Your First Resolution: Get Over, Get On

"Before the clock strikes 12, or at least before you get started on your new resolutions, first resolve to get over those who you feel have gotten over on you."

As we look toward 2009 we are inevitably setting new goals. This will be the year to find true love, drop ten pounds, finish that novel, and move forward in your career. I'm sure of it. But amidst your anticipation of a brand new year, have you closed the book on 2008?

The film Waiting To Exhale chronicles the journey of four single women through bouts of twisted romantic relationships, toward self-love and peace of mind. If you recall, it begins and ends with a New Years celebration. In the final scene they sip champagne and rejoice over a bond fire. (They also sing Roberta Flack's 'It Might Be You'... gotta love that song) But, that fire symbolizes the destruction of their anguish over failed relationships. It is their choosing to move on from slights made against them and past dreams unfilfilled. It symbolizes them taking back the pieces of their dignity that those men once took from them. And in the midst of those ashes is a fresh start.

Do note, I am not suggesting that you light a fire or that you light your ex's car on fire with his things in it. Think theoretically.

We tend to convince ourselves that we are ready for change when we really are not. Before we can venture closer to our ideal selves we have to overcome the pain that we have caused others and those that others have caused us. Before you can welcome sweet love into your life you have to accept those past heart breaks and grow from them. Before you can progress in your career you have to evaluate your past failures, recover, and then strategize for the future. And before you can move on with your physical goals, you'll need to amend any negative thinking and understand that the outer you is ultimately a reflection of what's going on inside. It'd be wise to love both.

You can not move into this next year still feeling like a victim of the past. 'Now' is a precious opportunity.

Before the clock strikes 12, or at least before you get started on your new resolutions, first resolve to get over those who you feel have gotten over on you.You don't have to like them, but don't allow these people, or their memory, to keep you down. I departed 2007 still sulking over a heart break, and you know what... I carried that entire burden through out 2008. Thoughts of him and what could have been clouded my decision making certainly put a damper on my love life... Until recently, I compared every man that I dated to him, fatefully, deciding to be miserable. I choose to leave those thoughts in 2008.

So as Erykah Badu once sang "Bag lady, you gon' hurt your back, carryin' all those bags like that..." step into 2009 knowing that "all you must hold onto is you". Learn from the past, realize that life is an eb and flow. Our lows guide us to our peaks. As the seconds tick toward midnight, live in the moment. See the blessings that are bountiful in your life right now! Leave all your sadness, drama, and baggage in 2008.


May your new year be filled with health, love, blessings, sass, soul, and all that your heart desires.

Love,

IKE

Dr. Elizabeth Alexander Named Inaugural Poet

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies announced this week that Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, a poet, author, and Professor of African-American studies at Yale University will be the praise poet featured at President Elect Barack Obama's Inauguration. She will be the fourth poet to read at swearing-in. Robert Frost was the first at JFK's inauguration in 1961. And who can forget Maya Angelou's 1993 reading of "On the Pulse of the Morning" for President Clinton? It's featured below.



Now I'm elated because Professor Alexander is a former professor of mine and one of my favorites. Her class was deep and she believed in my work. I'm so proud of her! For a poet, this is really our nation's top honor. Congratulations!

She has authored poems, plays, essays, and short stories in addition to having molded hundreds of bright young minds. In 2005 she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. To learn more about Dr. Alexander, visit her website.

Here is a selection.

Ars Poetica #28: African Leave-Taking Disorder

The talk is good. The two friends linger
at the door. Urban crickets sing with them.

There is no after the supper and talk.
The talk is good. These two friends linger

at the door, half in, half out, ‘til one
decides to walk the other home. And so

they walk, more talk, the new doorstep, the
nightgowned wife who shakes her head and smiles

from the bedroom window as the men talk
in love and the crickets sing along.

The joke would be if the one now home
walked the other one home, where they started,

to keep talking, and so on: “African
Leave-Taking Disorder,” which names her children

everywhere trying to come back together and talk.

SPOTLIGHT: Diana Ross, Take Me Higher, Ed Sullivan Show

Diana Ross singing her dance hit "Take Me Higher" on the Ed Sullivan show during the nineties. It's a song I work out to every morning. You will not be able to watch this and not want to dance along! She looks incredible, sounds incredible, and whats more awesome is that her effervescent spirit just radiates during the interview. Werq Miss Ross!!!

Wedding Dress of the Week

This stunning mermaid gown by Pnina Tornai is designed exclusively for the Kleinfeld Bridal Salon in New York City. It's for the bride who desires one of a kind glamour and doesn't mind the 'exclusive' price tag. It will accentuate a svelte figure, particularly on woman with lovely arms and shoulders. To learn more about this dress visit the Kleinfeld website or call 646 633 4300.

Midnight Stream of Conscious: A Love Supreme: A Dénouement

* A writing ritual I do at each year's end. Personal, cathartic-- and for some reason I feature it on my blog. Feel free to skip. Or better yet, try it yourself.

First off, I don’t know how smooth this will be or how writer-like. I was prompted to repeat this yearly ritual when I entered Starbucks today and saw that the red holiday cups were back, as was the gingerbread loaf that I adore. Oh, I ate so much of that at Yale because I used pastries to lift my spirits amidst dizzying rounds of depression. As they say, stressed is ‘desserts’ spelled backwards.

My life has taken an auspicious turn, and I’m seemingly light years away from the wet streets of Elm City, where I meandered during awkward hours of night, munching on croissants and piping hot coffee, anxious about cramming a 30 page paper into 48 hours or how my demonic Arabic professor would love to fail me. Yale is over. Shove a fork in a really dry, over-cooked piece of filet mignon.

To be honest, it does not feel like an incredible accomplishment. It just feels done. Sort of like I ran so hard to finish that I’m too winded to smile for any pictures at the finish line. But having had seven months to reflect, it is a tremendous victory and I should not overlook that.

As a student, I was unfulfilled. I felt that I’d made a huge, incorrigible mistake for the first three years. In spite of having an opportunity to study at one of the world’s finest institutions and a fellowship with a media company that some students would kill for, I wasn’t convinced that I was walking along my gilded path, the term I have coined to mean destiny. I tussled with the idea of dance, and longed for those yesterdays of skinny legs and freed point shoes but I would learn through trial and error that the life of a ballerina was merely an avenue not a destination. If I can compare my relationship to the ballet with a torrid love affair, it was and always will be the most difficult lover with whom I’ve had to part. But I did. And when I look back I smile.

Somehow it was my journey to Africa during the summer of 2007, right before my senior year, that put the sequence of events, also known as my life, into pristine order. It’s awesome how part of a blessing is the ability to know when one has been blessed. I believe that my indifference toward life came from that failure to see.

Today, I understand that the knowledge I gained, the camaraderie I shared and the mistakes I made in college were part of a long-term growth process that I needed to endure in order to be the woman that I am. When I see my reflection, when I entertain my private thoughts, I am so proud. Diamonds are formed under pressure, and one only gains that type of sparkling bearing, scintillating wisdom, through life’s horrific challenges. This I believe to be true.

I endured a hellish senior year. At no point did I know how or if I would finish until I did. I felt like I was stepping through thick brush in pitch black darkness, hoping the end was near. And that was only half the battle.

After graduation, I had a clear goal. I wanted to be a television journalist—let me be clear. Not a producer, not a writer, not an assignment editor, but a reporter. And I would go anywhere and accept any amount of pay to do so. This in my heart I felt was the only job at that moment that I could be passionate about and what is life without breath and passion?

I was insecure about how this goal would be realized. For months I sent out dozens of demo reels to no avail despite a few broken promises. Everyone told me that I was crazy to be entering the industry. It was too hard to start off as on air-talent and even if I did, I’d be in the boonies and broke. I should be reasonable. Sensible. Safe. I’d be wise to go to law school or settle for job similar to what most Yalies do post-grad- what ever that is. The economy was bad. "Nobody's hiring" they warned. They said my aims were entirely too high. It seemed as those around me were trying desperately to break my fighting spirit but even in the absence of promise, I held onto my will for dear life.

In July, on a whim I decided to travel to Chicago for the Unity Conference of journalists. I would use my charm to hustle some new opportunities. This is where I met a news director who told me she believed I had great potential, but I needed just a year in small market before she could consider me. I had to lose my being ‘green’. The problem was my feverish search for a job in a small market had turned up nothing.

Months later, after several ghastly disappointments, it happened. It was Ramadan. I was fasting and praying every day, exercising my faith excitedly and entering new spiritual terrain. At this point it was coming on four months without an offer but there was a peace that had blanketed me. Somehow I knew that in my midst was an open door and I would not stop until I found it.

It was during this month that that same news director got in contact with me. A reporter had quit, there was an opening. She explained that her instincts told her to give me a shot. To remind you, this is a lady that had met me over two months ago at a conference with about a thousand journalists. I’m convinced that instinct was God. Within two weeks following that phone call, she’d checked with my contacts, I flew down for an audition and landed an incredible position.

I was suddenly a reporter and not in a small market either, but a mid-sized market where most reporters were on their second, third and fourth jobs. I had surpassed the vision that I formed for myself and that is an exhilarating feeling. You know what it feels like? Like with faith and iron-clad fortitude anything is possible. And it is. We have a new president, my degree hangs on a wall at my parent’s home (they can keep it) , and five days a week folks turn on their tv’s and see yours truly! How lovely. Really, through God all things are possible. That maxim says it best.

So during this holiday season I am most grateful for how closer I have grown to Him. Certainly it is a sign of my maturity.

I think about love and how It’d be nice, but not necessary. I remember how while in college I so desired that affection and felt that amidst a few half-hearted liaisons, I was missing out. Reflecting, that search was not for love but rather validation. It can be confusing.

I think I was another fly girl that did not understand her inherent value. I had the grace, but not the dignity that accompanies that. So when I cried over Prince Charming’s dashing disappearance or put up with Scorpio’s madness, I was really appealing to these men for confidence. When I felt as if I were stumbling in the dark, their affection seemed like a bough to grab on to, if only for a moment.

But today I am experiencing total self love. (Many of us are in partial). And that feels like the smile that spread across my face when I see a baby laugh, when the sun shines in my face, or when I slide into a warm bubble bath and sip a glass of sweet champagne. And it feels like prayer, because to know God and to love self is to feel—complete. Blithely complete.

Sometimes, I must admit, I still think about the craziest instance of kismet and the man who went away but I no longer take pity or punish myself over this unfortunate turn of events. Nor do I still try to make sense of the nonsensical. I can only let my light shine. I can not dim it for others or allow others to dim it for me. The wind of serendipity never stops blowing so perhaps he and I will meet again on a chilly day. Perhaps this time, with me a complete woman and him a more complete man. Or perhaps, we shall not. I realize that these matter, like all matters, don’t happen on human account. We just convince ourselves that they do.

It is Christmas time and I feel the joy of the holidays running to the end of my garnet tipped fingers. After work, I remove my disco ball earrings, wipe my face clean of all the glamourous make up, the concealers, powders and the high lighters and I still glow. Walk past my house and you may hear me belting Diana Ross’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” at the top of my lungs or possibly John Coltrane’s ‘Love Supreme’ simmering. Truly, I have found my Love Supreme.

The last time I wrote holiday manifesto I secretly hoped that a certain someone might read, it, but this evening I wrote this all for me.

Cheerleading Dad Commercial-- Fatherhood.gov

This PSA commercial by fatherhood.gov warms my heart. Not only does it remind me of my own father, but this is a slick way of articulating what it is to be a 'dad' and really a 'man'. And to my SINGLE DIVAS-- this should be the standard for selecting our future husbands.

SPOTLIGHT: Diana Ross, No One Gets the Prize , Ceasars Palace, Las Vegas, 1979

Clip from her legendary concert at Ceasar's Palace following the release of "The Boss". This song, along with The Boss, and Ain't No Mountain High Enough was produced by the awesome duo Ashford & Simpson.

Fly Alert: Diane von Furstenburg "Natasha" Skirt

I think this is sooo Mary Tyler Moore! This a-line skirt is universally flattering and the rows of double buttons are a cute nod to the sixties. Pair with a pair of updated spectator pump like this one from Gucci and a simple black top for a knock out outfit. Purchase here for $325. Actually, these Gucci pumps deserve a pic. They're fabolah as well.

SPOTLIGHT: Keith Olbermann, Republicans Hi-Jacked 9/11

This "Special Comment" by Keith Olbermann aired on MSNBC on the eve of the 9/11 Anniversary, condemned the Republican Party for using the event as a tactic for political control. Fear Mongering would be the appropriate term. Anyways, this commenary is incredibly poignant and well-argued.... it is certainly worth your watch.

-Ike

Monique Lhullier, Spring Collection, New York Fashion Week, 2008

Monique Lhullier is synonomous with the modern bridal gown, but her latest showing in Bryant Park demonstrated that she is also well positioned to be a tremendous force in evening and day wear. Her Spring Collection, which she described as a "tropical island get-away" was safe, but nothing short of fantastic. Sandy haired (I would have liked to see Jourdan or Chanel) models walked the runway in vibrant Mediterranean pastel hues, sultry chiffon and tulle, and scintillating details such as gold embellishment that are trademark Monique. Monique, under 30, is definitely one to watch, and not just if your planning a wedding. Enjoy the selected pics.

Ciara Poses Nude for Vibe...At what cost?

Ciara poses in the buff for the latest issue of Vibe Magazine. My thoughts: a gimmick to promote her latest project. Let's call a spade a spade. I hate to dismiss a public figure for posing in the nude, but I do question it.

One of the primary challenges that young Black women face is body consciousness, that is the manner in which we, as Black American women, conceptualize our bodies while growing up in a society that has historically sexualized us. When media images implicitly places value on the Black woman's sexuality, sensuality... her "vixenhood"... how do we develop a sense of respect for the divine gift that God gave us? When a notable star, an icon for young Black women, takes it all off for the sake promotion, it adds to this conflict.

Do some research on HIV/AIDS statistics. Black women between the ages of 15-24, the age group most influenced by media outlets like Vibe and the likes of Ciara, are contracting the disease at the fastest rate in this country, and primarily as a result of unprotected heterosexual intercourse. This means that there is a grave number of Black young women who don't feel strongly enough about their bodies to negotiate condom use and to not give themselves liberally to men who probably do not deserve them. We can not isolate the prevalence of promiscuity and unprotected sexual activity amongst young Black women from the culture. I'm not being holier than though, or puritanical, but seriously ladies... let's look at the picture. It's bleak.

Black women of all socioeconomic echelons are waging a battle for their sexual health and losing. We can no longer afford to be irresponsible about the mass messages that we dissiminate . Ciara's display treats the nude black body as a commodity. And let's face it, she is doing this to sell albums, sell magazines, and increase her star power. Her body, in this sense, is a commodity. Look at the second spread... it's not even 'artistic'. It's blatant, parted-lips, XXL, King-Style, sexual nudity intended to tittilate and suggest. When someone of her star power conducts herself in this manner, it says to her vulnerable fans that the exhibition of the body at whim is normal. It is okay. It is cool. It implies the sexuality is a viable path to notoriety and success. And as young women yearn to be popular and feel good about themselves, and many will model themselves after their cultural icons in doing so, it is no wonder that you can go to a Myspace or a Facebook page and see a half dressed young woman screaming for attention. It is no wonder that for many young ladies of color, their greatest aspiration is to dance half naked in a rap video for a paltry sum. And it is now wonder that there are countless Black women who would give of themselves and not even think twice about protection.

Please, let us as Black women and especially Black women in the public eye be sensitive to the plight of our young females for self-respect and sexual health. Let's be responsible. We owe at least that much to ourselves.

-Ike

Still, No Justice for Sean Bell

Al Sharpton will appear before a New York court today on allegations of disorderly conduct and obstruction of road ways during protests that followed the Sean Bell verdict. Fathom the irony. Sean Bell was fatally shot 50 times in Queens, New York back in 2006, by a gang of New York cops. It was the eve of his wedding. This incident sparked national controversy over the continuity of police brutality inthe urban streets of America. All of murderers were acquitted of their charges.

-Ike

AND IM BACK!!!

So sorry for the technical confusion... I'm back for good now.

Ike

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

APOLOGIES

Sen. Biden, Obama Pick for VP

I'm going to give myself some dap because I called it. Did you? Senator Joe Biden of Delaware is Obama's running mate. The campaigned formally announced very early Saturday morning. I think his lengthy interim in the senate, his foreign policy experience and his Scranton, PA working class roots make him an asset to the Obama platform. He has the qualities that Obama's opponents argue that the presidential hopeful lacks, and then some. Biden is an excellent orator, candid and quite charming (though clearly Obama is not hurting in that department) .

Many will be dissapointed that Hillary is not the running mate, but that prospect was a charade. I doubt she was ever taken into serious consideration. It was ideal, not practical. It would have made him appear weak(er), disengenous, and really, who wants to lead with Bill in the house??? (All that saxaphone playing in the wee hours of the night) The argument is that her 18 million votes will defect if he does not choose her as VP, but let us not assume that this is a solid voting block. Some of those 18 million will choose Obama in the absence of Hillary because they are party loyalists (or they're tired of biking to work). Some of those 18 million will defect. Some will sit at home and pout, and some of those 18 million were probably Republicans to begin with. As far as exact figures go, who knows, but I think Dems can be optimistic. If there is one thing playing directly into their hands, it's the economy. I do consider an excellent choice for Cabinet and if he shall lose... count on seeing Sen. Clinton in 2012. Let's be real.

But for now, I'm ready to sit back and see how the networks spin this. With the DNC coming up it should be an eventful week.

PS: McCain's choice, if he was smart, would be a woman and if he was really smart... would be Condi Rice.

-Ike

Condi gets Fly in the Final Hour

Perhaps it is because she is on a European tour extending an olive branch that dried up several years ago and the camera's are rolling. Perhaps it is because as secretary of defense she was part responsible for what many regard as one of the biggest international military blunders in modern history and she'd like to redeem herself on some level. Or that her term is almost up. Or maybe, just maybe, it is because beneath that hardened exterior is...'a woman'.

Whatever the reason, Condi has been looking, dare I say it, fly over the past few weeks. Has anyone else noticed? I was watching the news coverage of her Warsaw visit where she traveled to sign a deal on the deployment of elements of a U.S. missile shield in Poland. I mean, I gagged. Her trademark darth vader meets Mary Tyler Moore flip was replaced with a soft bob. At last, she replaced that harsh, cherry lipstick that Lancome or whoever makes it did not create with her in mind with a more Black people friendly raspberry. Absent were the chocolate chip cookie moles (kudos to her derm) and the cream suit with chic upturned collar and exposed darting was remarkable.

No stranger to St. John's Knits, Condi has always been well suited, but stuffy, in an "I live in Connecticut" sort of way. Not fly. However lately, she's giving me Clair Huxtable rather than neurotic Black Stepford 'Wife' (umm, she did call Mr. President her husband). And this softer look is smart considering that she isn't getting any younger.... And that she lied in front of the international community... But who's counting past transgressions.

I think that real reason that she has decided to "floss" and "shine" a bit before her White House Departure is because she's solidyfing her legacy. Say what you want about her, she is one of the most powerful women in the world and not just according to Forbes. And from the African-American perspective she has reached a level in D.C. unsurpassed by any other. Three biographies about her were released in 2007 alone; “The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy,” by The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler, “Condoleezza Rice: An American Life,” by The New York Times’s Elisabeth Bumiller and “Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power,” by Marcus Mabry, now an editor at The Times. Her foot print has been made in history but at a high price. Unfortunately there are many Americans and human beings that await her departure from office like a toddler awaiting an ice cream cone. Many regard her with vitriol, and well, many do not. But nevertheless, I think she's well aware of her precarious position of deep power and shallow esteem. And I think she is trying to project a confident, polished image in her final hour. And you know what? I ain't mad at her. Do it girl. (oooh, awkward)

-Ike

America's Watching... Don't Drop the Baton

Dag nabbit! I think as I the final runner on the USA drops the baton and sufficiently leaves me and the other folks crowded around the screen at our vineyard condo sufficiently gagging. For the first time in Olympics history both the men and women’s relay team dropped the baton, disqualifying themselves from the finals. They basically gave Jamaica an all access pass to the gold, which is great considering that the Jamaican track team and it’s star Usain Bolt are phenomenal. Of course, the Black woman in me applauds any person of color that seizes gold.

Nevertheless, I can’t help but consider the political implications as we are in the heat of political season, and everything seems to carry a political implication. But let’s consider this scenario. The USA track team (like basketball) historically has been dominated by African American athletes. In the unspoken, but earnestly implied, competition for gold metals between Chinese and the USA, the track team was a dependable deliverer. Track… it’s just our sport. So considering that Chinese athletes have showed up to show out at their Olympics, there was a conspicuous pressure on the track team to perform. Their success meant national glory. And this shouldn’t have been an unrealistic expectation as commentators have remarked that the team assembled in Oregon this year is one of the strongest yet. Nevertheless star after star incredibly underperformed. Tyson Gaye injured himself upon arrival, ruining his chances at Gold. Shayna showed up ‘flossing’ with her new 5 caret engagement ring, the un-aerodynamic Flo-Jo weave, and flashy gear and in the final second, was completely swept out of her lead. (I have to wonder where her mind was) Lolo fell to her knees when in less than a second a misled hurdle carried her from 1st to 7th position. Ouch. And then back to back, both relay teams dropped the baton in the final stretch.

The word in every commentators mouth was “leadership”. How had the coaches failed the athletes? But I think the subliminal message that national audiences may have unintentionally (I think) received was leadership of the presidential kind, and how it might fail the nation. The Blacks dropped the ball. Literally. They underperformed when it mattered most, failing to seize the gold for the country… Would another brown person in a position of power do the same? I couldn’t help but wonder if there were some American viewing audiences drawing their own political interpretations from the track madness. Or not. It’s just at thought.

My analysis is that the relay goof up reflects a lack of solidarity. Pride we have. We are proud to be a part of this great country despite its shortcomings. But Americans don’t have the same solidarity as other nations. We don’t grow up feeling a natural affinity, or kinship even to our fellow country men. It is the “melting pot’s” double edged sword. And as running in an innately individual sport, to me, what was lacking on that team was true solidarity and the focused cooperation that accompanies it. But I can’t help but think back to 1968 Olympics when runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos performed the Black Power Salute during the medal ceremony. It demonstrated a solidarity with those Black Americans at home struggling for their civil rights. Smith later said "If I win, I am American, not a black American. But if I did something bad, then they would say I am a Negro. We are black and we are proud of being black. Black America will understand what we did tonight." I wonder, was this sort of solidarity present on that field last night, forty years later? Perhaps not. And perhaps some will argue that it doesn’t have to be.
In the grand scheme of things, when the pressure is on and America is watching, please don’t drop the ba(ll)ton.
-Ike

FFD Honors Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio's 11th District was the first African American congress woman from Ohio. Popular amongst her constituents, Jones was easily elected for four consecutive terms and also served as co-chairwoman to the Democratic National Committee. Her achievements are an inspiration and source of pride for Black women, Black people, and Americans. She will be dearly missed.

Patent 5676977: The HIV/AIDS CURE???

AIDS, a disease that since its 1979 appearance has lethally exposed the socioeconomic inequalities of society, has had a patented cure for over decade. Patent number 5676977 describes a method for disabling the retrovirus with the use of inected tetrasilver tetroxide. This is the formal patent:

Title:
Method of curing AIDS with tetrasilver tetroxide
molecular crystal devices
Document Type and Number:
United States
Patent 5676977
Abstract:
The diamagnetic
semiconducting molecular crystal tetrasilver tetroxide (Ag4 O4) is utilized for
destroying the AIDS virus, destroying AIDS synergistic pathogens and immunity
suppressing moieties (ISM) in humans.
A single intravenous injection of the
devices is all that is required for efficacy at levels of about 40 PPM of human
blood. The device molecular crystal contains two mono and two trivalent silver
ions capable of "firing" electrons capable of electrocuting the AIDS virus,
pathogens and ISM. When administered into the bloodstream, the device electrons
will be triggered by pathogens, a proliferating virus and ISM, and when fired
will simultaneously trigger a redox chelation mechanism resulting in divalent
silver moieties which chelate and bind active sites of the entities destroying
them. The devices are completely non-toxic. However, they put stress on the
liver causing hepatomegaly, but there is no loss of liver function.

I will venture to say that not only is the HIV/AIDS Virus engineered to disproportionately affect people of color, but I believe the cure is being suppressed. This treatment has been ignored by government, the CDC, and all other global health organizations. It has never garnared attention from media outlets. Even if it doesn't work, why were we never even informed about the idea and perhaps subsequent tests? Why were never informed about the successful treatments that the creators of the patent performed on 5 Honduran AIDS patients who were in terminal condition? We are always kept abreast about success encountered in the treatment of cancer. Why was this so discretely swept under the rug?

Instead we are presented with a money generating, FDA approved cocktail and are told to be grateful. Millions of people in the poorest inner cities and countries of the world are living with death sentences. Many people will not have the money for treatment. Millions of men will enter the criminal justice system and contract it there. Women in chauvinistic societies will be raped or forced to have unprotected sex. Women will unknowingly contract it from their partners. Babies will be born to AIDS mothers. And let us please not forget that the fastest growing demographic to contract the virus are AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

We have a responsibility to take care of ourselves by using protection, good judgement and education. We have that responsibility to protect our bodies, our temples. But we also have a responsibility to educate our sisters in this country and in the diaspora. We are their keepers too. And now that we know that there could be a cure, this responsibility really should be taken one mighty step forward. We need to demand the implementation of medical trials that may ultimately lead to the release of this treatment as a viable cure. People point to drugs as the number one menace to the black community. They look at the criminal justice system, the school system inequalities, and the media. And while our problems certainly can't be examined in isolation, at the end of the day we can keep young brothers educated and off the streets with community effort. We can take back our sons. We can boycott channels that don't serve us. We can pool money and biuld our own charter schools. But AIDS... is almost inescapable. Where as psychological war fare has been wielded against Blacks since the beginning of chattle slavery, this pandemic is killing our bodies, not just our minds. It is time to organize politically and perhaps economically, and demand that the course for a cure be treked because it is primarily our sisters and brothers who suffer.

-Ike

This a tape of Dr. Boyd Graves discussing the origins and cure for the disease. I can't believe that as I write this, only 800 have viewed this. Let's change that.

strong>

Wedding Dress of the Week

Ines di Santo's "Brooke" is a breathtaking silk off-the shoulder mermaid sheath reminiscent of old Hollywood Glamour! Perfect for the bride intending to make jaws drop!

flyness and funk,
Ike

She Said What??? Black Women Quotes

"Yes, Black love is alive and living and America was seeing it at it's best."

-Cheryl Lee Ralph on BET in response to this picture of Sen. Obama and his wife Michelle after his New Hampshire loss

SPOTLIGHT: Solange, "I Decided" music video

This song single-handedly made me LOVE Solange. It's a nice blend of sixties soul and seventies funk. Its the hottest track out right now by a young female R&B artist.

Wedding Dress of the Week

Antique lace adornments over an ivory silk satin gown with a sweet heart neckline. This glamourous gown is pure romance. It is both simple and enticing in construction while giving a nod to tradition. $5,800, by Amalia Carrera, 201-348-4500. Veil, $165, by Jennifer Leigh, 360-714-0992. Glass pearl and crystal pendant choker, $315; glass pearl and seed bead link bracelet, $500, both by Miriam Haskell, 713-629-9990.

Bill and Hillary... Ike and Tina?

"Bill and Hillary Clinton are like the Ike and Tina Turner of politics. They don't do things nice and easy. They always do them nice and rough."

-Political Commentator on CNN's Anderson Cooper

(I thought this was a great, hilarious quote)

Serena Williams' Provacative Pose on Ebony Magazine Cover

Let me first say that I love Serena Williams and her body. She is beautiful and the epitome of the brick house diva. However, I do not love the editor who chose this picture as the one to grace the cover of Ebony Magazine. Come on now, I'm sure they shot her head on, sitting, and in a host of other positions. Why choose the one with her back side propped forward?! It's not that she doesn't look fantastic. She does. It's just that it reminds me of another crass XXL magazine cover (booty before face) and it seems like a ploy by Ebony to sell more at the news stands. There is a more sophisticated way to show off a curvaceous, athletic black woman's body. The wild sexualization of Black women, especially by Black publications, is ubiquitous and I'm disappointed at Ebony Magazine for further exploiting such an image. Feel free to disagree.

Flyness and funk

SPOTLIGHT: Diana Ross, Take Me Higher, Japan, 1998

The Intrigue of a Woody Oriental

Morning Divas,

Why does it always rain when I return to New Haven? It's like rolling back the tape on a sad movie, coming back to the same rainy scene. I'm spending the weekend with a friend and time I stepped off the train it seems like the clouds inflated at once and began to perforate. This morning my alarm was nature. Water rushed to the ground like marbles, bounced, and scattered beneath the cold gusts of air. The sound was quite pleasant. It sounded just like those rain makers. The sight, not so much.

I will tell you what was pleasant; the scent of Samsara by House of Guerlain against my slumbering body. Of course by morning it had politely nestled into my sheets, pillow, and blanket as well. I love waking up to a great perfume. I just bought Samsara yesterday but I knew I'd love it. First of all it is by Guerlain, perfume diety. Secondly, it's a bold woody oriental and I've decided that this is the category of perfume that best expresses me.

What is a woody oriental? This simply means that traditional and fragrant oriental flowers such as jasmine, rose, and bergamot blend with heavy, more pungent, even masculine woody base notes like cedar, patchouli and oakmoss. The result is a provocative scent that is both mysterious, and sensual. These are complex, intellectual scents that open rather oddly, mystifying the nose, and over time they take on a warm, deep, and sexual nature. It's a journey in scent best for the woman who holds that a little mystery goes a long way and the woman who practices a slow seduction rather than a quick thrill. Other remarkable fragrances of this type include Prada by Prada, Hanae Mori's Butterfly, Omnia by Bulgari, Black Orchid by Tom Ford, and Calvin Klein's Obsession (love it).

Today the market is flooded with sexy spicy oriental and florientals (Armani Code, Magnetism by Escada, etc.) but I think it's quite nice to stand out in the crowd and to catch the unsuspecting nose by surprise. Many of the better woody orientals are really before our time, such as Mitsouko (which means 'mystery' in Japanese) which was created by Guerlain in the twenties. While this fragrance type isn't for every woman, if you're looking to switch it up from sweet and spicy, to bold and mysterious perhaps, try one of these next time you hit the perfume counter. It might become your new thing.

flyness and funk

Ike

Reflections on the Obama nomination

Good evening divas,

I'm so happy to be back! Finally, I received my freedom papers from Yale University, and I'm laying low for the moment, trying to catch up on some much needed sleep and sanity. During my hiatus however, I decided that FFD needs some spice (as it already has then sugar). So I will be featuring a mini-broadcast every few days as a visual extension of my written blog. I'd ideally like for this to be interactive so if you have a topic or particular question that you'd like me to address, please send to the offical FFD email address: flyfunkydiva@gmail.com.




My first webcast is a reflection on Sen. Obama's victory. "Is America ready for a Black president?" This question is becoming a bit redundant. I believe that perhaps not all of America is ready, but enough Americans are. And we are definitely over due for a GOOD president that can repair the American reputation abroad and the enact solutons for the economic, health care, and energy crisises at home.

Flyness and funk

Ike

PS: I apologize in advance, the audio at the very end is problematic.

Lebron and King Kong

Lebron is made to look like King Kong on April Issue of Vogue. This is one issue I won't be getting.

-Ike

FIERCE FILES: Remembering Our History Through Fly Women of Color

Reception in the Office of the C. J. Walker Company, 1929
(since we're talking about hair)

Aron Ranen's Black Hair Documentary... and the history "Blacksploitasian"

African American women have historically had a vexing love-hate relationship with their hair that has translated into a billion dollar ethnic hair care industry. It is no coincidence that the first Black and the first female millionaire was a woman who marketed hot irons, hair relaxers and skin bleaching creme (quiet as its kept) to anxious Black women.

We arrived in America stripped of our clothes, our artifacts, and our customs. We were told that we were ugly. We were taught to hate ourselves in a natural form... though simultaneously touted as sexualized, exotic objects. Black beauty has a baffling history in this country, but no more complex than the history of Black American identity in itself. So, perhaps it is a firmly rooted insecurity (though not a monolithic one) that feeds the industry. How else might we explain that African-Americans are 12 percent of the population and account for 30 percent of all hair care products sold in America, and a whopping 70 percent of hair extensions and weaves sold domestically.

At one point our predilection for hair products was a huge asset to the Black community. Confused by our hair texture and beauty rituals, white companies overlooked the Black hair industry for many years. The Revlons of the world didn' t believe that Black women a worthwhile demographic to sell beauty to. Consequently, Black salons and hair care manufacturers created a thriving internal economy within the Black community that not only created numerous jobs at all levels but also created a space for Black entrepreneurhship and fueled the Black middle class. Money from the Black hair care industry even funded civil rights movement significantly because these were the backers who did not answer in any way to Whites.

So what happened? In the 1970's Corporate America took notice. They recognized a ripe opportunity for financial growth in the cosmetics industry through the Black consumer. They began to buy up small Black owned manufacturers, keeping the Black name, the Black model on the package, and perhaps a few Black executives around for advice. This was the first round of defeat.

The following decade, Koreans recognized the financial opportunity in the distribution of black beauty products. Aided by the American governement's immigration laws and liberal grants supplied to Asian immigrants willing to do business in Black communities, Koreans ultimately gained a monopoly over the distribution and sale of Black hair care products, wigs and hair extensions. Seriously, how many Black owned beauty supply stores are there in your neighborhood? Actually, when is the last time you seen a Black nail technician? Just curious about that one.

Nevertheless, moves were made to gradually block Black business owners from selling Black beauty products. The current market monopoly is identical to the Wal-Mart effect, except there is a deliberate factor of discrimination. Korean owned distribution companies purchase products at a discount from White manufacturers and Korean hair manufacturers (America has blocked the import of hair from China). They in turn sell products and hair whole sale to Korean proprietors which allows them to undercut the price of the products being sold by their African American counter parts. Thus, when a Black woman comes in asking for Dr. Miracle Hair relaxer and it's 75 cents cheaper at the Korean store than it is from the Black owned store, she supports the former. In this way, Black stores are choked out of businesss. I am friends with a couple who owns the only Black owned beauty supply store in the state of Connecticut and they can relate that it is an uphill battle for them to stay in business across the street from two Asian suppliers that arrived in recent years.

As you'll find out, what's happening now is that the few remaining Black manufacturers of products and supplies are being forced out of business as Korean companies copy their formulas, market them, and the distributors stop buying the original.

This is all a devastating phenomena to the Black community because about 90 percent of every dollar we spend on hair products goes OUT of our community. Furthermore, the beauty industry has been a crucial support within the Black economic infrastructure, one that we should fear losing, and eagerly want to regain. Unemployment is twice as high in the Black community as it is in the White community. Poverty and homelessness effects us at a much greater proportion than other groups. When are we going to begin to reform our own communities? The networth of Black America is that of a small country. We should feel obligated to recylce that Black dollar. We should be tired of being tapped. Most of the companie that we give our money to barely (if at all) hire Blacks or support Black business. So why are we so apt to support theirs?

Film maker Aron Ranen created a documentary profiling the Korean monopoly over the distribution of Black hair care products and and the efforts of one new grassroots organization, the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA), to counteract it. It is well done, moving, and worth being watched, discussed, and passed around. (Please email this blog to your girl friends and bring it up in the beauty shop as you wait to get your hair done). Aron felt so strongly about the plight of the Black beauty industry that he posted the entire work on Youtube for public consumption. I've embedded it in it's entireity below. You will be blown away. And next time you pull out your wallet to purchase some Dudley's or Dark and Lovely, please remember the impact that your dollar can make. Be a conscious consumer.

Love,

Ike

part 1


part 2


part 3


part 4 (update)


Purchase a dvd here: www.blackhairdvd.com

FFD Update... Hold on one more week!

Hi luvies,

Or maybe you hate me by now! I'm sorry this blog looks horribly bleak and outdated but I'm at Yale burning some serious midnight oil, downing gallons of caffeine, trying to forge the final mile before graduation. I can taste it. Please be patient and tune in NEXT FRIDAY for regular posting! In the meantime, food for thought:

On Sean Bell: Why has no presidential candidate spoken up about police brutality, the mischevious grand child of slavery if you ask me? I'm more than dissapointed. We can no longer continue to sweep this issue under the mat. This injustice has been a key demand in every major Black activist movement in this country's history. The Black Panthers, The Nation of Islam, the riots that exploded through Black inner cities in the late sixties... all of these volatile instances of African-American activism were fueled partially by police brutality. And still we contend with it. Black men should not have to fear cops. They should not have to worry that if they hesitate for a second when a white sheriff pulls them over they could be murdered. Is the role of the police force to impose order and protect the civilians or to effect martial law in inner cities and intimidate African-Americans. There is always a problem that erupts when one's authority outweighs their power in society.

On Beyonce:

Dear Beyonce,
I am happy that you are finally in wedded bliss to the man of your dreams. Love is a beautiful thing, isn't it? But can we at least get one picture of the dress? You're Beyonce for heavens sake. Divas every where are craving to see what you wore.
Sincerely,
Fly Funky Diva

(By the way, this is what I'd bet it looked like.)

On Reverend Wright: Forget the kitchen sink. Obama is dodging the sink, the chandelier, the microwave and the rolled up linoleum floor. This is a man who has done his best to take the high road and transcend politics as usual and it seems as if the American public wants to see him be a politician. In case you were wondering, the day that Obama publicly denounced Wright was the day that he became a true politician. He made a moral sacrifice for the sake of his campaign.
Truth be told, Wright has said very little that I disagree with. My point of contention with him is his timing. Obama is struggling right now and primarily because Miss Clinton has managed to conflate the terms of their relationship. The reverend is an intelligent man. Why would he allow himself to be bated into a media tour now? That was a trap. Couldn't he see that was sabotage?No, I don' t mind what he has to say. I have a ton of respect for his rhetoric and dedication to the community. He is a heroe. But there are many Americans who will not understand or empathize with Wrights beliefs no matter how he phrases it. To many Americans, the Black church is an intimidating enigma, despite the fact that it developed under the necessities of segregation.

This Wright issue has kept him Obama on the defense for far too long, preventing him from being able to address more pressing issues, in particular to Americans in key upcoming primary states like Indiana. It is a shame that Americans will blame a man for another man's words. Why should I have to explain the beliefs that come from another mans mouth? These politics of association are a dirty way to play the game.

On Warren Jeff's Sect: Anyone else find it humorous that at the center of this whole controversy is a Black (possibly Crazy) woman?

On Bush: Congress did not ruin the economy, you're war did. And no, a 300-1200 dollar income tax return will not remedy America's recession. Save. Save. Save.

On Gas: How high will it go?

'Till next week, good luck and God Speed.

Flyness and Funk,
Ike

Rumor: Nina Garcia ousted from Elle Magazine

In fashion one day your in and the next day your out! Rumor has it that Nina Garcia, fashion director of Elle Magazine since 2000, left the magazine this past week and it wasn't on her own terms. She is also a weekly judge on Bravo's hit reality TV Show Project Runway. Neither Garcia or the magazine have confirmed. Sources say that she was in her office Friday morning, but was suspiciously absent from a major Elle event on Tuesday. Garcia took maternity leave last spring and since her return began writing a column called "Fashionina". She is also the author of The Little Black Book of Style which hit the shelves in September. Now, we wonder if this means she's also out from Project Runway.

Project Runway also recently moved to Lifetime under a more lucrative deal. NBC, the owner of Bravo, is pursuing legal action.

and the 2008 Miss USA title goes to.... Miss Texas, Crystle Stewart!!!

My voice is still sore from screaming the moment Donny and Marie Osmand announced that Crystle Stewart, the stunning african-american beauty from Texas, was our next Miss USA!!! It took her five attempts to win her state title, but I knew, after she won the state crown that she was our next national queen. She is also the second Black woman to capture the crown. Susie Castillo, who ironically also went on to be Miss USA, was the first. Crystle may not have been the most statuesque woman on the stage tonight, but her poise, southern charm, eloquence, and radiant smile were unmatched. She was an early crowd favorite which sometimes can be the kiss of death (sorry Miss Massachussettss) so I am absolutely thrilled that she took the crown. Her accomplishment is a testament to will power, commitment, and shear determination. Crystle, you go girl!!! This fly funky diva is your biggest fan!!!

Crystal is 26 year old business owner and part time model. She will travel the nation promoting her platform of ovarian and breast cancer awareness and will vie for the title of Miss Universe in Vietnam on July 13, 2008.

On to my review of the 2008 Miss USA pageant. The show opened, live from Las Vegas and I was a bit dissapointed. The delegates looked amazing in their SCALA by Sherri Hill designs (she is the Donna Karen of the pageant world) and they were impeccably styled and made up, but where was the showmanship? 4 eight counts does not equal a production number and the stage looked like it was inspired by the gaudy set of Deal or No Deal. I am so sick of pageant producers trying to reduce pageantry to a shell of its former self in their attempt to reel mass viewing audiences back to the time honored tradition. Pageants are about feminity, poise, grace, glamour, and eloquence. All the pomp, pizazz, fluff and cheesiness.... well that's apart of the pageant tradition. You can't take that away! At the end of the day we want a woman who is an dynamic spokesmodel, not just a model. Instead, producers want to make it about sex appeal and incorporate elements of reality tv because they think that's what the American public wants. Well, perhaps viewing the Miss USA and Miss America pageants are no longer as significant a tradition in this country as they were two decades or go, or as pageants are in say Venezuela. But hey, I say change the people, not the pageant. If our media was not so obsessed with the sexy, explicit, and scandalous, the pageant wouldnt have to feel as if they were too "clean cut" to survive in the new millenium. I think there's a reason why Trump allowed Tara to stay on as Miss USA even though she was addicted to cocaine and an underage alcoholic but was ready to fire Miss Universe 1996 Alicia Machado when she gained a bit of weight. :rolling my eyes: Ahh well, what can you do?

Next, 51 became 15 and I had a good idea already from the contestants preliminary performance and their photo shoots (yes..... some of the contestants are put in the top 15 purely because the organization likes their look). To no suprise was Massachussets, Arkansas, Rhode Island, Missouri, South Carolina, Tenessee, Indiana and my early favorite Texas. I had marked Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Minnesota down as strong maybes. Now, my mouth hit the floor when they called the last three, three choices from the gutter! Florida, California, and Utah had no place in the top 15. California was a political choice because of the scandal surrounding her crowning. The Miss Florida USA organization is a pageant powerhouse and I think that Miss Florida got in to the Top 15 on the strength of that, defintely not because of her looks or presentation. And as for Utah... your guess is as good as mine. It's a shame because I think there were woman who were much more deserving of those spots such as Miss Alabama, Miss Arizona, and Miss Maryland.

The swim suit competition was to the back drop of Finger 11, a band that despite apparent succedss, I had never heard of at all. The contestants came out in black bikini's, wrapped in faux fur. This was nice for dramatic affect, but fur is difficult to model with as it is heavy and awkward. Bring back the chiffon! I was impressed by Massachussets presentation. She had a great walk and a model's dimensions, however honestly I was not feeling her. There was something about her energy that rubbed me the wrong way. I also noticed Oklahoma and New Jersey in this portion and realized that they'd be strong contenders for the crown. It was probably more difficult for Miss Texas to shine in this portion as was shorter than most of the ladies, but she really did. She had wonderful expression, a great walk, and just a 'spunk' that really translated well on stage.

Miss Massachussetts 2008

Next, Massachussets, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Missisippi, Tenessee, Texas, Indiana and Florida were announced as the Top Ten. Again, still shocked that Florida creeped into that spot. Evening gown is my favorite part of competition and the look of the evening was certainly diaphanous. Several delegates, including the winner, modeled gowns that were enticingly shear. One of my favorites was Miss Missouri's. She modeled a beatiful gown made of dramatically beaded, shear fabric. It was radiant under the stage lights and I loved how she was mostly covered but still very alluring. Oklahoma also had a great gown, reminiscent of the red Sherri Hill creation that Rachel won in last year, but her walk was a tad stiff. In fact, she was a tad stiff. Nevertheless, the judges scored her generously (9.3). Tenesssee took herself out of the competition with a poor dress choice. It just did not stand out amidst the other dresses and didn't do much for her. And of course my favorite was Texas' outstanding gown. It was champagne colored, heavily beaded at the top of the snug bodice, and it flowed into a shear bottom. It was perfect against her complexion and very flattering to her petite frame. She also walked with incredible elegance. This was her stand out portion.



Miss Oklahoma USA 2008

Out of the Top Five, I guessed four correctly; Texas, Oklahoma, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. I was a bit shocked that Missisippi made it into the Top Five. I thought it would be Massachussets instead. I figured that the competition was betweeen Texas and Oklahoma at that point and it probably was until Q&A. Oklahoma's response was lack luster but unfortunately for her, so was Christian Siriano's question. "If you had the power to help a celebrity, who would you help and how?" Her answer, of course, was Britney Spears. I won't even go there. Crystle's response was rather concise, but her confidence in answering it was incredible. She's a natural. Tiffany Andrade of New Jersey also answered very well but despite her hailing from my home state, I simply did not want to see her win.

Before the crowning, there were a few dissapointments. First of all, can we get over Miss Teen South Carolina USA. She has become a star because she basically had the perfect "dumb blonde" moment on national tv. I mean, the camera did not cut to the current Miss Universe or Miss Teen USA, but it spot lighted her. Ladies and gentlemen, what is wrong with this picture??? I'm so sick of Donald. What also caused me roll my eyes and sigh in disenchantment is the gown that Rachel chose for her final walk. While the brilliant mango color was gorgeous, it did absolutely nothing for her. If I was Miss USA and this was my final walk and I had her body, my dress was have been to die for!!! Her first dress of the night also looked a hot patchwork mess. But to her defense, she usually dresses very well.



Cut to the crowning of Miss Texas, Crystle Stewart, and all was well. She is beautiful, charming, elegant, and seems to have a great spirit about her. She will be a legendary Miss USA and I think that she has a spectacular shot at the Miss Universe crown. At the end of the day we must acknowledge that pageants are more than looks (though in the Miss Universe organization looks are ALOT). Pageants are won with charisma and tedious preparation. The crown is often gained by the woman with that unmistakable je ne sais quois and often times this is an inner beauty that is so sensational, it shines outwardly.

Congratulations Crystle!!! You go girl!!!!

Flyness and Funk(-y $200,000 Mikimoto pearl and diamond crowns),

Ike

A Few Pageant Gown Trends

In homage of the return of "pageant season" I've been meaning to compile a few of my favorite gown trends for my fellow pageant gals... The following designs are by Sherri Hill, Tony Bowls, Jovani, Bagdley Mischka, a few others that I may need to add later (as I'm not looking at my list). Anyhow, sequin has made a huge comeback, particular matte sequin ( it looks more expensive). Rachel Smith won Miss USA in a red sequin Sherri Hill creation. Also, it seems that since Zuleyka won Miss Universe 2007 in that fabulous low cut chain mail gown, the popular asset of choice amongst beauty queens has become the cleavage. Both of Crystle Stewarts gowns for the Miss Texas USA and the Miss USA pageant (up on the website now) demonstrate this. Nevertheless, a fabulous split is always scintillating. You just have work with what you've got. I also selected a few chiffon creations, such as the turquoise Bagdley Mischka. These unpageant-like gowns are really emerging as a trend in the Miss Universe system. Their stage appeal is in their great movement and they look best on taller women.

Looking for a gown? Keep these tips in mind:

- Show off your single best asset. If you have legs for days, then a long side split will be stellar. If it's your silhouette then a fabulous sequin sheath would be incredible. It could be your cleavage (but not if you are too top heavy), you shoulders, or even your back.

-Choose a fabric that catches the light. The real reason's why pageant gowns are so expensive is because bead work is so pricey, but the crystals, bugle beads, and sequin that catch the light on the stage are so important because they will make you stand out! Today there are many embellishments and textiles out therethat will reflect the stage light, but this detail is very important.

-Choose a flattering color. This aspect can make or break an evening gown segment. Your complexion should litterally pop when you put on the gown. If you are a woman of color stick with jewel tones, bright pastels, and white.

-Choose a gown that moves well because obviously, you have to walk in it. Splits, free flowing materials, and trains are great features on gowns because they accentuate the woman's walk. Avoid gowns that are so restricting on the legs that you find it difficult to do your best pageant walk. Also, remember that the cut and style of your dress should influence the type of pageant walk you do. While a sultry saunter is fabulous in a shimmering sheath, a ball gown requires a far more straight-forward walk with minimal hip movement.

That's all for now. Tune in to the Miss USA Pageant on Aprill 11th on NBC. Delegate photos and interviews are up on the website now.

Flyness and Funk(y tiaras),
Ike