WHAT ARE WE TEACHING OUR GIRLS?

I think I am suffering from a huge case of growing older, well maybe not older but maturing and having a different perspective on things.

This weekend I took my son to see Mindless Behavior in concert.  The tour was geared toward little girls as 3 of the acts were male performers.  Well, there were girls dressed cute and appropriate for their ages and there were other girls dressed as if they were ready to go to the club except for the fact they were under 21.  What message are we sending our girls?

So this morning I listened to a song I've heard many times but it hit me this song is sending the wrong message.  The song I'm referring to is Brandy's new hit Put It Down.  Now I completely understand this is not the 1st song that sends out the wrong message but this is a song that had my mind racing.

Here is a bit of the lyrics.....

imma put it down, you can fall in love
imma put it down, you can fall in love
imma put it down, you can fall in love
imma put it down, you can fall in love
imma put it down, you can fall in love
imma put it down, you can fall in love
imma put it, imma put it, imma put it¦
imma put it down

[chorus]
if you put it down right like the way i want it
play your cards right, maybe we can fall in love
if you put it, put it, if you put it down
if you put it, put it, maybe we can fall in love

This song is equating sex with love and the message I get from it is if he puts it on her and she puts it on him they will fall in love.  In this day and age when sex is overly sold and put on display this is the wrong message for our young girls to hear.  It is also the wrong message for our boys as well of course.

As I started this blog maybe I'm just growing older and maturing and looking at things differently.  Maybe because I am a parent I am more conscious of what I listen to and the message behind it as well. 

Am I over reacting?  What message are we sending our girls?  I would love to hear from you!

ADDRESSING HATERS

This post was inspired by an acquaintance of mine I met some years ago through a mutual friend.  There have been plenty of times he has been on Twitter ranting about something someone said to him that got him all worked up.  This happened again yesterday and I was inspired to reply to him on Twitter, go on my on Twitter rant @johnai and write this :-).

Synopsis: The gentleman is in the music industry and someone said something about him that was untrue.  He took his vent to Twitter, was highly upset and even said incidents like this particular one make him want to quit the music industry.

Here is my reply to him and my Twitter rant for starters.....

@HustleSimmons you must get tougher skin and learn the power of ignoring bull shit. You allow insignificant people to disrupt your life ;-)

People are going to talk about you, mfke up lies, gossip all of that so what. If you and the people involved know the truth F every1 else.

Anytime you give your "haters" a platform they win!

Thankful I'm nonchalant and really dgaf about nothing or no one that doesn't contribute to my livelihood and well being.

The world can be cold and people can be cruel. That's life.

Everyone is loved and hated by others. Everyone no exceptions. Some that say they love you secretly hate you!

The best revenge is to ignore and treat someone like they don't exist. I do that well. Its the bull in me :-)

How can anyone make you want to stop or think about stopping living your dream? That's too much power. I don't care if its tour momma!!!

The minute you allow someone to make you want to quit anything that you are doing, they have won because they have gotten into your head and your thoughts.  Thoughts are a powerful thing. I don't care who it is mother, father, sister, brother, friend or foe.  Do and be you!   You were blessed and given talents and abilities all your own.  Your dreams are just that, your dreams.  No matter how crazy or far fetch others may think they seem they are yours and yours alone and were only given to you for a reason.

Don't let anyone deter you from what is for you!

9 FOODS THAT FIGHT SEASONAL ALLERGIES

http://healthyliving.msn.com/diseases/allergies/9-foods-that-fight-seasonal-allergies

PAGANI HUAYRA

UNDERWATER HOTELS, THE NEXT BIG THING?

http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/underwater-tourism--there-s-nowhere-to-go-but-down.html

It seems I need to place learning how to swim higher on my priority list.  I think an underwater hotel would be great however I also think about the what ifs...Nevertheless this is interesting.

Reality TV & Black America

I start this blog off reminding myself that everyone is entitled to their own opinions.  Heck as I write I shall be expressing my own, with that said, yesterday someone I follow on Twitter went on a Twittervent about Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.  He was pretty much upset with the show and felt the advertisers Taco Bell, Payday Loans etc. profit from the coonery displayed on Love & Hip Hop ATL.

My 1st question is why do we in "Black America" continue to speak negatively about our own.  Now I can see those who are saying the people do it to themselves getting on TV for a check and behaving in such a way.  Well I tell you what, what I've seen on LHHATL are real life scenarios that people are going through right now.  Does it make it right or wrong? No but it makes it reality.

Why do we get soooo upset because we aren't always portrayed as dignified people?  On the flip side a lot, A LOT of Black America is upset with Tyler Perry and calls him out for his Madea character.  Yet I tell you what, every, EVERY Tyler Perry movie I've seen has displayed Black America in a positive light.  99% of the cast is always a successful professional.  His characters are doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, or successful business people and they are married!!!!  Why don't many support him? Because Madea wears a dress?  Flip Wilson, Wesley Snipes, Jamie Foxx, Martin Lawrence, and I am sure there are more have worn dresses or had a feminine character they portrayed.  So again, why the huge issue with Tyler Perry?   Right now he is keeping a huge deal of African American actors employed and on the main screen.  The only true reason why I can find? Many of us still have a slave mentality.  Somewhere everyone has a Madea but again, black America is quick to talk about one another but then doesn't want part of the truth displayed on TV or the big screen I don't get it.

We as Black America allow society to define us and what we do.  Our plays are considered the chitterling circuit because its not Broadway or whatever the reason is and we go along with it.

The problem I have is whether you are poor, working, middle, or upper class in the words of Kanye 'you're still a nigga in a coupe.'  When we as "Black Americans" stop looking to White America or mainstream America for approval, guidance, support, and as the mold of how to be we will be a lot better off.  As mainstreams America's motto excuse my french is to F all those you can to get to the top no matter what.  We should have a more inclusive, each one teach one, collective approach to survival and making it.

We are so removed from our heritage, culture, history that we have accepted being assimilated into theirs.  Nevertheless, that is another blog topic.

We were told go to school, get a good education, and a good job. How many people have a good job? How many people are happy with their "good job." How many desire more out of life? How many wish they would have been taught entreprenuership or been given the choice?

So in my opinion NO Reality TV hasn't ruined Black America.  Reality TV hasn't caused the demise or downfall of Black America.  Black America has never really been on an upswing to begin with.  Reality TV isn't to blame for sitcoms leaving TV, sitcoms have been gone for awhile and we stand buy and let it happen.  Our voice is in our dollars.  If we stopped buying into the system and spending our money with the system the system would then hear our voice.

For me reality TV is ENTERTAINMENT.  TV is for Entertainment.  Well actually TV is a means for companies to advertise to you and convince you to spend your money on things that you don't need.  Again, that would be for an entirely different blog.

My point whether you are shopping in your local inner city neighborhood, or whether you can afford to shop at the mall, or even if you are shopping in Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Prada etc.  You still haven't "arrived" if your mind has not been elevated beyond the status quo.  The black man in the Mercedes Benz in his Ralph Lauren suit  that speaks " proper English" looks down upon the black man in the Ford in his JC Penney suit that speaks "Ebonics".  Classic House vs. Field nigger BS and the white man still wins!

We have to come out of the slave mentality and it begins with self education.

ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT

I had the pleasure of taking my son and nephew to an advance screening of Ice Age 4: Continetal Drift yesterday in Chicago.  I absolutely enjoyed the movie.  Who knew the continental divide was all because a squirrel was chasing an acorn?!!!!  The movie is full of action and those maturue enough to realize will learn about friendship, loyalty, responsibility, determination, love, pride, greed and a host of other things. 

That's it for now, go and see it for yourself this is a movie for kids of all ages, young and old.  There is something to be learned and enjoyed by all.

Until our next screening.....

Follow us on Twitter @epiphanyessent and check our tweets to learn how to win advance screening tickets for an upcoming movie next week!!!!

SAVAGES (MY REVIEW) IN THEATERS JULY 6TH

I had the pleasure of attending an advanced screening of Savages yesterday.  I must say this movie is again a must see.  I know I said the same thing about TED and I am not just saying that because I am seeing these movies for free. This movie was great, it had unexpected twist and turns not everything was predictable.

Savages takes us into the lives of botanist, Ben, that enjoys growing marijuana because it helps heal people, alleviate their pain and the money he makes allows him to help those in 3rd world countries.  Then there is his partner, Chon, he is in the game simply to make $ and he is also the muscle.  Somehow they get intertwined with a Mexican cartel and the action begins.

That's all folks I wouldn't want to give up not one bit of the movie :-).  The cast is phenomenal this is ABSOLUTELY A MUST SEE.  Savages will be in theaters this Friday.  Add it to your weekend to do list, you will not be disappointed.

Directed by Oliver Stone, starring Benicio del Torro, Selma Hayek, Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, and Taylor Kitsch.