Let's Pack Our Bags for 2010!

2009 has been a WHIRLWIND. Deaths, births, new dances, new music, new fashion....the list goes on and on and on. And while I embrace change and hold a great appreciation for new ideas and innovative thinkers, not everything is worth bringing with me into the New Year.

With that being said, it's time to make some cuts. I'm super excited for what 2010 has in store for me (graduating from college is #1 on my list..WOOHOOO!), and I know that with forward movement comes change. Seasons end. Friendships begin. As you move to the top, it makes it wayy more easier when you have less unnecessary luggage with you.

Soooooo. Let's pack our bags, shall we?


First things first. What CAN'T fit into our suitcase?



"Things That Can Stay in 2009"


-Sudden Deaths- Family, Friends, Celebrities...seems like all at once, people are dropping like flies without any warning. What's up with this?? Can we have some time to prepare ourselves?? Death is inevitable, but Miss J'Marie can't take all of the out of the blue, R.I.Ps.

-R.I.P. Ridiculousness- Derrion Albert, A.J. Jewell, Shaniya Davis, Jasper Howard, Omar Edwards...The list goes on. If I had my way, We'd see less of this in 2010.


-The word "Swag" -......Seriously?? You REALLY think you have it? Probably the most overused word...definitely beat "Love" in the 2009 list of overused words. LET IT GO, PEOPLE!


-Liquid Leggings- Mkay. The "All Black Everything" phenomenon has everyone stepping out in their hottest digs, decked out in all black. And while most men look SHEXY in their all black, women look like each other's clone. Get creative with the "All Black Everything"! That does NOT mean you have to wear liquid leggings! Please let them R.I.P.

-Pretty Ricky

-MySpace-Should have been left in 2008, but somehow it creeped into 2009. Let's make sure it doesn't peep its way into our 2010 suitcase.

-Liars- It's a new year, which means we are about to be another year older. Stop acting like kids and just keep it funky! :)

-Bitter Women-- Don't get mad, get even! Do you and stop stressin' over that man that's doing him!! Embrace being single. As my girl Carrie Bradshaw put oh so eloquently, "The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous.” Use every heartbreak, heartache, and disappointment as an opportunity for growth and gain a deeper sense of self-love. Stop being BITTER! :)

-Internet Beef- So what, are you typing with an angry look on your face, backspacing, copy and pasting, then clicking Submit? Dude. Get a life.

-Bad Lace Fronts

-Babies having Babies

-Insane obsession for the lifes of celebs- i.e. Chrianna, Tiger Woods, etc.

-Dumb catchy rap songs

-Dumb catchy rap song dances- Halle Berry in particular

-106th & Park


-Worldly-Sounding Gospel Songs with secular artists on the remixes-- I hope you're reading this, Mary Mary!

-Fairweather Friends --Only room for True-Blues in this suitcase!

-My procrastination.


Okay.


Things that can travel with me into 2010 :)


-Friendships :)

-Twitter

-Starbucks :) :)

-The Stanky Leg (I can't do it, but it's so fun to say!)

-Blogging, soon VLogging :)

-Fashion Blogs -Okay, I have one AMAZING one that I absolutely ADORE, but I refuse to share it... it's my best kept secret! Sorry :(...I'm sure I'll give in and share this awesomeness later on in a "What I'm Reading" post. :)

-Wine, Margaritas, Cosmos, etc. (tehehe)

--Higher Education

-My dreams

-Young Money

-Electronica

-Good Reads

-My California Dreams :)

-Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

-Graduation

-Love <3


...so much more :)


What are you leaving in 2009/taking with you in 2010??


Happy New Year!! *cheeez*

Love. Sex. Fashion.

Love the song.
The video is pure sex.
And the fashion? Out of this world.

Everything about this piece is erotic to say the least. The lyrics. The body language. The fashion.

The fashion.

Oh God, the fashion.

I've never been one to closely follow the "what's hot, what's not" articles, although I'd like to consider myself a pretty stylish gal (nothing wrong with tooting your own horn once in a while!).

However, the wardrobe in this video is DEFINITELY in the "what's hot" category!

Leighton Meester is a new name to me, and I love her already! She did me soooo proud by placing my boy in this video. Robin Thicke. Oh, Robin Thicke.

I could ramble all night about how much I LOVE this song, LOVE the video, LOVE the sexuality and sensuality in the video, and LOVE the fashion, but what fun would that be?

See for yourself!

(The intense shoegasm starts at about 2:03. Love them!)

Daddy Wasn't There.

Daddy wasn’t there.

When all of my girlfriends went to the Daddy-Daughter dances, I stayed home. When I watched children on television talk to their mommies and daddies in the same room, I couldn’t relate. I’ve never heard the words “Go ask your father” mumble out of my Mommy’s mouth when I asked her for a cookie before dinner. It was just Mommy. It was always my Mommy. The term “combined income” didn’t refer to Mommy and Daddy’s income combined. It was Mommy’s day job plus Mommy’s night job. Daddy wasn’t there. So Mommy was Daddy…

…Until Brother stepped up.

Brother was there. Brother was there when Mommy was not. Only 5 years older than I, he played the role of the missing man who was 30 years older. He taught us to be tough. He showed us how to be strong. Because of Brother, I learned the true meaning of dedication. But most importantly, I learned how to take a punch. A hard punch. To the stomach. To the face. All over. I was a tough girl. All because of Brother. I knew how it felt to be bullied, so my classmates were nowhere near intimidating. Brother was both Daddy and Big Brother. Brother was there when Mommy was not.

When I liked a boy, I had to receive Brother’s approval. When thinking about my wedding, Brother would be the one I imagined would walk me down the aisle. Brother was Daddy. And Daddy was nowhere to be found. Daddy wasn’t there to show me how to cut my food. Instead, Brother took control. He showed me the correct way to cut my pancakes: Rip them apart. He trained me how to drink like a lady should: Participate in chugging contests. Brother taught me the importance of keeping my “school clothes” clean: Roll around in the grass aimlessly whenever you see a hill. Because of Brother, I have little to NO PATIENCE. He taught me that it was okay to sneak in the downstairs closet and peek at your Christmas gifts before Mommy wrapped them. If I want to know now¸ why wait? When Mommy was gone, we always snuck. Every year. And if I hadn’t gotten excited about my Baby Wet-Wet, our cover would have never been blown. The memories are endless when thinking of my childhood. And they almost always involve Brother. Why? Because Brother was there when Mommy was not.

But Mommy wasn’t there for the same reasons Daddy wasn’t there.

I’ll never really know why Daddy wasn’t there. Mommy was making a better life for her children. Daddy was creating other lives with other women and their children. Mommy loved us all dearly. She is the strongest woman I know. And a strong woman reared strong children. But most importantly, a strong Brother. A Brother that was also a Daddy. A Brother that showed me the importance of a father figure in a young girl’s life.

So now, when I tear apart pancakes with my hands, have water-chugging competitions, mess up my “good clothes” by rolling down a grassy hill, or become impatient, I'm not ashamed. I'm grateful. That’s what Brother taught me. Brother was there when Mommy was not.

And Brother was there because Daddy never was.

Life Is A Game...

Have fun. Advance to higher levels. If you need to, reset and start again. You might win some money or lose a life along the way, but it's all part of the game. The more you advance, the harder the battles will be, but trust me, it builds character!

Life is a game. And YOU have the controller. Use it. Advance. Win money. Build character. Have fun. :)

(photos via Patrick Runte)

"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those that haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood movie ectoplasms. I am a man of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids-and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, because people refuse to see me."

-Ralph Ellison

Networking for Dummies.

It's not about who you know, but what you know.


Okay, okay. Some people are probably thinking, "This dummy got it wrong, it's the other way around." And if you're one of those people, it might be safe to consider you the dummy for assuming that you know where I'm going with this. So, for the sake of categorizing and providing a sense of familiarity, I'll refer to you all as...well, Dummies.

In talking with my aforementioned buddy Nova Giovanni, he provided me with some info that further proves the idea that it is, in fact, more so about what you know.



With that being said, I'd like to consider this post a collaborative effort.

His profound ideas + My words

= All you need to know about networking, first impressions, and making the most of the new social phenomenon that is Twitter.

A couple of weeks ago, someone made a statement regarding success in the entertainment industry.

"It's not about how much talent you have, it's about making those that are in a position to help you-LIKE you!"

And this couldn't be more true.


Fortunately, for our generation, we have countless amounts of resources and networking tools that allow us to work on the "likeability" aspect when trying to establish ourselves in the industry. Nevertheless, these tools serve as both a gift and a curse. While having a Twitter account puts you in the path of those who are where you are trying to get, not using it right has the potential to, for lack of a better term, screw you over.


First things first. Know what you want.



Want a love connection? Get your ask off Twitter and follow this link: http://www.eharmony.com/


Wanna reconnect with old classmates? Stop Direct Messaging me asking if I'm the girl who used to sit behind you in Mrs. Graham's class. Now excuse me while I block you, and you, too, can follow this link: http://www.classmates.com/



Want to share new ideas & break the ice with people you normally wouldn't get a chance to? Ok, Twitter is for you, and you now have permission to follow @ItsMeJMarie & @NovaGiovanni :) *shameless plug of the day*



Now that you know what you want, begin to follow people who are in your field of interest.


Stop looking at the default pics and start reading the bios, damnit! 9 times out of 10, the girl who is in her picture with her chest and ask hanging out probably has "Professional Barbie B*tch" as her one-line bio.



And I know what some of you Dummies may be thinking: "Twitter is for fun! It's just something I log into to have some laughs and catch up on the celeb gossip, not to make serious connects!"

.......And this is why I call you guys Dummies.


EVERY chance you get, you should be looking for ways to "Carpe diem". Seize the day. Or in this case, the opportunity.



For example, I'm a Print Journalism major. As I began to look for internships, jobs and other journalist folks to network with, I typed "Journalist" in the Twitter search engine. From there, I found everything from Fashion journalists to Digital journalists, and even groups banning journalism in Israel. Now I have HUNDREDS of resources to add to my "Following" list, along with the celebs, random funnies, and real-life friends.


Treat Twitter like a cheap hooker or a jump-off. USE HER FOR ALL SHE'S WORTH!


This next point is IMPERATIVE.



Remember when you went to New York and walked the strip? Remember how irritated you were when that run-down, funny smelling, annoying salesman wouldn't stop asking you to take a look at his knock-off Prada bags? He swore he had the best deals, and helplessly begged you to "f*ck with him." If you could, you would've screamed "LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE! I'M NOT INTERESTED IN YOUR SH*T!"


Well... that's how you are to celebs. If you're not established in the industry, you're simply an annoying saleman (musician, comedian, WHATEVER) pushing your knock-off material. They don't want to be smothered by your never-ending promoting, so stop filling their inboxes with your stuff. While your music or material may be great, that's NOT the way to get their attention. And it certainly isn't the way to break into the industry.


You wanna get their attention? Be funny. Be creative with your replies to their tweets. But most importantly, be LIKEABLE! Eventually, they'll notice you. And if you're lucky enough, like Nova Giovanni, some might even start retweeting you and/or following you back.



Nova didn't hit celebs up like "Yo, I'm tryna get a job being on the radio." Or "Aye, my man, can you put me in one of your Baltimore productions?" He was simply himself, and these offers came to him because of that.

So be creative, damnit! If your "Target Tweetie" asks, "What time is it?" and you reply "5:45 :) ", YOU'RE WRONG, AND HAVE MISERABLY FAILED AT LIFE.

Instead, reply, "DAYtime! Now go to the thrift store & get a watch, cheap ass..."


I can guarantee you it'll get their attention. And if you're lucky, they'll start following you. BUT STILL DON'T TURN INTO HUSTLEMAN. Wait to see how things go, and after a while of interaction, use your BEST judgement to decide when it's the best time to pitch your goals to them.

It's just like a real-life relationship. Don't come on too strong. Don't come off like you're simply using them for what they can do for you. People need people, but it's up to you to utilize your networking skills and own personal discretion during times like these.


Businessman and best-selling author Clement Stone once said, “Tell everyone what you want to do and someone will want to help you do it.”


When done the right way, this WILL work for you. Hey, it worked for Nova! But then again, he IS an god living in a world among mortals!

But seriously though, I have no doubt that following these simple rules will lead you into a world of much success.

So, for any of you Dummies who fail to take heed to new ideas and advice because you "Got them connects," remember this: Increase the "Who you know" by using "what you know", and you shall go far!!

Insomnia.

Is a big, fat, energetic bitch. She never wants to sleep or let me go to sleep. I've pleaded and pleaded and pleaded. And even though it's 4:00am on an early Tuesday morning, she still won't let me drift asleep.

So I'll write about her. I'll write about her until she logs onto her computer and reads this, and finally lets me go to bed.

I wonder if she realizes that we have to get up early tomorrow for class. I wonder if she cares. I wonder if she'll stick some extra money in my wallet for Starbucks when the middle of my day hits and my eyes feel like they're holding bricks.

She keeps bringing up topics that I don't want to talk about let alone think about. Like love. Love lost. People who have the love that I lost. Jobs that I wish I had. Career paths that want to take. The fear I have for the drastic changes I want to make after graduation. Friendships.

Love. Love lost. People who have the love that I lost. Things about me that I wish I could change. Things about me that I don't want to change. I wonder if Insomnia knows that I don't want to think about these things.

I wonder why she chooses 4am to bring them up? Why not at 11am when I'm in African American Literature, dozing off at the professor who holds miles of enthusiasm for a topic I hold NO INTEREST IN.

Why can't Insomnia wait until then?

Does Insomnia know that she makes me cry?

I don't want to be awake. I want to suppress my problems and face them when the sun is up. It's always easier to face the darkness when the sun is on my side. But darkness in darkness? I don't wanna do it. Does Insomnia know how much I don't want to think about this stuff?

Love. Love lost. People who have the love that I lost. Or maybe the Like that I lost. My future. My life.

I wonder if Insomnia knows that she's making me cry?

She might. She might not. But my guess is she does. But she still won't let me go to sleep.

Why?

Because she's a big, fat, energetic.....BITCH.