It's Been a Long Time; Shouldn't Have Left You...

Hello, my lovelies! Oh, how I've missed you so. Believe it or not, I've been uber busy lately. You know, catching up on all of the latest reality television shows, and reading the latest issue of Marie Claire. I kid! Although, (small confession) I did spend a lot of time the past couple weeks reading lots of books that in no way shape or form contributed to my intellect. But hey, it's been forever since I had the chance to read some good, brainless books, so I can't say that I'm sorry about that. Other than that, I have been a busy little bee, trying to get a new endeavor up and running. If you're a loyal reader, you'll notice that ol' bloggeroo looks a bit different. That's because I've added my bracelet boutique, Hankook Soul to the mix! I can just hear you now, "Hankook Soul? Where did she come up with that?" Well, let me explain... (Don't worry, I won't get into the details of my bracelets in all of their glory; I figure if you're interested, you'll check the boutique tab out all on your own. You don't need me to hold your hand through all of that, now do you?)

This is the South Korean flag. I got it here.

You may or may not have realized (or known) by now that I am what some people like to call "blasian," meaning that I'm mixed with Black-American and Asian (specifically, Korean). Well, Hankook Soul is my own personal tribute to my heritage - a whole lotta Korean, and a whole lotta soul. You see, "hankook" means "Korean" ... in Korean; and "soul" is defined by merriamwebster.com as "a strong positive feeling ... conveyed especially by black performers." (See how I did that?) So, I felt like the two together really embodied me. After all, isn't that really what one is looking for when creating a brand? Hankook Soul is a part of the BnE Collection, which is featured on society6.com. I'm building my library of designs slowly but surely - please bear with me. It's hard wearing all of these hats: blogger, artiste extraordinaire, jewelry-maker and wife ... but I'm lovin' it.

So, now that the introductions are out of the way, please take a look-see at what Hankook Soul is all about. I promise you won't be disappointed. Well, I can't really promise that, now can I? Let's leave it at I hope you like (or love) what you see. And place lots of orders (I am a housewife, after all!). And tell all of your friends. And tell them to tell their friends. I'll be posting links to my Etsy shop soon.*

In parting, I wish you love, peace and SOUL ... Hankook Soul, that is!

*The hubs and I are embarking on an adventure in a couple of days, so I'm going to be MIA for at least a week. Try not to miss me too much. Hopefully I'll come back rested and rejuvenated, and ready to take on the world!  

We'll Miss You, Whitney.

Social media was all abuzz last night with the news of the death of Whitney Houston; she was just 48. Houston is said to have been found with her face underwater in her bathtub at the Beverly Hills Hotel; her cause of death has yet to be determined. She is survived by daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and her adopted son, Nicholas Gordon. Houston touched many lives with her angelic voice and her striking beauty. In her career, she was the recipient of 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and 30 Billboard Music Awards. Her album Whitney was the first female album to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Charts; to date, she has sold over 200 million albums world wide. She was one of not just America's, but the world's sweethearts, one who managed to transcend race and genre boundaries with her talent. What saddens me the most is that her amazing career and legacy were overshadowed by her long and highly-publicized bout with drugs and alcohol. For years, she was the subject of ridicule and jokes. Stories of a disheveled and discombobulated Whitney, forgetting the words to her classic songs and missing important events circulated widely, and her erratic behavior on the reality show Being Bobby Brown was undeniable. The Queen of Pop took a sad and dramatic tumble off of her pedestal in the media. (The media giveth, and they also taketh away. I blame Bobby.)

I have always been a Whitney Houston fan; Whitney was one of the first cd's I ever bought with my own money. I belted Whitney tunes at the top of my lungs; I even sang her songs in my sleep (true story ... let's call that a confession). I was fortunate enough to see the talented Ms. Houston at the peak of her career in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand, for the 1994 leg of The Bodyguard World Tour. It was every bit as breathtaking as you can imagine; even today, it ranks in the Top 5 concerts that I have ever attended. She was a diva by definition, a class act, an iconic songstress, and an exemplary performer -- raw talent at its purest and finest. The studio artists of today would be well-served to take notes from her (although all of the notes in the world cannot equate to the purity of her voice). THAT is the Whitney Houston that I will always remember.

In tragedies such as this, it is important to remember that celebrities such as Whitney Houston are people, too. Everyone has problems; however, not everyone's problems are highly-publicized, enabling others to pass judgment. In her memory, let us celebrate the legacy that she left behind, and for once, let the awesomeness of her achievements overshadow her shortcomings.

And so I leave you with a little tidbit of Ms. Whitney herself. Although I'd love to be able to simply post my favorite Whitney Houston song; with her discography and long list of noteworthy tunes, it is a task that is truly impossible. Instead, I'll give you one of my favorite pictures of the beautiful Ms. Houston herself. R.I.P., Whitney. I salute you.

Source

No H8

One small step for the LGTB Community, and one large step for equality in America! A federal appeals court ruled California's same-sex marriage ban (known as Proposition 8) unconstitutional today, declaring it a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian people. "Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California," Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in Tuesday's ruling. Although this ruling applies only to California, the list of states allowing same-sex marriages is growing, and this is considered to be a huge victory in the ongoing battle for equality.

Now, I hate to overshadow good news with bad, but I have to say, this decision is really refreshing after the recent possible hate crime that occurred in Southwest Atlanta just last Saturday. A teenager was brutally beaten outside of a convenience store by gang members who shouted anti-gay slurs at him; the entire incident was captured by the store's video surveillance. The FBI is working with the Atlanta police to investigate the crime, and determine whether the actions shown in the video violate Federal statutes against hate crimes. Anyone who might have information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Atlanta Crime Stoppers Hotline at 404-577-TIPS. Tips can be given anonymously, and compensation may be awarded.


It's important to remember that although we are taking baby steps towards progress and equality, there are still folks out there pushing us three steps back with deplorable actions like this. It takes a village, people. We all have to stand together for what's right. Do your part, love thy neighbor, and stop the hate. Besides, if this really is our last year on earth, do you really want to waste your time hating people? Think about it; together we can all make a difference. Peace and love!

Redemption Song

Monday, bloody Monday! Did everybody get their football and junk food fix last night? I honestly don't care enough about sports to sit through an entire game of football when my Gators aren't playing, so I only tuned in during halftime. 

. . .

What. Was. That? Believe you me, I love me some Madonna (well, at least old school Madge - "Music" and older). Who doesn't? She's the fiercest, the original "don't give a f*ck," in your face, superstar. In fact, I liked Madonna so much as a child, that I stood in line in SOUTH KOREA to buy The Immaculate Collection on cassette, because I was out of the country during its release. No joke. But last night's debacle was just that, a debacle. The material matron was doing the wobble, baby (and I don't mean the newest dance craze to hit the scene)! She almost fell a couple of times, and was totally out of breath. It honestly made me a bit uncomfortable to see her trying so hard for relevancy. I don't want to remember that Madonna. I want to remember the Madonna with the cone bras, and the hot chained up guys. Not the Madonna prancing around in too-tall-for-someone-her-age-to-be-dancing-in boots, madly flourishing gold pom-poms and screaming at me to L-U-V Madonna! Yikes. That said - her production rocked, and it was entertaining, to say the least.

Okay, let me stop harping on last night's halftime show ... Moving on (because I could probably go on forever), today is Bob Marley's birthday!

(6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981)
Source

He was more than just a reggae legend; he was a revolutionary.* His music, although it sounds like clever lyrics over a funky, Caribbean, ska beat, was wildly political. As the third world's first superstar musician, he used his notoriety to speak out against apartheid in Africa, and to be the voice of his people and black resistance. I think that maybe too often, people associate the memory of Bob Marley with lazy days and ganja smoke; but they neglect to honor the memory of what he fought for and believed in. People have managed to commercialize him, effectively softening his militancy, and thus, not truly honoring his legacy. In the book Reggae and Caribbean Music, author Dave Thompson addresses this issue as such:

Today's Black History Month Tribute goes to Bob Marley, the militant revolutionary, the Rastafari, the original Tuff Gong. So, Get Up, Stand Up, put your lighters up, and t'row on I Shot the Sherriff; let's give this man the props he deserves.

*He was also a bit of a philanderer, with a total of 11 children (acknowledged on the official website; there may be more). Only 3 were with his wife, Rita. Fun-filled fact of the day:  in 1972 alone, he fathered three children, who were all born within a month of each other. Bloodclot! Ya boi got around, yunno? Talk about Kinky Reggae.

It's Groundhog Day!

Happy Groundhog Day, peeps! That pesky Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow again, so it looks like Old Man Winter just can't get enough of us ... probably because it's been unseasonably warm, and he doesn't want La Niña to steal his shine. I feel it necessary to point out that since his [great-grandfather's] first prediction in 1887, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 99 times, signaling six more weeks of winter. Phil has only predicted the end of winter 16 times in history. Seems to me that maybe that is an indication that the groundhog malarkey is, well, hogwash.

Since the whole Groundhog Day thing is [possibly] just a farce (that continues, no doubt, just to keep that portly man in the top hat happy), I'm going to forget that it is whatever holiday that makes you live your day over and over again, and direct the focus back to Black History Month. It is, after all, the shortest month of the year (although this year, we get an extra day due to the leap year), so why should we have to share it with a stinking rodent that doesn't give a crap about his shadow OR winter? Let's move on.

Fun-filled fact of the day: On February 2, 1990, President De Klerk of South Africa lifted the 30-year ban on the African National Congress (ANC), the nation's leading anti-apartheid group. Additionally, he announced that the group's leader, Nelson Mandela, would be released from prison after 27 years. I know that Black History Month is an American thing, but this group - its principles, its opposition and its success, are something to be celebrated. So, I ask this of you:  today, instead of complaining about the six more [unseasonably warm and temperate] weeks of winter, let's all take a moment to be thankful for our freedom. Which is really perfect, because we all probably managed to overlook National Freedom Day yesterday! Ta-ta for now, my lovelies. Enjoy your day ... and your freedom. Peace and love!