My Favorite Light Skin.

I don't know what it is about this boy
that i just absolutely LOVE.

And I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't a fan of
the blonde at first. I mean, I still think
it's a little sus, but I must admit it's
growing on me. The Brooklyn cap, the
camo shorts, the new clothing line..
it's all working for me.

Social Network: Tap the Mic

As if people didn't know they had vocal chords before, social networks have transformed into the new fightclub. Forget marketing tactics and relationship building, a lash of the social network tongue relieves the necessary stress and provides the right amount of spite.

It's not just your average Joe Schmoe's; celebrities are no different. Recently across the media boards, Ciara and Rihanna have recently pulled out the claws on twitter. Let me rewind and show you the video that set everything off.



Rihanna hits her timeline with "My bad ci, did I 4get to tip u? #howrudeofme" Then the small chain of twitter rants ensue.
I mean, personally, I think Ciara would win if it ever came down to that. But that's besides the point! I love both of them and they squashed this, twitter-apologizing, and going through the kiss-and-makeup process. But has the world become so drama-filled that we resort to airing our beefs on the internet?

Here are some others:









Maybe people find the allure in the same thing that draws companies to social networks -- the amount of people that are reached. People enjoy using the social network speaker box because so many people can see what their saying in a split second and spread the word through re-tweets, comment and even share their like or dislike for the statements. That hits the person more because their argument becomes public. If the statement lacks any identification, what twitter users would call a "subtweet", the person who it was meant for gets the idea of the severity of the person's feelings and still gets "called out" to those who are aware of the situation. It has become the new tactic to embarass and be tough, but really it just falls under the category of childish.

Text messages. BBMs. FB Chat. @______. Let's not lose the reason we understand each other- our sense of communication.

Do You Really Love Me...Underneath It All?

Every once it a while, it dawns on me that celebrities are just real people. With their faces plasted all over television, magazines and billboards can you blame me? Here's a gift to women and men. Presenting to you, stars without their make-up on.


Dawn Richards


Eve


Kimora Lee Simmons


Nicki Minaj


Lauren London


Rihanna


Tyra Banks


Beyonce


Ashanti

Photo Credits: Vibe Magazine

I Win... You Lose...

In every relationship, there's a person who holds more power out of the two, whether you'd like to admit it or not. It's not usually talked about and sometimes it goes unnoticed because people often like to lie to themselves about their roles in a relationship.

The person with the most amount of power usually gets what they really want when it comes to the relationship. They're also the person who truly has the power to end the relationship. They have a bunch of natural, varying characteristics that make them in charge. They could be anything from the asshole of the couple to the one who knows how to word things in the right way. If they're smart, they know how to compromise and when to let the person with less power have more say.

The person who has less power often tries to display to the public that they have more power than they actually do. | Girls are super guilty of this and I don't know why 'cause half the time they ain't foolin no one but themselves. | The obvious ones in this group are easier to spot because they say they will do this and that and often go against their own judgments. They get what they want not because they want it and can have it but because the power holder is willing to give. Often they see some benefit that the power-holder has that they think they can benefit from and sometimes they feel inferior to their partner.

If you're a strong female, then you're probably the power-holder. No ifs ands or buts. Simply because women are a man's weakness. And by strong I don't mean you can just run off at the mouth to any female. Girls often confuse this, thinking that just because they're not afraid to give their opinion to a female that they have some sort of impenetrable strength. Half of the time those are the same ones that do everything a man says and wants because underneath it all, they're scared of the man. Scared of losing the person they're with. Look at Beyonce and Jay-Z. In "Upgrade You", she reveals that the trick of a strong woman is letting her man have the power publicly but behind closed doors she runs the show. If you're figuring out ways to get power, you just don't have it. And you probably won't so just face it. Not everyone's built to hold the reigns.

And the power can shift depending on the situation. However, it mostly stays consistent over the period of time.

The best relationships have a good balance of power. It can be argued that the best ones are the ones where each respective person knows their role, but I think those weigh down on the happiness of the less empowered of the two. And I apologize in advance if your partner reads this and changes up their whole behavior. If you're the power holder, you'll know how to put this in the right perspective ;)

Kids in Grown-Up Shoes

I've realized that, at 21, this is the age where I would love to freeze time. You're caught in the whirlwinds of fun and misbehavior. The fake ID is out the window and you're ordering rum and redbulls, the occasional amaretto sour, some cranberry concoction or my new original favorite the Malibu Barbie | Cocunut Malibu, Bacardi, pineapple juice and sprite |. Try that and get back to me. Vacations. Youth. Heading into your prime. It all seems care-free. However, with my generation it also seems to be the time where responsibility and chaos seems to knock at the door and say "Hey remember me? yeah, grow up."

As I look at a variation of people around me climbing into adulthood - babies, marriage, the race for employment, apartment hunting... - it hits me that people are stepping into their lives. | Slang translation: It's getting real out here! | Everyone else's agenda can often seem like a cloud of pressure looming over your own schedule of life events. I've spoken to a few friends and they're stressed from the dizziness of trying to build their lives, whether it's family or their peers consciously or subconsciously pressuring them to get the ball rolling.

It's easy to cave in to the feeling of being left behind. But take it from me, an ex full-time futuristic thinker now turned part-time future part-time present thinker, we are YOUNG! Enjoy it! For some reason, our generation has a warped psyche that believes by your mid twenties, you're old. Be happy for those around you and build happiness for yourself. Salute to all moving onto the next stages in their lives and making beautiful strides. Everyone has their own private goals of where they'd like to be, and nothing always goes as planned. Surprises, obstacles and good opportunities are sprinkled all through your life to shape you as an individual. I've come to truly understand this idea of tomorrow never being promised. It's all about balance of enjoying today and being prepared for tomorrow along with everyone's personal goals and measures of bliss. Revel in your accomplishments and steadily reach for what you want out of this life, a day at a time. In basic words, think of the kid in the grown-up shoes; either you can fit those suckers or wait till your feet grows.

We are all here temporarily, so make sure you enjoy enough of life to last you eternally.

Bleach Lighter, Tan Darker

I wake up to a text reading, "Yo when did Vybz Kartel turn white? lol" and I think of when Blondie from Bad Girls Club yelled "Bleach" a thousand times because Christina had a splashfest with a jug of Clorox after they tried to violate all her personal belongings. Now if you didn't know Vybz Kartel before you glanced at this post, he's a very popular reggae artist. Check his credentials . . . I'm a fan and so are many of other reggae lovers. Which is why I was so disappointed in his quest for a "new look." Aren't people happy with how they are anymore?

Anddddd | drumroll | TO TOP IT OFF, he said that it was no different than white people TANNING!

I had a convo about the situation which resulted in the debate that bleaching your skin isn't very different than an African-American female perming her hair, or people getting tattoos or boob jobs or a Nicki Minaj questionably-sized ass. Although I disagree, I can see the argument from both sides. Changing the color of your skin is less socially acceptable so it'll receive more backlash.

I just think that these stars are sending the wrong message to more impressionable fans, not promoting being comfortable in your own skin. The media stands at the top of the totem pole for many people as a standard to base their fashion and trends on. And I believe that in the music industry, they can give off the impression that lighter is better. There's times I've looked at music videos and noticed female artists getting lighter make-up placed on their faces. Younger generations are experience suicides because they feel so uncomfortable in their own skin due to society's lack of embrace.

We've got to do better.

Every Kiss Begins With... "'Kay?"

So it's dawned on me that it's becoming a growing trend for not only couples but single guys to want to kiss females in the club. At first I only thought it was a white people thing (and it definitely is). Trust I speak from first hand experience. Whether it was the time a white guy told me I was pretty... | Time out for a second. I think all ladies find it more flattering when men of another race compliment them. Right? It's something about it that makes it seem more genuine. Resume. |... and proceeded to try and pin me against the wall, in which I squealed "Wait, woah! What you are doing?" and proceeded to walk away. This other white guy told me my lips were fat...| moment of silence for that awkward comment? compliment? | and asked to kiss me in the middle of the bar after knowing me for all of twenty minutes. And I've experienced the sweeter approach as well. The move-in after nice conversation and the gentleman move of purchasing some drinks. The best part is that they all held a confused look too like they couldn't understand why I wouldn't want to kiss them. As if they were used to every kiss getting the okay. I've been to the white bars and I can guarantee you someone in there is going to be sucking face with another.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm seeing black men exhibit the "Love in This Club" tendencies more frequently. Although, I believe they do it for different reasons. They're much more territorial with their smooches as if to say "Yea, I'm kissing her. That means she's mine." Almost like a "Ha ha" in the face of others he feels might want her, pose as a threat or are even pondering the possibility of getting with the female. Either way they're not opposed to the idea of kissing in a social setting as much as they were before.

For people in general, a few drinks will make them more susceptible to wanting to go on a smooching spree. Females aren't excluded. It takes two to tango. Girls kiss girls. Girls kiss guys. There's triple kisses and all sorts of kissing phenomena. People do this on a regular basis though! And full on make-out sessions at that.

Have you seen Snooki? Perfect example. Being a new interest for the media due to Jersey Shore whether she cares or not, her obsession with kissing strangers is highlighted to an audience. Everytime she goes out she's basically hunting for lips. Perhaps she provides a suitable insight into the mind of a kiss-aholic, complaining on one of the episodes that kissing is not an equivalent to sex so she doesn't see the harm in wanting to make out in a club.

Riiiiight.

Toast to the New Year

Out with the old, in with the new. 2011 is dedicated to embracing change, change and more change! If you haven't noticed, this is my first post not beginning with the letter "F". Truthfully, I've had a good run with the "F" titled posts and after a solid year I found myself holding onto my love for the concept and not wanting to admit that I now found it a bit stifling in terms of creativity. But that's what a blog is for, experimenting and growing. You'll see a lot of personal growth through the entries this year as well as some good elements that I've learned and decided to keep and apply because they worked in previous posts.

A lot has happened towards the end of 2010 and while I've been thinking and wanting to write, writer's block mixed with a lost motivation has cramped my ability to dish out posts. But such is life. And a crazy life it is. You always think you know how bad things can get until worse happens and it either makes you or breaks you. It's these events that change life, your perspective on it, and your decisions on where to take yourself. I've got lots to say for whoever's ready to read!

EFF EVERYTHING IS BACK IN SESSION!

Funnies: Science Talk

I looked on my Facebook profile and completely forgot I listed this snippet of an AIM conversation I had with my best friend, years ago, as one of my favorite quotations.

cutiepie0462 (12:15:51 AM): a deamination event will change cytosine to uracil?
cutiepie0462 (12:15:57 AM): sorry wrong im
ME(12:18:07 AM): lol yes it will because the crotanomes in the cytosine rise to the surface providing a jelly-like substance called hydropreferate which once deaminated produce uracil
cutiepie0462 (12:18:35 AM): don ever hav an answer
ME(12:18:38 AM): lmaoo
...cutiepie0462 (12:19:05 AM): u take bio or jus kno random shit?
ME (12:19:12 AM): i made it up
ME (12:19:13 AM): lmao
cutiepie0462 (12:19:22 AM): lmaooooooooooooooo
ME(12:19:23 AM): lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ME (12:19:27 AM): dont eva not kno
ME (12:19:29 AM): lmaoooooooooooooooooooooo
cutiepie0462 (12:19:32 AM): y that sounded mad bio ish
ME (12:19:39 AM): i kno lmao im hot
cutiepie0462 (12:20:02 AM): i never had an explanatiion like that though ur class went more in depth than mines
ME(12:23:56 AM): that was too funny
cutiepie0462 (12:24:35 AM): btw it is true

'Fraid to Ask the Right Questions

I was sitting in Radio class today, surfing the net per usual (this time for MBA information) when my teacher called on me to be interviewed by another classmate. The interview glossed over silly, comfortable things like what my Halloween was like (Awesome btw!) and what i wanted to do (Advertising, marketing, tv/fashion, entrepreneur extraordinaire) and where i was from (NYC BABY!) It didn't really capture the gist of what the teacher wanted to hear though. Didn't capture who I was. All the time, during the interview I was thinking "I don't know what these people want to hear... I don't really have anything to say." Then the teacher interrupted with one statement "Tell me about yourself in thirty seconds..." and it opened so much more a unveiling, free-flowing interesting conversation.

It's the questions you ask others, the questions you ask yourself as well as what you're willing to respond with.

I'm such a private person. I don't think there's anyone out there that knows everything that's happened to me. (Could be a good or bad thing.) Half due to the fact that people don't ask the right questions and the other part due to the fact that I don't say. I look at reality shows like Real World and can never picture myself on there. My life opened for the world to see? I'll pass. I admit it would be a hell of a show though.

"Live Fast, Die Young" just came on my iPod. I love that song, and I dont think it'll ever get old to me. Live for the moment and put a bullet on it. Half of me believes that if i was forced to say all my actions out loud, I'd think about them more before I just dove into them. I kind of embrace the thoughtlessness of being carefree in life too though. It's the best and worst thing that's ever happened to such a futuristic thinker and planner such as myself. I encourage everyone to live in the now. It's the only way to learn for the future, realize your past and understand your present. Anyway I'm going on a tangent...

Back to the interview. The point of the interview was to reach below the surface and learning to ask the right questions in order to get the sort of answers you want. Even when the person we're asking the questions to are ourselves. We're scared to find things out about ourselves, others, we simply don't care, or are not willing to analyze. A lot of the times I find myself asking "Why doesn't that person know that?" "Why is that man like 25 and not advancing...? Doesn't he see his peers passing him?" "Why does she keep making the same mistake over and over expecting a different result?" Those people probably haven't had any one ask them those questions or they don't ask themselves those questions.

And asking questions stretches beyond just uncovering interesting things, it's about opening opportunities. I would ask my aunt if she was busy and she'd confirm and I'd leave it that. My Grandma would force me to go back to her and ask her directly if she'd take me somewhere and she'd say "yes." I never wanted to ask the direct question though.

It could be the same private part of me that likes to hold back information until Im sure it'll be received well but I think we each have a bit of that in us and it's more hindering than helpful. And so the process of making my voice louder begins. It's not that no one wants to listen, sometimes you have to force them to. Even if the person is yourself.

Quarter life crisis' exist. I feel like at least half our generation will experience one."

A bad white girl is BETTER than any bad anything..."

Heard a Black male say this. Bad meaning "incredibly sexy." I won't express my feelings about it, I'll just let it marinate with you guys. Everybody has an opinion...right?

Fugly People Are on the Come-Up

"U-G-L-Y you aint got no alibi... you ugly yeah yeah you ugly." I never truly knew what that meant but I sang it anyway along with the other kids caught up in it's catchiness and understanding the overall message of calling out the ugly ducklings. As we grow up, the importance of appearance is ingrained in our systems. It seems the less attractive folk (someone once told me you shouldn't call people ugly) got the short end of the stick but now it seems they are definitely on the rise and showing off in more ways than one.

People used to ignore Lil Wayne all the time when he was younger, aka the before the dreads and "i can actually rap" era. I'm sure he had groupies being apart of Cash Money Millionaires but he was no sex symbol. Now he's having babies with Lauren London and everyone thinks he's the Sugar Honey Iced Tea. And I can't forget the fact that Necole Bitchie tweeted her love for Ricky Rozay. There are people out there crushing hard on Rick Ross right now! Yes I said...Rick Ross. Some people think that tatted up, shirt off without any pacs, free-way bearded look is sexy. Hey, Foxy went out with him or was placed with him at some point so I'm sure she doesn't disagree.

And yeah some can say "Maybe it's the money..." Sometimes it truly is. I don't know... money can never cover up a face to me. Eh, personality is a different thing but no one likes to claim that as a reason they become attracted to someone.

I applaud that beauty changes within eras though. God knows I look back at pictures of myself from before and go "Who let me look like that?!..." On America's Top Model, I hear people say all the time "Da-yumm that girl is ugly! Why is she even on the show?" and it's interesting to know that those girls mark a new definition of beauty and are making more money than some of the people at home putting them in the category of ugly.

In schools the pretty people ran things and now those who aren't considered the creme de la creme are still portraying the utmost confidence. People used to say ugly girls are getting pretty friends just to be in the in crowd. They still say it. Ask a girl who the ugly one in her crew is and she'll swear up and down they're all bad. Bad meaning good.

Where as back in the day, the less attractive people were cowering away from the spotlight, they currently certainly seem to be inching to the forefront screaming "Back then they didn't want me, now I'm hot they allll on me!"

FOTO OP: Imma 80s Baby

My fam thinks it's cool to post embarrassing pics of me on the internet, but I had to repost because this has 80s baby written all over it.

FOTO OP: Trojan Magnum Ad

A Magnum ad I created last year. Eh, I think this would be an effective campaign.