Sistah Supersheroes: Misty Knight

Inspired by my post on Musings in the Dark, I'm going to go on and pay tribute to some bad-ass sistah supersheros.

Mercedes “Misty” Knight is a former cop for the NYPD who had to leave her profession after she lost her arm in a terrorist attack.  Misty’s arm is replaced with a bionic one created by Stark Industries, but it did not allow her to keep her job.  She and her friend Colleen became private investigators.  They are known as Daughters of the Dragon because of their martial arts skills and general ass-whupping abilities and frequently aid Heroes for Hire, a group put together by one of her lovers, Iron Fist.  But relationships are complicated and Misty doesn’t stay with Fist very long.  However, there are many other things that demand her attention.

There's a switchblade in the 'fro.

There’s so much to like about Misty Knight.  She’s beautiful, brave and a total badass.  She and her bestie Colleen are down like four flat tires.  There are some new comics featuring the divine Miss Knight and I cannot wait to own them.  I’ve never heard of her before last year, and now I am going to make it my mission to purchase and read her comics and do more research on this boss chick.  And I won't stop there.  There are plenty of other sistah supersheroes that need more exposure. Misty is just the first.

A friend of mine, Neo-prodigy, has already recommended Daughters of the Dragon, and I'm about to Amazon it right now.  Let's give our sistah supersheroes some love!

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My Favorite "Awkward Black Girl" Scenes

So as many of you who frequent this blog know, the Season 2 premiere of The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl on Thursday June 14th is 2 weeks from today!  When the series first started in cyberspace I thought Issa Rae's web series about a nerdy awkward black girl who comes into embarrassing situations was not only funny but comforting.  To be honest, I can completely identify with a number of adventures the main character "J" has gone through.  I think J is alot cooler than I am, but she still has her nerdy moments that makes her a fellow kin in my book!  SN: Issa is really nice by the way---had an opportunity to interview her for my NCIndieSeen blog and you can check that out that link here.

Since the new season will be starting, I wanted to list a few of my favorite scene from the web series. If you haven't seen it---I implore you to go on YouTube and watch episodes 1-12 so you can be completely caught up before the new season begins.

Feel free to comment and share your favorite scenes too!

My personal faves:

Episode 1 - Scene 1 when she says "Am I the only one who pretends to be in a music video when I'm by myself?" And trying to evade someone you run into at a stop sign and pretend you're on your cell phone...LoL

Episode 3 - Scene 1 when she imagines how she would play out what she would say when she runs into her crush in the middle of the street (I've had that happen to me soooo many times)

Episode 4 Scene 2 Introduction of Amir.  The token offensive guy at work that makes racist remarks, but you're not quite sure of if you should be offended or not because you're not sure what race he is. (I just love the dialogue and the actor's performance--I laugh everytime) "Bitches be trippin!"

Episode 5 (maybe Scene 4 or 5)- Introduction of White Jay.  When he tells J. that she's "motherfuckin beautiful" Sooooo sexxy!

Episode 7 Scene 4 - The awkward restaurant date with White Jay and J.  Hahaha!  When J. says "damn I could really fuck up some Jumbalaya right now" --fat girl voice-- ( I've been on an awkward date like that before where I ordered a salad instead of an actual meal!)

Episode 12 Final Scene - When White Jay mistakes Donald Glover for Danny Glover's son. LoL!  

Here is the promo below for the new season:

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My Addiction To "The Sims"

One day my brother had a PC game that he thought I would be interested in.  It was called "The Sims".  I remember hearing about a game called "Sim City" a couple of years back.  Sim City is a game where you build amusements parks, buildings, bridges, etc.  I wasn't really interested until I saw him playing it one afternoon. 

The Sims is a game where you create a family and treat the family like everyday living.  You start with a home that you need to build.  The home is furnished with appliances, beds, and plumbing.  Then you have to find a job for your Sim.  A job can range from anything to a firefighter to a rock star.  It's pretty awesome.  You can also pair up your Sim with another Sim and they become close friends.  You can also make them become romantically involved.  The romance can mature into a marriage and the Sim can even have children!

Well I'm posting this because I have to admit that I suffer from an addiction to The Sims game.  I've been playing this game off and on for the last 6 years.  Yep...its bad guys.  I would like to emphasize the fact that I've played it off and on.  When I found out several months ago that there was an app in the App Store for The Sims I didn't hesitate to download it.

The App Store updates this app once a month and now I'm working on creating a baby for my newlywed Sims.  This is probably the nerdiest blog post I've ever written, but this is my truth and I embrace my ultimate nerdiness!  Why is this game so addictive?  Why can't I just stop?  Ok...time to check on my Sims now.

Do you have a video or PC game that you're addicted to?

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Giving Props...

Since we never truly get any respect, props or credit, may I present to you the utter fabulousness that is Black Female Superheroes.


A couple of friends sent me this link on Facebook and I like to share wonderful goodies like this.  I'm not a comic book fan (I let it go decades ago), but these I'll buy and read.  Perhaps, when my schedule allows, I'll actually be able to read and offer my perspective on these boss chicks.  I'm already a fan of Misty Knight and I've never read her comics.

Totally want to be her when I grow up.  Rock on, Misty!!!

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Remember "Girl Talk"?

I'm not talking about a one-on-one conversation with your closest girlfriends over the phone or at a get-together.  I'm talking about the 80's board game for teens during those Friday and Saturday night sleepovers.

I remember it like it were yesterday--

I was brought over my New Kids On The Block sleeping bag and spent the night over at my girl Tammy's house.  She was obsessed with Milli Vanilli at that time, so we played Milli Vanilli cassette tapes.  I started getting sick of listening to Milli Vanilli and asked her if I could play Madonna's "Immaculate Collection" album.  We broke out the game while "Like A Prayer" was playing in the background.

While I was sitting in my Betty Boop PJ's and she was wearing her Milli Vanilli T-Shirt and long johns, we got out the Girl Talk board game ready to play the game of truth or dare.

Here is a description found on Amazon of what the game is all about:


Spin the spinner and earn points by acting out silly stunts and sharing special secrets. If you perform the stunt or share your secret, you win points. After you collect 15 points, you win one fortune card. If you " just can't" do the stunt of share your secret, you must place a Zit sticker on your face. The first player to collect the fortune Card in each category (Marriage, Career,Children,& special moments) wins the game and may read her own special fortune!


Some of the dares include:

Name a boy you'd like to date

Describe the perfect prom dress

Tell each player her best & worst features

Put an ice cube down your shirt and let it melt.

It sounds so corny now and perhaps it was even just as corny back then, but I was all about this game.  It became so popular that they created spin off versions like Girl Talk: Date Line.  The game even created a short lived TV show starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Soleil Moon Frye!  Can you believe that?

Check out 2 clips below.  The first clip is a TV commercial for Girl Talk: Date Line and the second is a clip of the Girl Talk TV show.

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NATURAL HAIR AND ITS NEGATIVE COMMENTS

So as we all know natural hair is crazy popular right now, so with that it has good but still lots of bad drawbacks from people. 

So where I currently live natural hair isn't really the norm. I live in a more white area and in order to seem professional one with kinky hair will typical feel the need to straighten it out. Ive heard things like "before I go to work these naps have to be laid down" I understand why certain women had this type of thinking, because I thought that exact same way. 

It wasn't until this past February when I made a personal decision to big chop my relaxed ends after growing out my natural texture for over a year. Once I cut my hair not only did I say goodbye to it but I guess mentally I was saying goodbye to my old way of thinking...about my hair (about myself).

Around this time  I started a new job in different part of town, and I quickly picked up on the fact that my afro wasn't going to be accepted. I got looks, stares, tons of questions still everyday where ever I went still rocked my hair big and poufy. I guess I always known this will/would happened in the beginning. My old way of thinking probably would have taking a flat iron to it immediately just by the negative responses that were floating around me. 

But I never allowed anyones comments to affect how I felt about myself. I took it in stride and smiled and carried myself with pride. Not worrying what one says about what I do. I didn't do this for acceptance I did this for myself and my own happiness.

I often would read blogs about other naturals feeling the need to change them selves because other people don't find their kinky hair "sexy, or attractive" Don't change yourself for NO BODY (not your man, parents, friends, club what ever the case maybe) because down the line you will feel regret because of sacrificing of your own happiness. People will always disapprove things but if what you are doing truly makes you happy who really cares what anyone else thinks. 

-Nikki Lajoy

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Taking the Spotlight

We are very lucky. We live in a time in which it is cool to declare your geekdom. It wasn't so long ago where we had to live in secret, hiding our love of Lord of the Rings and novelty comedy songs (my love of Flight of the Conchords is eternal). I'm glad the tide is changing, (and we are slowly taking over) but I can't help but think it would have happened faster if there were more representations of black women in the media. As of late, there is such a limited idea of what a black woman is in Hollywood and personally, I can't relate to any of the portrayals. Either we are portrayed as overtly sexy, a mammy figure, or (my personal favourite) comically angry (attitude for days). These representations are not only ridiculously inaccurate, but extremely one dimensional. As a black women I can see that these are not realistic representations, but this is what is shaping the global view of the modern black female.

With all this new found exposure,we should seek out and demand more content that reflects us. This not only means supporting projects with like Awkward Black Girl, but taking matters into our own hands and writing our own stories. The only true way to make sure your voice is heard is do it yourself. We have to create content that is so undeniably excellent that the powers that be cannot ignore us. Moreover we have to support each others efforts.

So I propose that below in the comments we list TV shows, movies and any other projects you can think of that show the modern black female in all her varied and complex glory. Moreover to all the creative types, I'd love to hear about any projects you are working on. We need to make sure that our voice is the one shaping the future.  

- Truphena Matunda 

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An Ode to Cheese (2/5)...

My homage continues.

Frankenfish is based off a real event and also hints at consumer consumption of genetically-engineered salmon.  Science and reality shoved aside (and I do mean shoved), this movie is a treat that can be found on YouTube; which saves a queue-space on Netflix.  The quality is good and the movie even more enjoyable because it’s free.  If you are having 90 minutes of nothingness, check it out. I have the link posted at the end.  Spoilers follow, so be warned.

Frankenfish deviates from convention by having a black hero and heroine, portrayed by Tory Kittles and K.D. Aubert, respectively.  The movie takes place in the Louisiana Bayou, in the tiny town of Otley.  Something is attacking the residents.  Sam Rivers (played by Kittles; a handsome guy) is a medical examiner sent to investigate the deaths.  Sam and a marine biologist named Mary find their way to a small houseboat community and get stuck there. The residents include a “hoodoo” widow woman and her daughter Eliza (played by Aubert), Eliza’s white boyfriend, a hippie couple, a crazy ex-military type and a noodling fisherman named Elmer.

Sam Rivers, M.E.  Also, he's Black.

 You know things are going to be interesting when Sam and Mary come upon a decapitated alligator (an uncommon sight, I'm told), but the fun begins when Sam and Mary arrive at the community to interview Gloria, a widow whose husband was retardedly murdered by one of the Fish.  After a dinner of snapping turtle gumbo, during which we find out that Eliza once had a crush on Sam (they went to the same high school), Elmer leads Sam and Mary to an abandoned boat.  Gloria told them that the problems started after the boat was found.  After discovering the mauled bodies in the bilge, Mary accidentally knocks Elmer into the water and he’s immediately eaten by one of the Frankenfish.  Sam and Mary hotfoot it back to the community where the Fish promptly destroy all of the boats. Why this happens is never explained, but it doesn't matter because it’s hilarious.  The Frankenfish do world-class backflips Olympic gymnasts would envy.  They walk on land, and they’re at least the size of a Toyota Prius.

The stoner hippie dude is the first one to get got and it happens in royal fashion.  A Frankenfish bites his head off in front of his wife.  She ends up in the water and doesn't try to save herself.  You want her to get eaten and you’re not disappointed.  The crazy ex-military type, Ricardo (the best friend of Gloria’s dead husband) vowed revenge early on and gets it when he manages to bait and catch the Frankenfish (at this point, they think it’s just the one).  Ricardo kills the Fish and, in an utterly gut-busting scene (pun intended), barbecues and eats its heart.  I've never seen anybody barbecue a fish heart the size of a Daisy canned ham bare-handed.  Come to think of it, I've never seen anyone barbecue a fish heart.  At any rate, the residents think everything is over, but it’s not because the Mama Frankenfish avenges her murdered child.  The Mama jumps on Ricardo’s porch and eats his intestines.  Then, as if to say, “Motherf**ker,” she pushes his eviscerated behind into the water.  I nearly choked with glee and pumped my fist because, in these kinds of movies, I always root for the animals.

As funny as the above scene is, nothing compares to the death of Mary. After Ricardo dies, his grill falls over and heats up his shotgun. Mary is standing on the end of Gloria’s porch, explaining a way they can escape when the shotgun discharges, shooting her in the face.  

Eliza.  Smart, resourceful & Black.

Let me repeat: She gets shot in the face by an unmanned shotgun!  I cannot tell a lie; I laughed so hard I nearly pissed myself.  I know tears were in my eyes.  It was the best scene in the entire movie.  After that, everything went downhill.   Mama Frankenfish attacks the houseboats, sinking them.  The remaining residents are able to escape via a group of trackers.  One of them, a game hunter (white, of course), pulls a dick move by forcing Sam to go after the Mama.  Sam, being a smart fellow, manages to escape with Eliza. It is discovered that the Frankenfish are genetically modified Northern Snakeheads (who apparently can walk on land), bred to be hunted by the game hunter.  This butthole gets his ass handed to him by the Daddy Frankenfish, who happens to be the size of an Escalade.

The ending is too quick and anticlimactic, but it’s memorable because the last two standing are Sam and Eliza.  Now they do some decidedly non-Black foolishness by making out afterwards in the swamp while covered in fish brains, but it was a concession I was happy to make. Black folk don't usually survive these adventures.

Now, for your viewing pleasure...

  

Four and three-quarter stars.  The shotgun death-to-the-face alone is totally worth clicking on the YouTube link.

Next:  Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus

Previous:  Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus

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Beauty Break: Beauty Tips For Dark Skin by Adrian

Photo Courtesy: http://shadesofblackness.tumblr.com

The human skin can be compared to an artist's canvass. When the canvass is empty, it looks bare and only becomes alive when painted. Dark skin can be a challenge as many products on the market are geared toward Caucasian, European skin. Women however, are born creative, artistic and imaginative, many which are super beauty and health conscious. They have the patience and diligence to carry out beauty tips to enhance their dark skin tones.

Rejuvenate Your Skin

Dark-skinned women can be extremely sexy and look hot from head to toe with the following beauty tips. Before considering fashion for clothing and fashion accessories, black women must take particular attention to a healthy lifestyle. Working women can have problems at work that can cause lots of stress and fatigue. They need enough sleep for their body and skin cells to regenerate. Staying up late, alcohol and over-work must be avoided. Also avoid too much exposure to heat, wind and other environmental elements because they can cause over-drying, allergic reaction and skin cancer.

Drink Water

When it comes to body nutrition, have a balanced diet to keep the skin healthy and younger looking. Excessive amount of oily and fatty foods intake can be unhealthy. Drink at least 4 to 5 liters of water a day to keep the skin hydrated. Water helps regulates body temperature and also flashes out toxins from the body. Wheat, cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables can be health-wise.

Cleansing and Moisturizing

Personal hygiene counts a lot for skin or facial care. Regular cleansing and moisturizing can maintain the skin natural complexion. Proper skin cleansing can prevent oily skin that can cause irritation and acne breakouts. Beauty or skin care products can promote younger looking skin however they have to be carefully chosen. There can be chemicals or active ingredients added with a formula that can be harmful to the skin. And so to avoid dark spots, acne and other skin problems consult a skin care specialist or dermatologist for skin care regimen, moisturizers and facial creams.

The Benefits of Dark Skin

Having dark skin is an asset. It can be very attractive and elegant especially when match with the right style and fashion. Dark skin tone has more pigment or melanin and can withstand UV rays and it is less sensitive to allergens and other skin problems. It is less prone to blackheads, spots, pimples and pigmentation as compared to other skin types.

Makeup for Dark Skin

Dark skin tones are unique and one has to be smart when choosing what to wear and use with it. These days, women with dark skin tones can have neutral colours or bright make up. They can experiment with various make up colours and trends to find out the coolest, funkiest and sexiest make-over. For a smooth base, the powder, concealer and foundation can be applied. For oily dark skin, water-based foundation can be used, avoid cream and honey-based beauty products. For the eyes shadows, there are lots of options however dark skin women can always go for dark colours or metallic such as burgundy, green, copper and brown. For eyelashes or mascara, use clear or natural colour. For the lipsticks, lip colours can be shades of soft pink, plums, burgundy, beige, coffee or chocolate and gold. For the checks to blush, colours like deep orange, peach, bronze, rose and gold tone can very well match with dark skin complexion.

Shampoo & Conditioner

Healthy hair comes with a clean and healthy scalp. The hair needs natural oils for moisturizer and conditioner. The Jojoba oil provides nourishment as well conditions hair follicles. Hair dye or colour, heat, chemicals can expose hair to harsh treatment. It can be damaged and hair styling needs extra attention. Women with dark skin tones are blessed with lustrous and full volume hair. They can have almost any haircut and hairstyle. Many famous personalities from movie and entertainment industries, such as Rihana mix up perms with layers, rolls and curls.

With these simple tips black or darker skinned women can preserve their natural, youthful healthy glow. Just remember to moisturise daily, not drink too much, get plenty of sleep and exercise and wear complimentary makeup.

For more information on hair care and makeup tips checkout beauty advice from Grazia

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My Struggles With Weight

Photo courtesy: http://rawgirltoxicworld.com

For many years now I have struggled with my weight.  I've done practically everything from liquid diets, no carb diets, Weight Watchers, even going vegan for 3 months.  I've decided to get on a strict regime and focus on two things:  portion control and exercise.  It sounds so simple and yet for me it feels so complex.

I'm an emotional eater like most women and use food to fill me up when I'm stressed, depressed, or feel some emptiness that food is somehow supposed to fill.  It's been a journey that I've been battling for so long now going up and down, that it feels frustrating that in my thirties, I am still at war with this issue.

I've written a journal that contains a bucket list of sorts of my breakthroughs for 2012.  Losing  weight is one of them.  I'm seeking a breakthrough happening this year for sure and I have to put the work behind my faith.  As the saying goes---faith without works is dead.  If I know I'm capable of achieving this goal I have to not only believe it, but put actions behind my words.  I have a long term goal of wanting to run a marathon one day.  There are people in their 60s and 70s who have done it.  Why can't I?  Oprah did it.  P. Diddy did it.  I'm certainly not exempt from being a marathon runner.

There's a cool blog called Black Girls RUN! that I've been reading a lot lately.  I know for me that this type of change is something that I cannot do overnight.  I must take baby steps in order to learn more about how to change my lifestyle.  Just like I didn't learn to read or write overnight---I also can expect to balance exercise and healthy eating overnight.  I've lived a fast-paced lifestyle for decades (especially after high school) where I depended on fast-food and embraced a sedentary state of being.

It's got to stop.  Time to get my fitness, and by writing it on this blog, I am letting you out there be my witness.

J.

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I Want To Travel To Italy: Yes Its Because of The Italian Men

Photo Courtesy: simpaticoespresso.com

Whenever I make a big decision I always do my research.  I use Internet search engines, read books, ask questions, and try to go directly to the source.  I've decided that I want to take a trip next year to Italy and I was recently perusing through a travel brochure called Cosmos and saw some really affordable travel packages.

There are cities like Rome which are metropolitan in nature and is filled with tourists and other world travelers.  There are also cities like Venice that are very beachy--(which is my personal home turf coming from someone born and bred in a beach city).  Maybe I can visit Lake Como and see if George Clooney will invite me to his lakeside villa.

Speaking of incredibly attractive Caucasian men---Italian men LOVE us!  Let me say that again.  Italian men LOVE us!  Not only do Italian men adore black women, but they are discouraged that there are not many of us who live there, so whenever a African American female visitor comes to their country, they get the royal treatment...like you're a foreign diplomat being served on international soil.

I haven't exactly experienced this myself personally, but I am very much drawn to the idea of visiting a country that treats a woman like me with adoration, respect, and reverence.  I've been told that they admire women of color for more than our natural beauty.  They admire us for our quirky personalities, flirtatious nature, and eccentric sense of style.

It's not often that you hear of a country or town that admires a specific type of woman,  In fact, I don't have any knowledge of another other place that has a specific interest and/or desire in a woman of a specific ethnic background---with the exception perhaps of that country of origin.  However, it amazes me in a country that has a tiny population of Black women, is the same place that actively seeks us and works to revel us in their chivalry when greeted on their soil.

So therefore I'm making plans to go to Italy. It may not be this year, but it will be some time soon.  I am still single after all.

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WTF North Carolina?!

I don’t know if my bio has been read but I’m from North Carolina. I’m know to be a hobo, in the words of my Granny, so people often assume I’m from one of the states I have lived in besides there. However, I’m a North Carolina girl, Southern and proud…until last night…

At this point, I'm truly ashamed to say I'm from North Carolina. People went out and actually voted for Amendment One that not only placed a ban on same sex marriages, but also affected many single parents, uninsured children, widows, and people in long-term committed marriage without all the bullshit that seems to accompany marriage. Ironic considering most things are supposed to be a separation between church and state but I have a feeling that religion did play a huge part in it. The South is still the South were the Bible Belt roams wild and free.

If you are one of the people out there against same sex marriage, that’s fine. That’s your opinion. But I have a problem with hating it. I truly don’t think a person can help if they fall in love with the same sex just like a person can’t help if they fall in love with someone of a different race. It’s love. We all know that love is a crazy beast that we can’t control. But it’s a beauty thing. People just deserve to be happy. Life is too short to have doors constantly slammed in your face over emotions.

 Ignorance is bliss until it changes your life. People can hide behind whatever they want whether it be political affiliation, racism, sexism, or religion but hate is still hate across the board. And North Carolina definitely showed its colors. I’m a proponent of EQUAL rights not just gay rights. We’re all entitled to our feelings and I’m totally in mine since this passed.

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Amanda's Take "On Being An Introvert"

Check out the article derived from Amanda Hylton's blog "A Dandelion Grows On Mars".

It has taken me quite some while to come to this conclusion, but I finally must confess: I'm an introvert!

Huzzah!


All my life, I always wondered if there is something wrong with me. I never liked talking to people as much as people around me did. In social gatherings, I'm more likely to retreat to a corner sipping my ginger ale than socializing with people. Sometimes (or most of the time) I just like being alone. I always thought that it wasn't right to prefer my own company to the company of other people. It's not that I don't like people at all. I do. In fact, it's being alone too much that makes me start to go crazy. I just prefer smaller social gatherings to larger ones. I like talking to people with the same interests as me. Heck, I go to anime conventions, which are the most amongst the most social events out there. However, I'm not the type of person who likes to go out every night of the week. I cringe at the thought of going to bars or clubs. I just like to stay within my own little bubble sometimes.

So what is an introvert? Let's look at our good old friend, dictionary.com:

Psychology . a person characterized by concern primarily with his or her own thoughts andfeelings ( opposed to extrovert). 

Or, better yet, this article pretty much sums it up. 

In short, introverts are not shy people or people who just don't like talking. We are people who choose are words carefully, and with meaning. We don't talk for the sake of talking. We like being around people, just not all the time.  We like being alone so we can analyze our thoughts. Being around people too much wears us out, and we need time alone to recharge. Extroverts get energy from interacting with people. We lose energy from interacting with people. We're not great at making small talk like "How was your day?" or "It's nice weather, isn't it?" We'll only ask you about your if we really want to know how it went. Many of the greatest artists, writers and scientists are introverts. 

Being an introvert isn't a negative thing. It took me some time to realize that. I thought it was "wrong" that I prefer to keep myself. Not to mention the constant goading from people to "come out of my shell." Hey, I like my shell! It's quite comfortable, thank you very much. I'll come out of it when I very well please. Not everyone is meant to be a "people" person. The world would be a chaotic place is everyone was a Type A personality, huh? 

There are benefits to being an introvert. We don't say stupid things we regret later. We don't talk out of our asses; we say meaningful things. We don't act on impulse, but think about our actions. And despite our seemingly "hardened" exterior, if you're not going to bug us, we're quite open to conversation. 

The one thing I don't agree on is the "quiet" thing. Introverts can be talkative too!

Yeah, there were times when I wish I was more "outgoing" or what have you, but now I'm just fine with my introverted-ness. All the extroverted people in the world seem to think that everyone should be just like them, and this isn't the case. The world needs variety. Being introverted is often seen as negative. Oh, the amount of times I had been called "anti-social" as a kid. Unfortunately, in a world of type A's, there is little room for us Type Z's (yes, I made that up). If there were no introverts, there would be no people sitting alone in their rooms or on benches in the park writing the world's greatest novels, songs, or making some of the world's best art. 

I'm an introvert, and I'm quite okay with that.

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My Summer Bucket List

Personally, I find it scary how easily I can get comfortable. I am the type of gal who is contented spending a Friday night with my laptop, a stack of oatmeal raisin cookies and the complete box set of Doctor Who (the 9^th Doctor is my favourite if you were wondering). Although there is nothing wrong with this life choice – in fact I suggest that you give it a try, it is all too easy to become a permanent fixture on the couch. That is why I have decided to step out of my comfort zone and finally do the things I have always wanted to do but never really had the courage to accomplish. It is my summer bucket list and since we are such good friends I've decided to share it.

1. Play an open mic.
2. See the sunrise from the lookout point in my city.
3. Visit every museum within a 30 km radius of my apartment
4. Attend as many free yoga classes as possible.
5. Take a week long road trip with my closest friends.
6. Camp out at a music festival.
7. Take part in a drum circle.
8. Play with sparklers in the forest.
9. Willingly go on the scariest roller-coaster at an amusement park.
10. Learn Beyonce's full “End of Time” choreography

This list will probably get longer as I gain more confidence to follow my sense of adventure, which is my ultimate goal. It is easy, especially as a nerd, to obsess over things like TV shows and comic books, which is all well and good but there is so many awesome things to experience in the world and I want to do them all. All the things. Life is short and adventure awaits, what is on your bucket list? Come on, you can tell me, we are friends after all.  

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Geeks and Nerds: There's A Difference

 The terms "geek" and "nerd" are used interchangeably.  I myself have even used them as one and the same on this very blogsite.  However, I recently found out that apparently there is a difference between a GEEK and a NERD.  Would you like for me to elaborate?

A Nerd is someone who is socially inept and awkward.  They have a difficult time making friends and tend to be the wallflower at any social occasion.  That is soooo me!  A nerd is also someone with a very expanded vocabulary and a braniac at best.  They are either a whiz in Math, Science, or some other academic subject.  In other words, their cranium is used at its highest capacity and they either have excellent memories (History buffs) or have an uncanny ability to solve calculations (engineering major).  I'm defintiely NOT the latter.

A geek is someone who is not necessarily an intellect, but someone who is an avid collector of something and someone who has a obsessive interest in a subject or state of being.  For example, a "Trekkie" is someone obsessed with the Star Terk franchise and at times may even identify one's self as a person or character from the show.  Or someone obsessed with Facebook is a social networking addict.  A person who has a large collection of comic books or anime DVDs is a geek by definition.  The term geek in some circles was at one time considered at derogatory term and is now considered to be a term of endearment.  Geeks also tend to look more nerdy than actual nerds do.

I considered myself definitely both a nerd and a geek, but I'm more nerdy than geeky if that makes any sense.  I'm definitely socially awkward and cannot look people in the eye when I speak to them.  I'm pretty smart I think, but not whiz kid or anything.  I also have an obsession with blogging (obviously) and I have been known to collect many things including geeky items like comic books, sports cards, and tons of DVD movies.  I don't identify necessarily with a character on a TV show or a movie.  But I've fantasized about becoming one (I would totally trade places with Sookie Stackhouse if given the opportunity).

Anywho.  I know these definitions may not jive with everyone, but I was reading up on this and had no idea of the distinction between the two.  What are your thoughts?  Are you a nerd or a geek?  Or are you both like me?

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FAVORITE CHILDHOOD CARTOONS

Like everyone I loved watching cartoons when I was little. I couldnt wait to get home from school to watch the 3pm line up on tv. And lets not forget the early saturday morning line up, lol. I had cartoons i would watch on different channels, that came on at the same time. All you saw me do every 10 mins was flip back and forth from channel to channel because I didnt want to miss anything, lol.


So here are just a few shows I remember watching when I was younger:

-alvin and the chipmunks
-pokemon
-the smurfs
-jem and the holograms
-sailor moon
-dragonball z
-mighty mouse
-tiny tunes adventures
-the animaniacs
-pinky and the brain
-reboot
-gundam wing
-dexter's laboratory
-cow and chicken
-ren and stimpy
-muppet babies
-woody wood pecker
-chip & dale

And the list can go on, lol. Below are some themes songs I found. What were your favorite shows to watch growing up?












-Nikki Lajoy

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ABC's Scandal

Shonda Rhimes and I go waaay back.  We've been girlfriends since 2005 and hang out every Thursday night at 9p.m.  Seriously?  Yes...seriously.  Okay well maybe we're not exactly girlfriends per se, but I've been an admirer of her career since the pilot episode of her TV show Grey's Anatomy premiered in the Fall of 2005.

Don't call, text, or stop by my house on Grey's night.  It's that serious.  The show is my personal strange addiction and has been for 7 seasons now.  I know some people may disagree with me on this, but I felt Shonda missed the mark on Private Practice.  I'm not a fan of the show---shocker I know, but when the series premiered back in 2007, they did a cross-over episode with Grey's and I hated it.  I haven't watched the show since, but the series doesn't need my help as a viewer because its doing very well and its highly critically acclaimed on ABC's network.

However, a new beast has invaded the network, that may even supersede my admiration and addiction to Grey's Anatomy.  The hotness that is--Scandal.  Yes this show is super sexy, stylish, mysterious, and I'll just be blunt about it, I'm lovin the fact that Kerry Washington is "carrying" this show.  There hasn't been a prime-time drama series with a black female lead on ABC's network since "Get Christie Love in 1974 (wow I wasn't even born yet!).


So now that network television has caught up with the 21st century, its awesome to see Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington) killin it every Thursday night ---right after Grey's--- on one of the hottest new TV shows this season.  The hottest storyline on the show for me right now is the brewing romance between President Fitzgerald Grant (played by Tony Goldwyn) and Olivia Pope. LOVE IT! I've never seen a show where the leader of the free world is acting like a love-struck puppy dog with his tail between his legs, pining after a woman he can't have.  I mean this President is WHIPPED!

The show Scandal is inspired by the real life experiences of Judy Smith who is a crisis manager.  A crisis manager in her world is someone who "fixes things".  It could lead to a myriad of situations that are caused by scandals which politicians, sports figures, and Hollywood celebrities find themselves the victims of.  Smith simply comes in with her team of legal experts (as does Olivia Pope on the TV series) and assist with any necessary cover-ups due to the indiscretions of her clients.  It gets really interesting from one episode to the next.  The pilot featured a decorated war hero who was accused of murder and last week's episode was a South American dictator concerned with his image to manage his diplomacy.  Things get pretty crazy from one episode to the next and the end is always completely unexpected.

The writing is absolutely fabulous!  I always get concerned when a great concept for a TV show is birthed and then the writing is lousy.  I hate to say it---but this was the effect of Private Practice for me.  Don't get me wrong---Rhimes has had her hits and misses, after all this is the same writer of the Britney Spears classic "Crossroads".

I give Rhimes her due on this show and it gets 5 stars in my book.  I just hope that ABC's rapport with Rhimes keeps this show on the air.  This network has a bad history of cancelling really good shows.  "V" is one recently that I was upset about and I still haven't fully forgiven ABC for cancelling "My So-Called Life" back in 1994.  The wounds for that cancellation are still healing.  Scandal will hopefully set a precedent of more shows to come with more black girl leads.

Scandal is my new drug and I wish the show was more than a mere 60 minutes including commercials.

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BGN Girl: Chernail Davis

My name is Chernail and all of my life I have been BGN only I didn't know it.

As a kid, I would spend countless hours in my room reading all kinds of books after maxing out my library card on the Bookmobile that came to my neighborhood every week. In school I was the spelling bee champ for my grade and very good at writing poetry and short stories but because my teachers made such a fuss over my accomplishments, I wasn't very popular with my peers who thought I was a know it all. In high school, even though I felt weirdly different from the other students, I kept trying to fit in. Needless to say, I could never pull it off. When I started college, I could never get over the feeling that I wasn't like everybody else. Something was strangely different about me but I just didn't know what it was. Well, after some family members said some really harsh things about me to another family member, I began praying that the Lord would show me who I am and why I was having so much trouble connecting with people. So slowly He began revealing things to me through various avenues then He just came out with it, "Baby, you're a nerd." Even though I was startled by the revelation, I was equally excited and happy because I could finally embrace myself. So, this past weekend I just came out and asked Him, "Where are the people who are like me"? Then, while I was looking for some images online, lo and behold, I discovered your site! I was so excited that I laughed out loud. Finally, a place where there are other people just like me! Thanks Jamie.

I am a Licensed Cosmetologist but recently I have been trying my hand at photography. For the past 3 years I have been a full-time Culinary / Hospitality Management student but I just changed my major to Commercial Art / Communications.

My social life is pretty tame. I spend most of my time online or reading but when I get a chance, I like to write poetry, spend time in nature, work on my blog or with my new passion, web design (I'm a theme junkie 8). So, with all of this excitement going on there's no Mr. BGN at this time but I'm not mad; I love hanging out with me!

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