This morning, I wake up and before I really open my eyes I picked up my phone. I read my daily horoscope, I checked my NFL Fantasy Draft league for new Waiver Wire acceptances, and then I opened the Safari app and typed in “news”. It’s been a few days since I’ve searched the news on my phone, I do not have social media anymore, so what I found I wasn’t expecting to see. Over the last weeks to a month, when I’ve checked the news on my phone, I’ve been flooded with articles about the upcoming election and reminders to vote. Today was very different. I was informed of another black life lost at the hands of the police officers who are sworn to SERVE and PROTECT us as American people. Walter Wallace Jr. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was unjustly, brutally shot FOURTEEN times and killed at the hands of two non-black police officers, called and to help a mother calm her mentally ill son on Monday, October 26, 2020.
Continue reading “How Many More? A VOTE to Save Lives!”
Let me preface this by telling y’all a story that happened the other day. So, Kacie, James and I are in the house, you know because of Ms. Rona (Coronavirus) has us all on punishment right now, minding our own lives. Kacie stopped James to ask him, “What year were you born?” Simple enough right? So he answers, “1988”. Now this is where it gets deep. Kacie, who is 6 years old-born in 2014, is astonished and says “YOU WERE BORN IN THE NINETEENS?!” He ran in the room and told me and I almost died laughing, all the while she’s in the other room cracking up laughing in shock! So, now I feel ancient… all thanks to my 1st grader who came for my millennia after living a strong 6 years on this planet. Just so happens when he bust in and told me what she said, I was binge watching “Twins the New Trend” on YouTube. Who were ALREADY making me feel ancient!
Continue reading “Twins the New Trend”
+ Live on Purpose, Manifest by ME, Manifest Poetry, Poetic Tesstimonies, Self-Mastery, Walk by Faith
Poetic Tesstimonies: “Love Wouldn’t Count Me Out” by Brandy Norwood
by Miya Elle
“I owe it to the people to teach them what I do know.” –Lady Tess (2019)
Love Wouldn’t Count Me Out by Brandy Norwood is a ballad that allows the listener to vibe to a heartbreak song. The lyrics are simple and powerful, with quotables like ” I guess it wasn’t true, when you said ‘I love you'” and “It used to be that you couldn’t live without me, but now you think you’re better off without me”. She has a deep, raspy, and calming tone to her voice that swallows your whole heart. From the first cord your sucked in, and even if you’re falling out of love or wish you were in it differently… you’ll LOVE this song- it’s poetry.
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Last year in November sometime, life happened and I broke my iPhone 8+. Now, it wasn’t broken, like broken, the screen was just shattered in a million pieces it seemed. The screen laid there missing chunks of glass, harboring my memories and pictures, and I panicked!
I just could not bring myself to pay someone else $125 – $300 for a project that may not even fix the phone and allow me to see the screen. The solution? FIX IT MYSELF!!!! I’m a tinker; I love figuring out projects, building things, and learning new ways of fixing things. Fixing a phone… how hard could that really be?
Continue reading “So… I Replaced My iPhone Screen.”
Erin Condren is a working Mom and planner who designed a daily planner for herself, and grew that one planner to build a successful entrepreneurial brand. Her website, www.ErinCondren.com, is a hub for all office organizational needs (and wants!). I bought my first planner from her on December 20, 2017 and have been hooked since; each year trying to find the perfect one for me.
Continue reading “The Life Planner x Erin Condren”
Last Friday, January 24th, 2020, rapper Dre’Co celebrated the opening night for his 2020 debut “Why/Not: The Tour”. The opening night was nostalgic and high energy, with people dancing and rocking on the dance floor all night long. Headliner Dre’Co brought his talented crew together; featuring DJ Climate, Crusade the Brand Band, Guitarist Moses, & Vocalist Bean, creating an intimate and soulful vibe. The event was shot by Topp, St. Louis photographer and videographer, and owner of FamEstablishment LLC. The tour is sponsored and supported by Classics Only LLC, Saint Louis University, the SLU Billikens, and SLUnatics. The event was held at Busch Student Center on the Saint Louis University campus, tickets were FREE on Eventbrite.
Continue reading “Dre’Co presents “Why/Not: The Tour” 2020 Debut”
+ Live on Purpose, Manifest by ME, Manifest Poetry, Poetic Tesstimonies, Self-Mastery, Walk by Faith
Poetic Tesstimonies: “Amethyst Rock” by Saul Williams
by Miya Elle
“I owe it to the people to teach them what I do know.” –Lady Tess (2019)
Amethyst Rock by Saul Williams reminds listeners of self-worth, provides history into black culture, and brings attention to racial inequalities in America. Almost twenty years after it’s original release by American Records in 2001, Williams’ words still reflect the Black-American experience and perspective of today. He acknowledges the acceptance of ourselves as God, American versus Black-American culture, chattel and corporate slavery, ‘hood mentality’, the prison pipeline, and spiritual history. Good poetry is timeless, as is this piece.
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On January 20, 2020 the Urban Artist Alliance (UrbArts) hosted their 2020 MLK Day Celebration including the Verbquake Youth Poetry Slam. The event was hosted by M.K. Stallings, with DJ Black Spade (all the way from New York) on the turntables, and V. Lang capturing photos. Three youth teams participated in the competition; Beauty N the Beats, Central Flow, and Savage Stanzas. The event consisted of the Youth Poet Laureate Ceremony, 4 Verbquake Slam rounds, twelve poetic performances, and a poetry cypher.
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America celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on this Monday, January 20, 2020 over a 5-day weekend (for most). I was unable to celebrate the holiday the way I planned, and felt physically and mentally terrible about it. This weekend I missed several events; my friend’s and my niece’s birthdays, and the Aaliyah: One in A Million Art Show by Kris Blackmon. I hope that those I missed will understand, because I really had plans to attend each event this weekend.
Continue reading “Epilepsy Changed My Plans”
Big Sean and Jhene Aiko began dating in 2016, according to CelebrityCheatSheet.com, around the time they released their joint album Twenty88. Big Sean, rapper, is an Aries, according to Astrology.com, his birthdate is March 25, 1988. Sean’s girlfriend is, singer, Jhene Aiko, born March 16, 1988; she is a Pisces by astrology. (Cougar? LOL) Sean has had much success in his career as a businessman and creative artist, and has no children of his own reported. Jhene has also had much success in the same fields, and is a mother of one. The Twenty88 artists have been dating for around four years and Jhene now has a tattoo of Sean’s face on her arm, Khitz’s website reports. Serious enough? I think so. Let’s dive in!
Continue reading “Celeb Love Cards: Sean & Jhene”
“I owe it to the people to teach them what I do know.” –Lady Tess (2019)
Listen calls attention to the growth and humbling that is needed to spark a revolution for change in black America. Jay Luvve keeps the crowd’s attention with his uneven cadence, strong pauses, and intelligent progressive writing style. He reminds us of our worth and that we need to compromise to end our current struggles for future generations. He pleads for our black community to stop working against each other and simply listen to each other’s ideas to be impactful.
Continue reading “Poetic Tesstimonies: “Listen” by Jay Luvve”
In 2012, I was introduced to the book “Love Cards: What Your Birthday Reveals About You and Your Personal Relationships” by Robert Lee Camp. One of my favorite people, my special sister, Selena encouraged me to look up my birthdate in the book and, just like that, I was hooked! In 2016, I purchased my own copy and have been researching myself (self-mastery), and the people around me, ever since!
Continue reading “My “Love Cards” per Robert L. Camp”