Girls will be Girls

I am obsessed with HBOs new series Girls. After hearing about all the hype I finally spent two days watching every episode of the first season and now can't believe the season finale is already here. This show is so well written by the talented and young Lena Dunham. What I love about this show is that all the characters although they stem from characters we have seen in other shows (Sex in the City, Gossip Girls) they each have depth and don't fall into the typical archetypes they might usually for me. Although the female stars of the show have been getting a lot of the recognition I want to shout out the boys of girls. I  think the complexity of the leading male Adam makes the show really addicting. The fact that the boys don't fall in to that "bro" category that most men on television have portrayed recently make it a refreshing show. Of coarse HBO knows how to keep things fresh and current in their shows too with their references to pop culture and music which I appreciate. But most of all the show is really funny, especially the"crackcident" episode.
My only problem with the show which I expressed via twitter this week is the lack of diversity. Like there are no people of color and they live in Brooklyn, say what? I love this show because its about my generation which is girls in their early twenties trying to make sense of life after college but before real adult life.  I still relate to this show despite the girls being a different skin tone then me because we go through the same emotions and experiences that all girls of this age go through. However when will there be a show about young, interesting, talented, cool girls of color were the girl isn't the token or is in the show at all. It makes it seem like girls of different races don't matter or don't need to be represented on television. Which is disappointing and sad.
I think that television even more so than movies still has yet to wrap their heads around the concept of how to represent young women of color on television without making it seem cliche or forced diversity. Regardless of my rant I freaking love Girls and I think Lena Dunham is wonderful as an actress and writer. As an aspiring writer instead of complaining about what Girls is lacking I am going to be active and make my own change. Who knows maybe I will write a show about African American, African or Caribbean girls in 2012. Lets just say I have officially been inspired.

                                                                via blog.1800cabletv

LIFE

Did you know that you can search millions of photos from the LIFE photo archive on google? With just one search you can look at photos from the 1750s to today many of the photos which were never published at all. They had not been available for viewing until now. All you have to do is add "source:life" to any google search and it will search only the LIFE archive. It's amazing like a huge photography gallery of history right on your computer. Below are some photos that I particularly enjoyed. 

It was hard for me to choose just one of the Marilyn Monroe photos. I found a whole collection of this photo shoot of her in the woods that I had never seen. She looks so young and innocent but already classically beautiful. You can also see how she has influenced some young starlets today with her style cough Lana Del Rey. 

For the newspaper I take a lot of sports photos at the local high school games. I have a new found respect for sports photographers. Not only is it challenging to keep up the pace of the game but it is difficult to have an original sports photo that looks different. Thats why I love this photo above of Wilt Chamberlain in 1956. The lightening on the court and their long skinny legs makes for an interesting photo. 

I was just thinking the other day I wish there were still more drive in movies around. Why did that ever stop being an American pass time? Probably because everything is in 4D :) This photo was taken in 1948. 

This is from the Taj Mahal in 1967. I don't know who the man is but I really loved the colors, the way he is viewing the Taj Mahal and his beard. 

Pablo Picasso painting with light in 1949. 

I loved looking at the photos from Woodstock. So many young, muddy and happy naked people! You really get the sense that this music festival in 1969 was a historical moment of total freedom for that generation.   

Do I even need to say why this is an amazing photo of Langston Hughes? 

Above are four South African children playing in the streets of District 6 in 1946. I learned a lot about District 6 through my travels in Cape Town and in Pan African Studies classes. From what I heard it was an amazing place to live. Its sad that District 6 is no longer a place but an empty plot of land in Cape Town. If you travel to Cape Town visit the District 6 museum. 

Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly waiting back stage at the 28th annual Academy Awards before presenting in 1956. Imagine watching the Academy Awards and they are the presenters! Such classic beauty, they really don't make them like they used to. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael participating in a voter registration march in 1966. Once again imagine being around during this time period. They were tough tough times for African Americans but just to be around the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement alone would make me want to be around then at least for a day. Also Dr. Kings sunglasses are awesome.  

There are so many more I want to share but this post will get too long. But please take a moment to get lost in this photo archive its a great way to be transported into a different life... pun intended.

Little Dragon

I am a little late in the game with this one but I really love Little Dragon. I discovered the band through Miss Moss's playlist and had one of those moments when you discover new music and you play it over and over again because you can't believe you have never heard it before because it's THAT good. Little Dragon is a Swedish electronic band. Yukimi Nagano is the vocals and her close high school friends Erik Bodin play drums, Fredrik Källgren Wallin plays bass and Håkan Wirenstrand on keyboards. Although their music is labeled electronic I would say it definitely has a soulful R&B aspect to it as well, Nagano's vocal definitely bring that in. I have heard some people call her the Asian Erykah Badu too! Now if you never heard their music before don't expect to instantly see that comparison. But honestly, I do hear it now the more I listen to Nagano's voice. I love Badu so know that I am not quick to go comparing people to her! If Little Dragon and Badu ever collaborated though that would be pretty awesome. Below are some of my favorite songs by Little Dragon that you should let you ears enjoy. 

via Hazyskyline

(My favorite song by Little Dragon)
Also good songs to check out: Night Light, Twice and After the Rain

Mancala!

Words with Friends got nothing on Mancala! I used to love playing this game when I was younger I had my own wooden board with the stones as well as the computer game! If you don't know how to play mancala its pretty simple however I am not going to try and explain, but you can read how here. After a little research I found out that mancala comes from the Arabic word naqala meaning "to move." I also found out that mancala  isn't the name of the game but is the name of the family of these types of games which are count and capture games. Mancala games are played in many African and Asian societies and is often called Kalah or Oware. The game dates back to between 500 and 700 AD in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Thanks wikipedia! Either way I was reminded of the game when my mom says that her students love to play at school. I decided if I am ever rich and excessive I am going to have a room in my house just for playing mancala. In the center of the room will be an a beautifully elaborate wooden mancala board sculpted in the shape of an elephant with gems to play with. Sounds fun right? Below are some images I found of people playing the game throughout Africa. 

Playing mancala in the sand in the Sudan.  

A Dinka man smokes a pipe while playing in Southern Sudan. 

Children playing mancala in Akropong Akvapim, Ghana.

Wood mancala board from the Cameroon. 

Throw Back: Ryan Gosling!

For all those Ryan Gosling fans out there this one goes out to you! I love that hes suppose to have that old school R&B brotha swag going on in this video. Justin is in it too of coarse, I cant spot where the others are from though. Enjoy!

Congrats!

President Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize!

Things that I have been way to obsessed with

I am TRYING to not read Teen Vogue anymore, but its just not working out. Big shout out to TV for having two black models on the cover, and also a pregnant one at that(Jourdan, congrats!).

I just would really like a denim shirt, that is all.

If it involves South Africa, I am obsessed.

I am currently going through these things weekly...
I love Quincey Jones( I have a dog named Quincey) I didn't know Rashida was his daughter, so I am obsessed!

a PLEASE, that sounds like music

Yesterday I was honored to introduce Dr Jericho Brown at a poetry reading at my college. He is an amazing poet and writer, and his first book Please just came out. Last year Dr Jericho chose one of my poems for a poetry prize, so It was a huge honor to introduce him last night. I want to encourage everyone to buy it! I am gonna post bellow part of my speech which contains a Bio on him and his new poetry book. Also here is his website

Dr Jericho Brown is a poet, Professor of Creative Writing and Literature at University of San Diego. He received his PhD in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Houston, holds an MFA from University of New Orleans as well as a BA from Dillard University. He is also a past editor at Gulf Coast and Callaloo. He also received two travel fellowships to the Krakow Poetry Seminar in Poland. His work has been featured in Oxford American, New England Review, and The Iowa Review. As well as worked as the speechwriter for the Mayor of New Orleans. Now his first book Please, has already won The American Book Award in 2009.

In his poetry book Please, He creates tracks as the soundtrack to a culture and history of our lives. The book is in four parts Repeat, Pause, Power, and Stop. He sings, shouts, and screams through the voices of famous icons such as Diane Ross, Janis Joplin, and the scarecrow from the wizard of Oz in order to send a message to his readers. Please is described as “Exploring the points in our lives at which love and violence intersect.” He creates an album; the poems are the tracks to his own music, a culture of African American history as well as the struggle of male identity and sexuality. His poems are alive, and will march right up to you with something to say.

Booty rockin show stoppin: Thunderheist

If you don't already know, then you should definitely check out Thunderheist. This Canada based duo producer Grahm Zilla from Montreal and MC Isis (from Toronto). They're electronic club beats are incredibly fresh and great to dance to. Bellow is their club hit jerk it, but you should also listen to nothing 2 step 2:)

Jerk It - Thunderheist

I am back in college, and am so far loving it. My class are really interesting and seem like its going to be a good semester.

OMG... I need a dutchtub

(google images)
My cousins wife showed me this the other day, its a portable wood fired hot tub from Holland. I don't know if they sell them in America yet, but when they do I am getting one. They come in amazing colors and the best part is you can bring them where ever you go. Check out there website for more information. This is definitely going on my wish list.

I want... heart shaped glasses

(google Image, glasses from Fredflare.com)

Well I am back! I had a little hiatus for a while. My best friend who I hadn't seen in a year was visiting, but she left back to Rome today. We had a lot of fun together and I am gonna miss so much. But today was a pretty awesome day. I went to the Wassaic Project in Wassaic, New York. It is basically a showing of installations and art in this old grain mill. It really cool going up to the top it is filled to the bring with creative and fantastic art work, my dads friend Bowie run and started the project. There is also poetry, live music, and camping the whole weekend. Check out there website. I took a lot of pictures and will post them when I get them developed.

Next week I am going to Martha's Vineyard and would love to have some heart shaped glasses for my trip, hence the photos above. I am really excited, the Obamas are gonna be there the same time as us!

I want some Jeffrey campbell shoes

(photo from jeffreycampbellshoes.com)
I have been looking for some shoes for fall for the longest time. If Jeffrey Campbell wasn't so expensive, I would have copped a pair of these already.
I am done with camp! finally it was six weeks long, but I am really gonna miss the kids. Today me and my friend went to Sale day in town. It was a lot of fun, I ended up buying face paint kit and a mini pencil. Money spent well, I know:)

Things I miss, like, love: The Boondocks

(google image)

For now on I am gonna start posting stuff that I miss, like, or love. I am thinking I will do it every Monday to bring some consistency to this blog. Kinda like Oprah's favorite things except, I am not Oprah and the whole world wont follow me when I say that I like avocados. Plus I love reminiscing and being nostalgic so this the stuff I post will make me feel this way. My first post is something that makes me feel all three. I LOVE the boondocks, I used to read the comics way back in the day. I even own his comic book Fresh For 01 You Suckas. I used to read it all the time in middle school. I also love the show as well. Its Genius. I really hope they come out with a new season too, I used to stay up late to watch it and still do on adult swim. The only thing is that the show doesn't have the character Caesar and he was one of my favorite characters in the Comic! He was from Brooklyn Huey's right hand man kinda, they really need to put him in the next season.