BLOGGER TEMPLATES - TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »

Monday, October 19, 2009

backwards as this, shit

This is that kanye mini movie...i was all with the concept for a little while, and still think i somewhat understand what he was going for...something about his last album spoke to me, i guess because i feel like i understand the emotions he was putting into his music...a friend of mine said once that "it's one thing to like kanye's album, it's another thing entirely to have lived through that sh!t.



btw, the post title is froma haiku from one of my fav writers

Monday, September 28, 2009

disgusted...yet again

Haven't posted in awhile, but this is something that I felt was important enough to bring me back from my hiatus. This is something that happened in Chicago. An honor student was beaten to death during a "gang" fight. Basically the students were fighting using only fists and wooden planks. This kid got hit while allegedly trying to help another student.

Honestly, watching the video almost made me cry for several reasons

-I thought of how most of what I saw on twitter after the release of this video dealt with mashonda and alicia keys, and this was true of even black people from Chicago...i think that people are just desensitized to violence in this city. I know that since I moved here, I am much less emotionally affected by the violence that plagues this city.

-A lot of the kids just watched the whole scene, and the one who tried to help, ended up dying. this is an obvious reason why so many people just stood by and watched

-the death of this man basically means that several more young black men's lives have ended. they will be thrown into the justice system for what was, in essence, a school fight gone horribly wrong. they were wrong, i'm not denying that they should have to take responsibility...but the justice system is going to turn these kids into hardened criminals..if they ever get out of prison, they will probably be even more of a burden on society because they will not be able to get jobs, and will have learned to lead a criminals life with the real murderers in prison

-chicago is worried about getting the olympics...it would be a great opportunity for those who stand to make money from them, but honestly, the event will not benefit the black people who inhabit the regions of the city that will be directly affected. They will wipe peoples neighborhoods out, and black businesses won't see a large amount of contracts, so the money will not come to our community. Chicago has much more to worry about, ie, the lives of the children, the education system, the poverty, the homelessness...obviously this list could go on forever

-the city decided to step up security at the high school where this occurred...obviously, this is a reactive approach...could nothing have been done prior to this. in a city where a large number of school age children are killed each year, you would think that the city would take a more proactive approach

that said, here's the video of the fight...it's kinda gruesome, so don't watch if you get squeamish

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

look famous




found this on this cute little site, Just be spLendid , makes me want to use this as my mantra moving forward...

Monday, July 27, 2009

soon to be in my life...




This bag will soon be in my life...as inspired by my bestie's all black coach bag that she brought on our trip to Ohio for a wedding this past weekend...I had been thinking about getting something like this, and I just love all the colors...hence, i may be making a purchase in the near future...

BOLD that ish...lol

Bought everyone in the bar a drink
Swam with wild dolphins
Climbed a mountain
Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
Been inside the Great Pyramid
Held a tarantula
Taken a candlelit bath with someone
Said “I love you” and meant it
Hugged a tree
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightning storm at sea - from the shore
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
Seen the Northern Lights
Gone to a huge sports game
Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
Grown and eaten your own vegetables
Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars
Changed a baby’s diaper
Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
Watched a meteor shower
Gotten drunk on champagne
Given more than you can afford to charity
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
Had a food fight
Bet on a winning horse
Asked out a stranger
Had a snowball fight
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
Held a lamb
Seen a total eclipse
Ridden a roller coaster
Hit a home run
Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
Adopted an accent for an entire day
Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
Had two hard drives for your computer
Visited all 50 states
Taken care of someone who was drunk
Had amazing friends
Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
Watched wild whales
Stolen a sign
Backpacked in Europe
Taken a road-trip
Gone rock climbing
Midnight walk on the beach
Gone sky diving
Visited Ireland
Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
Visited Japan
Milked a cow
Alphabetized your CDs
Pretended to be a superhero
Sung karaoke
Lounged around in bed all day
Played touch football
Gone scuba diving
Kissed in the rain
Played in the mud
Played in the rain
Gone to a drive-in theater
Visited the Great Wall of China
Started a business
Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
Toured ancient sites
Taken a martial arts class
Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
Gotten married
Been in a movie
Crashed a party
Gotten divorced
Gone without food for 5 days
Made cookies from scratch
Won first prize in a costume contest
Ridden a gondola in Venice
Gotten a tattoo
Rafted the Snake River
Been on television news programs as an “expert”
Got flowers for no reason
Performed on stage
Been to Las Vegas
Recorded music
Eaten shark
Kissed on the first date
Gone to Thailand
Bought a house
Been in a combat zone
Buried one/both of your parents
Been on a cruise ship
Spoken more than one language fluently/well enough to have a decent conversation
Performed in Rocky Horror
Raised children
Followed your favourite band/singer on tour
Started your own wiki
Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
Had plastic surgery (reconstructive surgery counts)
Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
Wrote articles for a large publication
Lost over 100 pounds
Held someone while they were having a flashback
Piloted an airplane
Touched a stingray
Broken someone’s heart
Helped an animal give birth
Won money on a T.V. game show
Broken a bone
Gone on an African photo safari
Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
Ridden a horse
Had major surgery
Had a snake as a pet
Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
Visited all 7 continents
Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
Eaten kangaroo meat
Eaten sushi
Had your picture in the newspaper
Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
Gone back to school
Parasailed
Touched a cockroach
Eaten fried green tomatoes
Read The Iliad
Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Skipped all your school reunions
Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
Been elected to public office
Written your own computer language
Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
Had to put someone you love into hospice care
Built your own PC from parts
Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
Had a booth at a street fair
Dyed your hair
Been a DJ
Shaved your head
Caused a car accident
Saved someone’s life

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

images

Crutches
by, Nikki Giovanni

it's not the crutches we decry
it's the need to move forward
though we haven't the strength

women aren't allowed to need
so they develop rituals
since we all know working hands idle
the devil
women aren't supposed to be strong
so they develop social smiles
and secret drinking problems
and female lovers whom they never touch
except in dreams


men are supposed to be strong
so they have heart attacks
and develop other women
who don't know their weaknesses
and hide their fears
behind male lovers
whom they religiously touch
each saturday morning on the basketball court
it's considered a sign of health doncha know
that they take such good care
of their bodies


i'm trying to say something about the human condition
maybe i should try again

this piece enbodies a conversation i was having the other day, about images in the lives of men and women. Women especially. the idea that we're supposed to be happy once we've attained certain things, and not happy when we're missing certain others. and we can't show certain feelings without being labeled as one thing or the other. in addition to all this, we must uphold a certain image...so we may put up a certain front, while engaging in certain behaviors privately, or perhaps not so privately, but under false motives. a friend of mine once told me that it is not safe for one person to hold a secret within, and i suppose that is part of the human condition that Nikki is trying to get at here. that people, in order to protect their images, hold in certain things. i haven't yet decided how i feel about that...

Thursday, July 9, 2009

disgusted...again

sp apparently the management at a pool doesn't serve minorities...i've no time to expound upon my feelings about this..just know....some people suck. that is all...enjoy the video.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

nowassatall

funny video...there's a quote in the beginning of her defending herself against another black girl, that sadly reminds me of myself...lol...anyway, i think aisha tyler is fab and i believe she'll be hosting the golden fellowship dinner this year...soooo.... good times!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

birthdays

because of my overabundance of gemini friends, i have been thinking a lot about bithdays lately...people have been doing some really interesting things for their birthdays this summer, and a few of the things i am/have participated in were quiet evenings with friends, jet-skiing, rooftop parties, six flags, and weeklong celebrations...all of this has led me to wonder, what i will do for my 23rd. I'm getting excited, even though i have to wait until October to celebrate...some ideas i've had thus far: vacation w/my girls...probably to nyc or miami..nothing major, a night out dowtown...i think i would get a room at the trump for one night, just for close friends, then go out the next night...a dinner party, which would be kinda neat cuz i like spending time with friends...or maybe something else...either way, i know it's gonna include shopping for a cute new bday dress and a few other items...idk why i'm thinking about this so soon, but oh well...im starting to get excited already

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

doing better

i promise to post more often...i'm going to have to think some things over, and look for a good something on here tomorrow...for all ten of my readers.lol. yeah, so in the meantim...tweet me or something... twitter.com.missjess11

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

it knocks you down

so, keri hilson...i never really thought of myself as a real fan...like, never purchased a song on itunes or whatever, but her album is out today, and i think i may get it...reason being: i think i like her style...this video is hot, even though i think the song isn't really that hot...maybe too pop-like for me...but yeah...i like her style the entire way through, hence, i feel it's necessary to support her

Monday, March 23, 2009

us placers

so, i was just over at http://djtimbuck2.com/?p=694 because a) i was trying to support a friend of mine who raps and whatnot and was apparently on the website, and b)i think timbuk2 is pretty dope...anywho, i saw this video for "us placers" which i think is a pretty hot song...not sure why i had never seen this video before, cuz the song has been out for awhile



my thoughts on this one...little lupe is so adorable...lil dude that's playin kanye throws up a perfect mid a few times, even tho it's supposed to be the "roc"...and the kid that's supposed to be parrell has a bit of swagger(i hate that word, but i couldn't find anything else that fits)

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

disgusted!!!



how can we allow this as people...we can get all up in arms over domestic violence, with everyone doing special shows because our beloved superstars are having problems, but we can't do something about crap like this???seriously, get it together!!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

why i need these in my life



i've been eyeing these shoes for about a week now, and i can't figure out why i feel likei need them in my life...the heel is like five inches, which would make me 6'2", and they're kinda gaudy looking, but for some reason, i feel the need to add them to my closet...i feel like i would never wear them, and i would have overall wasted a bit of money...i've been thinking about this for like two weeks...needing to make a decision.

oh yeah, they're harajuku lovers... heels.com

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

paris...and music

so, exciting news...im thinking that i will be in paris in may, for a little more than a weekend. im very anxious, and hoping everything works out well...more details to come as thing begin to be finalized...

but for now, im a little upset im going to miss this girls concert...clearly she's super talented

Monday, February 23, 2009

Project Jess: Day 1

Somewhere along the line, I’ve lost my edge…I think that in the past two years, I’ve gone through a lot…mostly this was stuff that helped me grow, but it also led me to lead a lot of things behind…to be included in this list:my love for reading, my passion for talking to and interacting with people, and my work ethic. I don’t know what the heck happened…it was like one day I was going through novel after novel, hanging out and introducing myself to folks, and working crazy hours while completing all my school work nearly perfectly and on time; and the next day I was spending a countless amount of money on books that “looked’ good, but I would never finish, being too shy to network at events, and procrastinating and turning in less than stellar projects…WHAT THE HECK!!??!?!? Clearly, I need to re-step my game up…project jessica begins!

how come i never heard this song before?

Friday, February 20, 2009

music on my mind



in life's news: owtness tonight...should be pretty interesting, considerigng the party im going to...hopefully the storm won't be too bad, so i can make my flight in the morning...working on being more productive at work, as in, creating my own projects to manage

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

because i like kanye...no matter what people say


KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Monday, February 9, 2009

just another manic monday

really, this morning started out quite interestingly...i actually thought i was dying..having some random health issues. i know it's weird, but once i forgot about that, I actually thought today would be a pretty good day. It was super nice outside when i walked the pup, so i figured it would only get better.

anywho, it seems like people wanted to make my day more and more negative, but i've decided that im not going to let things bring me down. sidenote: please pray for my cousin and her baby...

ok. so, today i decided was going to be the day that i really take control of certain things in my life. i bought some notebooks to help me to keep track of my goals. i have a lot of them, and now that i don't really hav a sig. other that i talk to about these things, it's kind of hard for me to keep track. I got one notebook for work stuff, and one for money, career(including school), and life in general...my plan is to write out my goals and plans for accomplishing them, then following up with writing about my progress in each area...im kinda excited about this project.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

superbowl weekend...good times

im clearly late posting this, BUT, i had the best superbowl weekend....friday night was the foreign exchange concert, so, to start the night, we went to an event that my ships had downtown at the bowling alley...i couldn't drink, since it was a delta event, but i had fun nonetheless...good times!!!

driving to the north side was interesting...we found a parking spot right next to the club...but we had a problem...The park was across the street (read:facing the opposite direction) from where my car was. So, my old roomie jumps out of the car, and goes to stand in the spot...now, usually i call her bougie, but, she was a complete and total G in this situation. This guy nearly ran her over trying to park, and she yelled at him, telling him that I was GOING to park there and that he needed to move. One word. HILARIOUS.

Concert was awesome...Black People...I haven't seen so many of us in a room listening to GOOD music in so long. the dj was great. i had fun.

Saturday...chill day...my ship had a launch party for the black magazine that she edits for her school. i was so proud of her.



superbowl sunday...i was kinda worried about how this was gonna turn out. i had a few places to stop by, but i didn't really want to go to any of them. anywho, i skipped two places and went over to my ships...i knew it would be mostly girls, which meant it would be different from any superbowl experience i had in awhile...i had a freakin blast!!! i brought bacardi mojitos and white wine...because that's what i felt like was necessary... i got toasted and really really enjoyed the game. plus, i got to wear a shirt i had bought and never got a chance to wear...notice the pic...btw, dude was highly disturbed when he got to the house and there were only women...


...then, we stopped by the bday party of a friend of mine around the corner...then came back and enjoyed a few hands of spades...im tellin you....great weekend!!!

Friday, January 30, 2009

tonight's the night

so, me and one of my old roomies have been looking forward to this concert for quite sometime now. its THE FOREIGN ECHANGE, and i think they're amazing...enjoy the music!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

well...


Lions, Tigers & Bears - Jazmine Sullivan

yall can't mess with the police...or maybe...

I have no clue who dude is, but my ship sent me this video, and it gave me a little chuckle before work... CPD really is a trip, even though these were apparently cops fromt he suburbs... apparently there was a 14 y.o. kid who was able to impersonate a cop ...like he got a car and everything.






sidenote: i've reallized that i am getting too lazy, because i wanted to gchat my boss to ask him if he needed anything done, rather than walk the 30 feet to his office. i have got to start working out or something!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

because i love my prophtyes



i had been thinking about all these things this week, especially the orgasmic births...i wonder if i would be able to take that nontraditional step and go through a midwife...

the oakland thing was so sad...im really glad that people decided to protest. i feel like too often things go unspoken, and it ends without any controversy.

burris...well, im just going to say that im disappointed in my state right now.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

because i would be dope if i could play guitar...

this is my most recent discovery...this girl is pretty talented i think...a (friend?) once told me i should learn. i was upset at the moment, but i've been considering it...besides, i need something to do when i'm not at work besides reading and being owt...enjoy the song!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

alvin ailey




ok. so i love modern dance...probably more than most people. i've taken a few classes, and honestly, im hooked on the way it makes me feel. it made me way more aware of the way that my body moves. it made me more flexible, and it was a serious workout. i also love to watch modern. to see the way that people move onstage is amazing. there are so many details that these dancers are attentive to, and i personally think it's amazing. that said, im trying to go see alvin ailey when they come to chicago in early april..i think i may make this a self date because i don't know that I know anyone who would really enjoy it...maybe i need some new friends...im so excited for April!!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

miss jess...a-z

A - AVAILABLE: for appearances with advanced notice
B - BIRTHDAY: October 3rd, 1986...definitely feeling like an adult nowadays
C - CRUSHING: wait, who wants to know??? cuz that makes a difference...don't want to fall off my pimp or die. lol
D - DRINK YOU LAST HAD: green tea with honey from my dst mug...my morning drink of choice
E - EASIEST PERSON TO TALK TO: my mommy, maybe some of my ships, my besties (we clearly could've been born from the same womb)
F - FAVORITE BANDS: errr...ummm. i cant choose...i like acoustic....i like hip hop...lets go with corrinne, lupe, kweli...idk.
G - GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS: Gummy Worms
H - HOMETOWN: belleville!!! yes i put on for my city...even if you think i live on a farm
I - INSTRUMENT(s): oboe...random i know. and xylophone/other random percussion-ish things
J - JUGGLE: i tried to learn like two weeks ago...didn't work out
K - KILLED SOMEONE: ewwww..no.
L - LONGEST CAR RIDE: to DC, a few times w/my family...or maybe to orlando..maybe i should google map the distances
M - MILKSHAKE FLAVOR: vanilla, with a cherry
N - NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: 2, my lil brother rich...a big sister, malita(we're getting closer as time goes forward)
O - ONE WISH?: to find a way to make everyone happy
L - LAST PERSON WHO TEXTED YOU: bw (only cuz i like initials)
Q- QUIET?: i think so, people never really believe me tho
R - REASON TO SMILE: cuz i like to smile...do i need a reason?
S- SONG YOU LAST HEARD: mestizo eyes-Yesterday's New Quintet...just the current song on my lastfm station
T - TIME YOU WOKE UP: 8:30, cuz i dont like gettign up too early...it would really mess up my flow
U- UNDERWEAR YOU'RE WEARING?: vicky's PINK...even tho they aren't pink..oh wait...yes they are
V - VEGETABLE YOU HATE: not a fan of baby corn at all!!!i think it's really weird how small it is...i don't like it. not one bit!!! it's kinda creepy to me.
W - WORST HABIT: not making time for myself...staying so busy that i can't just do me
X - X-RAYS YOU'VE HAD: i think i had a chest x-ray once int he 8th grade...i had pneumonia...then i got on this medicine that gave me a lot of energy...i couldn't go to school so i was going around the house cleaning everything up, and ironing everyone's clothes...it was weird
Y - YOUR FRIEND THAT SHOWED YOU THIS: picked it up from my buddy brandon
Z- ZODIAC SIGN: libra