The DNC

The Democratic National Convention has been going on the past few days, I'll reserve judgement until the end but for now here's the speech Michelle Obama gave on Monday night. Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton's speech coming soon as well.

This Week's Woman To Wakeup To...

The beautiful Solange Knowles.

The Year of the Gentleman

That it truly is, and with that said I had to share the new Ne-Yo video featuring not 1 but 3 beautiful leading ladies...Gabrielle Union, Keri Hilson, and Lauren London (in the order they appear) enjoy!

We Made It!

Here's some spoken word to help you through the week from Sunni Paterson. There's such a wonderful message in this so be sure to listen and reflect as well as enjoy.

Cultural Development...

Some Food for Thought on this here Monday Morning...Some good tender vitals I stumbled upon some time ago...

MAXIMUM CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Study-Oriented: reads, evaluates and debates books, newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Accepts the challenge of education.
2. Worker: looks for ways in which to actively work for self; may hold a job outside in order to sustain self and family. Self-Reliant.
3. Organized and Systematic - efficient and diligent.
4. Progressively Collective; conscious of others; Cooperative.
5. Family Oriented: regards mate as partner in struggle; loves children. Values trust in relationships.
6. Land Conscious: realizes that the only thing that nobody is making any more of is land.
7. Disciplined: strong, unyielding and energetic.
8. Serious. Practices fair play, order and punctuality. Honest and dependable.
9. Analytical and critical.
10. Frugal: buys mainly on need basis; saves.
11. Social life is developmental and involves children.
12. Creatively Aggressive: will dare the impossible if it is possible.
13. Respects Elders.
14. Dislikes incompetence and mediocrity.
16. Loves Black art, music and literature.
17. Can give and follow instructions. Encourages experimentation and criticism.
18. Committed to Black Liberation - local, national and international.
19. Does not use drugs.
20. Politically Active. Not crisis-oriented; acts on information rather than reacts. Plans ahead for the long term; alert; prepared for change.
21. Self-Confident. Respects others regardless of race or culture.
22. Understands the economic forces that control our lives on a local, national and international level.
23. Rational in decisions and actions.
24. Rewards merit and achievement.

I like that achievement shit...

This Week's Woman To Wakeup To...

The beautiful Chanel Iman.

Who's Gonna Save My Soul?

Admittedly i'm a little late, but watching this video inspired the following train of thought so do yourself a favor and get on track.

The moment of clarity that follows a breakup is never as poignant or as stripped from emotion as this is, and i suppose that is what makes them so difficult. The task of melding your individuality with another is trying in itself but having to sever those ties prematurely or, worse still, after complacency has set in is a humbling experience. Having played both sides of the fence, I can say with a fair bit of confidence that it's easier to initiate a breakup, the tricky part is that initiating the breakup and the end of the relationship rarely take place simultaneously.

As the video illustrates, once the relationship is "officially" over issues ranging from the ownership of an individual's heart or the boundaries of this newly formed friendship are yet to be prescribed and as such it is a confusing time. However, it can also be the time that allows us the greatest insight into how and why the relationship worked in the first place in addition to granting the opportunity for self reflection..the wondering "where did it go wrong" or the more toxic "what did I do wrong."

Cee-lo said in the Goodie Mob days that titles are limitations, living and learning are our only obligations...but when such an emphasis is placed on a title and that title is revoked you are left with nothing but limitations. Some can get caught up in the shuffle of regulating their emotions or reacting to their counterpart, and while emotion is fresh they can stumble through life much like a heart on a dinner plate unaware that both parties may be equally distressed.

Now that i'm good and into it, the question that needs to be asked is so what?

Relationships come to an end all the time but the point is that often times we carry with us the baggage of those relationships (see: Erykah Badu "Bag Lady"), unaware that luggage has been quietly shifting positions in the overhead bin while soaring through life. The emotional ties we develop are always retained in some form or fashion, and show themselves in different ways but acknowledging their presence and adjusting to them are paramount if we're to make it out of life alive. Some react with "passive aggressive contention" towards those we claim to love, and others cling onto more tangible remedies like polite bi-annual phone calls (on those shitty days, or to lift heavy things). No matter though, the first step is coming to grips with where you stand on the relationship and learning from the experience.

Remember that with those limitations gone, living and learning are your only obligations.

I'm obliged!