Men Of A Certain Age

Birdman Birdshyt's new tatoo.

And to my Dragonball Z fans-the resemblance has not gone unnoticed.

Snoop Dogg Brandy Pharrell Special mp3

Snoop's flow might get under my skin for being painfully monosyllabic, and elementary sometimes. But when he and Pharell team up-he makes good stuff. In fact I'm feeling a couple of tracks from his upcoming LP "Malice in Wonderland".

This new track featuring Pharell & Brandy-is definately something to vibe to.


Download Snoop Dogg Brandy Pharrell Special mp3

Zac Posen & Rodarte For Target

The "recession blessin's" just keep coming! Ahh I live!
I spotted this at nitrolicious.com

Target wastes no time, just as Rodarte’s capsule collection is scheduled to release on December 20th the retailer has tapped Zac Posen to be the next limited edition designer of their Go International series according to WWD. Posen’s own collection is retails from $900 to $12,000, with custom pieces costing upward of $20,000, now the mass market can get a piece from the designer without breaking the bank. The Zac Posen for Target Go International collection will be available at Target stores and at Target.com from April 25 through May 30. Stay tuned for more info forthcoming…

I'm also late as hell about the Rodarte for Target launching *hangs head in shame*
here is the info I found via fabsugar.com

What a glorious day! It has just been announced that Kate and Laura Mulleavy are designing a 55-piece Rodarte line for Target Go International, which lands in stores and online on Dec. 20. "It’s very feminine, yet very modern. The collection incorporates a rich mix of patterns and fabrications and everything from sequins and bows to faux fur. The key with Rodarte is layering," said Target spokesperson Joshua Thomas. Prices will range from $9.99 for knee-highs to $79.99 for a leopard-print jacket. Also, expect to see a variety of holiday dresses. All of Target's designer collaborations have been great, but this one I'm standing in line for.



Apparently the pics of the Rodarte collection are scarce Target is not playin with pic leaks, and have already requested various blogs and websites to remove them. But for those of you unfamiliar with the brand here, are apics of a few celebs rockin their pieces

Kate Bosworth in a Rodarte dress

Rihanna in Rodarte thigh high leggings

Natalie Portman in a Rodarte gown at the 09 oscars

You Are Not The Father! Life After the "Maury Effect"

I saw this over at postbourgie.com-where they discussed a feature written in the New York Times writtien about how men are left pick up the pieces after finding out that the children they have cared for as thier own, are not thier biological children. It explores all the emotional, financial, and legal havoc that results. And where the men are left standing in the aftermath.


 The New York Times Magazine has a riveting story by Ruth Padawer about the emotional and legal havoc wrought when men find out they are not the biological fathers of the children they have been raising, which has become a more common occurrence due to the availability of inexpensive DNA testing. Much of the story follows Mike L., a reportedly doting father in Pennsylvania whose marriage crumbled after he learned that his daughter, L., wasn’t “his.” (Because of the sensitive nature of the story, the names of the key players were changed.) Mike faced an array of of bad options: he could continue paying child support to his ex-wife, Stephanie — who was now re-married to his daughter’s biological father , Rob — or he could challenge the payments in court and risk losing the weekend visitation rights he had with his daughter, with whom he remained very close. You might think that there might be some legal middle ground that was less imperfect than those two poles — say, granting Mike continued visitation rights while switching some or all of the the financial burden to L.’s biological father — but for a host of reasons, the courts have unable to find them. These situations are so messy that it seem like the best-case scenario would be resolving these cases in a way that kept the seething resentment to a dull roar.

The Morning After: Holiday Hangovers

After one day 3 days of indiscriminate holiday eating, I laid in the bed and felt so diry and fat! Have you felt yourself blow up like a scene from The Nutty Professor while you were eating?

Well I don't know if it was the shame, indigestion, or turkey lethargy that made me sit and realize that these types of "indulgences" have become waay to common place for me. As well as insomnia , and overall lack of energy.

I realized that Iwas going through what I call the "Near New Years Slump". Which always comes a few weeks from the New Year, when I sit back and remember last years resolutions, and wallow in self-critique for not fulfilling them all.

It's just an uneasy feeling of dissatisfaction, and restlessness. I can't sleep, focus, or derive any enjoyment or interest in the things that would normally do it for me.
Maybe its just premature reflection, but I hate it when I feel uninspired.

I typically don't reveal too much personal detail on my blogs, but hell Im still experiencing a sugar rush from my 2nd 3rd slice of cherry cheesecake, so Ima roll with it.

I hate the feeling of wanting to "find" myself, but I'm they type of person who feeds off of inspiration, and when my inspiration is low, so is my motivation, and my enthusiasm. The lack of almost immobilizes me.

Recently I stumbled across this quote from motivational author Frank Tibolt

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates
inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.”

As of late I have rejected any "self-helpy" euphemisms, the jaded cynic in me scoffs at them,
But tonight, that quote hit home. I wouldn't call it inspirational, but more so a sobering quote that slapped me out of my little pity-party.

I came to the conclusion that looking for an outside source for inspiration is as futile and unrealistic as looking to others to provide your happiness.

If I allow my drive and motivation to become dependant upon what ever I deem to be inspirational I will surely find myself in the same situation again , in the November of 2010.
With a gut full of food, and a brain full of restlessness, and self-doubt.

So I guess my pre-New Years resolution, is to skip resolutions all together.
Instead of going through the cycle of writing down and reciting my next years goals, then beating myself up over my perceived failures. Im gonna treat life like a marriage.

You can't check out when you're disinterested! You will not always be happy, or on cloud nine. But you always have to put in effort, or reap the consequences of time left neglected. For which you would surely pay greatly.

Not going through the motions per say, but putting your head down and grinding with the resolve that you'll fight through the monotony, the slumps, and hard days. Knowing that it is temporary, and the sooner you work through it, the sooner you'll make it to the other side.

Inspiration is as fleeting and elusive as happiness. Its a shaky foundation to build your life upon, seeing as it provides elevated HIGHS and subterranean LOWS.

Or maybe inspiration is like finding love, it finds you when you're not looking.

Eitherway I won't experience it, if Im too preoccupied concentrating on its abscense.

And it's sure as hell not in this cheesecake!

The Graphic Art of Emory Douglas

I was perusing through the internets and found some pictures from an art exhibit featuring works of Graphic artist Emory Douglas

Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas traces the graphic art made by Emory Douglas while he worked as minister of culture for the Black Panther Party from 1967 until its discontinuation in the early 1980s. Douglas’s powerful visuals helped define the trademark visual style of the group’s newspapers, posters, and pamphlets. Douglas’s substantial body of work exists as a powerful graphic record of the Black Panthers’ legacy, reflecting their development and evolving mission to improve the lives of African Americans by calling for resistance and change, as well providing social services to their communities. With a firm understanding of the need to disseminate information and communicate the party’s agenda visually, Douglas’s bold illustrations and striking images spoke forcefully to a community ravaged by poverty, police brutality, and poor living conditions. With unmistakable humanism, Douglas portrayed a populace that was emerging from segregation and proudly fighting to assert their rights to equality. ” – quoted from MOCA press release

Here are a pics of some of the pieces, some really great imagery:

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Lost and Found: Nicole Ray and The BlakRoc Project

The Blakroc project is a compilation album spearheaded by Dame Dash and Jim Jones The Dirt Angel , in which several artists accompany the group Blak Keys -WHO I LOVE!!!
It features contributions from Mos Def, Q-Tip, Raekwon, Ludacris, Pharaoe Monch, NOE, Billy Danze, ODB, and Nicole Wray (who is now going by Nikki Ray)

The song starts at the 4:00 mark, and it was so awesome to hear her voice!
The album will be available via itunes and other independant record stores Novemember 27th.

Catch the other webisodes of the other artists recording and locate participating retailers at Blakroc.com