Just 4 Today...

Happy Jackie Washington Day!!!

 

"Love Goddess" - Jackie Washington

She's huge in Kinloch!

Can you imagine what her cd, "Tore Up From The Floor Up: Live in Compton- All Her Greatest Hits" would have sounded like? Especially with songs like "Yield (Before You Hit Me With Your Love)"; "Eye on the Motherland ...or Cleveland"; "Wednesday Night Fever"; "Take Your Jeri Curl and Go!"; "Love Goddess (from the movie 'Stacked Sister')"; "Coco's Theme (from the movie 'Whipped Creme: Coco's Revenge')" and "Look at Me."

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

"Put Your Records On"- C. Bailey Rae

Thank God for the weekend!

I was running low prior to it and am feeling much better now.

I did not lift a finger this weekend. I stayed in the house. I did not fold one stitch of clothing, slept all day (Saturday and Sunday) and had a marathon music/singing/dancing moment last night.

Thank you Mariah Carey and Smirnoff Vodka. I felt so free listening to all of her cds while singing along (badly, I might add! hahaha). I kept my glass of "adult beverage" in my hand the whole time (not spilling one drop!). I was in my own world and it felt GREAT!

I have been so concerned lately about everything around me. I have been trying to control everything instead of allowing life to happen.

Don't ask me why I am so on edge right now. I don't want to be, but for some reason, I can't help it.

I think it is because nothing in my life is set in stone right now. I am used to structure, but nothing is structured right now. I feel like everything is hanging on by a string.

Well, this weekend helped me to relax. It gave me time to reflect and decide what to do in order to get that structure back in my life. 

The first thing I realized is that I can't be SO concerned about others and their decisions (we each have our own stories and reasons we do the things we do). 

The second thing I realized is that I have to take time to relax (in my mind, I already have a nice warm bath waiting for me when I get home).

The third thing I realized is that I have to focus on the positive again. All of this negative stuff was around me back in the day, but I chose to focus on other things. It came across in my writing, my attitude and my actions. 

My quiet reflective time this weekend was just what I needed. I was able to be completely honest with myself about certain things.

My solo-music party was just what I needed as well. Dancing around in my underwear (hahaha) allowed me to free myself of so much stress and get in touch with my mojo again.

I didn't take myself so seriously. I was goofy. Life was exactly what it should have been in that moment.

I am still in a good mood.

And The Band Played On

   

"(Let's Get Back to the) Fundamental Things" - M. Dolittle

I almost went down last week.

My tank was running on empty.

Things were heavy on my mind.

I could not shake the visions in my head.

It is amazing what time with friends, good conversation with the man I love, a good book, a nap, and a couple of good workouts can do to help heal the soul.

I feel stronger this week.

I might not feel like I can move mountains yet, but I am heading in that direction again.

When I get lost in my own thoughts, I have to remember the bigger picture.

I have a purpose.

I am here to motivate others.

Only when I am operating in my purpose is everything the way it should be in my life.

How can I motivate if I am down myself?

How can I motivate if I get lost in things I can't control?

That is why I am actively taking control.

I am saying what is on my mind.

I am feeling what is in my heart.

I am leaning on the belief that things will work out.

I am pushing forward.

Masterpiece

"This Is Us"- K. Cole

I usually don't do this, but EVERYONE must see the movie that, in my opinion, is a shoe in for the Academy Award this year for Best Picture.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was probably the best movie I have seen in recent years.

Crossing all age, color and economic walls, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, an adaptation of the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, reaches deep into the human spirit and connects us all with a story that mystifies and captivates whomever is watching.

I kid you not, several times, while watching the movie, I looked around and saw grown men and women, of all ages, sitting forward in their seats, giving the movie their full attention. At almost 3 hours long, that is no easy feat.

This is a love story, plain and simple. It is about relationships. It is about life. I am speechless.

Here is the synopsis from TeenHollywood.com:

"I was born under unusual circumstances." And so begins "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: A man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be. Directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett with Taraji P. Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas and Julia Ormond, "Benjamin Button," is a grand tale of a not so ordinary man and the people and places he discovers along the way, the loves he finds, the joys of life and the sadness of death, and what lasts beyond time.

Buy your tickets today.

Chick Flicks

"Everybody"- Madonna

Why do I LOVE chick flicks?

As I sit here at 1:20 a.m. watching hour after hour of "Sex and the City" (yes, I recently bought the entire series box set so that I can be ready for the movie when it comes out on May 30th) the question keeps popping up in my mind.

Think about it. "Sex" is my new thing, but what about the other television shows and movies I watch? Dang, I spent my Sunday night watching the Whitney Houston/Diane Sawyer interview on YouTube, "Desperate Housewives," "Brothers and Sisters," and catching the end of "The Devil Wears Prada" on HBO. It was "Prada's" New York setting that inspired me to put "Sex and the City" in the dvd player.

Outside of my Sunday night line-up, I have loved movies and television shows like "Waiting to Exhale," "The First Wives Club," and "The Golden Girls" for years. Growing up, my favorite Disney movies were "Lady and the Tramp," "The Little Mermaid," and "Beauty and the Beast." Some of my favorite cartoons of all time include "Jem," and "She-Ra."

Though I love movies like "Independence Day" and cartoons like "Thundercats" and "He-Man" I wonder why I have such a strong liking for movies and television shows that are generally targeted toward females.

Does my liking of the Spice Girls, divas or "The Golden Girls" have anything to do with me being gay? I find that many of the things I like are commonly liked by others who are gay. Why do we have these things in common? Is it because we are gay or simply because we, as human beings like the same things? Sometimes I think that it is because there are certain things in the "life" that are pretty standard (love of both divas and tight t-shirts) but other times I think it is just coincidence (I did not even start to become a part of the scene until my mid 20s though I unknowingly loved many of the "gay staples").

Anyways, before I even go there, I am going to bring this to a close. I could talk about this all night long, but believe I would end up in the same place that I started. Why waste the time?

I have one more episode of "Sex and the City" to watch before hitting the sack.

Dreamgirls

Just4Today I have to give all of my love and adulation (I am not even sure that "adulation" is a word) to the recreation of the 80's musical that chronicles the rise and fall of a 1960's girl group. Dreamgirls, a gay man's answered prayer, has been a part of my life since ever since I can remember. I have never seen the play on Broadway (I was only 4 when it was out), but I have had the cd of the musical since I was 16 years old and also have the newer cd that was made in 2001 with singers like Lilias White and Heather Headley singing leads...

The reason why I am overexcited about this movie is because I have a feeling that it is going to become one of America's greatest film treasures. I feel like it is going to cross all boundaries and be looked at years from now in the same regard as something like "The Wizard of Oz".

I am pheenin' for this movie to come to the big screen! There has been so much crap that has been peddled our way in the last couple of years. I am tired of spending my money and getting nothing in return... I have a feeling that Dreamgirls is going to change all of that... at least for two hours.

If you are like me and you feel like you can't wait until Christmas day to get your fix of Dreamgirls you can get the soundtrack on December 5th... hopefully that helps you make it through...