MUSIC ||i just wanna say. . .

I will be up pretty late tonight and tomorrow night (and probably Tuesday night) to get homework done for class. It will be worth it when I'm not rushing to finish stuff up Wednesday after the Jay-Z concert.

I'm excited to experience it, though I'm not a Jay-Z fan and I only know, like, four songs he's ever made. I can say what I've heard from The Blueprint 3 has been pretty nice, but I don't feel appreciative enough of Jay to know what the heck is going on. But I'm still excited to go to the concert with my LS. I will be schooled. That's cool.

Then the weekend will kind of begin, and I am extra excited for that. So, good week ahead?
ABSOLUTELY.

Loving it. Loving life.

IRL || hair today, gone tomorrow.

I've always been wowed by those who liken "the big chop" to something freeing, something spiritual. I can understand it now.

For me, though my hair has only been short for four days, it is something that is freeing. Now, I didn't go natural, so I am still very much a slave to the flat iron and other straightening agents, so I can't comment on how it feels to be able to enjoy hair as natural as it can be. But, this chop has enabled me to really confront my ideas of beauty, especially for myself.

I've always wanted to cut my hair, but I always stayed in the "safe range": There would always be hair on my neck and always some length on the sides, because I felt it was flattering. Fat girls look better with long hair? Right? Do guys like short hair? Would it look ok in pictures? What would my grandma think? Now, come on, black people value length. Most times I hear, "Oh she can pull off that short hair, but most people couldn't" or something like that. The same goes with natural styles.

I knew that hair was just hair. I decided that I'd go on with it and if it looked awful, I'd wear a hat or get a weave or something. Oh my, that did not need to cross my mind because it is fabulous.

When my chair was turned around to face the mirror, the first question I asked was "Why hadn't I gone short a long time ago?"

MUSIC || mighty.

I remember the first time I heard Mos Def. I feel like I may have heard the name before, but I'm not sure. But I do remember the day I heard Mos Def's music.

I was at a point where I could care less about rap. I wasn't a huge fan. I mean I danced to the popular songs and could hold a decent conversation about the rappers out at that time.

But this was something new.

He was talking about history. And music. And love. And race. And home. And rock and roll. You had to listen to the words, not just bob your head to the beat. It wasn't about catchy hooks. It was something that connected to my soul.

So in that crowded van, riding around DC, surrounded by classmates and thespians who had dreams like me, who chatted about auditions and life at Howard and stuff like that, I zoned out of the conversation to agree with Mos Def's statement that

"Elvis Presley ain't got no soul, Bo Diddly is rock and roll. You may dig on the Rolling Stones, but they ain't come up with that shit on they own."

There was music store in the train station. I thumbed through the M's in the Rap Section, laughing at the idea that I was actually in the Rap section, and picked up the only copy of Black on Both Sides. I was surrounded by words. Words that took me places. Words that made me think. Words that riled me up and words that lulled me to sleep. All spoken with love.

By the time I got home, I was in love.

Since then I've listened to as much of his work as I could get my hands on. I get excited for new album releases. I've fallen in love with his acting (which has nothing to do with the music part, but I just wanted to put it out there.)

But I'm here. I'm still listening.

UPDATE || updating.

My life has been extra-hectic lately.
I moved into my new place (Whee!) and started my new job. They both have taken a lot of me with unpacking and learning all of my job-ly duties and such.

On top of that, I got tonsillitis or something again. Fortunately, I got to visit a doctor and now I have antibiotics. Yay! Coupled with Tylenol, tea, and not doing much other than work, I've been keeping the feeling-miserable down to a minimum. Well the physical feeling-miserable.

Emotionally, life's been topsy-turvy, but I'm getting through it.

I look forward to writing here more often. I miss it. I just need to decide how I want to focus it.
Until then, live and love and laugh. Life is short.

IRL || points.

I think I'm not very good at getting my point across.

I talk to people, and if there's a disagreement, it always feels like we're talking about two different subjects, not disagreeing on one. The more I try to steer the conversation back to the point, the further it gets from it. On the other person's end.

Or maybe I was just wrong all along.

Guess it's something I need to work on.

IRL || random thoughts.

I'm working on a post about the amazing road trip I had with my mom and sisters. It will have photos. Meanwhile, I just want to share a few random thoughts:

one.
Kevin Michael is quickly becoming a favorite. His music moves me, feels good.

two.
Freedom and Fear can't exist together. We need to overcome fear in order to be free. I need to overcome fear to be free.

three.
I need to spend more time with my loved ones. I miss my friends, sorors, family members.

four.
Planning visits to museums. I really need to get to MOCA in Detroit and the Hands on Museum in Ann Arbor. The Hands On just seems fun and a reminder of childhood freedom. And the apple orchard in the fall. Accepting companions to accompany me. :)

five.
I have a strong desire to try my hand a a fresh peach cobbler. Mmmm.

six.
It's nice to be thought about.

seven.
Life has just gotten more interesting. In a good way. I feel extra young and kind of giddy ;)

eight.
I'm ready for the semester to begin. And to move into the new apartment! September will be good.

LIFE || NOLA!

Yesterday was my first full day in New Orleans. I woke up early to take a van-tour around the city. The tour took us past many points of interest: The French Quarter, the Garden District, Xavier, Tulane, and Loyola Universities, important homes and City Park. I'm learning that I love places full of history and culture. I mean many places have a history and culture, but New Orleans is an intersection of histories and a gumbo of cultures. Even time periods are all mixed up here. I'm in a hotel decorated as if it's from another century, visited a restaurant and bar that is straight out of the Roaring 20s and seen places that are times everywhere in between. I love the architecture, the colors, the sounds, and I even liked the heat. I love the cemeteries.

I've eaten delicious jambalaya and beignets (which I have to have again) and drank Mint Juleps. I'm even going to have afternoon tea in Le Salon. I'm excited!

We also went into the 9th Ward and other areas devastated by Katrina. Four years later and there is still so much destroyed, but there is also hope. And rebuilding. So many thoughts on that part of the tour I can't articulate yet. I took pictures and I hope they honor the experiences of those who were there and are still here.

This city is full of so much history, and we can still see it. I will be back and it's tempting to want to stay a while longer.