Just Think Vol.22: Perception
By A.Evans
http://twitter.com/AdotEVANS
Perception
As I sit in bed reading a book based on the teachings of Buddha a few quotes and ideologies really jumped out at me. One of which was the concept that every material desire we have is the source of our pain agony and frustration in one form or another, money is a clear and obvious example, but what I wanted to do was ponder for a second on this notion and analyze the things most people pursue in life the degree of difficulty it takes to obtain them,
the amount of grief it causes wanting them, and lastly the level of happiness these things give us and the length of such an emotion. To my surprise I discovered that this profound theory of materialism in any form is definitely the source of many struggles and pain, however it is also the very thing that gets us going for without purpose or ambition what are here for? This week I want to discuss the concept of perception, its constant manipulation and influence on our lives.
Success and Happiness... all Perception?
Like the Drake song says "I want the money cars and clothes" among other things, my question is Does that define success? When we obtain these things have we arrived, or is it merely a perception thing where one mans treasure is another mans used Mercedes? Perception may be the main ingredient that determines the level of materialism in which we indulge in. Perception also sheds light on who we are as individuals, for some success and happiness can just be being alive and out of prison with a decent job, while for others a Maserati and a Trophy Wife is success(guilty as charged sorry). Since the dynamic of perception can vary or remain a global Zeitgeist; I wondered if we realized at one time or another that our perception has been manipulated to view certain attributes certain attainable items as a level of excellence and if one hasn't achieved these ideal levels of accomplishment they are a scrub, bum chick, loser etc. Intrigued by this notion I attempted to speak to three different women who would be placed in three different categories according to the standard of beauty, and what I found is the more attractive by concept the more the false levels of accomplishment are honored, in theory we live in a material caste system. Prime example; Two out of the three young ladies I interviewed said they would not deal with a man who doesn't have a car, or if he drove a Honda Civic. It shouldn't be a surprise to discover these two were the two prettier women of the three by social standard, yet they both felt a good man is hard to find. My follow up question was "What if the good man you wanted drove that Civic?" Let's just say the response had to do something with the phrase "I'm too cute" yes this is a reality people. My point is we are programed to view aesthetics as a means for placing judgment and assessing each other not realizing that these intangibles are not who we really are. Why is it the man who drives the Maybach attracts more attention than the man who drives the Camry? Ironically the man who drives the Camry might be happier than the Maybach pusher for obvious reasons; less attention, less haters, and will probably attract a real woman instead of a gold digger. In the defense of our women, the same can be said for the male psyche, why is it the majority of men view beauty as having the Melyssa Ford physique or any video girl for that matter? Let's be honest if you took a woman who was flawless physically who looks like Halle Berry and put her in a room with the lights off and swapped her with another woman who doesn't live up to the ideal image of beauty, but had the best personality in the world would sensations feel any different? Or is it the thought of knowing that you have a woman who lives up the ideal image of beauty that makes you happy? Once again perception is the main ingredient in the b.s stew.
Perceptual Change
Whether we want to admit it or not, Movies and Music Videos have the hugest effect on our perception dictating what is beauty, happiness and success and in some cases even love (smh).
Remember all the 80's movies where the jock gets the "pretty cheerleader" and is the coolest guy in school just because he can throw a football? What makes one cool? What determines who's poppin and who's not, and why are we all quick to follow suit because the TV or the radio says so? I recall a time where nerd were a laughing stock and dressing like one was a mockery, but through media manipulation dressing like a nerd is considered cool, however looking intelligent and being intelligent are two different things. I truly believe our inaccuracy due to face value judgment is the reason for so much sorrow in our live. We all parade around shouting to the world "Look at Me" yet how many of us can face ourselves for who we truly are? Does a Louis Vuitton bag really make a female look better or important? I ponder on these thoughts and concepts to challenge you all, myself included to dare to think freely to dare to think as humble as possible. The next time you judge someone based upon appearance or there lack or the next time you judge yourself according to standards that aren't even real, try to remember our assets are not even an 1/8 of who we really are. Transformation is NEVER easy, however if we are to ever reach a level of understanding amongst each other such a transformation is necessary. Ladies try to alter your perception on what makes a good man good, and be willing and open to try new things. Fellas, try to understand even Lauren London doesn't look like that when she wakes up, it's time for us all to broaden our horizons from the inside out in order to change the world we must change ourselves.
In the words of Lauryn Hill "We should all be able to be walk around with our gut out and say oh you have one too... and just be free"
Marketing Buzz of the Week
By Max Rivers
http://www.Twitter.Com/MaxRivers
Don't Let Unemployment Slow You Down
7 minds tell their story
1. I got online. I realized pretty fast that I was going to have to do a lot more online than refreshing Monster.com every three seconds (don't get me wrong; I was doing that, too). I built a website, started a blog, used Twitter ferociously and created profiles on countless social networks. It's gotten so bad that I'll think I'm going to a social network for the first time, only to find out I already have login information and a profile. But the fact is, you never know where your future employer is going to find you. Don't leave it to chance.
2. I freelanced. I used to say (only half joking) that I worked more when I was unemployed than I did when I had a job. I was getting up every morning and forcing myself to get dressed and start work by 9 a.m. at the latest, and I often didn't stop until 10 or 11 p.m. Self-motivation is hard at first, but it pays off. To anyone who's unemployed, I would highly recommend freelancing. You're building your resume, meeting great contacts and making money -- plus you're showing your future employer that you have an amazing work ethic and know how to take initiative.
3. I never said no to an opportunity. Once I started blogging, tweeting and asking around on LinkedIn and Facebook, some truly entertaining offers started rolling in. I agreed to work for companies for free or very little money, and I went back to working some of my former internships. But my favorite experience happened toward the beginning of my unemployment. A company now called The Ability Project had discovered my blog and wanted me to speak at a conference the next day. The idea made me extremely anxious, but it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up, so, despite my better judgment, I said yes. It went great, and they wound up being a fantastic resource for me.
4. I didn't rely on the job boards. When I finally got a job, it was because a friend told me about a company he described as "the only firm worth working for." So I sent them an e-mail out of the blue, and, as it turned out, they were preparing an ad for a new marketing position but hadn't posted it yet. By taking that initiative, I got in the door ahead of the hundreds of applications they got the next day when they posted the job. Granted, that was a stroke of luck, but it's important to remember that the jobs posted online get hundreds or even thousands of responses. Identify some companies you really love and send them your resume, even if they haven't indicated that they're hiring.
5. I left the apartment. Working alone in my home office (aka my kitchen table) every day was depressing, so I found some friends who were unemployed, and we would work together at coffee shops. Even if friends weren't available, I would try to get out to a coffee shop at least a couple of times a week. Those trips out of the apartment kept me sane.
6. I exercised. No, that's not true. I didn't. But you should. I hear it works wonders.
7. I saved money. I'm a spender. When I'm employed, I live paycheck to
paycheck because I love spending the money I've earned. It makes for a high quality of life but a very low bank statement. It was hard, and I mean really hard, to save money, but I did it. Something about the possibility that I might not have a paycheck the next month made saving suddenly seem more vital. Some things I cut out that saved me a ton were haircuts, clothes shopping, food (not really, but it's questionable as to whether the stuff I was eating was really food), manicures/pedicures and things like that. Make a list of the things you can and can't live without. If you land a big freelance client or reach a goal, treat yourself to something you cut out. You can also limit the amount of times you go out to eat each month and explore options for free entertainment -- parks, museums, readings, etc. By the time I got a job, I was on a roll, and a lot of my saving techniques carried over.
Being unemployed is not easy, but as long as you make an effort to stay productive and keep your mind open to new opportunities, you'll be just fine -- you might even come out stronger.
The Grub Report
By Ronnell Rock
Restaurant of the Month
Doll's Soul Kitchen
624 Southside Commercial Parkway
Jonesboro, GA 30236
This restaurant has been getting pub in the Think Group Media network for a couple of weeks. It's brand new, in our neighborhood, and owned by one of our homies. There it is the disclaimer.
Showing support was a strong motive for stopping by but my culinary curiosity was what pushed me to load up the kids on a Sunday afternoon and take the trek down to Jonesboro to see what all the fuss is about.
In route, I had to remind myself not to get too excited. In my three years living in Atlanta, I'd been disappointed on more than one occasion by the lack of quality soul food. .JPG)
Luckily Southside Commercial Parkway was on the GPS, because this spot could easily get lost in the combustion of Tara Blvd. If you're from Jonesboro, you can find Dolls in the same plaza as the Howard Johnson, and Mr. Clean Car Wash. Outside of the city made famous by Gone With The Wind, you should take the Tara Blvd exit, pass Hooters make a U-turn and open the windows. Before you get to the door, you can smell the aromatic combustion of barbecue sauce, mac and cheese and traditional southern sides.
The sound of the fans blowing, soft leather booths and plastic covered tables stir up memories of grandma's kitchen. It's obvious this is a family restaurant. Everyone from the take out cashier, to the wait staff, and kitchen crew shares a noticeable resemblance to the restaurant's namesake Mrs. Doll.
I was immediately put at ease by the welcoming environment and preceded to a table to begin my analysis of the menu.
Doll's Soul Kitchen offered most of the traditional soul food items, fried chicken, fish, and oxtails (Sunday only) with choices of collards, mac & cheese, yams, green beans, corn on the cob, lima beans, yellow rice, cornbread dressing, etc.
I ordered from the kids menu for my kids and figured the Soul Kitchen Combo, collards and much would provide me with a fine sampling of a variety of menu items.
Noticing my food jacking by my kids, one of the owners came out and offered to fix me a sampling of some of the other items. I selected ribs (crazy!), green beans (awesome!), and yams and scarfed them down as if it would be my last supper.
I cleaned the last bone just as my phone was ringing. It was another buddy who was supposed to meet for dinner and couldn't swing by. That was fine; I figured I can at least grab another few pieces of fried tilapia, some German Chocolate cake and another half rack with the money I was going to spend on him.
My review of Doll's? I'm back here again being treated like a food critic and writing this review ;-)
Follow Doll's weekly dinner specials on www.Twitter.com/Dollsoulkitchen
Real Talk: I Still Love H.E.R.
By Cedric D. Shine
http://twitter.com/NativeNotes
I met this girl when I was ten years old and what I loved most she had so much soul. - Common
Who can forget that prolific rhyme that flowed out the mouth of Common Sense, now we affectionately call him "Common"? The year was 1994 and a Chicago native felt the need to discuss his affinity with Hip-Hop and also his concerns for where the art form was going. "But I'mma take her back hoping that this sh*t stops cause who I'm talking bout yall is Hip Hop". You mean to tell me that back in 1994 brothers were fed up with the state of hip hop, the commercialization of it, as Common put it "the sad stories of getting drunk" and the hard core gangster images. So, what's so different now in 2009 that everyone is on a mission to crucify Hip-Hop? HIP-HOP IS DEAD!
It's interesting because now we have an even larger crew of critics coming at the art form. Undeniably Common's song is a classic, he was professing his love for the genre and at the same time hurt by those who misuse it. Do hip hop intellectuals and those who strongly criticize the hip-hop of today take a romanticized look into our past? Is this nostalgic look back into the "Golden days" more flawed than fact? Truth is, opposition has been apart of the culture since its inception, from record execs not understanding us, to our own people not supporting this new style of sound, to the likes of the late C. Delores Tucker, Rev. Calvin Butts and the F.B.I. attacking hip hop and steam rolling over our music in the streets. Hip Hop's ability to fight past the naysayers has always propelled it forward to even greater heights.
So with that said, I am here to proclaim my love for Hip-Hop, I STILL LOVE H.E.R.! I agree with the critics wholeheartedly that the merger of our beloved culture and the Mainstream has stripped "some" of the music of its essentials. Corporate-Hop and payola have watered down the very music we fell in love with. The formula for a hit lacks creativity, lacks subject matter and really doesn't do anything to feed our people with good music and a good message. While this is true I do have to big up some of the "bubble gum" rappers, they do make some catchy tunes that we all enjoy in the club, it's a guilty pleasure (sue me)! So if you are one of the people who claim Hip-Hop is dead I challenge you to tell me where you get your Hip Hop from.
Think about your favorite artists of the "better days", Pete Rock & C.L Smooth, Gangstarr, Brand Nubian, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Slick Rick, Public Enemy, and N.W.A. The list goes on, the talent was incredible, however only a handful of the greats achieved commercial success. If you Google hip hop hits you'll be sure to come up with M.C. Hammer's "you can't touch this", Vanilla Ice's "ice ice baby" and a host of other songs real Hip Hop heads wouldn't respect as hip-hop. I bring up these comparisons because our music has always been the type we needed to dig in the crates for. Right now on my iPod I got some Andre 3000, Lupe, Little Brother, Mos Def; Talib Kweli has a new banger and there's a host of other up and coming artists who have that fire but we the lovers of Hip-Hop are not standing up for these artists or our genre. Misogyny has always been there, violence has been in the background of the lyrics for decades now. Are they lies, are these factors not present in our communities? The problem is not the subject matter always but more the social responsibility of the artists, the ability to give the people something versatile. Giving back to the community with knowledge and allowing us to party at the same time because real rap heads we ain't too righteous nowadays to party, I mean I still want to have some fun. So I STILL LOVE HER YALL and if you dig deep and listen to more than what the radio has to offer you'll find that you love her too. It's our music, it's our communities let's Make It Happen.
To Be Continued................
La Familia: Sexy Pet Names
By Shelli Tinae Price
http://twitter.com/ShelliTinae
www.themindofshellitinae.blogspot.com
SEXY PET NAMES
I was sitting here thinking, "What are the sexiest pet names?" My first boyfriend called me "Pookie," and I thought that was the cutest thing since sliced bread, but I was fourteen so everything was cute. I think we can all agree that Pookie is not sexy but the person saying it, made it adorable. Isn't the importance of terms of endearments that they are delivered by your beloved mate?
One thing I hate: for a guy I just met to call me sweetie! My first thought is that he says that to every woman he meets. "SAY MY NAME, SAY MY NAME." That's the sexiest thing for a man I just met to do; subtly acknowledge at the end of the conversation that he remembered my name. Let's have a good argument first. Then you can pull out those terms of endearments like get out of jail free cards.
Okay so my favorite and sexiest pet name is simply...BABE. It's still reserved for that special someone, you can say it in public (unlike the stares you would get from saying something like Pookie), and babe is like the name you call your TEAMMATE. Don't slip up and call the side guy or chick, babe, because I guarantee they will look WAY too deep into it.
So I'm looking for the crowd favorites. What are the sexiest pet names? And what makes them sexy to you?
To listen to a podcast go http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ellableu/2009/07/08/Straight-Talk-with-Ella-Bleu
Artist On the rise: Blake Carrington
For more information and bookings visit www.myspace.com/Blakecarrington
www.BlakeCarrington.Net
Blake Carrington is well respected by his peers within the Hip Hop and R&B community for the contributions that he has made to the urban music scene as a singer, songwriter, and arranger. 
As a gifted teen, this natural tenor polished his vocal style and cultivated his powerful 5-octave range in church; establishing a rock-solid musical foundation with deep spiritual roots, which has enabled Blake to fine-tune and grow with the various trends and constant changes within the recording industry.
Throughout his journey, paying his dues and honing his craft, this multi-dimensional artist has emerged as a bright shining star on the music horizon. Blake made no hesitation to make the move to New York City from Cali, and in a matter of days was booked on several shows including the famous Amateur Night Apollo Theatre. He proved he belonged in New York when he unanimously won his first performance at the Apollo all on his own. There was no turning back; Blake started grinding, writing, and singing songs on hooks for different underground artists (known and unknown). Blake's sultry soulful vocals have graced numerous Hip-Hop and R&B traxs from (Pharoahe Monch, AG Andre the Giant, Greg Nice / Smooth B, Large Professor, Camp Lo, Genard Parker, Jesse West, DJ Premier) just to name a few.
Blake Carrington was featured on the Michelob freestyle, Funk Master Flex Vol. II (Mixed Tape) Loud Records Certified Gold. In addition to recording in the studio, he continued to submit compositions to various Top R&B artist including Michael Jackson, Allure, Bobby Brown, DAngelo, Bad Boy recording artist (Carl Thomas), and wrote songs for David Jam Hall production for placement. He also completed production on numerous in-house projects with various distinguished producers including, Darren Lighty and Eddie F, Kenny Smoove, Lord Finesse, DJ Kid Capri, Sean (158) Devereaux, Jesse West, Houston B., DJ Premier and Diamond D (of DITC).
Shortly after Blake met up with the DJ Kid Capri, and began touring across the country, he worked behind the scenes learning the ins and outs of the business. When he returned to NYC he was busy in the studio continuously recording songs, blending grooves and raw beats and creating a catalogue of urban music.
Today residing in Harlem, NY, Blake is a distinguished entrepreneur, starting his independent record label, BTL Music. With new production from Jim Nice, 2Beats, AL Scratch and Jesse West, Blake has independently released his first project: Blake Carrington, the Traveling Man. Blake also released The First R&B Street Soul Mix-Tape Vol. I. Blake's spiritual interpretation of rhythm, unceasing passion, and dedication to his craft is the driving influence behind his longevity and success and is what makes Blake a force to be reckoned with.
Performances: Blake has opened for artists such as NE-YO, Jagged Edge, Keyshia Cole, Akon, Tank, Ludacris and Ciara. Featured artist at the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Black Panther Party, Spotlight Live NYC, Cherry Lounge - Harlem, Harlem Grill, and CLUB IMPULZ CT. with JADAKISS AND SHEEK LOUCH, SOBs, The Cutting RM, The Remote Lounge, BB Kings, and more. We congratulate him on his recent nomination for best Male R&B artist for the Urban and Underground Music Awards 2007.
Films/Movies/TV: Blake Carrington appeared in the "AMERICAN GANGSTER" Movie starring Denzel Washington & Russell Crowe. Blake is also featured in the Queen of All Media "Wendy Williams" Movie, sitcom Lipstick Jungle, Ugly Betty, Law & Order, "Fighting" staring Terrance Howard and several Independent films. To be released in 2009.
For more information and bookings visit www.myspace.com/Blakecarrinton
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