REFLECTION & REASON

I wanted to love this movie. I really did. I love Tyler Perry : I think he's a fabulous writer and brilliant businessman. I love Gabrielle Union : I think she's a classy lady and amazing actress. I love Thandie Newton : she's gorgeous, and can act her ass off! I love Phylicia Rashad (who doesn't), and I love to see a majority-black cast in movies (it's still rare, what can I say?) But THIS particular movie...I didn't love it. I had to see it on opening day for a few reasons: 1) To support the box-office cause ( and yes, I still purchase CDs in the store too ). 2) To avoid being tainted by the reviews and feedback of others...kinda like I'm doing to you right now. 3) Because Tyler Perry has the ability to inspire, and tell a hell of a story...usually. And I was ready for it! But when the movie ended and the credits began to roll...I did the 1-minute-look-at-the-screen-with-a-blank-stare like..." oooooook ?" Now what. Unfulfilled. I was expectin...

I am a writer and communicator at heart, and am always seeking to see what is written about a particular event, individual, or phenomenon, how it is communicated, and then I essentially base my experience on the delivery and execution of the surrounding media. I see almost everything through a journalist lens, by default. I enjoy basketball. I admittedly haven't always been a hardcore fan, but this year I am closer than I've ever been. It all started with the NBA lockout in the summer, discovering that I had NBA TV, and then listening to updates from Derek Fisher and David Stern and the subsequent reporting of the breaking news as it unfolded. From NBA TV, I was drawn to TSN, and SportsNet, and to the web, and to the blogs, and to the Fan 590, and then I realized that I had officially become interested in what would happen next! It was a daily curiosity. I became fascinated by the side story of the players, the negotiations, the speculation, the union, the press conferences, a...

Someone I know recently said (via BlackBerry status update) that BBM culture can easily be taught as a university course . I agree: the basic sociology of this relatively new phenomenon has so many levels that can be analyzed. This one innocent messaging system has become a standard. A habit. A daily routine. An addiction. It's amazing how far cell phones have come , from everyone's first Nokia phone. Amazing how 5 years ago you were using your state-of-the-art flip phone, texting with 3 letters per one key, and impressed by your new camera. You had personalized ring tones for each friend, and would download songs to play when the phone rang. The flip phone was hype! Or what about the Razor! The Crazor! The Sidekick! And then phones kept getting smaller and smaller, and thinner, and lighter...you were cutting edge. You changed your phone all the time, and had a wide range of options based on your personality and preferences. You would change your faceplates every now and then, ...

Like millions around the world, I love the music of Bob Marley. The message, the mood, the instruments...it is as timeless, relevant, and pure as music gets. Despite the elements of perfection that combine to create the musical legacy of this Jamaican singer--who would have celebrated his 67th birthday today--February 6, I have always been in awe of his backup singers: the I-Threes . Bob's late wife Rita Marley , along with Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths , make up the background vocalists the I-Threes that supported Bob Marley and the Wailers (Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer) from 1974 until Bob's death in May of 1981. I've always loved their style. I've always admired how cool they were. Funky. Full of life. Although Bob's music could stand alone with one vocal and an acoustic guitar accompaniment, the full vocals and harmonies of the I-Threes always added a necessary touch of soul to the compositions. Rita Marley (born 1946), who was married to Bob in 1966, and ...