FASHION WEEK IS HERE AGAIN, GOD HELP ME!

Well Ladies and Gentlemen today is January 30th 2008 and for all my fellow fashion whores and employees of the taste you know what that means - we’re only two days away from the beginning of it all once again – Mercedes-Benz New York Fall Fashion Week. I just got a call from a client in desperate need of an emergency fashion consultation, for an event she is attending with a very important client that she must impress; just for reference, she called me at 1pm, the event is at 7pm. To be honest with you it wasn’t until that moment that I realized it was already the 30th and we were only two days away from the shows. My wakeup call from her got me in full go mode and I’m doing what needs to be done to get her dressed to the nines to impress everyone in that room, including her client. Yes, it is normal to get a call a matter of hours before an event, with a client expecting you to turn them into a Vogue/GQ cover model, for an event with that limited amount of prep time. I’m really good at what I do, so this is not a problem for me. It also helps that the client happens to also be a friend that I love, so I like making her look as great on the outside, as she is on the inside.

I have not really been on my pre- Fashion Week grind this year, the weeks leading up to fashion week tend to be just as frantic and busy as the actual eight day week of the shows – credentials, castings, fittings, client meetings, shopping, calls, scheduling, bookings, photo shoots, and pre-parties - the list is considerably longer. However, this year – not so much of all that pre-week “stuff”. I’ve just been uninterested in the process. Since I was not able to attend The Milan Men’s Fall Fashion Week Shows (The real fashion week for us people who work in men’s apparel) a few weeks ago due to scheduling conflicts, it put me in a shitty mood for the New York shows. I wasn’t too impressed with what I saw back in September on those runways and all the bull that came with what the week has become. I didn’t even book a hotel room in the area as I usually do to save me the hassle of having to go back and forth from the shows to Brooklyn to events and parties. I’m losing interest in an event that seems to be becoming more about the celebrities in the seats than the clothes on the runway. When I have more celebrities, paparazzi, and entertainment gossip shows/mags present than Buyers, Editors, Fashion Photographers, Image Consultants, and Stylist – then it’s time to wrap it up and wait for the online coverage in the comfort of my home or just jack my Stylist and Editor friends for their digicam shots and notes.

As it happens every year around this time for the Fall shows and September for the Spring shows, I seem to become very popular. I’m sure everyone who has been reading this blog for a while remembers what last September was like for me. All of a sudden, people I haven’t heard from in about six months seem to miraculously find me in their phonebooks and need to reconnect - do the math, fashion week is semi-annual, and it’s that time once again. This worked so well last September that I have decided to do the list once again – THE FAQ LIST.

For all those long lost friends and all the people who love stopping me in mid sprint, as if I have an information kiosk sign on my head, I have created a small FAQ section. This is to save you any daytime minutes or for me to avoid your need to stop me from getting to where I have to get to, so you can ask the same questions your co- worker at Starbucks just asked me five minutes earlier. I am sure as the days of fashion week go on I will be adding more answers to this list, seeing, as I am sure you will be asking more questions. Peace, Love, and Fashion!


•NO, I DO NOT HAVE EXTRA INVITATIONS FOR ANY SHOWS.

•NO, I CANNOT GET YOU A MEETING WITH SOME DESIGNERS, BUYERS, BOOKING AGENTS, CASTING DIRECTORS, FASHION EDITOR, AND/OR PUFFY’S BABY MOMMAS, ETC.

•NO, I CANNOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THE GUEST LIST.

•NO, YOU CANNOT BE MY PLUS 1.

•THIS IS THE TENTS FOR FASHION WEEK. IT’S WHERE TWICE A YEAR DESIGNERS SHOW THEIR NEW FALL/SPRING DESIGNS FOR BUYERS, FASHION EDITORS, STYLIST, IMAGE CONSULTANTS, INDUSTRY INSIDERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THIS SH%T, THE CHILDREN OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THIS SH%T. YES, THAT FASHION WEEK.

•NO, I WILL NOT GIVE UP MY SEAT TO THE CRACKED OUT STARLET OF THE MOMENT.

•NO, I AM NOT ANY PLUS SIZED, DARK SKINNED, BLACK ACTOR, SINGER, OR RAPPER YOU LOVE.

•NO, I AM NOT A STYLIST. I AM AN IMAGE CONSULTANT. YES, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. NO, I WILL NOT EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS. WHY ARE YOU HERE?!?!!!

•I BOUGHT IT AT THAT PLACE UP THE BLOCK, AROUND THE CORNER, AND DOWN THE STREET. NO. NOT THAT PLACE.

•YES, MODELS EAT. NO, I HAVE NOT SEEN IT, BUT I HEARD.

•NO, I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU CAN SCORE SOME…

•NO, YOU CANNOT MEET ME AT THE DOOR FOR THE AFTER PARTY. I WILL MEET YOU INSIDE.

•YES, I KNOW WHERE DIDDY’S PARTY IS. NO, I AM NOT TELLING YOU.

•NO, OF COURSE I DID NOT IGNORE YOUR CALL. (APPLY WHICHEVER SUITS)

1. "I GET NO RECEPTION IN HERE"
2. "I CANNOT HEAR MY PHONE WITH ALL THAT NOISE"
3. "WE HAD TO TURN OUR PHONES OFF FOR THE SHOW"

•NO, YOU CANNOT SEE WHAT IS IN MY GIFT BAGS.

•YES, THERE ARE STRAIGHT MEN IN FASHION.

•YES, THERE ARE SUCCESSFUL BLACK PEOPLE IN FASHION.

•YES, THIS IS THE LINE FOR THE SHOW/PARTY. LOOK AT THE SIGN!

•YES, THOSE SHADES ARE PRETENTIOUS, BUT WHERE ELSE BUT HERE TO BE.

•YES, THEY ARE WEARING REAL FUR. HOW DO I KNOW?! I DIDN'T DESIGN IT!

•YES, YOU MAY GET ME ANOTHER DRINK.

•YES, YOU MAY PRACTICE WALKING IN YOUR 5 INCH HEELS FOR MY OPINIONS AND CRITIQUES.

•YES, YOU MAY FLY ME TO MILAN AND PARIS TO KEEP THE PARTY GOING.

•YES, I WILL BE UP FOR THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS AND LOVING EVERY WAKING MINUTE OF IT.

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RUNWAY

GVG
~Tom Ford is still my fashion God~

P.S. I would have put up a photo of some black models on the runway, but let’s be honest – it’s New York Fashion Week – they don’t exist. Blog probably coming soon.

FOR THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY...

I was having a discussion with a very good female friend yesterday concerning dating in New York City. she’s a beautiful, highly successful, editor for a prestigious, major publication – well accomplished, cultured, very social, attractive, worldly, well manicured and coiffed at all times, confident, always dressed to the nines, well traveled, on every A list for all the major events, in all the major cities - a true type A women, and tends to attract carbon copies of herself in the men she choices to allow to court her.

Our discussion led into what the average amount spent on a first date in New York City or any other major metropolitan city with a woman that a man is truly into and trying to make the best first impression for would cost. The date could, but would not have to, include a pre or post-dinner event, dinner (Including, but not limited to cocktails, appetizers, wine, entrees, and desert – all dependent upon the persons involved), dancing, after dinner drinks, and/or whatever else you would do on average with a women you were courting. Our estimates for the date were so far apart from each other’s with neither of us willing to give an inch to go closer to the others estimate that it just became clear to both of us that one of us was being unrealistic on the matter and we left it there. This is where you - my wonderful readers come in – I pose the question to you.

For the men: What do you spend on average for the above-described first date or whatever adaptation of an average first date with a woman you are sincerely courting?

For the women: How much do you believe a man spends on average in a major metropolitan city such as New York to court you in true and proper first date form?

This is both for the men and women – please feel free to expound on not only the amount you believe is spent, both on the high and low end, but also what the date might consist of to justify the amount.

GVG
~reservations required~

AUDIO FOREPLAY SUNDAYS: VICTORY

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to a beautiful new Sunday and for those of you who are new to this lil ol’ space O mine; On Sundays I usually tend do what I have entitled - Audio foreplay Sundays. Audio Foreplay is a sampling of the music that I play on my seventh day to relax and rest to or it stands as a soundtrack sampling to my life from that past week. As you probably know last night, Barack Obama won the South Carolina primary carrying 81 percent of the black vote to Clinton's 17 percent, according to exit polls cited by Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. Obama also got 24 percent of the white vote, with Clinton and Edwards dividing the remainder, the exit polls showed. Today’s sampling is going to be dedicated to the words of victory and not the sounds of music.

Obama made a speech that hit most of the points I felt he really needed to address, about both policy and his detractors. I was happy, dare I say proud, that Obama finally showed a backbone at the South Carolina primary debate earlier this week and stood up against Hillary and Bill Clinton on their repeated misrepresentations of his positions and statements. He is finally starting to learn this election is not for the nice guy. When the dog bites you, you bite it back, so it knows to respect you. Below is his South Carolina victory speech, noticeably absent is a certain “cadence” that was such a topic of discussion after his Iowa victory speech.

What did you think of both his performance in the South Carolina primary debate and his victory speech last night?


Barack Obama South Carolina Primary Victory Speech PT 1


Barack Obama South Carolina Primary Victory Speech PT 2


GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

THANX FOR THE SUPPORT

I just wanted to take a moment of your time and share some good news with the people that matter to me. One of my favorite bloggers -The Field Negro (http://field-negro.blogspot.com/) – an esteemed journalist for a very reputable and honorable paper that I get most of my political news from, listed my blog – The Hidden Parts of My Soul - this week as his favorite blog of the moment and more than tripled my readership. Honestly, the additional readership is truly and greatly appreciated, but as I am sure, anyone that has had it happen knows - the acknowledgement from someone whom you respect and value in your field or "hobby" /passion/obsession of choice means considerably more. Therefore, I just wanted to send this out as a public thank you to both him and everyone else that has been, just started, and will continue to read and pass on my thoughts, rants, and opinions. Peace and blessings to all.

GVG
The Hidden Parts of My Soul
~we’re the warriors they write epics about~

NO COMMENT

Please stop asking me and/or forwarding me articles about Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's troubles. I will not be commenting on the matter. Other than, to say this is an unfortunate series of developments and I’m sorry his family has to deal with matters such as these in such a very public fashion, whether or not they may be by his own doing.

THE ECONOMICS OF THE BLACK VOTE

In a Wall Street journal article from yesterday, the paper discusses the “Class Split” Amongst Black voters in this election and how it may effect Barack Obama.

“A poll this fall by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a black think tank, shows the wide disparity of support for Mr. Obama among blacks. While 75% of blacks who went to college had a favorable or very favorable view of the candidate — rising to 88% among blacks who went to graduate or professional school — support dipped to 62% among those with just a high-school degree and to 42% among blacks who haven’t finished high school. A similar pattern shows up as income levels fall among blacks. And while 83% of blacks employed full time had a favorable view of Mr. Obama, just 55% of unemployed blacks did.” Please continue to full article here


GVG
~sometimes i just want to read~

GO GO GROOVIN'

Last night I attended the Fader Magazine Wire party and got to meet some of my favorite members of the cast - Slim Charles a.k.a Gangus, Marlo 'Black' Stanfield a.k.a Jamie Hector, and last but could never be least - Sen. R. Clayton 'Clay' "carrying water" Davis a.k.a Isiah Whitlock Jr.. The event was great – almost all Maryland/VA people, but you know Brooklyn was in the house deep. My home girl was so geeked about a performance from a band I had never heard of - The backyard Band with Slim Charles a.k.a Gangus. She told me it was going to be one of the greatest shows I’d ever witness - she did not lie.

Here's a clip of The Backyard Band at another show

This is me Go Go Groovin’ to the sounds of The Backyard band
Notice the indifference to anything going on around me
The closed eyes for the full sound around the body effect
The biting of the bottom lip to emphasize the feeling of the groove.

I came home to an e-mail from another good friend with an MP3 attached and a short note that read - "You need this in your life"

After hearing it - I realize you need it in yours too – enjoy

N.E.R.D. - Everyone Nose

GVG
~living a go go life~

The Giants triumphed by kicking an oblong ball

Yes, the scene really exist. GO GIANTS!!!!



GVG
~my face is going to be on some money~

IN HONOR OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Today stands as not just a holiday, but as the embodiment of a dream. The dream for us all as a people – Black, White, Yellow, Brown, etc. – to fight in the name of, as Martin Luther King Jr, said “the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."” in his famous “I HAVE A DREAM” speech on that historic day, August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial(Washington, D.C.).

Today is a day to not only remember his life and the spirit of his words, but to also take a step forward in the name of his dream – both for you and all those around you, who may not have the strength to fight for themselves and their dreams. I have always kept an MLK Jr. quote close to my heart since I learned it in fourth grade and used it as a driving force and validation of my actions when told to "sit down and shut up" – “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter". It is with those words that I leave you, here on this day to not only remember, but to progress.

Below is the famous and poignant “I have a dream” speech in its entirety with a link below that to the full transcript.

I HAVE A DREAM

P.S. Martin Luther Kings actual birthday is January 15.

GVG
~pushing the dream forward~

UPDATE

Jay Smooth from http://www.illdoctrine.com/, as always, has blessed us with a ingenious new Vlog post in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. that so well illustrates the force of timeless truth embodied in MLK’s words and the reason they still resonate to this day with what Jay has entitled “Ten OTHER Things MLK Said”.

AUDIO FOREPLAY SUNDAYS: THE BIRTHDAY EDITION

It seems as if almost all the people I know and love are born in January; including my mother and Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday was actually the 15 of January, which is why I have renamed it - “The month the world was born”. . My mother took full advantage of her Queen for the day status and had me literally buy EVERYTHING on the menu at her favorite Haitian restaurant and almost every kind of patty they had with a huge Haitian cake at the Haitian bakery with all types of Haitian “beverages” to wash it all down. Last night was the culmination of it all with the - “The month the world was born” party. The party was, I thought, suppose to be for six of my friends – Carey, KD, Courtney, Kim, and the Thompson sisters, then I walked in to have an additional five friends tell me it was their birthdays as well. WELL IT’S A CELEBRATION AND EVERYONES INVITED!!! In honor of all my friends, let’s sing Happy Birthday (Stevie Wonder version of course) at the top of our lungs. On three press play on the video below and SING! 1! 2! 3!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YAAA!!!




OMG! I don’t believe in coincidences, I believe everything happens for a reason, and this I believe validates my belief! I went to go find a the video for Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday”, which I honestly didn’t even know if there was one made for it back then, for our Stevie wonder birthday sing along. I go onto YouTube and there it is – The Stevie wonder “Happy Birthday” video posted above – GREAT! Here’s where it gets interesting, I start to play the video, and I’m sure all the people who are in the know, know where I’m going with this, but up until this moment I didn’t know Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” was a dedication to the birth of Martin Luther King jr.. How perfect is it that the video I choice to commemorate the birth of my so many of family, friends, and the man himself MLK, was actually made for him! Please use tomorrow as a day to celebrate Martin Luther King’s Birthday and to push the dream forward.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF YOU DAMN CAPRICORNS – MOMMY O’ MINE, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., MY AUNT ALICE, JUSTIN, CAREY, COURTNEY, KD, KIM, DEE DEE, JARREL, RIKERS, CRYSTAL, CHRIS, REG, THE THOMPSON SISTERS. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE PEOPLE BORN IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS. YOU ALL HAVE MADE WONDERFUL ADDITIONS TO MY LIFE AND I THANK THE UNIVERSE FOR BLESSING ALL OF US WITH YOUR PRESENCE, LOVE, AND SUPPORT. MAY YOUR BIRTHDAYS BRING YOU ALL YOU WISH.

GVG
~celebrating life~

PROUD TO BE AN ANGRY BLACK MAN! FINALLY.

Last night I went out with a good female friend for dinner, drinks, and our latest round of Main street news editorializing, about our two degree of separation existences. As I was waiting for her at a very popular restaurant, I decided to add our names to the “to be” seated list, on what I was told by the hostess with a straight face would be a 15 min wait. 15 minutes?! On the Friday of a holiday weekend, in a very popular, packed restaurant, with about 50 people waiting ahead of me, right. I decided to wait outside with some of the other 15 min folk and enjoy the unseasonably warm New York January weather. BTW, if I get one more ATL person crying to me about the one snowflake they saw I’m driving down there and beating them with my belt. I think that last sentence perfectly illustrates the overall point of this post. As I stood outside, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation of the four women who were standing directly in front of me. I’ll give you there ethnicities because I believe it relates to this story – I believe two were either from Spain or Columbia and the other two possibly Dominican. The conversation had shifted from its original topic of men and relationships to politics. As it seems one of the Dominican ladies was being pressed to divulge whom she would be voting for in the democratic primary election – Clinton or Obama.

The Dominican woman shook her head and repeatedly said, “I don’t know. I’m still undecided”

The ladies prodded her for an answer. Finally she turns and said, “If it was just Obama I would vote for him, but there’s a woman running too”

At which point the fairer skin of the two Spaniard woman replied in a venom laced voice “What’s an Obama??!!!”

They all laughed as the other Dominican woman while still in mid laugh belted out “I think I want to vote for him too. He’s colored!” Yes, ladies and gentlemen Barack Obama is colored. I can’t make this shit up.

I didn’t realize it, but as the woman defecated, the word colored out of her mouth, I had unconsciously taken a couple of steps towards the women. Right when I started to raise my hand, as I simultaneously opened my mouth to say something; the hostess walked out, and screamed a name. Which awoke me from my angry black man autopilot and made me walk around the corner before it took over me again. I tend to pace when I get angry, it does nothing to calm, but it’s what I do. My brain was going a 100 miles a minute, replaying the words in my head repeatedly. I tried to distract myself by working on getting a friend’s birthday plans taken care of after he got royally screwed out of his regularly scheduled programming. I just couldn’t bring myself to focus on anything else. I finally just leaned up against the wall and did some deep breathing exercises I had learned, yet never seemed to use in those moments they were made for.

My friend finally arrived and we went inside to wait for our table, as I told her about the discovery from the nice ladies outside that Barack Obama was colored. She questioned how it was that I always seemed to be the one to witness such acts of ignorance and stupidity. I still have no answer to her query. This was in no way the end of the stupidity and irritations that would be our night.

I’m not going into a long story, but the short of it was I made a reservation, once I got there added my name to “the list”, and still got skipped by the hostess numerous times - each with an apology and promise that I and my friend would be the next couple sat, each time to be skipped again. After the third time, I almost couldn’t take it anymore (honestly after the second, but I’ve been trying to keep my temper in check after a not so good experience with my doctor and an EKG machine that told me I was having a heart attack at my last annual). Therefore, ever since then I have been trying to not go off as much on inconsequential things and I hated being seen as "the angry black man" both on and offline. I was trying to keep my composure- THEN SHE SKIPPED ME FOR THE FOURTH TIME! FUCK IT! I’M DONE!

I walked into the dining area right behind the hostess as she sat the two women at our fourth table. As she turned with me standing in front of her, it dawned on her what she had done to the big visibly angry black man standing in front of her. She attempted to appease me with an apology and an offer of free juice. Yes, free juice! She walked away before she could see me laugh in her face. I knew juice wouldn’t have been enough of an incentive to stop me from flipping, but I thought - let me wait to be seated, then deal with the compensation for our pain, hunger, and suffering. This is where the long story gets short – all she was willing to give us was some juice. I tell her that’s not going to suffice. She brings the juice out anyway and regurgitates that BS about all she’s willing to do. I tell her it’s not enough and ask for the manager for the second time. She takes the juice back! Manager finally comes and attempts to defend hostess's said behavior, and I finally lose it. This manager calls me a liar for the third time for saying I had been skipped for the fourth time, in contradiction to the one time the hostess had told him it had been.

My friend sat there quietly as I went off and when I saw it getting to that point of no return, I realized I was with a good friend who didn’t deserve to see this man cry amongst other things in this restaurant. I got up, he jumped like a scared child about to be beat by his father, and we proceeded to leave. Which surprisingly brought on a bit of cheering and looks of admiration from the two people flanking us on either side of our table, and the others relegated to the 15 min waiting section we were once members of just a few mins earlier.

As we walked out my friend turned to me and said something I was very surprised to hear “You’re a nicer person than I am. I would have flipped a lot sooner than that!” This for me was a big surprise, because I’ve always been told I’m so angry by women who have witnessed me go off for service issues. I seem to have always been ranting about something or another, as they perceived it. One friend proclaimed to me just a few weeks ago when he saw the veins in my head about to explode after he informed me in the middle of a dance with a very beautiful woman that Senator Hillary RodHAM Clinton had won the New Hampshire primary after her tear-caspade

“WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY? YOU DO KNOW YOU’RE NOT RUNNING, RIGHT?! YOU’RE AN ANGRY ASS BLACK MAN!”

Angry Black man - I had become a bit use to the moniker, never happy with it, but heard it enough to be use to it. The reason for all this rambling above was because I had been thinking about how I hated being perceived as the angry black man and what that meant to be seen as angry when you felt you were just impassioned. I have friends who are indifferent and sure when things are going to hell I’m a bit envious of how monotone they are with their emotions, as I narrowly avoid an aneurism caused by my outrage. Here’s the flip of it and the reason I like being an “angry black man” – because I feel for the bad and unjust and I truly enjoy the good when I find it. When things go right with those same indifferent friends, you can’t tell if there’s any joy to be found in them. Those moments rates to them the same way the bad ones do, but for me I bask in the bright light of pleasure and success. I live it and appreciate every moment of it as it happens to me.

I’m never just angry. I have a purpose and a target. When I’m driven to scream or write whether it be - one of my blog post, a comment/rant on a topic board, blog, e-mail discussion, forwarded news report, anything. It’s usually because I was so overwhelmed with the passion of my feelings that I couldn’t stop myself from putting it all the way out there for all to see. You might not agree with all the things I say, but I think you will be hard-pressed to find someone who doubts my belief in the things I say and believe. Give me passion or give me death.

OK, believe it or not that was supposed to be a one-paragraph intro to a great post I came across on the Field Negro’s blog today discussing the very same topic I had been racking my brain with since last night. I guess I needed to get out last night’s events more than I thought. Below is an excerpt of the opening to the Field Negro’s post entitled "The last angry black man" and a link to the full piece in its entirety.

“A friend of mine was introducing me to someone today, and for some reason he felt the need to tell her that I blog.”He has a blog called field Negro. I think he is the last angry black man left in America." Ha ha ha ha, laughs all around.”

“Of course dude was right. At times it seems that there are no angry black men left in A-merry-ca. I think the angry black man has been ashamed into accepting his fate, and his place in the A-merry-can scheme of things. But there is nothing to be ashamed of. Not when your anger is driven by disappointment and not resentment. You see it's like this: most people think that the angry black man, like yours truly, is angry because he is somehow feeling left out and is disappointed with his station in life. While this might be true with some angry black men, it isn't the case here. (Although to be honest, I couldn't really blame any black man for being angry and pissed off for the state of his condition. The shit that some of us -and yes I say us because whatever that black man goes through effects me as well-go through, I wouldn't wish on my worst white enemy). I am quite happy with pretty much all aspects of my life, both socially and professionally, but I am still angry.” Continue reading here

GVG
~HAPPY TO BE ANGRY~

P.S. Yes, I am aware of the irony of last night’s events and the content of this post on the same weekend as the celebration Martin Luther King Day and all he stood for - The man who wanted us to turn the other cheek. Guess I’m more of a Malcolm guy.

P.P.S. After we left the restaurant, our night actually turned into a great one. You’d be amazed what a great meal, a good witty friend, who can make you laugh so hard you spit out all the contents of your mouth, and almost die from a sincere inability to breathe from laughing, and a huge pitcher of sangria can do to sooth your troubles away.

MEET THE VOTERS

GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

MLK DAY-OFF?

I just received the e-mail posted below from a close friend concerning Pricewaterhouse Cooper's (PwC) decision to stay open on MLK day and their “reasons” as to why and below that is the response I gave to my friend. I’d like to open it up to you guys and see where you stand on the matter. Curious about this one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi All -

Please check out this email that my former employer (PwC) sent to its employees regarding MLK Day. It is quite an interesting take on why they feel their employees should work on this day, despite the fact that it is a nationally recognized holiday.

Regards,
N


----- Forwarded by H US/ABAS/PwC on 01/18/2008 09:26 AM -----
01/18/2008 09:13 AM

"Reply to All" is Disabled
To: PwC US Staff
cc

Subject: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This coming Monday, we commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the preeminent leaders in the civil rights movement. At the age of 35, Dr. King was the youngest person at that time to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and he is widely known for his work toward ending racial segregation in public schools and promoting meaningful civil rights legislation, including a law that would prohibit racial discrimination in the workplace.

Dr. King was a remarkable speaker, and his "I Have a Dream" speech is considered one of the most impactful dissertations of all time. But there is another quote he delivered that I think is particularly important for us as a Firm:

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

Many US companies have decided to give employees the "day off" in commemoration of Dr. King's birthday. But as you read the quote above, you realize that Dr. King believed that the efforts around basic human rights could never take a holiday. As a result, we consider Dr. King's birthday as a "day on;" a day to take action; a day to recognize that progress is not automatic.

Throughout many of our offices this Monday, we will be hosting talented high school students from our local markets. The intent of these gatherings is to introduce these students to the vast array of career opportunities that are available to them, not just in our profession, but in the business world in general. In keeping with Dr. King's passion for equal opportunity, I believe this is a fitting tribute to his work.

I'll leave you with one final quote from Dr. King; "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." Equal rights cannot be taken for granted, either personally or collectively as a Firm. I hope that you will take a moment to reflect on the significance of this holiday and find some way to recommit to the equality and respect for all individuals that Dr. King talked about so many years ago.
Regards,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My response

I honestly don’t know how I feel about this. If PwC is truly sincere in their outlined motivation and desire to use the holiday as a vehicle of enlightenment and access to children whom might not have had an opportunity normally to visit a top firm and see the possibility of future career opportunities outside of blue-collar aspirations. In its actual work setting, instead of with a representative in your classroom giving a long drawn out speech, with Kings dream of progression for us as a people on all fronts – education, community, and career as the basis, than I believe it to be a good and noble action.

Honestly, how many people do you know who take MLK day as a day of reflection and self-enlightenment? In fact, how many people do you know whom take any holiday with its origins entrenched in the pain and sacrifice of a people for anything other than barbequing, partying, and drinking on a Sunday with no work on Monday? If this was a black firm I Believe, by many including myself, that it would be perceived as great idea that could work to show young children of color reflections of themselves in the work force and I don’t believe there would be any uproar over it.

Now, on the other hand, if this is just a tactic to make an extra buck instead of having to lose a full day worth of labor over “the death of some n&gg&r that deserved to die in the first place” then where are we meeting and how many picket signs do I need to bring? It’s all a matter of perception based on whoever is reading. Unless you know the intent of the author, we all just exist in a state of speculation.

~GVG

Bob Johnson + Microphone = Danger

In the post below this one I reposted a New York Times Op-ed piece, I received last night written by Gloria Steinem, which discussed her views on what would be a bigger hurdle in this election - race or sex. Below is the latest Vlog from Jay Smooth of www.illdoctrine.com discussing Bob Johnson’s latest dumb ass statements in reference to Obama and his admitted drug use. Which, in my opinion, I believe well illustrates how self-hating internal race lampooning will be one of the biggest hindrances of this election. Please see Magic Johnson, John Lewis, Robert Johnson, Andrew Young, and Charles Rangel for more examples.




GVG
~wishing on a star for a piano to fall on...~

What is a bigger hurdle in this election - race or sex?

Check out this New York Times Op- Ed piece by Gloria Steinem entitled “Women Are Never Front-Runners” which gives her opinion on the matter.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Once you read the article check out this debate from democracynow.org with the author of the piece, Gloria Steinem, defending her position while, a professor at Princeton, Melissa Harris-Lacewell opposes her assertions about race and sex, and why way in which it plays into the election from the piece. It is a very interesting read and discussion. Enjoy.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/1/14/race_and_gender_in_presidential_politics

GVG
~startin stuff~

THE WIRE: WHO IS SCOTT TEMPLETON?

I’m sure if you’re a Wire addict like me and my friends you’ve been racking your brains trying to figure out who the story fabricating journalist Scott Templeton character is based on. We guessed it could have been Jayson Blair from the New York Times, Jack Kelley from USA Today, Stephen Glass at The New Republic, or even Janet Cooke from The Washington Post. Well thanx to the good folks over at PostBourgie we now know it was based on Sun reporter Jim Haner. Think some people just lost some money.

When the Wires on don’t call me for NOTHING. Get hooked!

GVG

~I'm carrying water~

P.S. One of the greatest moments for me (God there are so so many) from last nights episode and I think from the past five seasons so far was the amazing dialogue from Senator Clay Davis to Commissioner Ervin H. Burrell.

“I’m out there doing the lords work for you Erv! You know it. Who got that pay raise from the council?! Just enough for you to get that new patio, but not enough for that guy from Pittsburgh to take your place.”

“God damn it Erv! I’ve been there for you, carried water for you, and you do me like this.”

“You think I’m going down, don’t cha? Yoouuuuu uuuuu tthiiii ttthhhiiinkkk I’m done? All ya ungrateful bitches thinking you can throw me out the boat”

“AIGHT!”

“I’m going to remember this moment Erv.”

Fist to the chest “I’m going to hold on to this moment. Yea.”

The stutter and fist to the heart tap alone deserves an honorable mention. It was genius.

THE DETAILS: PLAID DONE RIGHT

People always ask me why this blog doesn’t have more men’s fashion on it. Hell, it’s what I do for a living. You’d think this blog would be overrun with all the latest trends, runway shows, and diatribes about the godliness of Tom Ford. However, that’s the exact reason why it’s not filled with fashion “stuff”, my days are dedicated to fashion, always looking for the newest thing, the best designers, client request, style on the street. I might be a bit jaded, but it takes a lot for me to truly stop and take notice, but when I do it’s worth it for you to stop as well.

There was a great qoute on the first episode from this fifth and last season of the Wire that I believe best sums up todays post "The details, Ms. Gutierrez. At the Baltimore Sun, God still resides in the details.” I’ve always believed that perfection is in the details and the photo below is the personification of that mantra. As with every morning I was doing my usual blog rounds – Politics, Gossip, news, rumors, NPR, and of course fashion when I made my way over to my favorite men’s fashion site - The Sartorialist. What I saw honestly has made my day. Check out the man below in this plaid suit which in both my and The Sartorialist's opinion is a bespoke sweater. They just don’t make them like that off the rack.

Please click on photo to enlarge so you can take note of each and every perfectly executed detail – The simple boutonnière, the juxtaposition of the pocket square and the plaid, the amount of shirt sleeve showing, The way the plaid lines up on his shoulder/sleeve all the way down the torso (you only get that from a tailor who truly has an eye and only accepts perfection from themselves. Not an easy thing to do with patterns. Trust me.)

PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS PHOTO

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

GVG
~God still resides in the details~

VIDEO FOREPLAY SUNDAYS: FOR YOU LATE SUCKAS

I think all my day one Wire watchers and I’ll even through in my DVD folk that caught up over the summer can relate to this post and the Video foreplay for this week. This is for all those people that bother us in the middle of a great scene of dialogue to ask questions about the show and the amazing character’s Tet a Tet they’re making us miss with their dumb late to the party questions.

Who’s that guy? Why’d he do that? Why is she sleeping with him? Did she sleep with him too? Who killed him? What did that line mean? Why is everyone laughing? Why does he keep saying shiiit? Was he important? Why they drove off, and then drive back? Why does it matters that they had to sign in the last time?

Like my man Chris said “You don’t ever want to be the last to the party”. So below is the first 4 seasons of the Wire in 4 minutes for all you late to the party summabitches. Now you have no reason to bother me while I’m watching my stories. Shiiiiitt. Get hooked.



P.S. I realize I didn’t do a bulletin for last weeks special first edition of Video Foreplay Sundays: The Wire edition, so some of you may have missed out on the special favorites sampling I did. So for those of you who need that fix. Check it out here.

GVG
~doin my junkie lean~

UPDATE

I originally wasn’t going to add an audio sampling for today. However, a friend just sent me this Nina Simone video and where else but audio foreplay would I share musical greatness with you my peoples? It also doesn’t hurt that it sounds like the perfect song to use as a backdrop to so many moments in the Wire.

Nina Simone “Feeling Good”

CRYING IS WHAT'S HOT IN 08

Last night Senator Hillary RodHAM Clinton won the Democratic primary in New Hampshire. I guess we really are as stupid and gullible as these politicians believe us to be. CRYING GETS YOU A WIN??!!! FOR REAL???!!! THAT SHIT WORKED??!! What’s next? Pouting about polling that says voters don’t like her as much as they do Obama? Oh wait; she already did that at the NH debate.

Senator John McCain meanwhile staged his own comeback on the Republican side, triumphing with 37 percent in the crucial early vote despite having been widely written off months ago as his campaign flagged. The win comes just six months after people were writing off Senator McCain's bid for the presidency. His campaign was broke and people were laid off. Then he poured all his energy, and resources into New Hampshire.

GVG
~no words~

A Raisin in the Sun Trailer

Raisin
by skaybn

THE TEAR DROP HEARD ROUND THE WORLD

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about stop playing video games, Sudoku, watching porn, or whatever else has you distracted from the BS currently going on in the world and turn on a news station or whatever the most convenient way of receiving your news is – there’s a million of them. So when Senator Hillary RodHAM Clinton was asked about how hard it must be on her being on the campaign trail; she could only respond in all her democratic, political, campaign strategist, “genius” with this -



God! Is this really where we’re at in American politics?! For real??!!!

GVG
~about ready to cry my damn self~

WHERE'S BROOKLYN AT???!!!!!

Any of you who knows me or have been reading this blog for a while know I’ve been fighting a one man war against gentrification and losing for the past few years. With a doorman at my front door and a tennis court in my backyard we’re the first stop on transplants and realtors neighborhood wish list. It seems as if everyday I see someone “New” with keys to my building. Then having to deal with the stress that comes with knowing for each of them that comes one of us goes and that my time may be sooner than later to be one of the departed.

Gentrification is just one of those inescapable beasts when it comes to the NYC housing market (but hey, it got me sushi delivered to my front door! Just fucked when you know the reasons you can get the sushi delivered and the realization that it’s not for you) that said, few developments cause enough stir to inspire twenty authors (including some favorites of mine) to contribute to an anthology in defense of their neighborhood. Brooklyn Was Mine is a collection of essays, stories, and poems from notable authors like Jonathan Lethem, Dinaw Mengetsu and Robert Sullivan (plus a whole bunch more) was released Wednesday to directly benefit Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn—a community organization committed to fighting Forest City Ratner’s extensive Atlantic Yards development. The collection is only like fifteen bucks, and there are two readings in the coming weeks to support the organization. There's more info on the book, the organization and the readings here.

GVG
~fighting the war til the end~

VIDEO FOREPLAY SUNDAY: THE WIRE EDITION

I know you guys have become use to my “usual” weekly audio foreplay Sundays. However, seeing as today - Sunday January 6, 2008 is a very very special day leading to a very very special evening we’re going to do something a bit different. For the four of you in the US that don’t know tonight at 9pm on HBO is the premiere of the fifth and last season of one of the greatest television shows ever put on TV. As if I really have to tell you – The Wire is back people.

So in honor of such a special occasion I’m going to be doing a special Sunday selection of some of my all time favorite scene from the past four seasons of the show.

Welcome to the Video Foreplay Sunday: The Wire Edition

The package is looking real good in the streets for this season. GET HOOKED.

On a Sunday morning


Man up


Teacher pet/head of the class


The tower of flowers


Sorry for ya


Good to have friends


Shiiit


What do you get for the person who has everything


The paper bag test


Not hard enough?


You Were Very Gentle


Stand still…


What cho do


I got one more high left in me...


They saw you coming


Dream with me


You know I couldn’t do a Sunday without at least one audio selection and seeing as the wire inspired this videos concept it was a no brainer that this would be the perfect accompaniment for our clips today.

Freeway (Ft. Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) - What We Do


GVG
~waiting on my fix~

PRIMARIES VS. CAUCUSES

In the summer of every presidential election year, political parties in the United States typically conduct national conventions to choose their presidential candidates. At the conventions, the presidential candidates are selected by groups of delegates from each state. After a series of speeches and demonstrations in support of each candidate, the delegates begin to vote, state-by-state, for the candidate of their choice. The first candidate to receive a preset majority number of delegate votes becomes the party’s presidential candidate. The candidate selected to run for president then selects a vice presidential candidate.

Delegates to the national conventions are selected at the state level, according to rules and formulas determined by each political party’s state committee. While these rules and formulas can change from state-to-state and from year-to-year, there remain two methods by which the states choose their delegates to the national conventions: the caucus and the primary.

THE CAUCUS

Caucuses are simply meetings, open to all registered voters of the party, at which delegates to the party’s national convention are selected. When the caucus begins, the voters in attendance divide themselves into groups according to the candidate they support. The undecided voters congregate into their own group and prepare to be “courted” by supporters of other candidates.

Voters in each group are then invited to give speeches supporting their candidate and trying to persuade others to join their group. At the end of the caucus, party organizers count the voters in each candidate’s group and calculate how many delegates to the county convention each candidate has won.

The caucus process can produce delegates who are bound or “pledged” to vote for the primary winner in voting at the national convention. In other states, some or all delegates are “unpledged” and free to vote for any candidate they wish at the convention.

THE PRIMARY

In states holding them, presidential primary elections are open to all registered voters.

Just like in general elections, voting is done through a secret ballot. Voters may choose from among all registered candidates and write-ins are counted. There are two types of primaries, closed and open. In a closed primary, voters may vote only in the primary of the political party in which they registered. For example, a voter who registered as a Republican can only vote in the Republican primary. In an open primary, registered voters can vote in the primary of either party, but are allowed to vote in only one primary. Most states hold closed primaries. Primary elections also vary in what names appear on their ballots. Most states hold presidential preference primaries, in which the actual presidential candidates’ names appear on the ballot. In other states, only the names of convention delegates appear on the ballot. Delegates may state their support for a candidate or declare themselves to be uncommitted.

As in the caucuses, the primary process can produce both pledged and unpledged convention delegates, depending on the party rules of the various states.

Source

GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

THE OBAMA SPEECH FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP?

Below is a conversation that occurred between a friend and me last night right after the Obama Victory speech shown above after his historic win in the Iowa primary. This may or may not become the basis for my latest blog. If I can take some time to stop reading that reckless shit Republican Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll said here in reference to New Jersey “apologizing” for their history of slavery.

From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 3, 2008 11:12 PM


www.cnn.com

If you get this now, the victory speech is on CNN. Tune in!!!!

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 8:31 PM


Watching and reading all the feeds online now. People are blowing up my phone, text, and E-mail over this. I might have a blog coming tomorrow that’s going to piss you all the fuck off. LOL

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 3, 2008 11:35 PM


Hey never said I was def voting for him. I'm just spitting out current news, lol. I see you’re not a fan eh?

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 8:56 PM


Not that I’m not a fan, just that I don’t believe. This is a direct quote from one of the CNN political analyst just now in reference to Barack Obama’s speech “There were echoes of Martin Luther King in that speech.” WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN??!!! NOW WE HAVE WHITE PEOPLE COMPARING THIS DUDE TO CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, ARE YOU SERIOUS???!!!! However, with all that being said I still don’t wake up in cold sweats thinking about him in the white house like I do Hillary “smiling in your face, stabbing you in the back, while killing your cat” Clinton.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:00 AM


Good point. He does radiate that whole, "let my people go" aura. Folks feel they can relate to him, have a real convo. You don't really get that with Hill, but she is a business woman. This we know. John Edwards was second, so Hill has a double defeat.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 3, 2008 9:11 PM


Honestly and also another point I’m bouncing around on what would be the blog if I wrote it is I think this was a strategic move on the Clintons part. They are scared out of their minds that democrats and independants are going to stay home because they believe there’s no chance in hell Hillary can lose the primary to a black man. No matter how fair skinned, cute, well behaved, and well spoken he is.

The Clinton political machine want to scare them dems out of their seats. They want to show them “Hey, this nigger has a chance. Get the fuck off your ass now for the primaries and on general election day or we’re fucked for another four years” She’s giving them just what they need to do what her campaign needs done.

Same shit Bush did with the far right with abortion and same sex marriage to mobilize their vote. They didn’t go after swing voters, they went after non voters. Get those old school mothafuckas out and you can take this. There is no switching of sides to them there for their party and their meat and potatoes beliefs, but just believe their party isn’t enough for them. Watch what happens in New Hampshire. Iowa is just the beginning of a very very long fight.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Daveeeeed
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:15 AM


True indeed. Do I think he's gonna ultimately beat her? Nope. But it makes for better TV.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Gardy a.k.a GVG
Date: Jan 4, 2008 12:40 PM

Now on that point my friend we agree. I love seeing them sweat and shit their pants.

The end

*Editors note: I’m voting for Obama. Just want to believe in my vote for once.

The realest thing said so far about Obama's win in Iowa last night

Another great video post from Jay Smooth @ www.Illdoctrine.com



Agree or Disagree?

Give me your whose/why/ and what fors here

You have to speak (write) to be heard (read). You get what I mean.

GVG
~asking some questions no one wants to answer~

La Chaim and all that Good stuff: The New Years Eve - New Years Day recap

Living through one of the best 48 hours of my life and the way I’m feeling right now as I play Jay Z’s “Roc boys” it seems like it’s going for the 72 hour mark. IT'S A FUCKING CELEBRATION BITCHES! LE CHAIM!!!

I was having a conversation with a friend a few days prior to NYE and discussing our tentative plans for the big 07 send off and she said the most amazing thing to me.

“NYE is cool, for me it's more spiritual and I learned long ago that you can't put a lot on it or it'll be notoriously wack.”

I lived by those words this year and allowed whatever was meant to happen to happen and up until 5:30pm on the day of new years eve I had NO idea what my Who/What/When/Where’s were going to be for the night. A call from my homegirl D a min later and the games were on! I’m not going into a bunch of details, but I’ll give you some highlights.

• Limited edition Haitian rum

• Greatest soul food ever

• I saw stars then took them home for myself

• Pinky rings and cashmere

• The stroke of midnight with 30 gorgeous, perky, tipsy, and friendly black women and I’m one of only 4 guys in the house. That was the moment the tear came down my cheek and I was asked if I was ok. Looking into the sky and the only response I could get out was “This is the greatest night of my life!!!”

• A booty poppin tutorial with above mention 30 women against an all mirrored wall. (DUDE! I CAN’T MAKE SHIT LIKE THAT UP!!!)

• Walking in the streets looking for a cab with 20 of the women from the booty poppin tuturial masters class to hit the next BK house party hot spot with a huge cup of the best drink I’ve ever mixed and not getting a ticket

• Finding the next house party by following the sound of the DJ screaming on the mic “IS BROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE???!!!!”

• Wall sweating house party

• Soca. Roc Boys. The Good Life. The music that makes you raise your hands in the air, close your eyes, scream out the lyrics, and appreciate every blessing you have in this world and having a great soundtrack to live it to

• Watching your friend do her Baltimore Go Go dancing like she still 20 and her knees making it VERY clear to her that she's a grown ass woman. COMEDY!!! D. You too old for that shit. I love you for trying though.

• A basement filled wall to wall with empty bottles of Patron, Grey Goose, champagne, and much much much more liquor

• Patron shots at 4:30am

• Sitting on the steps with your friends (A.K.A. the cafeteria at the cool kids table. You had to be there) drinking Veuve Clicquot straight from the bottle because it’s 5am and we just don’t give a fuck about decorum

• Texting all your friends "I'M SSSSSOOOOOOO DRUNK RIGHT NOW!!!! HAPPY FUCKING NEW YEAR!!!!" at about 5:30 in the morning when you’re not really that drunk but realizing "I'M KIND OF NICE RIGHT NOW. HAPPY NEW YEAR." just doesn’t have the same je ne sais que to it

• Being that nice at 5:30 in the morning in the middle of a slamming party and texting all your friends and family because you wish they were there enjoying it with you (I guess this one wasn’t really a highlight. I sensitive. I LOVE YA SUCKAS!)

• Eating the greatest soul food left overs at 7am while doing the sleepy/tipsy headnod with each bite

• New Years day drinking lychee rum punch at a brunch/lunch (being too lazy to wake up early enough for eggs)while we have the most amazing south african food with the comedy that can only come from sitting at a table tipsy at 4pm with your friends

• Bottles of Ethiopian honey wine made special just for you and your friends to continue the party

• Continuing the drinking all day and night until 2am the next day

• No hangovers

• Going to work the next day and being brilliant, vibrant, and on point

Yep, that basically sums it up. WHAT YOUR NEW YEARS LOOK LIKE?!?!!!

P.S. I get to say Le Chaim and not look crazy in the street. Yiddish is part of my NY vocab, I didn't know Oy Vey wasn't a common English expression until I was in fourth grade and transferred to an all black prep school. (LONG STORY. LOL)

LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE YOU MEAN IT!!!!

GVG
~ridin this shit out to the end~

UPDATE

THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO CLOSE IT OUT.

GET YOUR RED LIGHT SWAGGER RIGHT FOR 08