While in Houston, I discovered...

I look nice with twists. I think. Do I? Dreads, next step.

I have hips and thighs...like a female.

And...

I can wear skinny's!!!

ATL Diaries: Happy Holidays...from Houston

Happy Holidays to all.

I was able to get a couple of days off work (the first days I've taken off since I started 5 months ago) and head home...the REAL home...to Houston for the Christmas holiday. Luckily, I got away before the snow came into ATL. Yes, I hate snow. Plus it was so warm in H-Town that I got to wear my Sperry's for the first time in weeks! Anyway, I took my first flight on a plane ever and let me just say it wasn't easy. And the fact that it was those small express jets didn't make it any easier.

It was great being around my family. I hadn't seen them since I left six months ago. I barely got halfway up the driveway and my niece comes running into my arms. I missed that little girl soooooooo much. She's going to throw a fit when I have to leave tonight. I don't blame her; I don't want to leave her. She's my baby, pretty much the closest I'll ever get to having my own kids.

Now it's back to ATL and back to life. I hope the snow is going to be gone. I'd hope the cold will be gone but that's pushing it. This was a great vacation but it's time to make some moves in 2011. Oh and start planning my next trip. But...

...about this flight tonight...

Being a victim makes me a negative person, apparently...

Funny thing, I was called a "negative" person for not understanding the justification of changing FB profile pics helping to stop child abuse, even after saying that people should SPEAK UP or go out and do something. Donate their time to the cause, and whatnot. 


FB isn't donating anything to any organization. I can understand it then if they were but they aren't. A better idea would have been sharing a story in their status that could help encourage victims to speak up. Cartoon characters aren't always a positive memory for some, especially victims of child abuse. It comes in many forms: physical, verbal and emotional. It can be neglect or sexual molestation/abuse. I know what it's like to be a victim because it happened to me. If you know it's happening to someone, SPEAK UP!! Go out and do something about it. Donate your time, if you can. Donate to organizations working for the cause. It doesn't have to just be money. 


People change their default pictures every single day. If you think that will help support a cause then do it every day. Don't do it just for Breast Cancer month. Don't do it just for World AIDS Day. Don't do it just for "stop the bully" day. Thinking that simply changing your picture for a specific amount of time is helping actually angers me. 


So don't call me negative for not agreeing with cartoon defaults because I'm a victim and it doesn't help anything.

53rd Annual Grammy Predictions

The nominees are here. These are just my predictions. If I don’t choose your faves, get a life. 

Record of the Year: B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars, “Nothing On You”, Eminem featuring Rihanna, “Love The Way You Lie”, Cee-lo Green, “Fuck You”, Jay-Z & Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”; Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now” - There’s no denying that all of these songs were big hits but “Need You Now” was definitely THE biggest. Plus the Grammy’s love Lady A.

Album of the Year: Eminem - Recovery, Arcade Fire - The Suburbs, Lady Antebellum - Need You Now, Katy Perry - Teenage Dream, Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster - I’m a bigger fan of Gaga but she’s not going to get this one. Katy has NO chance in Hell. Eminem and Lady A’s records were huge so this is basically a coin toss; one of them has it in the bag. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s given to the unknown Arcade Fire just as Herbie Hancock was given the award.

Song of the Year: Ray LaMontagne, songwriter (Ray LaMontagne And The Pariah Dogs) - “Beg, Steal or Borrow”; Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Cee Lo Green) - “Fuck You”; Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin, songwriters (Miranda Lambert) - “The House That Built Me”; Alexander Grant, Holly Hafferman & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem Featuring Rihanna) - “Love The Way You Lie”; Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum) - “Need You Now” -There’s no denying this one.

Best New Artist: Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & The Machines, Mumford and Sons, Esperanza Spalding - Honestly, anybody but Justin(a) or Drake.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Sara Bareilles, “King of Anything”; Beyonce, “Halo (Live from I Am…Yours An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas)”; Norah Jones, “Chasing Pirates”; Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance”; Katy Perry, “Teenage Dream” - I won’t even start with the Beyonce nomination. Straight to the point: it’s Lady Gaga or Norah Jones (another Grammy darling).

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: Michael Jackson, “This Is It”; Bruno Mars, “Just The Way You Are”; Michael Buble, “Haven’t Met You Yet”; Adam Lambert, “Whataya Want From Me”; John Mayer, “Half of My Heart” - Definitely one of the toughest categories, I’m just going out on a limb and say Bruno Mars will take this one. Don’t quote me on this one, though. Either guy could win.

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals: Glee Cast, “Don’t Stop Believin’ (Regionals Version)”; Maroon 5, “Misery”; Paramore, “The Only Exception”; Sade, “BabyFather”; Train, “Hey, Soul Sister (Live)” - If this was 10 years ago when the Grammy’s still had substance and serious credibility, Sade would take this home. But it’s 10 years later, and I’m going with Paramore. Still, a tough one.

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals: B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams and Eminem, “Airplanes Pt. II”; Herbie Hancock featuring P!NK, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare, “Imagine”; Elton John & Leon Russell, “If It Wasn’t For Bad”; Lady Gaga & Beyonce, “Telephone”; Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, “California Gurls” - This is a toss-up between Katy, Gaga and B.o.B. The other two doesn’t exactly scream “pop”. If fans were voting, Katy would win. But they’re not so BeyGaga has this one.

Best Pop Vocal Album: Justin Bieber, My World 2.0; Susan Boyle, I Dreamed A Dream; Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster; John Mayer, Battle Studies; Katy Perry, Teenage Dream -SuBo. Nuff said. And I don’t even like her.

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: Faith Evans, “Gone Already”; Fantasia, “Bittersweet”;Monica, “Everything To Me”; Kelly Price, “Tired”; Jazmine Sullivan, “Holding You Down (Going In Circles)” - If the Grammy’s were true to the vocal performances then, hands down, Kelly would just pick up her award without needing the winner announced. But the Grammy’s are more-so about popularity these days. It’s a battle between Mo and Fanny but Miss Thang will most likely take this one. One of the biggest songs, most added and 7 weeks at number one…what more do you need? Some SERIOUS sangin’-your-ass-off, of course.

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: El DeBarge, “Second Chance”; Jaheim, “Finding My Way Back”; Kem, “Why Would You Stay?”; Kirk Whalum & Musiq Soulchild, “We’re Still Friends”; Usher, “There Goes My Baby” - The Grammy’s love a comeback but not so much, according to the Whitney Houston snub fiasco. So El, no. This goes to Usher. C’mon son, it was another huge song.

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: Chuck Brown, Jill Scott & Marcus Miller, “Love”; Chris Brown & Tank, “Take My Time”; Ron Isley & Aretha Franklin, “You’ve Got A Friend”; John Legend & The Roots, “Shine”; Sade, “Soldier of Love” - Tough one. Hmm, Ron and ReeRee, John and the Roots or Sade gets this one. My money…Sade.

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: R. Kelly, “When A Woman Loves”, John Legend & The Roots, “Hang On In There”, Calvin Richardson, “You’re So Amazing”; Ryan Shaw, “In Between”; Betty Wright, “Go (Live)” - Kellz. I mean, have you HEARD the song? Trey Songz who?

Best Urban/Alternative Performance: Bilal, “Little One”; Cee-lo Green, “Fuck You”; Carolyn Malachi, “Orion”; Janelle Monae featuring Big Boi, “Tightrope”; Eric Roberson, “Still” - Cee-lo or Janelle. “Fuck You” was just genius.

Best R&B Song: Charles Harmon & Claude Kelly, songwriters (Fantasia), “Bittersweet”; Ivan “Orthodox” Barias, Curt Chambers, Carvin “Ransum” Haggins, Jaheim Hoagland & Miquel Jontel, songwriters (Jaheim), “Finding My Way Back”; E. Debarge & Mischke, songwriters (El DeBarge), “Second Chance”; John Stephens, songwriter (John Legend & The Roots), “Shine”; K. Owens, songwriter (Kem), “Why Would You Stay” - Monica, Kelly Price, Alicia Keys, Sade, R. Kelly and Usher were snubbed in this category. The only one deserving of this nomination is Fantasia, so she gets it.

Best R&B Album:  Raheem DeVaughn, The Love & War Masterpeace; Fantasia, Back To Me; Jaheim, Another Round; John Legend & The Roots, Wake Up!; Monica, Still Standing - Mo or Fanny gets this. Two of the best R&B albums released this year. By the way, where’s Alicia.

Best Contemporary R&B Album: Chris Brown, Graffiti; R. Kelly, Untitled; Ryan Leslie, Transition; Janelle Monae, The ArchAndroid; Usher, Raymond v. Raymond - My vote would go for Janelle. But this is the Grammy’s. Chris or Usher? Chris would be a pity win, though I liked his album. So…it’s Usher. Alicia’s missing again.

Best Rap Solo Performance: Drake, “Over”; Eminem, “Not Afraid”; Ludacris, “How Low”; T.I., “I’m Back”; Kanye West, “Power” - Too easy. Eminem. He’s a Grammy favorite. Yeezy is a close 2nd.

Best Rap Performance by a Duo/Group: Big Boi & Cutty, “Shutterbugg”; Drake, T.I. & Swizz Beatz, “Fancy”; Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz, “On to the Next One”; Ludacris & Nicki Minaj, “My Chick Bad”; Young Jeezy & Plies, “Lose My Mind” - It’s either Jay and Swizz or Luda and Nicki. Whether Nicki wins or loses, stan wars volume 75498…

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: B.o.B. & Bruno Mars, “Nothing On You”; Chris Brown, Tyga & Kevin McCall, “Deuces”; Eminem & Rihanna, “Love The Way You Lie”; Jay-Z & Alicia Keys, “Empire State Of Mind”; John Legend, The Roots, Melanie Fiona & Common, “Wake Up! Everybody” - Eminem’s a Grammy favorite, so in this order: Love the Way You Lie, Deuces, Nothing on You.

Best Rap Song: Shawn Carter, Angela Hunte, Burt Keyes, Alicia Keys, Jane’t “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic & Alexander Shuckburgh, songwriters (Sylvia Robinson, songwriter) (Jay-Z & Alicia Keys) - “Empire State of Mind”; Alexander Grant, Holly Hafferman & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem & Rihanna) - “Love The Way You Lie”; M. Burnett, J. Evans, Marshall Mathers, L. Resto & M. Samuels, songwriters (Eminem) - “Not Afraid”; Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Bobby Simmons Jr., songwriters (B.o.B & Bruno Mars) - “Nothing On You”; Shawn Carter, J. Chaton & K. Dean, songwriters (G. Auge & X. De Rosnay, songwriters) (Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz) - “On To The Next One” - Wow. Jay-Z and Eminem are nominated twice here. B.o.B. has no chance. If Jay wins, it should be “Empire State of Mind”. If Em wins, it’s “Not Afraid”.

Best Rap Album:  B.o.B., The Adventures of Bobby Ray; Drake, Thank Me Later; Eminem, Recovery; Jay-Z, The Blueprint 3; The Roots, How I Got Over - Eminem. That’s a given.

World AIDS Day 2010

Know your status. Get tested. Wrap it up.

Even if you're a virgin. Even if you're celibate. Even if you've been with only one person all your life.

HIV/AIDS isn't only transmitted through sex.

Protect yourself.

Get the facts.