A few of my favorite things

In the spirits of Christmas I am compiling a list of the items most wanted.

#1-Nikon SB-600 Speedlight $220
With this baby I will no longer be limited to outdoor and daylight shots. It truly is the most wanted item because it is interrelated to my passion for photography. CAN'T NOBODY TELL ME NOTHING if I get this!!!





#1.5 Nikon 55-200mm Lens $250
I have been wanting this bad boy since I got my Nikon D40. It will make some of my shots a lot easier to capture, namely the ones from a distance.





#2 DJ Hero $120 or $180
I have always wanted to try my hand at the turntables and this is finally my affordable chance! I haven't been sold enough to spend an extra 60 bucks for the Renegade Edition.




#3 PS3 Slim $299
I know that it doesn't have backwards compatibility but I am tired of being left out, time to invest in a quality game system. (no shade 360, daddy loves ya!)

Culinary Artist

My mom wasn't a big cook when I was growing up. We usually opted for something that was easy like fish sticks or chicken nuggets. Feasts like smoked turkey, mashed potatoes and collard greens were only obtainable when I went elsewhere for dinner, namely grandparent's house. But Big D has surprised me in my later years. She even cooked the entire Thanksgiving dinner in 07, I was really surprised. But as of late I have felt the need and passion to start cooking on my own. I have been told and found that buying groceries and cooking for yourself saves money and is really rewarding. It kind of feels like I am back in Biochemistry class, measuring out certain ingredients as not to mess up the mixture. Some of my recent past meals have included grilled chicken breasts, backed chicken breasts (I gotta thing for white meat), and tonight I tried my hand at tilapia. The meal actually came out well. I served some Mexican staples, black beans and white rice. It doesn't mean a lot to you, but its a pretty big accomplishment for me. :D

Time for a break....

So in the past couple of weeks I have entertained a few men in my life but I arrive at the same conclusion about the situations I have placed myself. I always feel cramped and annoyed by them and their actions. The constant calling, texting, messaging, it becomes overbearing for me. I do not believe that we should be communicating every hour on the hour if we are just getting to know each other. I am perfectly fine with a late night check in, and if the situation calls for it, tell me when something exciting happens. But you will not hit me up before 9 am saying that I was on your mind. I usually don't even operate before 10 so you are really committing a sin against my personality by thinking you are so important to hit me up at that time.

I am tired of running into the same old dudes. The characters change but the stories stay the same. Everyone is just looking for something to get off to, something that satisfies them for the moment and nothing more. I desire more and deserve more.


I am have become annoyed with myself. I am on these sites that attract this caliber of man, the type that I thought could be molded but I am always reminded and that people are who they are, I can not change them, nor can they change me. The Lord has made a move on my spirit, and I need to take heed, its time for me to get off the sites and focus on being a better me. I have things to focus on, being held by another should not be one of them. Time to adopt a business mindset, if its not about my financial, spiritual, or artistic future, then it does not concern me!

The season is rapidly approaching

So Christmas is not too far off and the buzz has already been given to the public. People are playing the holiday music and compiling lists. I don't know how Christmas will go over for me this year, but I do now that I plan to make money off of the commercialization of a religious holiday. I picked up a second job in a mall that is a little ways out from my house. I think I'm going to like it, but I am a little upset at the meager wage. I am really going to sacrifice a lot to make this thing work, but I don't plan on dropping the ball. There are things that I want and more importantly, there are things that require my monetary contributions.

Err, Music Thursday??

So I am a bit late but here are my pics for this week.




I'll let the video speak for itself, I just LOVE GAGA!!!!



I heard this one at my new job and was like damn, why didn't I keep up with the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs?

Gender Identity Pt. 1

In growing into a man that I am proud to be, I have come across the issue of gender identity a number of times. As a child I was told that things were the way they were because that's just the way we operated. The answer was always given to me in a caustic manner that made me fear to delve deeper to interrogate the images in front of me. I was told that girls play with dolls and boys play sports or just don't; but there was a desire to know more. The inquisitive nature of a child will continue to ask why until they are satisfied or, in my case, they are shunned/shamed into acquiescence. I played that role for years until I was tired of not finding the truth, a battle that I am still fighting with at times. Its hard to define what is truth is when conventional constructs are thrown in your face everyday and are 'cemented' with religious doctrines. But I am gaining ground and will speak out on things that I find offensive to the comprehensive construction of gender.

Music Tuesday

I dedicated my Music Monday to Prince on Twitter and I would be a fool not to feature him on here! I wanted to post his music videos/links to his music, but I will respect his rights as an artist and not having it easily accessible. He fought against Warner for the rights to his music during most of the 90's and I wouldn't be a fan if I went against his hard work to retain his rights (which all artists should have).

'I Feel For You' was written, performed and released on Prince's self-titled album in 1979. It was then popularized by Chaka Khan in 1984. I personally prefer Prince's version, but check it out and let me know how you feel.

'Call My Name' was released on the 'Musicology' album in 2004. I remember one of my good high school buddies tried to put me on as we were going into our finals days of class but I never really grasped it until I had graduated. The lyrics are romantic and they whisked me into a world where that kind of love was possible. And the song plays perfectly into his return to the world as Prince and not The Artist Formally Known as Prince. Its humorous when you look at it like that, a return to the music world with the a song telling you call his name.

Halloween

I decided to participate in the costuming of the season and to be a bit daring by using make up. It was a fun experience, but I know I won't be messing with make-up for a while. Here are some pics from my Halloween!

I was The Joker!


The demented look really worked for me, eh?


I was so happy I ran into Lady Gaga!!