REFLECTION & REASON

I happened to stumble upon Spike Jonez' 2013 film "Her" last night, and I can't get it out of my mind. This movie is tripping me out! First and foremost, it was a really good movie. I was engaged from beginning to end, to say the least. Written and directed by Spike Jonez, the movie starred Joaquin Phoenix as the lead character, Theodore, Scarlett Johansson as the voice of Samantha, and a few notable others like Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and Chris Pratt. The movie takes place "in the future" but not too far in the future that there isn't still a strong element of reality to it. I think that was the hardest part to digest. I can remember watching futureque movies as a child, and never in my wildest dreams would I imagine some of the features and technology being possible. But watching this movie made me realize that everything moves and develops so rapidly, that seeing our first world society operating in this manner wasn't really a stretch. In...

Everyone has one, their story of struggle and how they persevered. Whether it was through a difficult period of time, a challenging day, or a history of oppression...we are overwhelmed with a great number of survival stories to listen to, learn from, and be inspired by. The story of Elizabeth Smart ("My Story") was always one that interested me. We all remembered when she was kidnapped back in the summer of 2002, right from her home. The media images of her parents pleading for her safe return, and the suspicion and doubt and sadness that clouded the situation. It was a story that captured the nation's attention, and one that brought great relief when Elizabeth was found...alive! But when her story unfolded, and elements of her 9 months in captive were broadcast, I remember there also being a bit of judgment on Elizabeth. When it was discovered that she was out in public on numerous occasions, and that she had encountered police officers yet still didn't reveal...

Today on the way in to work, I was listening to an old mix CD I made from about 14 years ago exclusively featuring female R&B singers. They were great years, musically . I was living in Windsor, attending arguably THE best party/social school for reggae/soca/hip hop/R&B heads, and I was an active participant in campus clubs like the Black Youth Taking Action (BYTA), and the Black Student Union (BSU) who would regularly host events, and discussions…the occasional comedy show, and our favourite: the AFROdisiac Poetry Vibe. When I think back to that era of music and culture, it is framed with the voices of Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and India Arie. It was fabulous to attend school so close to Detroit-- a historical hub of Black music and history--and I think the energy rubbed off on [some of] us in the most positive way . Everything about that era in R&B/hip hop culture was natural, relatively speaking. The top female performers were natural. The male performers wer...

  I'm addicted to Instagram. I admit it. Just like I was addicted to Twitter some years back. Just like I went through a Facebook-excitement phase when I discovered the ability to connect with old elementary and high school friends. Social media is savvy that way...it knows how to hit you , and why. Twitter was pretty innovative, and I had the honour of being able to personally share and connect with some of my biggest influencers (like Tyrese, and Sister Souljah, Omar Tyree, and Mara Brock Akil) and have just a simple response, retweet, or Direct Message completely rock my world and make me feel victorious over the platform. That was before Instagram. My BlackBerry had prevented me from accessing the social media program in its entirety for years. I knew it existed, but I was still a hardcore Twitter user and couldn't be bothered. Until I got that Samsung Galaxy 4 and hit the big time with app accessibility and new picture taking heights. And now it's like I can...

He's nuts! Kanye West is absolutely nuts, and I swear that's why I like the brother . Last night I attended the last stop on his Yeezus tour, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, and I am still on a bit of a musical high. It was a two and a half hour show...just Kanye. Kendrick was about 45 minutes on his own from 7:30pm to 8:15ish...and Kanye rocked the stage from 9:00pm straight to like 11:30pm. Madness. I admit... when I first listened to the Yeezus album I was hella confused (see previous blog http://www.staceymarierobinson.blogspot.ca/2013/07/yeezus-kanye-west-huh.html ). I didn't get it. I didn't like it. I bought the album as a dedicated fan...but as a music lover, I wasn't impressed. Until last night. Put in the appropriate context, with a bit of breathing room and media referencing, it all made perfect sense. I read articles, and I think it was his interview on the Breakfast Club (Power 105.1) that made me kinda "get" Kanye just a little...

It hurts. So many people are suffering as a result of verdict of the George Zimmerman murder trial. Not guilty. He gets to walk free, and Trayvon Martin's young life is cut short at the age of 17. We all know the story. He was walking home, wearing a hoodie, eating some Skittles, drinking some ice tea, and Zimmerman perceived him to be a threat. He pursued him. He fought with him. He murdered him. The rest is up for interpretation, and will be speculated and discussed for weeks or months...or until another huge national news story breaks. The jury seemed to believe that there was not enough evidence to charge Zimmerman...they did what they thought was the best thing, and let him go home to his wife and continue his life. They trusted his version of the story. I feel absolutely terrible for Travyon's family. And I feel terrible for the effect this will have on the psyche of people everywhere. Not just the blacks, but those who feel the pain and injustice of this...

I rarely get this feeling from TV shows...usually from books, but rarely from television. That feeling that someone has gone inside your head and communicated the exact feelings, and behaviours, and reality that is personal to you and to people close to you. We've learned to adapt. Black women. We've learned to watch television programs like Sex and the City, and a range of other fabulous shows that definitely depict WOMEN and their thought processes in an entertaining and relatable light. But there's something so intimately different when the story is about a black woman, and being told by a black woman . Yes, we had Girlfriends and A Different World and a variety of other programs that had black female protagonists that we could laugh and journey through life with. But it's definitely been a while. I've said it once, and I'll say it again... you can not underestimate the power of a good story. A believable story. And a story that has the power to ...