No Drama - New Year's Resolution

When drama lives or visits your house, it may be time for someone to get a new address; better yet a new attitude. Let’s start the New Year with a fresh attitude and see how long it can last.

Don’t know if you’ve noticed this from my columns and books. I write about relationships, not necessarily how to get into one or how to keep one, but how to rid yourself of relationship drama.

“DRAMA CURES”

Now, some folks it seems, have an addiction to drama, because they need the attention, they’re bored or for whatever reason. For others, they’re caught up in “generational curses”. This means one or more parent had (or still has) major relationship drama in their day-to-day lives, which they may have inherited.

When you witness a parent going through psychical or emotional drama on a regular basis your mind recognizes this as somewhat normal behavior. You become desensitized to what is dysfunctional because it’s a typical part of your environment. So in turn your relationships mimic the ones from previous generations.

On the upside, generational curses can be broken. Sometimes we recognize that our relationships are not healthy but think we don’t have the tools to stop the cycle of madness that has been ingrained into our lives.

Phrase for 2011, “Don’t underestimate your ability to change yourself, and don’t over estimate the ability to change someone else.”

Terrie Lynn

Tips on being DRAMA FREE

• You need to clean out your closet. I mean literally clean out your closet. You will not have room for anything positive or worthwhile if you have too much clutter and baggage. Get rid of all the negative aspects and get a fresh clean start.
• Start making better choices. Now I know there are times when you thought it was the right thing to do at the time. But be honest with yourself. When it come to most bad decisions we make, we knew it wasn’t a good idea in the first place.
• Slow down. Avoid making decisions when you’re very sad, very happy or in a hurry. Don’t be so quick to react or jump to conclusions. If at all possible, take your time, consider the cause and effect.
• Other phrase for 2011 – “I’ll get back with you.”, “Let me meditate on that.”

The biggest tip

Spend time alone. Get to know YOU! Take time out and try to see what it is you want out of life and your relationships. This also means taking time out from your friends too. Even friends with the best intentions can distract you from what you really want. Plus, you need to evaluate those relationships too. Sometimes a friend relationship can be just as toxic as a relationship with your significant other.

Terrie Lynn for NottHeads – Chokkklit Shop

www.writerterrielynn.com

RePurpose, ReCycle & ReUse

Ebony Stitchers Quilt Guild

Going Green

Going Green – RePurpose, ReCycle & ReUse

A Quilt Exhibit

Featuring

Gees Bend Quilters – Tinnie & Minnie Pettway

July 22 – 25, 2010

About the Exhibit

The feature exhibit is a collection of works authored by Bend Quilters – Tinnie & Minnie Pettway entitled “Tinnie Pieces with Minnie Designs”.  The style of the Gees Bend quilting fits perfectly with the theme of the Ebony Stitchers Quilt Exhibit of Going Green – RePurpose, ReCycle & ReUse.  The success of Gees Bend Quilters lends a great deal of excitement to this year’s exhibit.  The Quilt Exhibit will also have several activities for children and adults; such as quilting classes, workshops and lectures throughout the weekend.  Vendors!!!

Gees Bend

The National Black Arts Festival in partnership with Ebony Stitchers Quilt Guild present Going Green – featuring Gees Bend Quilters – Tinnie & Minnie Pettway at the Porter Sanford Art Center – July 22nd to July 25^th.

Calendar of Events

• July 22 – Opening Night Reception – Porter Sanford Art Center – Rainbow Drive, Decatur, Georgia – 6:30pm – 9:30pm
• July 23 and 24 – Porter Sanford Art Center – Rainbow Drive, Decatur, Georgia – 12:00 Noon – 8:00pm
• July 25 – Porter Sanford Art Center – Rainbow Drive, Decatur, Georgia – 12:00 Noon – 6:00pm

Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center

For more information contact:

- Ebony Stitchers Quilt Guild

www.ebonystitchersquiltguild.org -

Ebony Stitchers – About Me

Greetings!
Our Ebony Stitchers are women of color who aspire to professional status in the fiber arts. We are fiber artists, quilters, doll makers, and fine artists. We seek to connect with and share our interests, talents and skills with fiber artists and quilters.

Our goals:

• Sharing the art, tradition and culture of quilting, doll making and fiber arts in all forms;
• Educating our community about the fiber arts and crafts and its many facets;
• Teaching our craft to enthusiasts, appreciators and other artists;
• Exhibiting our work through fine art galleries, exhibitions and other public art forums.

We look forward to sharing our gifts with you.

About National Black Arts Festival

National Black Arts Festival

The National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) is one of the premier national and international celebrations of art, music, and culture of people of African descent.  The mission of the NBAF is to engage cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression.

Major funding for the NBAF is provided by the Fulton county Board of Commissioners through the Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia Council for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Zelst Foundation, City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Tourism Foundation, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Nonprofit Finance Fund  – doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Woodruff Arts Center.

Gees Bend

For Our Quilting Green – RePurpose, ReCycle &  ReUse

An Artistic Expression of Fiber Artistry and Beadwork

Porter Sanford Performing Art and Community Center
3181 Rainbow Drive,
Decatur, Ga. 30032

Chapter Two: How Did I Get Here?

Moment of Clarity

Every guy that lived on my block wanted to date me, or as I suspected, just wanted to sleep with me. I was hated by most girls because I was the essence of true beauty; fair-skin, long hair, slender shape, great personality. When I was in the room it didn’t matter who else was there; I commanded their attention by my physique and persona. With my long beautiful hair, extraverted personality, and long slender shape that was better than any coca-cola bottle on the market; I drove men wild. Even though I loved the attention, I never gave in to any of them. I liked to tease them and play the game of catch-me-if-you-can, and I must say I played the game very well. I thought it was hilarious how far men would go just to get a piece of me. My objective was to get as many men to passionately desire me, and not give in to any of them. I got what I wanted, which was attention, and they got nothing but weariness from chasing me. This was not my only game I had in my little bag of tricks.

Excerpt from Moment of Clarity by Tameka Anderson

Moment of Clarity

If you have ever been or known someone who has suffered in their love life, most of their life, then this book will bless them. So many people suffer from a disease of the mind, more like an illness, that there is no medicine to cure and yet they have no clue they suffer from it. This book is a variety of stories that comprise the moment of clarity when that disease was made clear. It’s a journal of events that led to the discovery and recovery of this mental illness that many battle with and few realize; love addiction.



Darius – Hood On Ass

Darius Bradford - Return of Miami Nites

Darius Bradford – Return of Miami Nites After Party.

While enjoying himself the comedian Darius Bradford does an impromptu promo for Hood On Blast.  In the preparation for an interview Darius Bradford grabs two ladies from the party-goers for the spot.  Give a comedian a camera, you get lines; Bradford spits “Hood On Blast will get you Hood On Ass”.  Bradford then send a message to the Rickey Smiley Morning Show staff that he made it to work this morning or at least attempted too.

Interviews:

• Darius Bradford – Hood On Blast will get you Hood On Ass
• Darius Bradford – Do you ever take the whole mic?
• Jay Lamont – I would like to see Obama go street
• Cole – I have never seen a animal print look that fine
• Marvin Dixon – JT Money – Take it way back and give him his do; JT has a line of classics

Tonia Mitchell Gallery - Open House

Come see and buy original art and enjoy spoken word…a little poetry, a little song, and a lot of fun…hosted by Doug Berry and Ken Warner featuring the Sounds of Bliss.

In the Napier House in Olde Towne Morrow beside Southlake Mall at 1061 Southlake Circle, Morrow, Ga 30260

Call for more information and details: (678) 876-7238

www.toniamitchellgallery.com

toniamitchellgallery@yahoo.com

Simone

TONIA MITCHELL’s art is a joyful journey in the exploration of color, texture and imagination. She employs the use of exotic fabrics from around the world, hand dyed and commercial yarns and fibers, beads, buttons, and embellishments that delight the eye. She sews, sculpts, and paints artworks designed to elevate and inspire. Her work celebrates the wonder of color and cultural diversity in our world with a focus on the human face. She is intrigued with the idea that faces are windows to our soul as we share hope, joy, strength, bliss, contentment, trust, and love.

Angelika Love - Sideways Sexy

S. Pierre Price Photography made sure that no matter how you looked at Angelika Love the response is the same; damn she sexy!  Sexy sideways, sideways sexy, front ways, and let’s not even talk about the back; look at the photos, what do you think?  S. Pierre Price Photography’s gallery of Angelika Love in Tempe, Arizona is proof that heat is more than what the thermometer stays.  Also, when you have a model that is sexy you want to see her in as many ways and photos as you can, Angelika Love fits any definition of sexy!!

Angelika Love - S. Pierre Price Photography

Angelika Love - S. Pierre Price Photography

Angelika Love - S. Pierre Price Photography

Product Description

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 20 KB
• Publisher: Bonnie J. Glover (February 23, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0039PT5SG
• Average Customer Review: (1 customer review)

Sherri Shepherd - Bonnie Glover

Bonnie Glover and Sherri Shepherd (THE VIEW) at the Pembroke Pines Barnes & Noble signing her new book PERMISSION SLIPS. The proceeds from the book sales went to a local charity called Embrace Girls Foundation, Inc.

Permission Slips

Permission Slip - Sherri Shepherd

Covering topics such as “It’s Jesus or Jail,” “Marriage, the Hard Way,” “Children: The Gift You Can’t Give Back,” and “All the Things I Don’t Know…And All the Things I Definitely Do,” stand-up comedienne, actress, and ABC’s The View co-host Sherri Shepherd comically chronicles her struggles to keep up with the many roles-professional, wife, mother, daughter, and friend-that women must play in today’s world. Sherri urges women to pursue their most important dreams and to never give up, but also let’s readers know that it’s okay to give themselves “permission slips” when things don’t always work out the way they want them to.

DJ Prostyle

DJ Prostyle – Fade to Black Party, Club Opium – Hard Rock Casino.  DJ Prostyle in the building at Club Opium with Hood On Blast (is a subsidiary of UMG).  RL Burney interview DJ Prostyle in the VIP area; you no DJ Prostyle from BET’s 106 & Park, Orlando radio and any party that is hot.

UMG - Hood On Blast

Style and professionalism are two attributes Queens native, DJ Prostyle, has pushed to excel in today’s music business. From an early age, DJ Prostyles been making his mark along the musical path.

With Prostyles Latin flair, unmatched skills on the turntables and great personality as a guest DJ/host at Spring Bling for the past three years, Prostyle advanced his repertoire by becoming a guest DJ on the most watched music television show in the country, BETs 106 & Park. Currently, DJ Prostyle is the official DJ for 106 & Park every Friday.

See photos and video from Club Opium – Hard Rock Casino on NottHeads:  DJ Prostyle – Fade To Black.

Hood On Blast

Squat - Kal Cauthen - Cotton Mill

On the block like rubber biscuits and baby bumpers, it’s ya boy Kal.  Through back, a whiff, your block may not know how to parlay like this.  This is a complete package ready for whatever; brim, silk tie, bracelet, pinky ring, watch, striped vest, loafer; the whole 9!  Real style never gets old, if you think so, wait a minute and it will be right back.

On The Block is a part of the Cotton Mill Shoot – Atlanta.  The shoot looks to express several emotions and theme using a single backdrop, location or set up.  Subtle changes in wardrobe and model posture do the trick.  Look at the pictures!!  In this segment of the shoot series, Kal covers: Squats, Paper Boy, Throw Hands, Superman Lover.

More Kal at: www.KalCauthen.com

On The Block

Kal Cauthen – Cotton Mill Shoot – Old School style

• Stylist: Reno Valentine
• Photographers: John Washington, Michael D, Jamel

Mos Def

Current TV – Embedded series capture Mos Def while on tour in Japan.  This is a 1 hour documentary of his activities.

Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973)^[1]is an American actor and MC known by the stage name Mos Def. Mos Def started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babeesand De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duoBlack Star, who released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in the late 1990sunderground hip hop explosion spearheaded byRawkus Records. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009.^[1]

^{See video at: NottHeads – Hood Rat Radio}

^{http://www.nottheads.com/hoodratradio/14-hoodrat-radio-article/243-mosjapan.html}

Jookin

Miami is non-stop

Miami will forever be known for its fast paced dance hip hop that was made popular in the 80s and 90s. Luke and the 2Live Crew set the tone and thousands followed with classic tracks that can be heard in clubs nationwide to this day. The need for bass and the sight of a woman percolating on the dance floor is enough reason to fall in love the sounds of South Florida.

Today, Miami music has evolved but still carries some of the same principals and elements. In addition, several artists have branched off into making more gutter tracks that glorify the drug game and thug life. But the crazed sound of the ghetto is still the preferred and there is no indication that that is going to change.

Hood On Blast

Grind Mode is becoming one of the most recognized groups out of Dade County with their nationally recognized jook tracks “I’m So High” and “Ecstasy.” This trio, who hails from Richmond Heights in southern Miami, has already achieved greatness and has set trends that extend far north of the Florida border. McKlezie and Hunger’s baritone croons and Chaos’ gutter rhyme style over southern bass beats, makes for fun loving and down right ‘off tha chain’ music. Killer in-house production and contributions from hit makers like the Drum Majors have the South and other parts of the nation ‘jookin’ till the early morning in the clubs.

In addition to Grind Mode, artists like Ball Greezy with his popular single “Shone,” DJ Rhymer, Jay R, Desloc Piccalo and countless others have taken Miami music to another level. It is said that every song out of Miami has a dance associated with it. These artists will have Florida dancing until the end of time.

NottHeads

Big named artists like Rick Ross and Trick who appeal to a broader hip hop audience nationwide, continue to have a major impact on Miami music as well. However, other highly recognized acts out of Dade like Pitbull and Trina, still make dance music that is beloved by the locals. All in all, Miami can be considered a place of diverse music and talent more so than many other regions in the nation that have just one style.

More articles on South Florida music can be found at: Hood On Blast

Busta Free - Unda Surveillance

Hood on Blast is always in the streets catching up with Miami’s hardest rappers and we got a chance to talk with Busta Free, one half of the popular group Unda Surveillance.  Busta told us about some of his recent work and said he’s on the grind pumping his new mixtape Camp Slaughterville. Unda Surveillance came up big in 2008 with their hit single “Shone on Deck” that took their name outside of Dade County and Florida.

Now, the two member squad is temporarily parting ways to pursue solo projects. But, Busta Free reiterated that he and Yack will forever be repping Unda Surveillance. As a father first, a hustling barber and an artist, Busta says that he is doing this or the hood and attributes some of his inspiration to the late Toro, also a rapper. He is a free agent at the moment (no label) playing the cards that were dealt, but says he’s open to some opportunities if they come around. When asked if he wanted to call anybody out, Busta had some words for Miami DJs who are not giving the local artists their due in the rotations. He does say though that outside of Dade, all you hear is music out of Miami. Check out the interview with Busta Free, only on Hood on Blast!

Busta Free – You Aint Bout That Life

Unlocked Music Group (UMG)

Miami, Florida

UMG (Unlocked Music Group) host the return of Miami Nites Setember 5, 2009 at Karu & Y (71^st & 14^th Street) hosted by Miami’s own Marvin Dixon, J. Lamont, Hope Flood, Doo Doo Brown, and T. K. Kirkland.  Invited special guest Trina, Trick Daddy, Ball Greezy, Bigg D, Under Surveillance, Geisha; with a special performance by J. T. Money.  This will be the hottest Pre-Labor Day bash in the city starting at 11PM until.

Maimi Nites was the legendary spot in Miami Gardens that hosted events for comics and entertainers.  The likes of Tupac, Biggie, Niki Howard, Al B. Sure, Maze; as well comedians Bengi Brown, Marvin Dixon, Razor and many more graced the stage for these events.  Well, we’re back!  Come party with some of Miami’s most talented entertainers, comics and musicians on Saturday night.  UMG, Unlocked Records, Hood on Blast will be in the building; unlocking the old with the new.

Hood On Blast

For more information hit www.unlockedmusicgroup.com or call (561) Unlocked.

Ball Greezy - Take One

You never know who you’ll run into in the streets of Miami.

Hood on Blast put Miami Shone Man Ball Greezy on blast in the parking lot of Take One Lounge and heard about his grind for the 09 and his plans for the near future.

Greezy has come up big in 2008 and 09, already making a name for himself in the South with hood favorites “Shone“ and “I‘m Da Shit“ featuring fellow Miamian Brisco. He just put out “Drop That“ also with Brisco, Flo-Rida and Mista Mac. With a collection of YouTube favorites and killer production from J Smooth, G Talk and C. Miles, Greezy’s popularity is bubbling in the MIA.

Ball Greezy

But, along with the music Greezy is putting his mind on his money; trying to capitalize on offers to perform and dropping new music in clubs like the One. Like many artists trying to come up, the rapper is quickly learning that you have to be in business for yourself and make things happen your way in this game. So, when we got down to business and we asked what his label life was like, he let it be known that he has his eyes on the bigger prize.

“Move on to bigger and better things. Get money for myself. Why I wanna pay someone else?” Greezy has launched We Good Ent., trying to take control of his escalating career. But first he has to shake his current label Iconz Music. “We should be straight by December, doin our own thing.”

The Little Haiti resident says you can catch him doing shows at clubs or lounging at the One on any given day. He refers fans to his MySpace page where you can download his mixtape with Bigga Rankin “Before Da Deal.“ Check him out at www.myspace.com/ballgreezy305.