop you from doing the things you like to do and you love to be the life of the party.
Upgrade Challenge: Since you thrive in group environments, spend some time alone. Get to know yourself and the things you like to do separate from friends, dates, and crowds.

Mostly Bs...Social-lite
You enjoy being social, but don’t mind spending time alone or at home. You are a great listener and your friends like to be around you because of your cool and fun personality. You go with the flow, but don’t take a lot of initiative when it comes to being social.
Upgrade Challenge: Strike up conversation with someone you don’t know next time you are out and about. Offer up an interesting fact you read recently, playing an active role in the conversation by not just assuming the part of the listener.

Mostly Cs...In need of an upgrade
You haven’t gone out in weeks and the thought of going out is not an encouraging one. You like to have fun, but mostly find yourself spending time at home. You may be in a rut, and in need of something to charge you and get you back into enjoying life.
Upgrade Challenge: Pick one new thing to do or place to go each month and do it! No excuses! Whether it’s going out with friends, checking out an event that interests you, or signing up for a class you’ve always wanted to take, you may find that switching up your typically routine will help you to embrace life even more.

Blog Sneak Peek: Next up…10 Ways to Upgrade Your Social Life and Upgrade Adventures: Learn How to Dance.

Upgrade Your Social Life is available on Myspace, Facebook, and in e-newsletter ATL Lowdown.

Creative Loafing: Show Preview - Harmony in Life

2008-07-28T07:56:00.000-04:00

Harmony in Life: Atlanta's soul haven launches new label
Published 07.16.08, Atlanta Creative Loafing
By Amena Brown
Photo By Raymond Hagans
Caption: PJ Morton and his band move the crowd.

HARMONY IN LIFE

In Atlanta, the term "harmony in life" is more than hippie talk. It represents a collective of musicians who first came together at the Hard Rock Café's Velvet Underground room and is now anchored at the Sugarhill club in Underground.
What began as a jam session for local artists has grown into a multimedia brand – known as Harmony in Life – that hosts monthly live music. Backed by sick-with-it house band Vibe-Raiders, the show features such homegrown artists as PJ Morton, Algebra and Rahbi, as well as national artists India.Arie, Dionne Farris and Raheem DeVaughn.
With a roster that consists of mostly unsigned soul, R&B and hip-hop acts, Harmony In Life founder Ron Smith has cultivated a network that helps artists get their music to the right audiences.

"We are striving to get good music to the people who want to hear it," Smith says. "We want to create a revolving door of fans, so one artist's crowd can be turned on to another artist's crowd. We're stronger together than we are apart. That's something artists need to know."

Smith and business partner Mike Dawson launched Harmony in Life Records last year to offer independent artists distribution and promotion. The label's first project, the double CD For the Moment/A Soul Acoustic, was released May 7 and features singer/songwriter Dain Harris and guitarist/producer Brandon A. Thomas, both Harmony in Life regulars.

"From the artists' perspective there's a camaraderie [at the show] that's hard to find," Thomas says. "You get to know everybody and there is networking beyond belief. From an administrative standpoint, the label has been my saving grace. It was good to have a team of people to help with that."

In celebration of classic soul, the four-year anniversary show will be a Stevie Wonder tribute and jam session, featuring past Harmony in Life performers Anthony David, Heston, Rahbi, Chimere and more.

Harmony in Life Anniversary show. $10-$15. Sat., July 19. 9 p.m. Sugarhill, 50 Upper Alabama St. 404-658-0068. Purchase tickets at www.ticketalternative.com, Moods Music, Marco's Pita, Soul of Sisa or Cafe Circa.

Southeast Performer: A3C Hip Hop Festival

2008-07-28T07:47:00.003-04:00

A3C Hip Hop Festival
CW Midtown Music Complex
Atlanta, GA, March 20-22, 2008
Published May 2008 in Southeast Performer Magazine

This year’s fourth annual A3C Hip Hop Festival, held at Atlanta’s CW Music Midtown Complex, delivered three days of record-scratching, beat-breaking, neck-rocking, slick-spinning hip-hop. Each night featured a line-up of hip-hop acts ranging from local artists to consistent national headliners.

Playing to an audience that has never heard your music can be a tough feat to overcome, but Atlanta MC Mojo Swagger rocked the mic during Thursday night’s show at Vinyl as if he were performing at Madison Square. Wearing a boxing glove on his left hand, Swagger described his love for hip-hop to the crowd saying, “Hip-hop makes me feel open. Like smoking my first blunt, kissing my first girl, buying my first car, having my first drink.” MC Dillon Maurer showcased the fun side of hip-hop during his set, while duo Contra Verse dedicated a song to the downside of the mainstream music industry.

On Friday night, Gripplyaz opened the show at Center Stage, followed by eclectic crew Hollyweerds. DJ Klever held the whole night together, kicking tunes from the turntables in-between acts. B.o.B. brought an electric energy to the stage during songs “Haterz” and “Addicted to the Nightlife,” even doing jumping jacks as a part of his performance. Los Angeles MC Blu spit his well-constructed lyrics sans hype man with merely a mic and a Heineken, rhyming, “Heard you was looking for a weapon. My tongue’s right here.”

The evening closed with the much-anticipated reunion of one of hip-hop’s pioneer groups The Juice Crew. Big Daddy Kane was unable to attend due to problems with his blood pressure, but Marley Marl, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Craig G, and MC Shan, performed their old hits and debuted a couple of new ones. MC Shan, a recent Atlanta transplant, rhymed some of his old lyrics over new school beats, while Biz Markie reminded the audience of the power of the beatbox. Biz Markie sang one of his landmark hits, “Just a Friend,” giving the audience permission to sing, whether they could hold a note or not.

Hip-hop has always been about ego, the sheer ability to showcase your skill, prove yourself, or at the very least make your audience believe in what you can do, even if they haven’t seen it yet. A3C celebrates hip-hop by providing a stage for pioneers to exemplify the culture’s history and newcomers to carry on its legacy.

challenge 08: my first video blog!

2008-07-10T09:30:00.001-04:00

hey everybody!

just got back from being a part of the challenge 08 youth conference in salt lake city last week. carried the camera along and tried to get a behind the scenes view. prepare yourself for some shaky camera angles. lol shout out to all the cool students i met at challenge 08! check it out.

Eric Roberson: a retro blog

2008-07-06T23:27:00.003-04:00

this is what I have termed retro blogging. it’s what happens when you don’t blog about stuff right after it happens which forces you to post the event and lean on your reader to act like the post is current. so please dear reader, use your imagination and make believe you are reading this blog on june 13. ☺

I’m into live shows and there are a few artists I will lay down good money to see (i.e. the roots, India.arie, algebra, earth, wind & fire, Stevie wonder, prince) and erro is in my top 5. thanks to a birthday gift from a special gentlemen I was able to attend the eric Roberson show at sugar hill with kimpossible. she and I arrived early, mainly because we wanted to wear heels and were not looking forward to standing on them all night. while we were waiting in line for the doors to open, eric came out and greeted the already lengthening line, stopping to say hello and to take pictures. the guy in front of us was a true erro fan, he had an old erro LP with a cover pic that had eric looking like he was 16 or something, clean fade with the curved part. kim p and I took a picture with erro before our twenty minutes of standing on our heels was up.

about an hour later the venue opened and we found a little cushiony couch to sit on until the show started. algebra opened the show, singing a couple of my favorite algebra joints: “you do it for me,” “my name is algebra,” and “at this time” (which is my favorite song on her new album purpose). I have a thing about being close to the stage when I’m at a show. I like to do this for two reasons. one: it keeps me closer to the music and further away from the people who come to shows and get their talk on all night. two: I’m standing where the music is loud so I can sing or rap the lyrics to my heart’s content. it really recreates the scene I set up in my car almost every day! so kim p and I venture to the front and realize a couple of things. it’s hot. blazing hot. need a church fan with dr, king or the funeral home advertisement on it hot. and secondly we realize if we are going to enjoy ourselves these heels have got to go!

so there we are standing barefoot by the time eric hits the stage. would have been a great time to have packed flip flops in the too big purse I’m always carrying. and I was also thinking if somebody sold flip flops in venues like this, they would probably get a buyer out of me. especially if the flip flops were cute and not too cheap looking. because although wearing heels completes many an outfit, for the most part they’re not comfortable and I’m gonna end up coming out of them at some point.

so eric hits the stage and puts on a SHOW. singing hits from his new album, “…left” and running back over some old ones. he also sang my absolute favorite erro song “pretty girl.” I love that song so much it probably deserves a blog of its own! of course an eric Roberson show wouldn’t be complete without eric kicking a freestyle. this time he had to create a new song using the words: equilibrium, algebra, child support…and dang, I can’t remember the fourth one. if you attended the show help me out. all in all it was a great time, worth the long line, standing in heels, singing barefoot.

side note: before the show i downloaded an eric roberson greatest hits of sorts called the collection. I wanted to know more songs of his so I could sing them at the show. the collection includes a smattering of eric’s hits from previous albums and a new tune “head to toe.” I have been listening to the collection nonstop ever since. favorite songs: “def ears” and “just a dream”

Bucket list accomplishment #1

2008-06-06T13:17:00.005-04:00

only a couple of weeks after composing my bucket list and I can already cross of number one! the roots along with Erykah badu stopped in Atlanta on may 23. I had heard rumors that sometimes when ?uest is in town he will deejay at a local spot in the city, most likely MJQ. well this time, it was no secret. the event, co-promoted by 4 kings entertainment, was featuring ?uestlove on the turntables as a part of MJQ’s traditional friday night fix. I want to take this time to thank the lifetime member of the scholarship committee who treated me to my bucket list experience. (SCHOLARSHIP!)

dj majestik and dres tha beatnik held it down in the booth playing hits and some of the best songs that you forgot about. after a couple of hours, MJQ was packed, ?uest was ready in the booth, headphones covering afro, and black thought even came through and spit quite a few bars including two of my favorite roots’ songs star and rising up from their new album.

1 down, 27 to go. check out the pics. ☺

10 Things a Single Man Hates to Hear

2008-06-06T10:40:00.001-04:00

10 things a single man hates to hear

I'm probably giving away a money idea, but I've always wished there was a yahoo for the male mind. a place where I could type in the male sentences I had a hard time translating and receive some sort of glimpse into the male psyche that might help me to understand and better communicate. in lieu of malemindyahoo.com, it pays to have good guy friends. ☺

blogging is really about conversation, so I thought it only right to present the male side of my previous blog 10 things single women hate to hear. I sent out an email to the single fellas and siphoned 10 things they hate to hear.

From women…
1. We need to talk.

2. There are no good men out here.
"A lot of women are blind and have no clue what a good man looks like."

3. You're such a nice guy.

4. I don't need a man.

5. I'm late.

6. I would like to date a guy just like you.
"This sucks when it's a chick you dig and you're thinking there is no one more like me than ... me."

7. You're like my brother.

8. I'm a classy chick.
"Classy women don't need to say this."

9. I want to get married before I turn 30.

From family and friends…
10. When are you going to settle down, get married and have some kids?

fellas, got anything to add? ladies, what do you think?

my bucket list

2008-05-20T11:12:00.002-04:00

the term bucket list of course is inspired by the recent jack nicholson/morgan freeman flick about two older dudes who make a list of things to do before they kick the bucket. unfortunately i haven't seen the movie but tiffany, kimpossible, and a. hill inspired me with their bucket lists so i thought i would come up with my own.

we all have ideas of things we dream to do if the world were perfect, if we knew we couldn't fail, if we had an everlasting supply of money. something about dreaming of these things brings the true desires of our heart to the surface. makes things seem a lot more possible than they might at first glance. so dear readers, here is my bucket list, in no particular order and definitely not exhaustive. i'm hoping to add more to the list as life goes on...

1. experience questlove deejaying live
2. get published in essence magazine
3. get published in o magazine
4. get published in urb magazine
5. write and publish at least two books (hopefully more!)
6. travel to italy for at least a two week trip
7. travel to africa for at least a three week trip
8. attend a jay-z concert with my brother robert
9. travel to israel
10. take a cross country road trip when i really have time to take my time and enjoy it
11. research my family origin on both sides similar to african american lives
12. be a part of a mentoring program for young women
13. go to the u.s. open with my grandma and family
14. take my grandma to a real scrabble tournament
15. learn how to salsa dance and chicago step (instead of that fronting i do when step in the name of love comes on :O)
16. finish the scrapbook of all these pictures, programs, tickets, greeting cards, notes, letters etc that i've been saving all these years
17. check out eric roberson's night at SOB's
18. marry somebody i love, who's my friend, and can tolerate me getting on his nerves and vice versa and have some babies
19. organize a girlfriends trip for my close friends, esp the ones i rarely get to see
20. learn how to cook at least 15 dishes very well!
21. make it through 80 minutes of yoga without having to lay down for a few minutes
22. take better care of my health
23. see earth, wind, & fire and frankie beverly & maze live
24. travel to the caribbean
25. take my mom to the schomburg
26. leave life with little to no regrets
27. not let fear keep me from doing anything
28. be real with myself and with God

10 Favorite Spike Lee Flicks

2008-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

my mom got me hooked on spike lee flicks starting with mo better blues. this is when I became oh so well acquainted with classic spike technique. first, the jazz score. no spike lee joint is complete without some sort of jazz seeping right out of a scene as if it is a character in and of itself. second, is the spike lee shot, used in nearly every spike lee film…I'm sure there is a technical name for this, if you are a film head help me out here. now on my top ten spike lee joints…

1. mo better blues
2. malcolm x

3. four little girls
4. do the right thing

5. jungle fever
6. bamboozled
7. school daze

8. when the levees broke
9. she's gotta have it
10. get on the bus

10 Things a Single Woman Hates to Hear

2008-05-19T08:58:00.002-04:00

a few weeks ago, kimpossible and I traveled down to orlando, fl for the fusion experience. sponsored by Rightnow.org, fusion is a conference that encourages 20 and 30 somethings to live their faith out of the box and this is my fourth year being a part. along with co-emceeing the event with marc mccartney, I do some poems, and facilitate a breakout session.

as an opener for my session, "for single women only," I emailed some of my single female friends to poll them on the things they hate to hear. after receiving humorous emails and ignorant stories I siphoned the list to 10 things. shoutout to all the ladies who attended my session in Orlando and those who attended the first "for single women only" in dallas. for your reading pleasure…

10 Things a Single Woman Hates to Hear

1. When am I gonna have some grandchildren?
I actually just had to deal with this question recently for the first time. for the most part my family encourages me to pursue my dreams and I don't get too much pressure. but in the not too distant past a loved one who will remain nameless recently inquired of when I might be getting on this grandchildren train. I of course shifted focus to other family members who are married with kids, but no such luck. it's clear that this conversation was not about grandkids in general. it was specifically about grandkids with half my genes. lol I told said loved one…let's work on the getting married part first then we can talk about grandkids. lol

2. When is your boyfriend going to propose?
some of the ladies who are boo'd up said that they get the proposal pressure from the family and friends…may be worse around holidays. :O

3. There is someone out there…
I've always wondered about this one. On my most cynical day I was like really…have you seen him?!

4. It'll happen when you least expect it.
Raise your hand single women if you have tried to "least expect it" just so "it" will happen! LOL Dang…but I would have to say every time “it” happened to me, it happened when I least expected it. Okay, maybe there’s some truth to this one! :D

5. I know this really nice guy you'd be interested in.
I would tell my worst "let me hook you up" story but it cannot be blogged about. I must tell it in person. lol all I can say is be wary of letting your co-workers set you up! if you see me in the street I'll spill the gory details.

6. If you just _____, you could get a man.
This is an interesting one. Now, I'm not denying that all of us could probably use some growth, maturity, change. But if your only purpose for changing or growing is to nab a man, i venture to say it's not a good look.

7. I'm not ready for a committed relationship, but I still want to hang out with you.
This one received terrible reviews from my email responses and I quote "This is called: Trying to have their cake and eat it too....HECK NO!!!"
8. You're such a cool girl, why can't my girlfriend be more like you?
Dang, I don't even have a comment! lol

9. Why are you still single?
This was the response I received the most from my single female friends. No matter who's asking, something about this question is highly frustrating. Like if I knew why I was single…wouldn't I change it?! But I think a guy's perspective may help on this one. My friend Caleb shed some light. He said when a man says this to a woman, it's normally a compliment. Like he thinks you're so great he wonders why you're still single. Not like what in the world is wrong with you. LOL So before you answer this one, take a deep breath and have some positive thoughts. :)

10. We're never gonna get married.
At a roundtable of girlfriends, powwowing on the latest dating/relationship escapades this statement is likely to be tossed around. I've said it and I've heard it said. It's the fallback from your last dating experience, the defense mechanism many single women hope keeps them from hurt and disappointment.
Now…I'm not gonna get on my soapbox…at least not in this blog. lol But I firmly believe there's no use in bemoaning where you are in life in hopes of being someplace better. Enjoy wherever you are and live life to the fullest…I'll be covering this topic more in future blogs. I gotta end with a quote that inspires me no matter how many times any of these ten things.

"And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there. God, not your marital status, defines your life." – Paul (The Message)

Single ladies…did I miss any of the things you hate to hear? Fellas anything you want to add? A blog with the male perspective on this topic is coming soon…

10 Favorite Movie Scenes

2008-04-15T22:56:00.001-04:00

this blog is inspired by the movie that thing you do. every time this movie comes on tv I literally sit there and watch the whole movie for a 30 second scene, which is one of the ten scenes here. liv tyler's lines in that 30 seconds stick with me every time! I also admit dear reader that the color purple appears more than once in this list. if I thought about it I probably could have catalogued 10 scenes from the color purple alone! :O for your reading pleasure…

1. God is trying to tell you something – the color purple

2. you a liar and you a cheat – the jacksons: american dream (check in at 3:00)

3. thousands of kisses – that thing you do

4. follow the drip – house party

5. kills your brain cells, son. – lean on me

6. When you figure out you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. – when harry met sally

7. the last scene of fatal attraction

8. did I ever ask you for anything?! – the color purple

9. "sista" – the color purple (including "harpo, who dis woman?"

10. proud mary – what's love got to do with it?

Excerpt from CS Mag Cover Story

2008-04-15T21:44:00.002-04:00

Here is an excerpt from the CS Mag Cover Story, March 2008. I'll post the full version of the article in June.

Hear Me Say…
by: Amy Jacobs

Spoken word artist Amena Brown finds her voice in unlikely places

“Are you a night owl?” Amena Brown asked as we exchanged a string of e-mails in hopes of finding time to talk. She’s a night owl – and there’s good reason. Amena juggles work as a spoken word artist, a music journalist, a poet, and still manages to hold down a corporate America day job. So, a phone interview at 11:00 p.m. was a matter of necessity – quite frankly, there aren’t enough hours in Amena’s day.

While we spoke at length, Amena probably should have been packing her bags for the back-to-back conferences where she would be speaking and performing during the next few days. Instead she gave me her undivided attention as she told me what it is to be Amena Brown.

BEYOND THE RHYME

Amena is most commonly known for worshipful poetry she’s written and performed at gatherings such as Passion and LeadNow conferences. Her gift for spoken word led her into the thick of ministry, but that was never Amena’s intention. She simply loved poetry, and was willing to walk through each door God opened.

Amena’s mother instilled in her a love for words, and from a young age she found writing to be her greatest form of self-expression. Years later, as she sat in Atlanta coffee bars and clubs, Amena was exposed to a world of performance poetry that changed her life. “I encountered so many people who are great poets. I heard people who are darn good at what they do, people who knew how to say what they wanted to say. I was inspired,” she shares.

Week after week as she looked around the places she went to hear poetry, she saw people crammed into rooms, shoulder to shoulder. Amena noticed that the audience came seeking something – they wanted to hear truth. The topic didn’t matter as long as someone spoke with conviction and talked about the truth of his or her life. “When I realized that’s why people come to these clubs, I remember telling God that I wanted to go into rooms like this and share who He is,” Amena recalls. “Maybe the audience would identify with it and eventually respect that it’s true.”

Although she comes from a heritage of ministry, Amena never had any ambition of performing in church. In her world, people who performed spoken word did it for the love of poetry. Sure she might write a piece of poetry about God, but she would perform it where all the poets were, not necessarily for a congregation of believers.

Today, most of Amena’s Christian audiences want to hear her poems, and lately she’s been asked to perform and lead breakout sessions at conferences. “From what they hear, they think I’m a worship leader,” Amena says. In her eyes, she’s far from being a worship leader. She’s just sharing a gift God has given her, and she’s as likely to do that in a smoky bar as a church.

Made the slam team!

2008-04-14T09:21:00.001-04:00

it's 1 am and i should be asleep. monday awaits. but i couldn't let the night pass without blogging. :) the java monkey slam finals were tonight and i made the team along with gypsee yo, chas, and shannon leigh, with bryan patillo as slam master. it was all in all a night of great poetry. from the sacrificial poets courtney and jon goode, to the final round.

shoutouts!: thanks to kimpossible, tim, kwajelyn, celita, ashley, drea, my lovely sister keda, my beautiful mom jeanne, kyana, jon goode, gypsee yo, ebony janice, byron, asha, and myra for showing a sista so much love and support.

this is my third try at making the java monkey team and through the process i have learned that slam is a tricky thing. it's not something to base your value on as a poet. it's a competition, it's numbers, scores, strategy, with a lil entertainment mixed in. i like it because it challenges me, pushes me to take my work and my performance to another level. so at the end of the whole thing you gotta feel good about what you do, about what you say, and at least be able to walk off stage proud of yourself.

kudos to each poet that made it to the finals, the abovementioned and a.p., mista funn, chiara, lady, and stefen. i'll keep you all posted on the prep for nationals.

10 Quotes about Poetry

2008-04-08T00:26:00.000-04:00

I wrote my first book of poetry in the fourth grade. mrs. perry’s class. mrs. perry was a large woman, jovial with glasses thick like microscope lenses and curly salt and pepper hair that had better body than many of the chicks in the pert plus commercial. it was January and we had read poems and quotes about dr. king.

mrs. perry armed us with white copy paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils and freed our eight year old minds to write poems and draw our own illustrations. once we had written the work, we did what we had no idea many writers must do. we self-published. we were responsible for writing, illustrating, binding, and coming up with cover art. my friend porsha had the genius idea of using old hand towels as the cover. my hand towel had a blue butterfly spread across it which matched perfectly with the electric blue duct tape that would become the book’s spine.

mrs. perry encouraged something that my mom had started in me before I was born. a love for words. mrs. perry’s book assignment showed me the power of not only honoring my own words but that words can be a gift that you leave for others. like an inheritance. today, I don’t have that blue butterfly hand towel or the duct tape, but I’m still writing, illustrating, packaging, hoping that someone will happen upon these words and find encouragement in them. in honor of national poetry month…ten quotes about poetry.

1. Writers don’t write from experience, although many are hesitant to admit that they don’t. ...If you wrote from experience, you’d get maybe one book, maybe three poems. Writers write from empathy.—Nikki Giovanni

2. I always write a good first line, but I have trouble in writing the others.-- Molière [Jean Baptiste Poquelin]

3. But all art is sensual and poetry particularly so. It is directly, that is, of the senses, and since the senses do not exist without an object for their employment all art is necessarily objective. It doesn’t declaim or explain, it presents. – William Carlos Williams

4. All poets, all writers are political. They either maintain the status quo, or they say, ’Something’s wrong, let’s change it for the better.’ – Sonia Sanchez

5. One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

6. The trouble with America isn’t that the poetry of life has turned to prose, but that it has turned to advertising copy. – Louis Kronenberger

7. My role in society, or any artist or poet’s role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all. – John Lennon

8. I grew up in this town, my poetry was born between the hill and the river, it took its voice from the rain, and like the timber, it steeped itself in the forests. – Pablo Neruda

9. At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet. – Plato

10. Poetry is concerned with using with abusing, with losing with wanting, with denying with avoiding with adoring with replacing the noun. It is doing that always doing that, doing that and doing nothing but that. Poetry is doing nothing but using losing refusing and pleasing and betraying and caressing nouns. That is what poetry does, that is what poetry has to do no matter what kind of poetry it is. And there are a great many kinds of poetry. – Gertrude Stein

10 Questions about Making the Band Season 4

2008-04-08T00:25:00.000-04:00

first of all dear readers…clearly a sista has fallen off of her top ten game. I’m finally back at it and for my top ten negligence you will receive two back to back top ten lists. that should set us off right. and now the top ten…

so I get hooked into a couple of reality shows. america’s next top model. flavor of love (I know, I know…the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem! LOL). and diddy’s making the band. I stayed caught up on this show until the season finale. inspired by vibe mag’s 20 questions here are ten questions I had about this season of making the band. things that make you go hmmm…..

1. is day 26 a good band name? 2. is donnie’s album ever gonna come out? 3. do you want to go to the dollhouse? 4. doesn’t aubrey look better without all that extra hair and lashes? 5. don’t you really want to say b---a--ness? 6. is bryan still rocking the clippered eyebrows? 7. how did diddy calculate that b----a--ness is down 15%? 8.. is b----a--ness down a notch because gas prices are so high? 9. didn’t danity kane turn out to be a good band name? 10. was anybody really feeling it at first?

10 Favorite TV Theme Songs

2008-03-19T21:49:00.001-04:00

top ten most memorable tv theme songs

I’ve got a couple of top ten blogs coming up that require a little more uh…research so I thought I’d post this one in honor of great singalong theme songs and of course hailing the wonders of youtube. enjoy!

1. fresh prince "looked at my kingdom I was finally there to sit on my throne as the prince of bel air"

2. reading rainbow – "butterfly in the sky…I can go twice as high!" check out these guys doing an acoustic version of the theme song.

3. a different world – seriously…this show inspired me to attend a black college. "it’s a different world than where you come from."

4. cheers "sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name"

5. growing pains "as long as we got each other…we got the world spinning right in our hands."

6. golden girls "thank you for being a friend. traveled down the road and back again"

7. silver spoons – what exactly does it mean to be face to face a couple of silver spoons? I mean if they were in a drawer, would they really be face to face?

8. family ties – "what would we do baby without us?"

9. the brady bunch – check out craiglewis gospelling up this theme song.

10. the wonder years "a lil help from my friends"

10 Quotes for Women from Marianne Williamson

2008-03-14T19:46:00.000-04:00

People! A sista is late on her top ten Tuesday promise again, so it’s top ten Wednesday this week. I am in the process of reading a few different books, which means it’s been a minute since I finished one. :O In honor of DOING HER THING month, I decided to pass on some quotes from Marianne Williamson’s A Woman’s Worth. I don’t agree with everything in the book but every few pages Marianne will write this nugget that is something I can take home with me. I pass some of these nuggets on to you. As always, kudos, comments, and opinions are welcome. :)

1. There is nothing Madison Avenue can give us that will make us more beautiful women. We are beautiful because God created us that way. Some of us know of our beauty and express it and celebrate it. But beauty itself is not given to us by anyone; it is a power we have within us from the gate, radiance inside us.

2. Don’t let another woman inherit your spoiled-brat lover like a pair of uncomfortable shoes you took back to the store. If he doesn’t get it, let him know. Walk on by.

3. A career grows out of who we are; who we are doesn’t grow out of a career. [Your] goal must not be to find a job but to become a magnificent woman.

4. A woman who cannot honor her own feelings will not find them honored by anyone else.

5. There’s a difference between a gentle man and a weak man. Weak men make us nervous. Gentle men make us calm.

6. We serve [God] to the extent that we have thoughts of purity. Purity means that we do not manipulate or seduce or preprogram or project hidden agendas onto anyone or anything.

7. No man can convince a woman she’s wonderful, but if she already believes she is, his agreement can resonate and bring her joy.

8. Everywhere we look we are presented with the idea that men toy with women, women toy with men – that’s just the way things are; it’s the way of love. But that is not the way of love; it’s the way of lovelessness.

9. There is a difference between getting a partner and attracting a partner. Getting implies that our hooks work; attracting means that our light is bright and appears like a beacon to one who is meant to see it.

10. Throughout our twenties and thirties, we care so much about what the Joneses think, even if we think we don’t. These two decades are the time when we’re most tempted to try to live for others. Around forty, it occurs to us that the Joneses have holes in their socks too, thank you, and that we have less control over what other people think than we ever imagined.

10 Favorite Women Authors

2008-03-04T23:21:00.000-05:00

the first book I read where I saw a clear reflection of myself was mufaro's beautiful daughters by john steptoe. it had rich, colorful pictures of two beautiful african sisters, one whose heart was good and one with ill-intentions, on their way to meet a prince. the pictures and story were so vivid I sometimes ran my hand along the pages as if I could physically touch the leaves and foliage surrounding each scene. there is something to be said for reading a work that reflects back to you who you are and the life you know. there is also something to be said for reading a work that exposes you to a world you've never known. the following women authors (and many more) have been that way for me. check 'em out and hit me up with any add-ons.

1. alice walker (the color purple)
2. zora neale hurston (their eyes were watching God)
3. toni morrison (love, sula, song of Solomon, jazz, the bluest eye)
4. maya angelou (I know why the caged bird sings)
5. nikki Giovanni (love poems)
6. sonia sanchez (full moon CD and any of her haikus)
7. lorraine hansberry (a raisin in the sun)
8. ntozake shange (for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf)
9. gloria naylor (women of Brewster place)
10. gwendolyn brooks ("we real cool" and any of her sonnets)

my life as a cover girl :)

2008-03-04T23:17:00.002-05:00

LOL clearly I've been watching too much america's next top model! how often does it happen that in one month you get to be on the cover and write the cover story for two different magazines? march is just such a month for me. this month I am featured in Christian singles magazine. and no it is not a print version of eharmony! lol Christian singles mag is subscription only but if you see me on the street I just might have a copy. if you want to order a copy call 800-458-2772. I'll post an excerpt soon.

I gotta give a shoutout to amy jacobs for her patience and for writing a great article from all my scatterbrained quotes. :) also big thanks to jeff frazier for taking the pics and making a sista look like she knew what she was doing! lots of love to my stylist Solomon wilkes for such a fierce haircut. say that! big big thank you to Cassandra at urban grind for giving us a place to do the shoot. I also must thank melody at the lenox mall mac store for the makeup. I also want to thank my mom and dad for…ok I'm done now. :D

a couple of months ago I had the opportunity to interview danny swain, a south Carolina producer/emcee. check out my cover story on danny in the southeast performer magazine and be on the lookout for danny's new release "and I love h.e.r." and his digital ep on def jux records. also, check out my spotlight on hip hop group platinum souls, making their way up the billboard charts.

right now i'm listening to...algebra blessett's debut CD purpose. fav song: "at this time." erykah badu's new amerykah.

artists you need to check out: chris cauley and chinua hawk. had a chance to catch these two singer/songwriters at cafe 290 along with atl soul singer anthony david. the three soulful singers traded mic time song for song, collaborating and improvising on the spot. give their songs some play or at least give some kudos! ;)

just watched: life is beautiful and season 2 of in living color. i seriously love homey d. clown.

in honor of lorraine hansberry

2008-02-26T17:59:00.001-05:00

gotta give anthony david a shoutout for calling this quote to my attention in an interview. seeing the movie last night reminded me of it.

"I believe that one of the most sound ideas in dramatic writing is that in order to create the universal, you must pay very great attention to the specific. Universality, I think, emerges from the truthful identity of what is." -- lorraine hansberry

nuff said.

10 Quotes from A Raisin in the Sun

2008-02-26T17:23:00.001-05:00

last night I crowded around the television with my family and a couple of friends (hey ashley and carrie!) for the first black movie tv event in what seems like a long time. three generations watching something decidedly more substantive than dancing with the stars. my grandma talked about how the love of money is the root of all evil, my mom talked about why lena left her son the room to devastate her or make her proud by giving him responsibility over a portion of the family’s inheritance, my friends, my sister and I applauded asagai’s eloquence. so much so that I couldn’t even transcribe the quote about the calabashes because a sista got too caught up listening to write it down! did he say he wanted to bring her cool drinks from the calabash?!

phylicia rashad and audra mcdonald gave stellar performances. I was concerned about diddy at first, but he did emote well in a few key scenes. props to the cast and especially Kenny leon for a well-made remake of a classic. here are my top ten quotes from the movie.

1. I remember well the things that are important to me. – asagai

2. in my mother’s house, there is still God. – lena/beneatha

3. alaiyo…what’s that? African for beneatha? – lena

4. when a cat takes off with your money he don’t leave no map. – bobo

5. man, I’m a volcano, a giant surrounded by ants. ants can’t understand a thing giants talking about. – walter lee

6. how we get to be at a place where we scared to talk softness to each other? – walter lee

7. life is divided up between the takers and the tooken and some of us always getting tooken. – walter lee

8. you making something inside me cry, son. – lena

9. if you gone measure a man, measure him right. measure all the hills and valleys he been through to get wherever he’s got. – lena

10. goodbye misery! I don’t ever want to see your ugly face again. -- ruth

Childhood TV Shows

2008-02-21T00:30:00.000-05:00

first of all today is Wednesday, actually it's almost Thursday which means a sista is late on her top ten Tuesday promise. dear readers, please forgive. ? for your reading pleasure, top ten shows from when I was a kid, dedicated to all the 80s babies. this blog is brought to you by the number 10 and the letter A.

1. the smurfs – question: was smurfette the only female smurf? did that make her the queen bee? was she reproducing all the other smurfs? and what does that say about papa smurf? was being a rolling stone in his ancestry?

2. the cosby show – once the cosby show came on television Thursday nights were reserved. I literally felt like rudy and I grew up together. favorite episode…what am I thinking?! trying to list your favorite cosby show episode is a difficult task…some honorable mentions: the one where cliff turned the house into the real world for theo, "night time is the right time"

3. teenage mutant ninja turtles – is it possible to have a crush on a turtle? seriously? how can a turtle be cute?

4. the care bears – do the care bear countdown, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

5. sesame street – one two three four five – six seven eight nine ten – eleven twelve

6. mr. rogers – ok now that I'm grown, this show actually seems a little weird. I mean, that man in his house talking to kids inviting them to be his neighbor, taking off his shoes and stuff. I don't know. but at the time, I dug mr. rogers and the little village with the train. maybe it helped my imagination. check out this video of mr. rogers learning how to breakdance.

7. square one – I really dug this show. mathnet was like an educational predecessor to law & order!

8. reading rainbow – I want to not only thank levar burton for playing such a quintessential role in roots but I also want to thank him for hosting the show that encouraged me to become a bookworm. I so wanted to be one of those kids telling about the plot of their favorite book. james and the giant peach sucka! but you don't have to take my word for it…check out this video of run dmc on reading rainbow.

9. jem – the fellas might not feel me on this one, but jem was a rock star version of superman. she was a regular chick and when she touched her star earring she became a rock chick. ok so she didn't have super powers but still with one touch of a fingernail and showtime synergy, she went from day to evening, plain jane to superfly. if they sold her earrings, I'd buy a pair right now!

10. fraggle rock – let me start by saying that I had a fraggle rock mini LP that I used jam to on my grandma's JVC. who knew the doozers could create a city with radishes and crystallized sugar water?

I Heart Coffee Spots

2008-02-12T23:39:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for conversation. with strangers, with good girlfriends, with my cousin nem, with the cutie in the line at wal-mart. coffee spots are a den for conversation, which means I'm also a sucker for a good coffee spot. I have had some pretty pivotal conversations over chai latte and shortbread. I would catalog them here, but that would ruin the whole surprise element when my memoir comes out. :D

I'm not really a coffee drinker, but something about the steam, the sweet, the cool ambient music makes the conversation seem so much more pivotal and intellectually deep. :P here are ten of my favorite places to gather for a combination caffeine and conversation high.

1. Mocha Match – my favorite thing about mocha match is that it has a couple of nooks and crannies where you can sit and not be seen. I sometimes need to go to a coffee spot and work and not get distracted looking at every person that comes in. great coffee, chai, cider, and the staff and the owner are cool ta def (hey Sabrina and joie!) oh and FREE WI-FI (Decatur near agnes scott college)
2. Urban Grind – looking for the BEST open mic in Atlanta, stop through on Thursdays! with jon goode, blaqkharma, nukola, and spinxx alternating as hosts, Thursdays at urban grind are a guaranteed good time. I stand by it! urban grind's also got other fun stuff like a musician's open mic, game night, art night. come through and upgrade your social life. great drinks, great food, cool tees and music for sale, and the owner is the sweetest lady you wanna meet (hey Cassandra!) oh and FREE WI-FI with a purchase. (Marietta st/howell mill)
3. Octane – ok I rarely go to octane to talk. if I'm octane it's strictly for working and it seems that for most octane customers, this coffee spot has become their mobile office. if you need a place to get focused and finally finish up some work, try octane. oh and try the caramal coolant but be warned, drink one too late and you will be up all night! oh yeah and FREE WI-FI. (howell mill & 8th)
4. Sip – sip hands down wins the best décor award. it's got a very modern chocoloate look with some splashes of live green. they even have these cool, round, lime green chairs. I actually saw a grown man about curled up in one! 2 hrs WI-FI with a purchase. (Lindbergh, piedmont)
5. Cafe Intermezzo – I've been loving this spot since college. which was only two years ago. LOL try the Mexican hot chocolate and let me know if you can drink out of that big mug without getting whip cream on your nose. ahem…FREE WI-FI before 7pm (peachtree & perimeter)
6. Java Monkey – admittedly I've never been to java monkey except on Sundays for Java Monkey Speaks, which is one of the best open mics in town. I get down with their apple cider though and there desserts are necessary! believe it… FREE WI-FI (Decatur, church st.)
7. Starbucks on 7th – if you've been reading these blogs you know I'm a starbucks fan, even they are the establishment when it comes to coffee spots. my fav starbucks is on 7th, the one with all the windows. the view of the street from the window reminds me of new york. sorry ? no free wi-fi here.
8. QuikTrip – this is not a place for conversation unless you can squeeze that in while you're pumping your gas. BUT if you need the kind of coffee to keep you awake for the low low…a QT visit will do you right. it is especially helpful on road trips. I stand by it! I guarantee it! free wi-fi…n/a (a neighborhood near you)
9. Javaology – edgewood is happening in case you haven't noticed. my favorite thing about javaology is the loft space they have upstairs. I've been to quite a few cool events up there. nothing like some cool couches and a little exposed brick to create mood in a room. you guessed it…FREE WI-FI (edgewood shawty)
10. PJ's – I know, I know atlantic station has become the walmart of Atlanta social life, big box national restaurants and stores that don't give people any kind of feel for what the city is really about. I get it and I agree. doesn't stop me from going to the movies down there but I digress. pj's is my vote for most comfortable coffee spot. comfy couches with matching ottomans. and yes…FREE WI-FI (atlantic station)

10 Reasons to Vote on Super Tuesday

2008-02-05T10:07:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready to hit the polls and thought this would be a timely top ten for super Tuesday. It doesn't matter if you have to leave work early, take your lunch break, get up extra early…do whatever you gotta do to get up, get out, and do something by casting your vote today. here's the top ten to provide you with some extra voting motivation…

1. people gave their lives so you could have the right.

2. be a part of history, the first presidential election where either a woman or a black man will represent the democratic party.

3. nobody wants to hear a complainer who doesn't do anything about the issues they complain about. voting means you don't just talk about it, you are about it.

4. your vote gives voice to the issues you care about most.

5. voting channels your inner revolutionary.

6. the "I voted today" sticker is a really sexy accessory.

7. if you are a person of color or a woman, rewind less than a century ago and you would not have been able to vote because of your gender or skin color.

8. you can effect change in our country's leadership.

9. the people that came before you have walked miles, endured discrimination, and risked their lives and safety to cast their vote.

10. you don't have a good reason not to.

still trying to decide who to vote for? here's a pretty cool site that might help you align your candidate with the issues you're most concerned about. thanks for the link kimpossible!

10 Favorite Jay-Z Lines from American Gangster

2008-01-30T11:45:00.000-05:00

10 Favorite Jay-Z Lines from American Gangster

I'm not a diehard jay-z fan. I'm a jay-z fan by association. my brother robert has been touting jigga's lyrical merits since reasonable doubt. in fact, a conversation with my brother can't pass without at least one jay-z reference. for my brother, jay is the hero and the moral to the story. when jay went grown and sexy instead of young and saggin', my brother used jay as a prime example of getting his grown man on. when there was talk of weezy claiming best rapper alive, my brother said without blinking that weezy better honor his father. and he wasn't talking about baby. lol

I jumped on the jay bandwagon late but out of respect for my brother and his number 1 emcee, I purchase jay's albums so my brother and I can trade shawn carter lines and quips while we philosophize about the meaning of life and lyrics. I have been listening to jay's american gangster nearly nonstop since I purchased it, so much so that any random strain of conversation can bring a line from the album to mind. this blog is dedicated to two jay-z fans. my brother robert who I can't get on myspace to save my life and my friend and fellow writer ebony janice. in the words of our great negro poet shawn carter, a collection of favorite quotables and inspirational lines from american gangster…

1. "survive the drought I wish you well/survive the drought? I wish you well?/how sick am i? I wish you health/I wish you wheels. I wish you wealth/I wish you insight so you can see for yourself." – american dreamin'

2. "rolls royce
keep my movements/smooth while maneuvering/
through all the manure in the sewer that i grew up in" – no hook

3. "So tall and lanky/my suit? It should thank me." – party life

4. "Ya boy's off the wall, these other ____ is Tito." – party life

5. "Ladies know I'm that guy, they wanna piece of my love." – american gangster

6. "When it all falls down I'm like Kanye's jaw/I might break but I don't fold/till I hold the sky in my hand, yeah that's my goal." – american gangster

7. "How could you leave me? I thought that you needed me!/When the world got too much and you pleaded with me-/Who helped you immediately?/How speedy of me!/How could you deny me so vehemently?" – I know

8. "I'm more Frank Lucas than Ludacris/And Luda's my dude I ain't trying to diss/Like Frank Lucas is cool but I ain't trying to snitch…I'm a live and die with the decisions that I'm a pick" – no hook

9. "hustle hard in any hustle that you pick." – no hook

10. "you can redefine the game as we know it, one dream at a time." – american dreamin'

10 Gangsta Flicks

2008-01-22T14:13:00.001-05:00

yeah, yeah it's that Tuesday again, and I might be getting the swing of it. this past weekend it snowed in Atlanta. about one to two inches and the whole city shut down. the thought of this is probably highly offensive to you if you are from anywhere that has a real, shovel the snow, and take your butt to school and work winter.

but in an effort to preserve my safety, I stayed at home that whole day. the weather really wasn't so bad, but Atlanta drivers…don't know how to drive on a wonderfully sunny day so I wasn't taking any chances. spent the day wrapping up an article draft and watching a couple of flicks, gone with the wind and hoodlum to be exact. it was hoodlum that inspired this week's top ten list. here's a gangsta line I loved from the movie, I'm leaving out a couple of expletives ? :

bumpy: how do you sleep at night?
bub: how do you know I sleep at all?!

here's a list of ten films I find pretty gangsta. hit me up with any add-ons.

1. the godfather
2. goodfellas
3. Donnie brasco
4. carlito's way
5. hoodlum
6. city of god
7. new jack city
8. scarface
9. the godfather 2
10. the untouchables

and of course a clip from my favorite...

10 Ways to Stay Awake at Work

2008-01-15T23:58:00.000-05:00

today has been a good day, a productive day, but nevertheless a long one and right now…a sista is sleepy. but I will not shut my eyes for any amount of shuteye until I finish this blog! which reminds me of another place I always used to find myself feeling sleepy…at work. I have absconded many of these ideas from true, reality-tested, office-worker approved, cubicle alertness tactics. I really wish I could use a couple of them right now to keep me from putting the mac down and laying it down myself…for your weekly enjoyment…?

1. create a crunk CD or playlist.
crank up some lil jon, an old remix of whoomp/whoop there it is, some seriously metal rock music…anything irreverent and loud will do. don't be a softie! Kenny g can't save you from the uncontrollable headnod. just don't listen to too much public enemy at your desk, the man doesn't take too kindly to you yelling, "fight the powers that be."

2. talk to the resident talk-a-holic.
yeah, you're seeing their face right now. you know the one. they never have a lack for conversation. always have a story to tell or some epiphany or revelation from an oh-so-interesting weekend…wait…I think I was that co-worker! lol by the time he/she finishes telling you about the third date that seemed like an episode of tales from the crypt, you'll find you're not yawning anymore. nothing ups adrenaline like a good scary story to tell in the dark.

3. take a walk.
understand the art of doing your work and appearing to do your work. as long as you are seen at your desk typing or looking pensive at least three times a day, couple of passes in the hall with a notebook and pen, a little business convo in another co-worker's cube, and you're good to go. taking a walk is much better than being found snoring at your desk. trust.

4. indulge in an internet break.
so you have the most boring assignment at your desk. every time your eyes scan the words, numbers, spreadsheet lines, you feel exhausted and nauseous. open yahoo, espn, amena brown's blog, whatever's your speed and let reading a couple of headlines be your reward for doing some work. this counts as one of the times you can be seen at your desk looking pensive.

5. snack!
you're not up on your cubicle game if you haven't stacked that desk drawer chock full of snacks! nobody said you had to share 'em. this ain't elementary school, trading my fruit roll-up for your gushers! keep your snacks a secret if you want to, but get some! peanuts, popcorn, candy…ahem…ok as a health PSA look up superfoods and get some of those in your drawer, as a chocolate lover myself I encourage some candy every now and then, but be warned…it will send you crashing…which will send you to one of these other ten tips.

6. enjoy a caffeinated beverage.
I'm personally a starbucks fan. that portable frappaccino is almost as good as the sleep you should have gotten that would help you to not be in the nodding off position you're in now. some trust in red bull, others in coke and mountain dew, I choose starbucks. and I'll let you know when they start paying me for these endorsements.

7. call a lifeline.
I know you want to be a millionaire, so start with taking some cues from the game show. this is when it pays to have ignorant friends. this is why you should befriend the witty, the goofy, the closet comedian, because in a drowsy moment like the one that is sure to hit you at about 2pm after that too big lunch, you need somebody to make you laugh so quietly loud in your cube that your stomach hurts. call the friend that you would never put on speaker phone and be assured laughter will send you the right endorphins to make it to five o' clock.

8. go home and start again tomorrow
note: this is only for the privileged, the contract employees, the graphic and web designers, for those of you who have the cool job where you can wear crocs and slightly inappropriate tagline tees. your boss is too busy tossing the nerf ball to your work team to be worried about whether or not you are chained at your desk. for you, cool co-worker, take advantage of your flexibility, go home, watch oprah, take a nap, and finish up your work from that cutting edge laptop the company gave you. yes it is possible to finish up that last assignment while watching reruns of the office. sho ya right.

9. take a nap.
note: this is only for the brave, bold, completely rebellious, and desperately fatigued. now…choose a secret location, a bathroom with little to no traffic, or maybe your own office if you're privileged enough to have one and get a power nap. notice I said power nap, not afternoon nap. this nap has to last no more than 20 minutes. again, your goal is to make it to 5 o' clock, not to make up for the sleep you missed last night. nobody told you to try and watch the whole season of lost in one night.

10. chew gum.
this was one of my favorite work pastimes. my flavor of choice was dentyne fire, the cinnamon one. they are not paying me for that endorsement either, but when they do I will post 10 ways to get an endorsement for your reading enjoyment. chewing gum helps digestion, chases away cavities and the like, and gives your brain something to focus on besides the dim lighting and quiet in your office.

did I miss any tips? did you stay awake through that whole thing?! that's big blog talk can you answer me?! sorry…I had a flashback, but if you can tell me what song that line came from I will surely give you a blog shoutout…priceless. ?

10 reasons NOT to procrastinate

2008-01-10T01:28:00.000-05:00

as I type this I've got a couple of articles to finish and in true writer fashion I've been procrastinating. :O I don't why procrastination is so addictive. clearly, common sense says that waiting a grip to finish something will not make the task easier or results better. but still I wait, for a perfect moment, for inspiration, for some cocky chick to show up at the keyboard and kill 'em with her choice of syntax, diction, and alliteration and type amena brown in the byline.

goofy side note: does anybody remember david the gnome? as a child, I used to daydream that david and the gnomes would come and take care of the tasks I didn't want to handle like washing dishes, cleaning my room, etc. but no matter how hard I wished they never came to the kitchen and actually handled the dawn, sponge, and gritty dishes. want to know more about david the gnome? oh the wonder of you tube. ?)

10 reasons to stop procrastinating

1. it will bring back all-nighter memories from college.
2. you are getting too old to work well under pressure.
3. it's not sexy. try using the word procrastinator in a pick up line and see how it works for you. try using a pick up line and see how it works for you.
4. it doesn't solve the root problem: fear. procrastination is driven by fear. ask yourself what makes you so afraid to finish ______?
5. procrastination is like getting drunk. is the buzz really worth the consequences?
6. you are focusing so much on what you can't do that you haven't taken a good enough look at what you can do.
7. it prevents your success and keeps you from achieving dreams, goals, and accomplishments.
8. you will be more confident to take risks.
9. procrastination=stress and who wants stress?!
10. procrastination and laziness are first cousins if not siblings

I may have to read these ten reasons over again in order to get these articles done. all right dear readers, your turn. blog back one area in your life where you are constantly procrastinating.

10 Songs that Inspire

2008-01-01T14:23:00.000-05:00

first of all, happy new year! this year I have an ambitious aim. every Tuesday I am promising top ten Tuesdays. a top ten of what I don't know, but that is officially 52 top ten lists. disclaimer: all top ten lists will expressly be the opinion of amena brown and may be goofy and have no evidence to back them except some random stuff I like. reading may be entertaining, which may cause LOL or SOL (that's smile on line grasshopper…or could be the other one you thought too…) anyway enough bantering…check out the first one…

top ten songs to keep you inspired!
so it's the first of the year and I don't know about you but I'm feeling like the past is behind me and I've got this long stretch of future in front of me. January is a great month. your work out plan turns out all right, you finally stop dealing with the people that you need to let go of, you are on day 5 of stopping that bad habit, but somewhere around February the gym gets empty, you have a weak moment and let a stray back in, and you are smoking that cigarette or whatever your stress vice is. these songs may help you to keep going towards your goals this year even when you stumble. send me any inspirational songs that help you make it past January and you will surely get a blog shout out.

1. strength courage & wisdom – India.arie
"I close my eyes and I think of all the things that I want to see…so let it be"

2. off the wall – michael jackson
"life ain't so bad at all, when you live it off the wall."

3. american dreamin – jay-z
"you can redefine the game as we know it, one dream at a time."

4. I wonder – kanye west
"I wonder if you know what it means to find your dreams…"
*If you can name the original that kanye sampled you get a blog shoutout! :D

5. press – fred Hammond
"til I become what He wants me to be…"

6. that's the way of the world – earth, wind, & fire
"you will find peace of mind, when you look way down in your heart & soul. don't hesitate because the world seems cold."

7. bag lady – Erykah badu
"let it go, let it go, let it go."

8. everything is everything – lauryn hill
"what is meant to be will be."

9. breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
"take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and break away."

10. work that – mary j. blige
"work what you got"

8 Weird Things

2007-12-16T02:56:00.000-05:00

dang it kimpossible! you know if i get tagged, i have to respond according to blog etiquette rules. and clearly you tagged me a grip ago! so in response to said tag here are weird things about me that i'm sure you dear readers can't wait to hear. lol

UNO. i have a pen fetish. i only write with uniball vision pens, preferably the light gray one. but any of them will do. no ball points. no other rollerball pens. the vision. that's it. it makes that wonderful scratching noise when i write and the ink comes out so rich.

DOS. i talk to myself. i'd rather refer to it as thinking out loud. lol sometimes in order to process my thoughts i have to say them out loud. which means a lot of self-reflective conversations. some of my close friends have even caught me in the act! lol

TRES. i don't like feet. i don't believe toes should be anywhere except the ground. the feel of toes is unwelcome in my world. i inherited this honest from my dad, i'm even not sure i’ve ever seen his feet! lol

CUATRO. i get down with quotes. in a movie. in a conversation. from a book or a magazine. i love ‘em! here are some honorable mentions:

“you a liar and you a cheat and I don’t want ya!” – angela bassett as katherine jackson in the jackson family: american dream

“shame on me for kissing you with my eyes closed.” – liv tyler as…forgot her character’s name…in that thing you do.

CINCO. i like to lip sync. does anybody remember the lip sync show they used to have on mtv? if you do and you drop me a line, it will win you an official blog shoutout! priceless! lol i really wanted to be on that show. when record labels start signing lip sync acts i’ll be the first one they sign, because me and beyonce (michael jackson, john legend, alicia keys, india.arie…i could go on…) kill ‘em when i’m riding in my vehicle. belee dat!

SEIS. this kinda goes with numero cinco, but i also really like to sing. i didn’t say you’re gonna want to hear it, i just said I like to sing. i listen to my music extra loud so that it sounds like I can really sing my tail off. if I could have a gift for 24 hours, it would be singing and I would be a diva. I would expect white roses in my dressing room and force everybody to call me ms. brown…I digress…and that’s why i don’t have the gift to sing, because i would be nothing but ignorant with it.

SIETE. i like to time things. sadly my current cell phone doesn’t have a timer on it anymore, but it still has an alarm clock which can act as my bootleg timer. if i’m waiting in line or at a restaurant, on hold with customer service or only have ten minutes to do something i like to time it or set my alarm so i can be sure to take exactly that amount of time. dang, that’s probably the weirdest so far. lol

OCHO. ok…i almost hate to admit this but dang it, it’s true. i buy almost all of my hip hop albums from walmart because I want to hear the content without all the expletives. i want to appreciate jay’s lyrical wordplay without having to hear all the obscene words he might use. i have gone to great lengths to purchase the clean version of these albums even when i download. this sometimes causes great shock when I finally do hear the real version of the music. :O

all right that’s it. that’s all I’ve got for my 8 weird things you may not have wanted to know. lol

Born in the USA - Spoken Word Version

2007-12-02T22:01:00.001-05:00

a few months ago I performed in 500 Songs for Kids, an event where hundreds of Georgia artists came together to perform Rolling Stone's top 500 songs and raise money for kids organizations. finally posted the video on youtube. shout out to brandon thomas for playing with me.

billboard & hip hop rant

2007-12-02T20:18:00.000-05:00

spent part of this week covering the billboard r&b hip hop music conference here in atl. went to pick up my media pass and took a minute to listen to the artist showcase that was going on. a down south rap group was up and they had a young lady in their crew. she had a mic in her hand but her booty seemed to be the part of her that was most important to them. every couple of minutes her booty became the prop of a lyric or maybe just for the audience to have some sort of visual while the song went on.

and i feel pretty young. i don't feel like an old head, but i shook my head and swiftly walked out of the room. and here comes my rant. it's not any different than a lot of purist hip hop rants you hear. and i'm not even a hip hop purist. i grew up in the south so i have spent some time in my life shaking it to " scrub the ground" and "hydraulics scarred," so clearly i have a special place in my heart for dirty south hip hop. but i do believe i have a bone to pick with one of my favorite genres of music.

i miss women in hip hop. not shaking it in a video. not singing on the hook. not playing the love interest who spends her five minutes cutting her eyes and looking seductive. i miss female emcees. and i wasn't feeling that this young lady's booty was way more important than if she could rip 'em to shreds with her 16 bars. and while i'm at it, i miss lauryn. i'm glad we got lupe but who is the next mc lyte? queen latifah? monie love? bahamadia? i'm really jonesin' to hear a female emcee who knows how to tell a good story, ride the beat, who's subject matters covers all aspects of life, not just her body and sexuality. (sigh...rant over...at least for now)

this weekend i didn't get my female emcee fix, but i heard some wonderful music by two great women artists. leaf and janelle monae. leaf has been featured on the tv show girlfriends and recorded her live cd project this weekend. janelle monae did her thing at lenny's bar for her birthday show and she's already sold 10,000 units of suite 1: the chase, the first suite from her debut cd. check out some pics.

First Blog!

2007-11-12T21:45:00.000-05:00

First blog and there are so many things to say, but since me and this blog are just meeting each other and I've barely figured out how to post it, I'll keep it pretty simple this time. :)

First of all I couldn't start this blog without sending condolences to Kanye West and his family on the passing of his mom, Donda West. I have only had the chance to meet Kanye through his music, but it's evident how much he loved and respected his mom. My prayers are with Kanye and his family, bigger than that I know that God is with Kanye and his family. Kanye has already been through a near-death experience and the blow of losing a parent can't really be healed with words, but I hope that in time Kanye is able to live his life with fuel from his mother's inspiration.

We say it all the time. And when things like this happen it becomes even more clear that we should really live the days we have to the fullest. I've been listening to Eric Roberson lately and my favorite song from his latest album "..Left" is called "Pretty Girl." You'll hear more about it as it seems I can't stop listening to it :O, but there's one line that really stuck out to me. "A rose can't bloom before it's time. But it'll never bloom if the sun don't shine. So live your life." That means no waiting for permission or waiting for somebody to say it's ok. Living like that is like living your life on hold. If you never open yourself up to shine, no one gets to see the beauty you bring, which means you don't even get to see that beauty in yourself.

I'll work on dressing this thing up some more and if you have tips please hit me up! Until next time blog friends...