A Day in the Life in Tia's World: December 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

One year of the blogging experience

Wow...it's been exactly a year ago that I decided to start blogging. My decision to blog was due to me being bored with not landing my career job..yet...but at the same time keeping my writing skills fresh. 2010...where do I start...of course at the end of 2009 I expected many great things to occur in the new year, as I currently hope for in 2011...however 2010 was a heck of a ride, mentally, physically AND emotionally. My employer put me through the wringer..in a sense with all of the drama, pay cut, etc. that took place. I found myself in the same position in March 09 in July of 10...unemployed and depending on government assistance. I haven't publicly spoken about it on my social networks, but it has been rough. The more I search for jobs that I know I'm highly qualified for, the more disappointed I become when I get that dreaded email. My health was a major concern in 2010 also. In April, I visited the emergency room to treat a condition known as bronchospasm, which is closely related to asthma. I've never had respiratory problems before, so as one can guess it threw me through a loop. In July, was the most trying time for my health..I had some issues that required surgery and at that moment, I realized just how precious life is, and the choices and mistakes I've made, I have to live with those consequences. I tried to get on a diet...and failed miserably...this is the heaviest I've been in my life, and I was rather disappointed in myself that I didn't have enough discipline to stick with a diet and exercise regiment. I also made the choice to transition my hair from relaxed to natural, currently seven months in, and it has been an empowering experience. Okay enough with that here are some moments of humor and good times during 2010:
#2010moment Seeing Jill Scott, Maxwell, Trey Songz and one of my favorite singers Monica in concert
#2010moment my grandmother and father working together to get my college ring for me
#2010moment my bf buying me my favorite movie Beauty and the Beast on DVD and buying me a figurine to match
#2010moment Enjoying some Southern Hospitality in Virginia
#2010moment seeing my brother graduate from Princeton University
#2010moment spending my birthday with my family

Now onto the humorous moments of 2010

#2010disappointments Tights vs Leggings...some women DON'T know the difference
#2010disappointments women in scarves, bonnets, and pajamas in public...or darn near naked in public
#2010disappointments lace front wigs at an all time high
#2010disappointments Keri Hilson..girl bye
#2010disappointments Passion, Pain & Pleasure album...Mr. Steal Your Girl should have let his Ready album continue to marinate and continue to put out mixtapes
#2010disappointments five star chicks and Barbies
#2010disappointments Soulja Boy Tell 'Em whole music catalog
#2010disappointments "Swagg", hit 'em with the Dougie, and super skinny clothes on men
#2010disappointments Getting drunk, shimmying, picking an argument with my bf at his dinner party
#2010disappointments and the most disappointing moment of them all...my cousin's party where a girl performed oral sex on another girl on the catwalk at Fusion night club.

As 2010 comes to a close in two days I'm again faced with a big decision...but I know ultimately it will be the best decision in the long run..

~L.G.~

Thursday, December 2, 2010

For Colored Girls:Too old fashioned for 2010?

The women in the play adaptation of the choreopoem

In order for a proper analysis of the movie to be made, one must read the original choreopoem by author Ntozake Shange. There were two different emotions felt after reading the original work and watching the movie. After I read the book, I felt empowered, but after seeing the movie I felt depressed. I'll begin with the book...we are introduced to seven different women who are only identified by the colors they wear: Lady in Red, Lady in Blue, Lady in Orange, Lady in Brown, Lady in Green, Lady in Purple and Lady in Yellow. The reader learns where they come from, their lives, and what they do to overcome their obstacles in a collection of poems, with monologues, song and dance. The original has been adapted into plays, including a performance at the Broadway theater in 1982 starring unknown actresses at the time Lynn Whitfield and Alfre Woodard and movie directed by Tyler Perry shortening the name to "For Colored Girls".

Terry Perry's work is in modern day New York City, unlike the book first written in 1975. All of the characters live in or around Harlem, in the original work the ladies were all over in Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Baltimore, San Francisco, Manhattan, and St. Louis. Perry incorporated Shange's poetry throughout the movie, at times you couldn't tell the script from the poetry, while other times the transition from the poetry to the script didn't flow. In the movie the women have names unlike the original work. The Lady in Red name is Jo a successful magazine editor, the Lady in Brown is Crystal who is the assistant to Jo, the Lady in Purple is Nyla a high school graduate and dancer, the Lady in Yellow is Yasmine dance instructor to Nyla, the Lady in Green is Juanita, a nurse who also runs a support group to promote safe sex, the Lady in Blue is Kelly a social worker, and the Lady in Orange is Tangi a bartender and sister to Nyla. Other characters include Gilda the nosy building manager in which the majority of the ladies live, Alice a member of a religious cult and mother of Tangi and Nyla, Rose a back alley abortionist, Beau Willie Crystal's boyfriend and father of her two children Kenya and Kwame, Carl is Jo's husband, Frank is Juanita's boyfriend, Donald is Kelly's husband and Bill casually dates Yasmine.

The movie was a lot to digest in two hours and every emotion was pulled, stretched, and eventually left you drained once leaving out of the theater. The movie dealt with promiscuity, date rape, HIV, pregnancy and abortion, child barren from an untreated STD, physical and emotion abuse, murder, and unfaithfulness in a relationship. The enjoyed the movie, and was thoroughly impressed with Perry's attempt to re-create it for the modern day woman; however, I have a few issues with the characters and movie. Alice was oddly placed in the movie, over the top and at times heartless, Jo's character obviously patterned after Meryl Streep's character from the Devil Wears Prada lacked dimension. Juanita was overdramatic at times, and just plain annoying. The back alley abortinist wasn't modern at all, I imagine in the 70's abortions were very controversial and probably more expensive, so why keep that portion of the play in the movie? Why did Perry have the women refer to themselves as colored women in present day New York City? If Perry was going to keep the dialogue of the choreopoem he should have set the movie in the 70's. The stories of the women are real, and do not discriminate; however, there were no solutions to the issues the women faced in the film. The only positive ending to the film was Nyla going off to college. Overall, the movie is still something that everyone must see...after reading the original work of course.

Donald and Lady in Blue Kelly

Bill and Lady in Yellow Yasmine

Lady in Purple Nyla

Gilda

Lady in Brown Crystal and Beau Willie

Lady in Red Jo

Lady in Green Juanita


Lady in Orange Tangi and Alice

The cast of For Colored Girls, l to r: Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington, Janet Jackson, Kimberly Elise, Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Thandie Newton

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

DSU: A Family Affair Homecoming Wrap-Up

Winners of 2010 stepshow

I know this blog is so well overdue but I had to write it. For some apparent reason, when meeting up with alumni; high school and college some form of shade was thrown at me. Umm excuse me did I do or say something wrong to you? Or how about if you didn't like me in school, we're adults now get over it! Good grief, the "shade" factor was no exception at my alma mater's homecoming. I aforementioned in my last post that not too many people seemed enthusiastic about going to HC, many people worked that weekend, or simply did not attend. I made my way to Dover Thursday night, and my friend from NY came down the next day. Friday's events were the step show and the one of two young alumni parties. Blake gave me a shoutout at the step show, and I found it comical that the current student body turned around to look at me as if to say who is this old chick?! The show was just okay..nothing like how it was from years ago...that was my first feeling of I'm getting too old for this stuff. The brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. won their first step show in years, with their Drum line inspired show. The Alphas accused them of swagger jacking some of their moves from a previous step show. The ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. won again this year with their Monster inspired show.(I had problems with uploading the video for Zeta Phi Beta).

Another underlying theme for HC was awkward...there were plenty of awkward moments. The first moment happened at the step show, my friend invited me and another friend to sit in her section with her sorority..There were many evil glares thrown at us, because they knew we weren't Greek. I made up my mind to never put myself in that situation again. The next moment was the addition of two other guests at my friend's home for the weekend. They are her sorors and it is expected that she would open her home to them; however, the two weren't interested in what me and my other friend were conversing about (she's in a sorority too), they were only interested in talking about their organization and brother organization. The young alumni party was cool, there were a lot of familiar faces, not so familiar faces, and did you even graduate faces. Of course Mr. Popularity himself (Mike Feeney) was there having a good time and taking pics (if you ain't on mfeenz camera then you weren't at HC!).

Saturday we missed the game again, but was happy to hear that they won. My friends and I all went our separate ways once on campus, while I wandered over to the new MLK Center. All I can say is man! These new students are some lucky ducks! How ironic was it that the majority of the Hornet Staff all randomly met up and took some pics in the spot where the Hornet Office used to be located (tears). I eventually wandered off to the plots, and took pictures again. The final awkward moment happened when two of my friends, me and some older Kappas (or Nupes as some are called) took a picture, everyone in the picture threw up their respective organizations sign, and me...none. I'm not Greek and for the older Kappas to look and notice that I didn't hold up a sign was the worse awkward moment of the evening.

The young alumni concert featured DSU's own Amillion Poet's Poetry In Motion and it was wonderful. I was familiar of this young man's talent from a creative writing class we took together. The second opening act was Anonymous Soul and they tore it up! The crowd wasn't really being receptive of them, but from watching a previous performance of their's years ago, they have improved dramatically. The headliner Chrisette Michelle hit the stage and the girl can SANG! Beautiful demeanor and personality and a great sense of humor, Chrisette was the cherry on top of the concerts I've attended this year. On Sunday, my friend and me were contemplating if we would return next year for homecoming or take a break. Still up in the air, one thing is for sure, if we come back next year we'll have a rental and a hotel stay.

~L.G.~

Here's some pics and video from DSU Homecoming 2010-