tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91419494717288638862024-03-13T05:32:40.532-05:00The M ReportMissy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.comBlogger247125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-89393537201217431102024-01-15T07:10:00.002-06:002024-01-15T07:10:39.334-06:00Why do we give up on New Year's resolutions? 3 tips from experts<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5NKa-sZUC6a3OiucbGJPG6_pxqccvek2WYd4Jo6xKn-L2b6JhX6hW-CnQ83f3XowcQgaK0IQUCvY9Y33kvVzPkz1igp6AoSwnZV6bwmNe_ADp5RGhMUe_5ack75I7goDhZm4iRkHIgYqoOywgv_uEnw9lj-y0I-a_WKiipPAowkb-wklfUDE5wWlTxM/s800/New%20Years%20Resolution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5NKa-sZUC6a3OiucbGJPG6_pxqccvek2WYd4Jo6xKn-L2b6JhX6hW-CnQ83f3XowcQgaK0IQUCvY9Y33kvVzPkz1igp6AoSwnZV6bwmNe_ADp5RGhMUe_5ack75I7goDhZm4iRkHIgYqoOywgv_uEnw9lj-y0I-a_WKiipPAowkb-wklfUDE5wWlTxM/w400-h268/New%20Years%20Resolution.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: PlusJakartaSans, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", Ubuntu, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: start; white-space: pre;">Setting realistic expectations with New Years resolutions is a good start to achieve your goals.
(Photo: Polina Kovaleva)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Weeks into the new year can make one wonder, why did I even try a New Year's resolution? While the reasons to say farewell to these resolutions can vary from person to person, experts share how people can set realistic and effective resolutions to keep for the entire year. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><blockquote>"We always advise making resolutions easy and achievable and starting off by making small steps. Don't jump to the big things."</blockquote><p></p><p> </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>"It's easy to set a resolution at the end of December or beginning of January, but studies show that 88% of people who set New Year resolutions fail them within the first two weeks," said Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair of behavioral services at Houston's Baylor College of Medicine. </p><p>Common resolutions include exercising more, losing weight or saving money. Dr. Shah says that with these resolutions, people tend to go too hard, too quickly, instead of taking small steps. He explains that the number one reason people may give up is because their goals are unachievable or idealistic. </p><p>If you have given up on your resolution, Dr. Shah says to analyze why you might have given up so quickly. Could this be due to a lack of motivation or not setting the right goal?</p><p>"We always advise making resolutions easy and achievable and starting off by making small steps. Don't jump to the big things. If you want to lose weight, make your goal weight realistic," he said. </p><p>Here are 3 tips:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Set realistic expectations by changing one thing at a time. Also, make adjustments in your life to achieve your resolution</li><li>Track your resolution to give you motivation on a monthly or weekly basis.</li><li>Don't tackle your resolution alone. Encourage a friend, partner or spouse to join you on your journey. </li></ul><div>"It's also good to start with a short-term goal. This can give instant gratification and help give you confidence to strive for a long-term resolution," Dr. Shah said. </div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-5778704736239526872024-01-10T01:36:00.001-06:002024-01-10T01:36:06.421-06:00How to get enough vitamin D in the winter<p><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0PYOMDuaMMErIOykkWrgrzYkdb9RvaIt2tYgqCVQLIoja0f9zA7oTyfXBCMoU6M47x1MRGMhSKraF5ojUqSTt_ou2Y3j20wAV3ld5XN8_FhEQ9CcyW7goFjXIu5JOLLRFa5E05nv0Q10O_UtWhzIPsCUql-R7L970CSp-k0dyQgq2SFrlRm1x9-vqfA/s1500/Winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0PYOMDuaMMErIOykkWrgrzYkdb9RvaIt2tYgqCVQLIoja0f9zA7oTyfXBCMoU6M47x1MRGMhSKraF5ojUqSTt_ou2Y3j20wAV3ld5XN8_FhEQ9CcyW7goFjXIu5JOLLRFa5E05nv0Q10O_UtWhzIPsCUql-R7L970CSp-k0dyQgq2SFrlRm1x9-vqfA/s320/Winter.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vitamin D plays a large role in overall health according to medical experts. (Courtesy Pexels)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Winter isn't coming, winter is here. With that comes the concern for what some suffer from called the winter blues or seasonal depression. </p><p>Medical experts at Baylor College of Medicine are sharing tips on how to maintain your vitamin D intake in the winter. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>"Vitamin D is well-known to support bone health, but it also plays a role in the health of your heart as well as your (general intestine) tract," said Dr. Mike Ren, assistant professor in Baylor's Department of Family and Community Medicine. "It's tougher to get it because a lot of the absorption and how the vitamin gets transformed to usable substance in our bodies is from the sun. You need the sun high in the sky, not when it's rising or about to set, for your body to effectively absorb sunlight to absorb the vitamin D."</p><p>Experts say that some fatty fishes and seafood naturally contain some vitamin D, but that it's not commonly found in other foods, therefore causing a lack in vitamin D in people's diets. Sun exposure helps, but in the winter months, a lack of sunlight persists. </p><p>A typical adult needs 800 units of vitamin D a day, which translates to 15-30 minutes of good, direct sunlight. No need to put on a bathing suit just to get sun. Experts say that you can be fully clothed with the sun shining on your face or hands to get sufficient exposure. One thing is to make sure you get your sun exposure during peak sunlight and not at sunrise or sunset. </p><p>If you're one of the work-from-home population group, Dr. Ren suggests taking an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement. </p><p>"Some new students are also finding that vitamin D is important for proper muscle function, like your constantly beating heart, as well as lower risk of getting a variety of cancers," said Dr. Ren. </p><p>The doctor added one caveat: be sure to get your vitamin D levels checked as certain health conditions could affect side effects. Vitamin D is touted for calcium absorption and bone health. </p><p>"These are new studies, so I don't want to overestimate their importance, but on the flip side, I don't want people to trivialize it and say it's not important," he said.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-26264121383878930232023-12-13T19:45:00.002-06:002023-12-13T19:45:31.501-06:00The M Report x Sincerely Pam & Missy: Being Authentically YouGet to know the hosts of the Sincerely Pam and Missy podcast! The two girlfriends in your corner! <div><br /></div><div>Together, Pam and Missy share their insights on being career-driven women, fashion-forward ladies, keeping it real.
The girls dive into some questions to get to know them and offer advice that only your girlfriends would want you to know. On this episode, they share words of wisdom about being authentically yourself.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/B9Lkiqd2euo?si=wuWFqS32xbZJWw5U" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/B9Lkiqd2euo/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe></div></div>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-80301147201130643832023-09-27T13:46:00.002-05:002023-12-13T19:42:23.295-06:00Robyn Tuazon x The M Report: Behind-the-scenes as a concert photographer<div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOBFs1ozv5oXRMCve9c46o0KrsmV3kH4qsvW7f0Oi9KzpWWE82GE5lMr1ADLOUCy8ZmdloiPyNvNIWtyjj-Y68kDqHvl0v7K9pXyEBCd0octpPNugWPn8y5kvmckRDAJgAPPE-qpPb0PnbsNLSggjmT05yDvLYIk2Bb-AQjPD_qq6Yx0uWLKIvni2GXk/s3596/Rob%20cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="3596" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOBFs1ozv5oXRMCve9c46o0KrsmV3kH4qsvW7f0Oi9KzpWWE82GE5lMr1ADLOUCy8ZmdloiPyNvNIWtyjj-Y68kDqHvl0v7K9pXyEBCd0octpPNugWPn8y5kvmckRDAJgAPPE-qpPb0PnbsNLSggjmT05yDvLYIk2Bb-AQjPD_qq6Yx0uWLKIvni2GXk/w400-h235/Rob%20cover.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ever wonder what it's like to be a concert photographer? Through her lens, Robyn T. takes us through the process when she covered some of the biggest artists in the music game like Olivia Rodrigo, Emily King, Giveon and Tobe Nwigwe. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Check out the full video after the jump!</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 12, 12); background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-family: Helvetica; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">At the release of her new self-published photo book, Remembrance, The M Report brings all the pressure in this fun interview!</span></p></div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/z1y7pOqjEAU?si=TXoJ54cmfJXh5tNk" width="480"></iframe>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-86731524820956347992023-09-15T09:54:00.007-05:002023-09-15T20:29:24.026-05:00M Report Music Mashups: Victoria Monét delivers smooth, 2000s nostalgia, honors femininity on Jaguar II<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiZrUS3XjRM15xxSMXKvLuKJ54Yl_Zoeh-4J3iKMM-_po1FH5ipEFFM6wX7rUzCQxeLyOAeMMnWGnsjoLiBUn6NgMj2aIxJLQZ6wbCdPLzBpMspWNRhd7CjUb3HN-cQekAw8u77-Nnt1grVF45mLxmEXvSjWaC0cMpYQgtPGc26-fKuPZZ8ct6xfGRFg/s6720/VM%20PRESS%205%20JAGUAR0076.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiZrUS3XjRM15xxSMXKvLuKJ54Yl_Zoeh-4J3iKMM-_po1FH5ipEFFM6wX7rUzCQxeLyOAeMMnWGnsjoLiBUn6NgMj2aIxJLQZ6wbCdPLzBpMspWNRhd7CjUb3HN-cQekAw8u77-Nnt1grVF45mLxmEXvSjWaC0cMpYQgtPGc26-fKuPZZ8ct6xfGRFg/s320/VM%20PRESS%205%20JAGUAR0076.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What the R&B game has been missing is a 360 entertainer who gives listeners not only great vocals, but also a great performance. </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Wow, does Monét easily succeed there and then some. She has craft-fully mastered the lessons of heavy hitters who came before her with each performance giving a double take with the likes of Ciara and Aaliyah.</span></span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">Multi-talented, </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">Grammy-<wbr></wbr>nominated</span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> singer/songwriter and producer, </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://www.victoriamonet.co/">Victoria Monét</a></span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://www.victoriamonet.co/"> </a>winds up summer playlists even more with the official follow up music video to her latest smash single, </span>"<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mbpZ1xtkijOW0L8w4IslgBVk6xe0rQPNnlhyxwozpsALn8kMsfc4xS6_Y2TfHYbNyCJN3pZenJqX8ZE3Q7obpuRhWrshx-8Ftm-d6RiL2FC1bcIptYpklk56vK_nmVlgmZYF1dp8x-McAKOMY-opsLnQWjdxJSUF%26c%3DJvCunXgSxRHaw2M8sjSRaECqRmyCY93FFT_566NNzvpblJckXnnJ_A%3D%3D%26ch%3DRAYOgRV97Y4V1Xsi7s7a7TCmI8kvDnZriqmlbMFaOyUohNRmTW6Wbw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694832909078000&usg=AOvVaw1q_uJCBOi7Riq9PTdvDk2-" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mbpZ1xtkijOW0L8w4IslgBVk6xe0rQPNnlhyxwozpsALn8kMsfc4xS6_Y2TfHYbNyCJN3pZenJqX8ZE3Q7obpuRhWrshx-8Ftm-d6RiL2FC1bcIptYpklk56vK_nmVlgmZYF1dp8x-McAKOMY-opsLnQWjdxJSUF&c=JvCunXgSxRHaw2M8sjSRaECqRmyCY93FFT_566NNzvpblJckXnnJ_A==&ch=RAYOgRV97Y4V1Xsi7s7a7TCmI8kvDnZriqmlbMFaOyUohNRmTW6Wbw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">On My Mama</a>."</p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">I was scrolling through music videos that Apple categorized under "New R&B." So why did the "B" stand for boring? No offense because it could be the label doesn't have the budget or something else behind the scenes we aren't aware of. </p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">Thank goodness, Monét comes to save the day. Her years of experience in the background working for other artists like Ariana Grande, has only strengthened what she brings to the table. She is an artist, a storyteller and a really electrifying entertainer. </p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">The 2000s-nostalgic video "On My Mama" overflows with southern flare while being accented with ground-scraping lowriders, signature Y2K street style, cameos from Black fraternities and sororities and HBCU culture, various dance numbers from renowned choreographer, </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">Sean Bankhead</span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> and special cameos from Monét’s own mama and intuitively talented 2-year-old daughter, Hazel Monét. </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">The “On My Mama” visual reminds of a significant era in the early 2000s when underground southern music began to take over national airwaves and catch the eye of people across the globe. </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">“‘On My Mama' is the soundtrack to positive affirmations," Monét said. I wrote it postpartum when I wasn’t feeling my best, but spoke to how I wanted to feel. Singing the lyrics about yourself will change your frequency, and elevate a positive mental state. </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">The words speak not only to physical features, but to a feeling too because I believe when you feel good you look even better! Give yourself the words you need to hear because it’s true, you look good! There’s no one like you and that’s on ya mama. Enjoy being yourself witcha fine ass!" </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPDwTln8TZ3o3v_7lOd7Xwp7nyETbPaIlGPlggIffCsfLc0eqT4_oxXdhNrpI5vyT-R4Jbr_WtFtcnGIzJc9nKNQeQHYDA1KV81utxNszB4Sj8_VeKKi-9scJ2FhO9txcvjBkVf3YcvyVkDZ70OgHLMfDLAsDn_keSo43HQPwPFRZpDUVUXOFOOOZrZ0/s6997/VM_JAG%20TOUR%20(TOUR%20POSTER%2011x17).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6997" data-original-width="4528" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPDwTln8TZ3o3v_7lOd7Xwp7nyETbPaIlGPlggIffCsfLc0eqT4_oxXdhNrpI5vyT-R4Jbr_WtFtcnGIzJc9nKNQeQHYDA1KV81utxNszB4Sj8_VeKKi-9scJ2FhO9txcvjBkVf3YcvyVkDZ70OgHLMfDLAsDn_keSo43HQPwPFRZpDUVUXOFOOOZrZ0/w414-h640/VM_JAG%20TOUR%20(TOUR%20POSTER%2011x17).jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">The new track is the latest addition to her catalog of 2023 summer anthem contenders and is the third and final single that led to the long awaited release of her debut album, </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">JAGUAR II </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">on August 25th.</span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">Her new songs mark the beginning of a new era for Victoria Monét, kicking off with her debut </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">sold out North American headlining tour</span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;"> - </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">The JAGUAR Tour </span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16px;">- in September.</span></p><p align="justify" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-54469627491125558402023-08-03T00:44:00.004-05:002023-08-08T10:50:24.799-05:00How looking back at life can revitalize the vision for what lies ahead<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoCwOgXRT2JkqP-pr_0xgwFrW7sVKtHvpufYfIhcudI9wDmEIKYZ5tRXSg98hUUVEA_QdQmlBfYOsPez2Zs4v6KEtE_9V3U1aoi6lJgrCYL_Hcdt7jszSlCDCoap-N3f35zdGAQT8SoOd3tiKqMEd2nfIEVjeaGYNi8NbF8wiGbyfJPQB9C9hnrJJnoE/s1280/falling%20in%20love.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="This is a photo of two lovers" border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoCwOgXRT2JkqP-pr_0xgwFrW7sVKtHvpufYfIhcudI9wDmEIKYZ5tRXSg98hUUVEA_QdQmlBfYOsPez2Zs4v6KEtE_9V3U1aoi6lJgrCYL_Hcdt7jszSlCDCoap-N3f35zdGAQT8SoOd3tiKqMEd2nfIEVjeaGYNi8NbF8wiGbyfJPQB9C9hnrJJnoE/w400-h268/falling%20in%20love.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Falling in love is a feeling that many humans desire. (Courtesy of Pexels/ Jaspereology)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>I was organizing some of my old diaries and gratitude journals when I realized I have been journaling for almost 20 years now. That's crazy! As part of my end-of-the-month ritual, I like to take inventory of how the month went, areas of improvement and reflection, that sort of thing. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>One of my close friends gave a bunch of us this "Gratitude journal" back in 2017. When I came across that journal, I saw something I wrote back then. It was that I wanted to believe in love again. DEEP!</p><p>I was thinking to myself about that time period in life (gosh, how can we honestly think past the pandemic that felt like 10 years crammed into one). I think what comes to mind was that I was still in a healing phase. I was powering through a really bad college breakup and finding solace in little flings here and there aka I wasn't healing and just distracting myself. </p><p>2017 was a lot of things for me. I like symbols and signs and feel that sometimes God gives us signs and it's up to us to notice them. Anyways, the number 7 is a lucky number. It's a complete number as in everything is complete. I entered my 30's and I thought I was going to conquer the world. I was honing in on my woman-ness, my empowerment energy and just trying to prove to myself (and others, really) that I'm GOOD. People on the outside figured I was good, right? Goodness, such vanity, to put other people's view of me on a pedestal (COVID changed that perspective real quick). </p><p>Well, if I'm being honest, I am pretty sure I wrote that I wanted to believe in love again and I meant it. It really did mean something bigger though, now looking back:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I wanted to really hone in on who I was</li><li>That would lead me to confidently choosing myself first</li><li>That would leave imposter syndrome in the dust</li><li>I ultimately wanted to fall in love with myself again and remember what that meant</li></ul><div>That's because I was wasting so much time trying to be someone that everyone else expected of me.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The sexy, intelligent, independent young woman</li><li>The perfect sports journalist</li><li>Fun, exciting, spontaneous</li><li>No boundaries and easily influenced</li></ul><div>Since that time, I can happily report that through tough work within myself, I am standing in those answered prayers! I love myself but not too much. I put myself first, but never forget God. Today, I am married in the sacrament, therefore love made a home in me and my husbands' hearts. For that, I am truly grateful and looking forward to what lies ahead. <br /></div></div><p></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-52336380866616748222023-06-02T00:01:00.000-05:002023-06-02T00:01:03.905-05:00Elevating AANHPI Stories: Meet the creative behind AALVO<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCE7LoD4rUnJ-gySbg2hYef3ofkjCs25NjLSvyxERWbMD7uUfNOzH_P3keH5sA3OJh3ysHMH90lRZsUg-cWCXGgdOroC4FUcMS6p_2NzeQdStWL9BTIdPfRqNinDotCD1SuilaQT3p14_sQk2zrOjhaidt5YaGdyIDGTXcRtpa5p55mr1rdkA78_Kk/s640/DSC_5276.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCE7LoD4rUnJ-gySbg2hYef3ofkjCs25NjLSvyxERWbMD7uUfNOzH_P3keH5sA3OJh3ysHMH90lRZsUg-cWCXGgdOroC4FUcMS6p_2NzeQdStWL9BTIdPfRqNinDotCD1SuilaQT3p14_sQk2zrOjhaidt5YaGdyIDGTXcRtpa5p55mr1rdkA78_Kk/w400-h268/DSC_5276.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Amy Chantra is an architect and designer by trade. A graduate of the University of Houston, Chantra decided to open her eponymous store online in 2018 while still working her 9-to-5 job. In April 2023, her brick-and-mortar store AALVO came to life that focuses on laser-cutting and interior design. But Chantra had more in mind for her store than just laser-cut goods.</p><p>AALVO also provides event space for photographers, bakers and other creative to rent out for various classes and events. </p><p>The M Report spoke to Chantra for Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Month (AANHPI) to get her words of advice on entrepreneurship, how being a first-generation child of immigrants affected her drive to success and more.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><br /><p></p><p><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGl44s7PKaHR5A_XbHVVxbCZLFDeE-nsdrmch_T5AiWhi_JydIZKbIvRO0qzdNDF5LluOm3JnRZPNG6TUyDQPurv-c6qIzPWIBIpg8wOHrGl6slwzRsc9mpacWjLUQvSdBKouo67_Y4z_O3qZy9f2G4NAh1M1WICRMB0T0iHHwHLNUCojAEXXDv_5B/s4032/PXL_20230422_191928324.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGl44s7PKaHR5A_XbHVVxbCZLFDeE-nsdrmch_T5AiWhi_JydIZKbIvRO0qzdNDF5LluOm3JnRZPNG6TUyDQPurv-c6qIzPWIBIpg8wOHrGl6slwzRsc9mpacWjLUQvSdBKouo67_Y4z_O3qZy9f2G4NAh1M1WICRMB0T0iHHwHLNUCojAEXXDv_5B/s320/PXL_20230422_191928324.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy Chantra, owner of AALVO</td></tr></tbody></table><b>M: Tell us about yourself, particularly your career path before you began AALVO in 2018. What was the defining moment for you that made you pivot?</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">My name is Amy Chantra and I'm the owner of AALVO. Mother to two spritely kids and wife to an insanely patient husband. I grew up in Houston, TX. My family are immigrants from Vietnam and China, my grandmother owned a fabric store in Vietnam and my parents owned a restaurant in Houston, TX for over 20 years, thus creating a little entrepreneur in the womb! I went to school and received my Bachelor's in Fine Arts in interior design and later my Masters's Degree in Architecture. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I worked at various firms throughout Houston working on high-end residential homes, and educational and worship buildings for almost 8 years until I decided to commit and do AALVO full time. I started AALVO in 2018 mostly as a creative outlet and possibly a way out of the rat race, at that time I didn't know what it was going to be, honestly.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I bought a laser cutter and started creating and it felt SO DAMN GOOD just to design and create on my own terms. I built so many great relationships along the way and it just fueled me to do it full-time in May 2021. COVID taught us many lessons and one of them was that time is precious, that life is precious. I was able to spend so much time with my kids and family while we were home and I relished it. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I didn't want it to end, so I did the next logical thing (in my mind at least): quit my job and do things on my own terms. It was scary, no doubt, to leave the only career that I knew for almost a decade and a career that took me 7 years of schooling and MOUNTAINS of student loan debt (R.I.P. MONEY) but we made it. </span></div><span class="im" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><ol></ol></span><p></p><p><b>M: How has being a first-generation, child of immigrants, affected your drive to succeed?</b></p><p><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><ol></ol><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">My parents fled Vietnam, a war torn country taken over by Communists in 1978. They came here with almost nothing except the clothes on their backs. They were young, didn't speak the language, and didn't understand the culture.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I watched them work 70-80 hour weeks for over 2 decades while raising 4 kids, which taught me so many things. One was in order to be happy and prosperous, you have to be your own boss. My parents worked at various companies doing various jobs but it wasn't until we opened our own restaurant that the switch flipped. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Being an entrepreneur provides freedom, creative freedom, freedom of choice, and financial freedom. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZXtQYLzZdnQc6QIEAJoHpJV-lnmZ5VkSjmnhkJaDZ3nFp5i5AbWCLhinLXUTiMYkrn3gT66nYFtLW5LUeYOOoRscVhBMFVLYngXwS5HgE1WutNAiJqRh-eEmOtYQ407DluLFZcA0SbeMW5WlaOYmyTc7MPO0aq31-lg18Ckr9dMA3nf59j167GKQ/s640/DSC_5258.JPG" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZXtQYLzZdnQc6QIEAJoHpJV-lnmZ5VkSjmnhkJaDZ3nFp5i5AbWCLhinLXUTiMYkrn3gT66nYFtLW5LUeYOOoRscVhBMFVLYngXwS5HgE1WutNAiJqRh-eEmOtYQ407DluLFZcA0SbeMW5WlaOYmyTc7MPO0aq31-lg18Ckr9dMA3nf59j167GKQ/w640-h428/DSC_5258.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><b>M: What as your biggest challenge during the time leading up to AALVO becoming a brick-and-mortar?</b></p><p><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><ol></ol><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Physically, building this space from SCRATCH. Every base board, every corner, every ceiling tile BY US. Mentally, the imposter syndrome kicked in (and still comes back to visit from time to time) but I just have to focus on my intention for me, my studio, and my community. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw0rYnNbHZPQbg9WYpykD_98bW4Xgrd1umZ4OszmPMCEASCflrOkpeeQNwyPxs_ImZ1XRXPH8mYt8GWNOd58LUidVe54M_PGfr0P7NKtguRS5L86umMLo0UNMxRz2zhBSW_m7jzm9cR7HX9zUh3LjqU5yq-lLRsKWx_lnVDTddi2ngQL8N9ORz3wT/s960/DSC_5268.JPG" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw0rYnNbHZPQbg9WYpykD_98bW4Xgrd1umZ4OszmPMCEASCflrOkpeeQNwyPxs_ImZ1XRXPH8mYt8GWNOd58LUidVe54M_PGfr0P7NKtguRS5L86umMLo0UNMxRz2zhBSW_m7jzm9cR7HX9zUh3LjqU5yq-lLRsKWx_lnVDTddi2ngQL8N9ORz3wT/w426-h640/DSC_5268.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p><b>M: What are your hopes for AALVO?</b></p><p><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><ol></ol><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">My hope for AALVO is to create beautiful things that bring joy to people. It doesn't have to be huge or extravagant, my goal is to simply BRING JOY. I I want my customers to celebrate all the tiny moments, show off the business that they've worked so hard to establish, and get that cute little pin because it makes them happy! </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">With the opening of our new studio, I hope to allow creatives a space to do their thing which is to CREATE, I want them to share their ideas and creativity with others and create a community of like-minded individuals. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">And I hope those who are looking for a creative outlet come and participate in our upcoming workshops to hopefully spark or scratch that creative itch they've been wanting to let out. </span></div><p><b>M: What advice would you give other women of color when it comes to navigating the 9-5 but also interested in more?</b></p><p><span class="im" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><ol></ol><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Start the side hustle NOW. There will never be a "good time" to start it. Don't think if I get A done, then I'll do B. </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">Just do it, even if it's small baby steps like purchasing the website domain, just the get the momentum going. </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">You don't have to have it all figured out before you start, just let go of the reins and enjoy the process of exploring your creative self. Its so beautiful to watch it all unfold!</span></div><p><b>M: Let's talk about your interests. What podcasts/books/TV shows/music are in heavy rotation.</b></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Podcasts lately: </span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">The Huberman Lab - a scientific podcast that discusses how our brains and its connections to our body affects our behaviors and perceptions</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> We can do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> Anything with BRENE BROWN, she's a goddess and discusses courage, shame, vulnerability and empathy </span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">How We Built This - Always a nice confidence boost to listen to entrepreneurs talk about how they built their empires from the ground up! </span></li></ul><p><br /></p></div>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-58068548477936794662023-05-25T09:10:00.001-05:002023-05-25T09:11:14.491-05:00M Report Events: Celebrating 10 years of hairstyling excellence with Studio A Salon<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCPjhyW5rN9x_2bCG0uuvIHUQjUr53EuS5yNUP-Dg76cFJSaSkAn4eEBLY0dHaRT_MDZpDIhn9xRjiFOMtC4hGLLBgTKAKNiEJr12Y9ZN8eJTXyby8oZOGK8__hkcMuIIgtf9VosOmhe3OacGHf9Jr87k8eUdwCxqrDCet3Qz6D5Wf3L7VJ0W7vpQ/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2400" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCPjhyW5rN9x_2bCG0uuvIHUQjUr53EuS5yNUP-Dg76cFJSaSkAn4eEBLY0dHaRT_MDZpDIhn9xRjiFOMtC4hGLLBgTKAKNiEJr12Y9ZN8eJTXyby8oZOGK8__hkcMuIIgtf9VosOmhe3OacGHf9Jr87k8eUdwCxqrDCet3Qz6D5Wf3L7VJ0W7vpQ/w640-h426/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Courtesy Studio A Salon)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #535353; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s a true homecoming for Studio A Salon! </span><span style="color: #333333; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s something special about bringing your dreams to life. For Studio A Salon owner and Hair Artist, David Armendariz, his dreams are happening in full circle as the opening of the salon’s second location in Woodland Heights is just around the corner from where it all began for his family.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More than 40 years ago, David’s parents migrated from Matehuala, Mexico to pursue the American Dream in Houston. His parents decided to start their new journey in one of the oldest and most historic neighborhoods in the city - Woodland Heights.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #333333; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I had a wonderful childhood in the Heights, attending Harvard Elementary School and playing in Studewood Park. I share special memories with my twin sister, when we received First Communion at All Saints Church</span><span style="color: #262626; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I</span><span style="color: #333333; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> even remember living in our two-bedroom garage apartment on Pecore Street with all 10 of us!” David recalled. </span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA-6gIgh5oPquZBHnJZYYcfATKmiGUFYdSJcALshcW3HuJchHij5VqmlFB_S7TfjE8PP6Q5Bluxn0jWBdtBeZ2prRumGCoPEtV3h5_M9NaA9aLL3sRrk2CiyTWSbPEni2J_Zu6c8vMNBMWwrMP02XCD4ZL12qAn3NXuEa7U3_lDnMio99qQT5UTwB/s2400/IMG_0448%202.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA-6gIgh5oPquZBHnJZYYcfATKmiGUFYdSJcALshcW3HuJchHij5VqmlFB_S7TfjE8PP6Q5Bluxn0jWBdtBeZ2prRumGCoPEtV3h5_M9NaA9aLL3sRrk2CiyTWSbPEni2J_Zu6c8vMNBMWwrMP02XCD4ZL12qAn3NXuEa7U3_lDnMio99qQT5UTwB/w266-h400/IMG_0448%202.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From left, Missy, Jesse Gudino, David Armendariz and Flora</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="color: #535353; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">His love of art, dance and music combined with his hard-work and passion for </span></span><span style="color: #535353; font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">making his clients look and feel fabulous has led to a successful career in the beauty industry. </span></p><p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David opened his first location in Rice Village 10 years ago in 2013, and since then, has launched the careers of his own family members and friends who also share the same dream to create magic every single day. </span></p><p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s how he met the love of his life, fellow Studio A Salon stylist and now-husband, Jesse Gudino. </span></p><p><span style="color: #333333; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Together, with their artistic talents combined, David and Jesse, as well as the same trained stylists from Rice Village, are bringing new life to their new salon in the Heights.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“We are so blessed and elated with excitement to expand our business into another amazing neighborhood in Houston! We cannot wait to service the Heights community and become a part of the small business community in the area,” David said.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlFBt-vS9841TFIE5a-9rxLdTXWIVO0tcsHiO7c5t03WFTfIqRT-dOq0aefBphIZ-W_jHZlHMJKfThXt29UqzNOZljblL6EKoIAnVG3YXz0S_Kv8hOegbHgcfjlgaHsmTPLR7__-yiU_NyodaLiCpEwTYn_7-8GbhEynTnMRmUPKrfljBjvuha4RO/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlFBt-vS9841TFIE5a-9rxLdTXWIVO0tcsHiO7c5t03WFTfIqRT-dOq0aefBphIZ-W_jHZlHMJKfThXt29UqzNOZljblL6EKoIAnVG3YXz0S_Kv8hOegbHgcfjlgaHsmTPLR7__-yiU_NyodaLiCpEwTYn_7-8GbhEynTnMRmUPKrfljBjvuha4RO/w266-h400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%200.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkNBkUeApNWIC9c64abUtSRK-tDyTRniComE20oURZXli0ErP_zn8zJ9kGzwOVYmNkNpIb4ALotZt1sWie98ZiWBtzLyTzgqwlyYwF47aYE8OzVytuJy6f42wMM6DWAdkT1qGLpEFKJiGLM8g4DR9N-uNU3PoQannwne--iR4ODuUzeiT1z9tL8GJ/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkNBkUeApNWIC9c64abUtSRK-tDyTRniComE20oURZXli0ErP_zn8zJ9kGzwOVYmNkNpIb4ALotZt1sWie98ZiWBtzLyTzgqwlyYwF47aYE8OzVytuJy6f42wMM6DWAdkT1qGLpEFKJiGLM8g4DR9N-uNU3PoQannwne--iR4ODuUzeiT1z9tL8GJ/w426-h640/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%201.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red carpet event</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxpTkRYxP-tSuCuwhtToBvJ2sFrAADUKkiSeHLIfbhoCqAXPPv0Pc3_STdmXcAworzwC9b0WQYq9ZPgirE9_HlV_S7iJuXjDNBXaTXQFCXX1hR2jMgTz-_UhHW5k1E9fvRXFAWAyfhZOf11E4tFprbAVGBxTpqheowMdU6saVcThRcTCpSi1NiLMX/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxpTkRYxP-tSuCuwhtToBvJ2sFrAADUKkiSeHLIfbhoCqAXPPv0Pc3_STdmXcAworzwC9b0WQYq9ZPgirE9_HlV_S7iJuXjDNBXaTXQFCXX1hR2jMgTz-_UhHW5k1E9fvRXFAWAyfhZOf11E4tFprbAVGBxTpqheowMdU6saVcThRcTCpSi1NiLMX/w266-h400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%202.jpg" width="266" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRc6UdTsM0d-x3FBVas-6QFpNLsfj9O9LEqb8MMrVoUSCls8Q0S1MbWgDRdqU-fx9CxoEEnQrm3fhyOuDJIFTuhlCz2wv1xmpDHXzFfAtj_7LBxV947NrC0_HaoijXjJrDnPewHzOcsof79biXcpghLFxW51z3oPpD5Yhd6kNcPoFKwMuUInCxi6Y/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRc6UdTsM0d-x3FBVas-6QFpNLsfj9O9LEqb8MMrVoUSCls8Q0S1MbWgDRdqU-fx9CxoEEnQrm3fhyOuDJIFTuhlCz2wv1xmpDHXzFfAtj_7LBxV947NrC0_HaoijXjJrDnPewHzOcsof79biXcpghLFxW51z3oPpD5Yhd6kNcPoFKwMuUInCxi6Y/w426-h640/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%209.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDXFINHEJsznOBUTzFncM_BD_oZvsjEKYzVIgh38mmhHJZ64V6XqG5QQBaDOGgw9I4_F0EfvuB1o_fDedhyyOfqfmbRmav99uDfo8THvjB2YpNZm6nNlIYgcHqpKsfn_46Q2F-l3lcyxeIUayg-jC2uHckcRPmclSs1Oz9nv36zCmf2q6HKaUr9I_/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDXFINHEJsznOBUTzFncM_BD_oZvsjEKYzVIgh38mmhHJZ64V6XqG5QQBaDOGgw9I4_F0EfvuB1o_fDedhyyOfqfmbRmav99uDfo8THvjB2YpNZm6nNlIYgcHqpKsfn_46Q2F-l3lcyxeIUayg-jC2uHckcRPmclSs1Oz9nv36zCmf2q6HKaUr9I_/w266-h400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%208.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-wghFuOoEdbIgTM6rk817Wn7dm8bDOoXbWfz_9A5-yuygTkcrtwn2d3B5MWE9YEMyJA9ICknluWiUlvuxMaaBDcnfHX2lLfwifiGLZpG5S54iiDRdVQlEP9wmzR6aotDlEPFFPrisFnMn_q5W1PNmxhKjtGZ-o-lif9LMsynqSjoKNrlc8f1PUDe/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-wghFuOoEdbIgTM6rk817Wn7dm8bDOoXbWfz_9A5-yuygTkcrtwn2d3B5MWE9YEMyJA9ICknluWiUlvuxMaaBDcnfHX2lLfwifiGLZpG5S54iiDRdVQlEP9wmzR6aotDlEPFFPrisFnMn_q5W1PNmxhKjtGZ-o-lif9LMsynqSjoKNrlc8f1PUDe/w266-h400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%207.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HZbs1SMnyNhHFYZ4AbHWaNGL735JscKVtK_tVU2Q3IHu8BSqiLGOXKbWyraYOuX6M7dAozeMhAEuMpByvLFhKjR8xe5M5MdWMWVsNkGzkKdj2EkoKm_QTCEOVxooDE0_icqpQTH8lNSzKe9qqHzu3ZMbobDrlE-4Cj1FY_UoV1hnj6ZuNjVSA5uv/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1586" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HZbs1SMnyNhHFYZ4AbHWaNGL735JscKVtK_tVU2Q3IHu8BSqiLGOXKbWyraYOuX6M7dAozeMhAEuMpByvLFhKjR8xe5M5MdWMWVsNkGzkKdj2EkoKm_QTCEOVxooDE0_icqpQTH8lNSzKe9qqHzu3ZMbobDrlE-4Cj1FY_UoV1hnj6ZuNjVSA5uv/w264-h400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%206.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSlyyCsietbgFnO1Vxg2SbCD6WohEhAVuNUvC7P7a8QoYWevj8Sn-pzIvPBRm2P0ltStuObHwNEzzaDCedGwzLKUFpnR-eOVNNCZNH3XOacx6_TeNBTtMVDrCP3iwN_EP5zxOyeessOCYkuyKQLnqaJ25oYXx_7gC9WtgrMyD2w_MdJ82O0MTMoFb/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSlyyCsietbgFnO1Vxg2SbCD6WohEhAVuNUvC7P7a8QoYWevj8Sn-pzIvPBRm2P0ltStuObHwNEzzaDCedGwzLKUFpnR-eOVNNCZNH3XOacx6_TeNBTtMVDrCP3iwN_EP5zxOyeessOCYkuyKQLnqaJ25oYXx_7gC9WtgrMyD2w_MdJ82O0MTMoFb/w426-h640/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%205.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4AM6BOKBbfWMl1SoxajDflTXS5GOlgKztZxxMG5qFQpGSL6JQvz3YFjN1N3ZqCkF2oDFvaTwjsicx04_SzBKvfFSffyAxOdu-0vOAZfwJWAH8iH764iwErUs7dlA6aCmt80t2bog46pCfgnYgjfCYlBiRcbfWUFYUDZVDeFz286dTK64lVSEKIRl/s2400/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4AM6BOKBbfWMl1SoxajDflTXS5GOlgKztZxxMG5qFQpGSL6JQvz3YFjN1N3ZqCkF2oDFvaTwjsicx04_SzBKvfFSffyAxOdu-0vOAZfwJWAH8iH764iwErUs7dlA6aCmt80t2bog46pCfgnYgjfCYlBiRcbfWUFYUDZVDeFz286dTK64lVSEKIRl/w426-h640/Studio%20A%20Salon%20-%204.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Guests can expect having their own personal beauty expert every visit including multi-dimensional color, balayage, lived-in hair, hair extensions and precision haircutting that is personalized to each individual style to make sure you have an A-plus experience. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">You can also shop the best in haircare: Kerastasè, Shu Uemura, and GHDs latest hot tools. Not sure which stylist to book? Studio A Salon has a “Meet your Stylist” quiz that matches you with the perfect hair artist. </span></span></p><div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">No matter the location, Studio A Salon is committed to bringing guests the latest and best technology for your hair color needs. Hailed by Allure Magazine as a “Color Wizard,” David, Jesse and the A-team specializes in extensive balayage training, editorial styling and makeup. Colorists are certified Wella Master Color Experts and the A-team Artist have been trained extensively by David and Jesse, Wella Professional, and numerous national hair experts. </span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Heights salon will also offer bridal hair and makeup services. New at this location will be waxing, eyelash extensions, and the spa mist deep conditioning treatments, which utilizes a fine mist of microscopic water particles that gently open up the hair follicle, allowing treatments such as conditioning, coloring, and perms to deeply penetrate the hair.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.studioahouston.com" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">www.studioahouston.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Instagram: @studioasalon </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">OTHER DETAILS</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Owners: David Armendariz and Jesse Gudino </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Architect: Brinn Miracle of Architangent </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Interior Decorator: Despina Scrutchin of Stone Fox Interiors </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Contractor: Xavier Tamez, Prestige Property Design</span></p><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #535353; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div><p><br /> </p></div>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-83180481201653408412023-05-10T00:07:00.006-05:002023-05-10T00:07:49.139-05:00M Report Events: Luxury Outdoor Furniture Brand Harbour Hosts Intimate Bash <p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujt2ty5JFfgdlMmBXTcSG47RkSUeQRWhkeVaP3q_5_mxRwFrBMDHjVKGKET_Bh3fkDwNtk2goRyPycCLJkTwofux4w-2vWlJY7GVamtG-isk7dtbI3e433D2Tm7XPiHGXWiz08_i_ForNPnQNjKNs6dmc-KJqlMG2Y8zVfHfMpmUrNkKU_LhiTUgM/s5722/Atmosphere.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3815" data-original-width="5722" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujt2ty5JFfgdlMmBXTcSG47RkSUeQRWhkeVaP3q_5_mxRwFrBMDHjVKGKET_Bh3fkDwNtk2goRyPycCLJkTwofux4w-2vWlJY7GVamtG-isk7dtbI3e433D2Tm7XPiHGXWiz08_i_ForNPnQNjKNs6dmc-KJqlMG2Y8zVfHfMpmUrNkKU_LhiTUgM/s320/Atmosphere.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />On a balmy spring evening, Houston’s interior design royalty was out in full force to commemorate the official arrival of <span class="s2" style="color: blue; font-kerning: none;"><b>Harbour </b></span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">– a luxury furniture brand that designs and manufactures outdoor and indoor furniture defined by a fresh, light, modern, coastal, and luxe-inspired aesthetic, along with incredible durability and a deep sense of culture steeped in the Australian way of life – to the State of Texas for the first time. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Held at Harbour’s Ibiza-inspired <b>Dec Center</b> showroom, the cozy gathering brought together a number of high-profile interior designers, intrepid young professionals, and VIPs looking to enhance their outdoor furniture before summer kicks into high (and hot) gear.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Harbour co-founders – and brothers – <b>Nicholas </b>and <b>Harrison Condos </b>played host for the evening – mingling with guests and offering up anecdotes about the brand’s history, which dates back to 1976 and its evolution from inauspicious beginnings as Tecno Furniture (launched by the brothers’ father Jim) to now being a global furniture mainstay with U.S. showrooms in New York City, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Orange County, and Houston, as well as international showrooms in Sydney, Hong Kong, and London.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUr_vIi3zBsB9Vhcf-unBQ66PfeSjkDE-RnDvYVLlMl6qeqN2iVYEXLKV1L-lacxRM0_uVGjs8sDGqHECOquMwPvLw1oUPeAbMY2vHJC_4yfvEdpjhnNcwOBMhHdBrnRDv_pI2pXQbl2ctsyryEynjVfkpqJCpix8nLrKbRHQZYsZsg2sjjsaxZLQp/s5757/BLRUqm4c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3838" data-original-width="5757" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUr_vIi3zBsB9Vhcf-unBQ66PfeSjkDE-RnDvYVLlMl6qeqN2iVYEXLKV1L-lacxRM0_uVGjs8sDGqHECOquMwPvLw1oUPeAbMY2vHJC_4yfvEdpjhnNcwOBMhHdBrnRDv_pI2pXQbl2ctsyryEynjVfkpqJCpix8nLrKbRHQZYsZsg2sjjsaxZLQp/s320/BLRUqm4c.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">“From spending time here in Houston, we feel a deep link between the way Houstonians treat one another – and visitors such as ourselves – and how we were raised in Australia to be kind and generous to anyone we encountered,” emphasized Nick Condos, who serves as Harbour’s Creative Director. He added, “Our father taught us how to work hard and prioritized dedication to one’s craft, and I hope that is borne out in the pieces that you all see here this evening. We are very proud of Harbour and feel that it is worthy of being a part of this exceptional community.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">As guests hob-nobbed with the Condos brothers and browsed the brand’s sleek and contemporary pieces that populate the elegant Dec Center showroom, they noshed on delectable bites catered by <b>Monarch Hospitality </b>that included black truffle arancini, ahi tuna poke tacos, and chicken curry samosas. </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Monarch additionally kept guests satiated with libations, including the evening’s signature Australian-themed cocktail, the <i>Bondi Beach Spritz </i>– a vibrant drink named for one of Sydney’s popular beaches that consisted of club soda and aperol with a prosecco orange garnish. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6n3f9iQ7Y0bqc7sDdjwh6yQHOUwWrRSfxvvEyC-5_TM-lgxzEQOTjBVMVeb6M303gDH7PFxFCBdRI1UaC6Kij8tun1KxjOhRAE-aZl4MpIgPuhhNTMxvAWg1zufsL5sysBttrip7bKEe-B-9ZCgD-RLwH-kO1sNhoV5LWkpqhhdJgMuziY5kZh54/s5921/IkgvmfI8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3947" data-original-width="5921" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6n3f9iQ7Y0bqc7sDdjwh6yQHOUwWrRSfxvvEyC-5_TM-lgxzEQOTjBVMVeb6M303gDH7PFxFCBdRI1UaC6Kij8tun1KxjOhRAE-aZl4MpIgPuhhNTMxvAWg1zufsL5sysBttrip7bKEe-B-9ZCgD-RLwH-kO1sNhoV5LWkpqhhdJgMuziY5kZh54/s320/IkgvmfI8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harbour co-founders Nicholas and Harrison Condos with guests.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Attendees also sipped on Craggy Range – an Australian sauvignon blanc – and prosecco. Not to be outdone, <b>DJ Charles </b>spun a relaxed playlist consisting of house hits that imbued the event with an understated dynamism throughout.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">A company that values relationships with its customers and with each metro area it launches in vis-à-vis a showroom opening, Harbour has partnered with the </span><span class="s2" style="color: blue; font-kerning: none;"><b>American Society of Interior Designers </b></span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">(ASID)’s Texas Gulf Coast chapter as a <i>Friend of ASID </i>sponsor. Local ASID board members were invited to attend the grand opening event, and Harbour will be participating in the non-profit’s Industry Partner Mini-Expo on Friday, June 16 – also at the Dec Center.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Primarily an outdoor furniture brand, Harbour’s </span><span class="s2" style="color: blue; font-kerning: none;">current exterior offerings </span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">include one of its most popular collections – the Santorini – which consists of comfortable pieces ranging from two-and-three-seat sofas to multiple lounge chair configurations to ottomans, coffee tables, and side tables. And just in time for summer, Harbour recently launched six new outdoor collections inspired by iconic cities, as well as the timeless art of stonemasonry – the Collins, Milan, Cordoba, Mason, Maui, and Tulum collections.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">“Nick and I could not be more touched by the Houston hospitality that we have received at every turn since we announced that we were bringing Harbour to the Texas gulf coast,” mused Harbour Co-Founder & CEO Harrison Condos. He added, “This evening marks an important milestone in our journey bringing this brand to Texas, but it is just a starting point. We hope that you all will continue to support the Harbour way of life and consider all of you to be our close mates from this point forward.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">A veritable who’s who of Houston interior design mavens reveled in the evening with the Condos brothers, including <b>Lindsey Meyer </b>of Lindsey Meyer Interiors, Benjamin Johnston’s <b>Rajani Alvarado</b>, and <b>Carrie Evans </b>of of Carrie Evans Design. Additionally, Houston movers and shakers mixed in with the design community and added a palpable verve to the evening’s energy.</span></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-62699931808295799972023-04-20T23:58:00.008-05:002023-04-25T12:03:12.482-05:00How to watch Hanifa's upcoming spring/summer 2023 collection "Bloom"<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33pJJ81SJgErZaLQJMCU0fNbjrUsh30CVg9Narabkd2TewBZ9GPlDzh4JzHy1zMHdUx_R9nC71S8BJZ9VuO420tNC6m2VytXE7INvfCXpHwI0FPOxYgtho9iL2rRjdaztpyVvlELY-hWpLnr-F1aKlEOts5mv0BbMkTImpDcshRncJK0ix0h87apN/s1280/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_HEADER.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hanifa fashion" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33pJJ81SJgErZaLQJMCU0fNbjrUsh30CVg9Narabkd2TewBZ9GPlDzh4JzHy1zMHdUx_R9nC71S8BJZ9VuO420tNC6m2VytXE7INvfCXpHwI0FPOxYgtho9iL2rRjdaztpyVvlELY-hWpLnr-F1aKlEOts5mv0BbMkTImpDcshRncJK0ix0h87apN/w640-h360/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_HEADER.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fashion from Hanifa (Photos by Edolia Stroud)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beautiful is an understatement to describe the Hanifa line. How about breathtaking? The color palettes are insanely chic with the cherry on top being with the way the pieces are designed. Curves, melanin and creativity are welcomed and embraced with each piece. </div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lead designer Anifa Mvuemba breaks the internet every time she showcases her designs (Hello, her 3D runway show during COVID that shattered what we thought of when we heard the word "runway show). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Her spring/summer 2023 line entitled "Bloom" will stream live on April 26. Her "Bloom" line is described as an unfolding of the limitless woman.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Set your calendars. Catch the show here: <a href="http://www.hanifa.co">www.hanifa.co</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span face="SangBleuRepublic, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f7f7f3; color: #212121; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S8Kq7aYCRtSKAqy3Pl-Iovpj-zXAarTPGQr0SCBOIRQ8CvsolGeKbnUC37IfkTFvfp2S0FJX3ZehXit3KQ9voQ7Oiz0Z4ARLBzoo6KLPC_-YEL994F2Bp0naNNZG1KvrQF67QD1MYNaJQZEIuXsCxA0V6mqs_-Nd7KWcPOyA3sPXG5U6leB5EpH2/s2000/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_06.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S8Kq7aYCRtSKAqy3Pl-Iovpj-zXAarTPGQr0SCBOIRQ8CvsolGeKbnUC37IfkTFvfp2S0FJX3ZehXit3KQ9voQ7Oiz0Z4ARLBzoo6KLPC_-YEL994F2Bp0naNNZG1KvrQF67QD1MYNaJQZEIuXsCxA0V6mqs_-Nd7KWcPOyA3sPXG5U6leB5EpH2/w320-h400/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtVTSDUk_CKCkSVElX5HIk8a3aiwMjdCnw3m9BDYBbGPhxUAoeIrfyMapyCSydmL4O5hmNSJqGy5fNNQXzbtFmvPG4OQ31dxALdwz5fOnYObTKQdLLzLYe1zcOYuCLepz5MAej1wCiB6fbsoNNdsr9YzwnaiE02a5yCnmc42bNpRq_kAfCPVU2ry4/s2000/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtVTSDUk_CKCkSVElX5HIk8a3aiwMjdCnw3m9BDYBbGPhxUAoeIrfyMapyCSydmL4O5hmNSJqGy5fNNQXzbtFmvPG4OQ31dxALdwz5fOnYObTKQdLLzLYe1zcOYuCLepz5MAej1wCiB6fbsoNNdsr9YzwnaiE02a5yCnmc42bNpRq_kAfCPVU2ry4/w320-h400/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPwS8Rb4G5gD-pBXpMVUonXzithbgiLTL70V4sUHAFjQwPn_nTHM5DBtrWV4Wg0jLmgdsqWqnqot05drk9hEe04RSNIjBeNOdwMZ5kog4T-ZD4E-mtQff6jXEWs6EXYJwmrkh7WkMfhh6whtapi84CfueizIRjo9zl99USAxMBr-3GyRNYUaCBgTx/s2000/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHPwS8Rb4G5gD-pBXpMVUonXzithbgiLTL70V4sUHAFjQwPn_nTHM5DBtrWV4Wg0jLmgdsqWqnqot05drk9hEe04RSNIjBeNOdwMZ5kog4T-ZD4E-mtQff6jXEWs6EXYJwmrkh7WkMfhh6whtapi84CfueizIRjo9zl99USAxMBr-3GyRNYUaCBgTx/w320-h400/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpPlzqlkqquqEFrxuCoCnXI0724T7K_UR0kpLwjfC8ilSLG3Yb9rEYjlZiDvgsqNv3B2AXgRxz4ho-OK5M_kFNaDXcAokEtb_VAeQPChlwtnoFmWEuKgLP8cPfRqblmzc4RD-dOIrtIJHETGnIU4-B8qMvMocCYIDbvaJ9dbN3Ggv5_xDCni-Clep/s2000/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpPlzqlkqquqEFrxuCoCnXI0724T7K_UR0kpLwjfC8ilSLG3Yb9rEYjlZiDvgsqNv3B2AXgRxz4ho-OK5M_kFNaDXcAokEtb_VAeQPChlwtnoFmWEuKgLP8cPfRqblmzc4RD-dOIrtIJHETGnIU4-B8qMvMocCYIDbvaJ9dbN3Ggv5_xDCni-Clep/w320-h400/Style_Hanifa-Show_June2022_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-63228479772300242872023-04-11T11:55:00.003-05:002023-04-11T11:56:30.858-05:00Aja Monet announces debut album and shares "Castaway" video<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t1" style="background-color: white; width: 689px;"><tbody><tr><td class="td1" style="width: 689px;" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t2" style="margin: 0px 34.5px;"><tbody><tr><td class="td2" style="padding: 15px 10px; width: 600px;" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t3" style="width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td class="td3" style="width: 600px;" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t4" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td class="td4" style="width: 600px;" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t4" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td class="td5" style="padding: 10px 20px; width: 560px;" valign="top"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALpgWr85wHzZLWDx1usb4dlpTdFa4M95KU3OV3WvzRCkob4_YRGGaOYgkMgmQPlCmpOjEi5FNC5V4vgTGalr4lcy6RkxHJSfIHY0aoWGRr-yseIa3cPBkKsLDCvAsj3RUJTNoW8-9tnKz5WHY5uzctZDxHCj7TQMLuWTJsdYNr5gHx2LUeCd1wt-7/s1798/aja%20monet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALpgWr85wHzZLWDx1usb4dlpTdFa4M95KU3OV3WvzRCkob4_YRGGaOYgkMgmQPlCmpOjEi5FNC5V4vgTGalr4lcy6RkxHJSfIHY0aoWGRr-yseIa3cPBkKsLDCvAsj3RUJTNoW8-9tnKz5WHY5uzctZDxHCj7TQMLuWTJsdYNr5gHx2LUeCd1wt-7/s320/aja%20monet.jpg" width="214" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"><br />Surrealist blues poet and community organizer <b>aja monet </b>has announced her debut album <b><i>when the poems do what they do</i></b><i> </i>is set for release <b>June 9th </b>via <b>drink sum wtr</b>, a new <b>Secretly Canadian</b> imprint. As previewed by the recently released piece “<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00160ryIH2a67-fM8YGudQEoFl_9FlJoUPhYiveX9qJXNLGk-iKVlLrK5bCGBtSKzyUm3oFndJ34y1YX6zJLWBQOGpONoTC6r2BoR0HFCTWjZOU5odftLHT9b3nUYa98Z5-lb8Cf8sNXwLESLQEoVE0oVhR4AtRpK3o4S8mpNnCBag=&c=rQg1lKIgnFDFHnwJpkpUm1xoj6eoiJVq2zQBiVfdx5xLynMQxIGBIw==&ch=ESPbjjdEsUVAaVnxunHxSu5yFwrLAk15PBPxRECbM8SD2PsGKp_yRg=="><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;"><b>the devil you know</b></span></a>,” and the newly shared “<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00160ryIH2a67-fM8YGudQEoFl_9FlJoUPhYiveX9qJXNLGk-iKVlLrK6O8c_LXoFPXB2EZT6dJSXfFgNCQzIGfmo7ykiKub6XOSFhhH1AtYiw0MR5HoYSe5ZlCR6Gas5-c667lvvlplVOfMKAyumqohgeFIrYlqavN&c=rQg1lKIgnFDFHnwJpkpUm1xoj6eoiJVq2zQBiVfdx5xLynMQxIGBIw==&ch=ESPbjjdEsUVAaVnxunHxSu5yFwrLAk15PBPxRECbM8SD2PsGKp_yRg=="><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;"><b>castaway</b></span></a>,” the album’s thematic origins center around Black resistance, love, and the inexhaustible quest for joy. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"> “I started writing when I was 8 or 9 — [but] I think I was a poet before I wrote my first poem," Monet said in a statement.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;">She is joined on her journey by a potent roster of esteemed musicians, including </span><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: none; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"><b>Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah</b> FKA </span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"><b>Christian Scott </b>(trumpet), <b>Samora Pinderhughes </b>(piano), <b>Elena Pinderhughes</b> (flute), <b>Luques Curtis</b> (bass), <b>Weedie Braimah</b> (percussion), and <b>Marcus Gilmore</b> (drums). </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-kerning: none;">Featuring additional vocals by bluesman <b>Lonnie Holley</b>, soul singer <b>Eryn Allen Kane</b>, DJ & host <b>Novena Carmel</b> and more. The songs throughout are insistent and unrelenting, with some reminiscent of jazz club virtuosity and melee while others act as a healing balm in gilead, moving like that of the call to intercessory prayer. The album is a potent demonstration of her indefatigable commitment to speak, her poems manifesting as a work of gravity that move constantly between origin and outcome, allowing them to exist in converse. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(78, 90, 101); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">As a community organizer, poet, and teacher aja monet moves between mediums, each one an element to her writing. Organizing and activism manifest as part of a process toward liberation, with the poems, the music, and the art serving as the scribe of the time. Building off oratorical traditions, aja is the conduit for her predecessors to channel through</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><b>To watch her latest video: <a href="https://youtu.be/OHAoAHetsjM" target="_blank">"Castaway"</a></b></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">At any given time you’ll find the revolutionary spirit of </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Audre Lorde</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> and </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">the Last Poets</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, you’ll feel </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">June Jordan</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Amiri Baraka, Jayne Cortez</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> and even the expressive ephemerality of a passing blue note. She has been a poet since youth. She cut her teeth within the walls of the legendary </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Nuyorican Poets Café</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">, where she won the title of </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Grand Slam Champion in 2007 at age 19,</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> making her the youngest Grand Slam Champion in the venue’s history. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and living briefly in Paris, aja co-edited </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><i>Chorus: A Literary Mixtape</i></b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> alongside poet-actor-director Saul Williams and published her first full length book of poetry called </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><i>My Mother was A Freedom Fighter</i> </b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">with Haymarket Books</span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">.</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(78, 90, 101); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s4" style="font-kerning: none;">On <b><i>when the poems do what they do</i></b><i> </i>aja monet appears as a woman of letters and storm, her poems do not roar in pentameter - but rather in storm surge because, <i>“Who’s got time for poems when the world is on fire?!.” </i>aja monet is a griot, a storyteller, a chronicler, and your grandmother telling you about her first love all at once. </span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s4" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: #4e5a65; font-family: Arial; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s4" style="font-kerning: none;">These aren’t poems for poets, but poems for everyone. When you reach the end of this album, you are left with a similar feeling you get when heartbroken, the gravity of barrelling back down to earth, sopping wet with tears, out of breath, overcome with love, despair, hope, and all too aware that all of this, is over far too soon. When the poems do what they do, they do absolutely everything.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s4" style="font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCumfb9lgioSE9q2E2g5tfz9zvc9UcyHMGcLP5Zz-y7V_6IQOTLeF3ZXOEMD5wGSX9xVo1wyu19U0_tk1EhtpNw3D2O_rmBNMohwRqPiQ2IFj22kqGBJYzwy9iw2Wmn3REpkHjrKEqKrIjNDBZWr3XqW78KGPHbaGJGljEwAHT16-el6e3oC1Cge97/s1200/aja%20monet.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCumfb9lgioSE9q2E2g5tfz9zvc9UcyHMGcLP5Zz-y7V_6IQOTLeF3ZXOEMD5wGSX9xVo1wyu19U0_tk1EhtpNw3D2O_rmBNMohwRqPiQ2IFj22kqGBJYzwy9iw2Wmn3REpkHjrKEqKrIjNDBZWr3XqW78KGPHbaGJGljEwAHT16-el6e3oC1Cge97/s320/aja%20monet.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span class="s4" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-40137832807409121962023-04-11T09:56:00.004-05:002023-04-25T12:24:41.595-05:00Note to Self: The Pursuit of Journalism Excellence<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: none; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI3w_wEVXLqzEcksMZCR35HKf03dlj3VR5FQ0m1kvfbAKRwZXy_Hp_ATg6ALK0HCrVd7rtBRncnfSedNfbfgmLFyzyS0pfJXtfXhgfjSgad-Nu5VVXuvOwoMGX__DSTPdL8FTbUJiaVEbrBN1Ryi86l3E-_KFxzD3MoG6bKQw_PQGAk3SQuIdxGDN/s4373/Melissa%20Enaje%20Funny%20Headshot.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4373" data-original-width="3538" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI3w_wEVXLqzEcksMZCR35HKf03dlj3VR5FQ0m1kvfbAKRwZXy_Hp_ATg6ALK0HCrVd7rtBRncnfSedNfbfgmLFyzyS0pfJXtfXhgfjSgad-Nu5VVXuvOwoMGX__DSTPdL8FTbUJiaVEbrBN1Ryi86l3E-_KFxzD3MoG6bKQw_PQGAk3SQuIdxGDN/s320/Melissa%20Enaje%20Funny%20Headshot.JPG" width="259" /></a></div><br /><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;">Honoring 10+ years in the pursuit of journalism excellence, not counting the four years of studies at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stjohnsu/?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZUoAr48mKdoD963J0cr4Xv2I4hVTomuUubVtKlDammOQs6MHTI9C_lrFzIDkVr-pXVa2K-V9hgXXIs1muuvthsijO32EbGivHMNJIqjYH0Y61dD0m90aC20qu8Py6KCipEHPH5pol7_OGSBhcqFm6zIwYtxqkiHjYainZ5niSXCOxcUL_UdkM-CkUOJZ99bXpfTNJLAIbLqrcrbIQw1bC3t_p3Amm4HwMtgcv8xQ8xBMw&__tn__=kK-R"><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 233); font-kerning: none;">St. John's University</span></a> - one of the best decisions of my life. Leaving all the comforts of home to learn in the media capital of the world - New York City - opened my eyes to the hustle, grit and Vincentian qualities that still exist within me today. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;">This rollercoaster of a journey in print (newspaper, magazine); broadcast (television, digital streaming, radio); to the social media hemisphere, has brought me to the neighborhoods in Evanston, Chicago, Brooklyn, and Washington, D.C. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;">Being published while writing abroad in Panama, Puerto Rico and the Philippines has been some of the cherries on top. </span>One of the reasons why I pursued my graduate studies in broadcast journalism at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MedillNU/?__cft__%5B0%5D=AZUoAr48mKdoD963J0cr4Xv2I4hVTomuUubVtKlDammOQs6MHTI9C_lrFzIDkVr-pXVa2K-V9hgXXIs1muuvthsijO32EbGivHMNJIqjYH0Y61dD0m90aC20qu8Py6KCipEHPH5pol7_OGSBhcqFm6zIwYtxqkiHjYainZ5niSXCOxcUL_UdkM-CkUOJZ99bXpfTNJLAIbLqrcrbIQw1bC3t_p3Amm4HwMtgcv8xQ8xBMw&__tn__=kK-R"><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 233); font-kerning: none;">Medill - Northwestern University</span></a> was because I carry this torch with a responsibility to pass on what I know in order to empower those voices, especially ones of color, to mobilize themselves in their communities and be the voice of the voiceless. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;">It was never an easy route, but it was worth it. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(222, 224, 230); background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none;">“Be who you are and be that well” - St. Francis de Sales</span></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-91062470822796426602023-03-14T23:51:00.008-05:002023-04-25T12:23:41.330-05:00Emerging Singer-songwriter Zito Shares New Single and Video “Slay”<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJVPnlSSBTE7D7Euz_vj1sO8B_bUQsVHdJs2o8BwJBO2DRYi32kiSEGkY3rQmNx3PgYeCs4m9u3XZ4ml1Qctk-xdc4KC8fnrbHyKXSCUB_wy3RFpcUMvOndiecVsENZSfPjlKpsyx6TtNMWOTMxooUnMwCXyt_uzCnLdcLMYBLl3dsDV78FG7QBYF/s800/Zito.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJVPnlSSBTE7D7Euz_vj1sO8B_bUQsVHdJs2o8BwJBO2DRYi32kiSEGkY3rQmNx3PgYeCs4m9u3XZ4ml1Qctk-xdc4KC8fnrbHyKXSCUB_wy3RFpcUMvOndiecVsENZSfPjlKpsyx6TtNMWOTMxooUnMwCXyt_uzCnLdcLMYBLl3dsDV78FG7QBYF/s320/Zito.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Emerging singer-songwriter <b>Zito</b> shares her debut single “<b>SLAY</b>” via <b>FAMA Collective</b>. Co-produced by Zito, <b>Peter Reilly</b>, and <b>Brian Lange</b>, the single showcases Zito’s defiant vocal strength while offering listeners a glimpse into her world. “SLAY” serves as much more than an introduction to Zito; it’s the beginning of a new and deeply personal project – a testament to Zito’s transition into her artistry, liberation, and personhood. <p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Arriving alongside the evocative soulful track is a sultry visual that brings to life the angst of spiraling through self-loathing and toxic love. Directed by </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Danie Harris</b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> and </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Kevin Eikenberg</b><span style="font-family: Arial;"> of </span><b style="font-family: Arial;">Four/Ten Media</b><span style="font-family: Arial;">, the visual was shot in Philadelphia and features Zito amidst a moody late-night atmosphere that evokes an intimate sense of yearning.</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Speaking on the track, Zito shares, “<i>Slay was an attempt to capture a feeling, or a flash of memory really, through the sound of the song rather than the song itself. Peter and I knew we wanted to keep [the production] stripped and dark, brooding throughout, and let it burn slowly toward the drop in the second chorus. We wanted it to feel like it gradually spiraled the way emotions do in toxic situations, mimicking the angst of bad decision-making and self-loathing.”</i> Expanding on the video<i>, </i>she adds, <i>“I think we captured that… the imagery, a ‘nighttime’ atmosphere, flashes of light and movement.”</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Her latest release unveils a profoundly intimate and vulnerable side to her artistry that caters to her mysterious backstory and wide breadth of influences spanning classical, jazz, rock, and pop. A professional opera singer turned solo artist; she carries those influences while arriving at the most elusive destination: herself. Imbued with emotion, confidence, resilience, and a newfound sense of self, Zito is poised to touch the hearts of listeners worldwide.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/y8aAhHispCk" width="480"></iframe></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-50799476922213180612023-01-10T04:02:00.009-06:002023-01-10T13:47:56.331-06:00Dear New York<p> <i>by Missy E.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgp2MTpevsDi4QzKeYYu10zZpupkqaiSLV6EQzHUa9IYKk9MFEcQKGF5GJ9WGQgyhgt6aAkieol4xguQEew0EVk7-GV0atrMXVzT2gv2hwhG9sUQyMUNVzshkmQSj_rQV6sfVNEw8cr2ha7NIzgt2Ftuk5L3onB8f8AdcOU37dqFxeQPDv36zsSMM4/s1440/IMG_1648.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgp2MTpevsDi4QzKeYYu10zZpupkqaiSLV6EQzHUa9IYKk9MFEcQKGF5GJ9WGQgyhgt6aAkieol4xguQEew0EVk7-GV0atrMXVzT2gv2hwhG9sUQyMUNVzshkmQSj_rQV6sfVNEw8cr2ha7NIzgt2Ftuk5L3onB8f8AdcOU37dqFxeQPDv36zsSMM4/s320/IMG_1648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Dear New York:<p></p><p>My forever love affair. You are always on my mind. You are far from perfect, but you are everything - to me. Nothing is quite like you. Not everyone understands you, but it's fine, they don't have to. When someone is lucky enough to call you home, you offer a unique experience. It is the best place to grow, to fall in love, to fall out of love, to just be. <br /><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span>Why is it that when people visit you, they take keepsakes, as if memories to hold on to? It's because you're a diety. The irony of it all is that they see the city in street lights and billboards. But the truth is, you're grimey and dirty, filled with desire and filth, squandered by rats all over the streets. Homeless people and addicts are hidden around every corner to keep the facade alive. But if they really love you, they will accept all of you, not just the good. And trust me, good seeps through every twist and turn.<p></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-77584086791609397952023-01-09T00:17:00.004-06:002023-01-10T03:53:47.574-06:00Believe in Magic, Especially if It's Solange Knowles<p> <i>by Missy E.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco2oukNl2VxuUn0qjW9MTbD3HsWUSYZCC6ZVckbzx86dy1qW3S8BgAbFqBiesUT2eMsjlfF63AIolw3Pr7gmlDdeaC0XMoWy7pmNG_U9zuthBt6EvB1sxYvisCnLASmL28hfWpKPYptjlkklcLkDNy9fE-VoS7z_juLUFH1zfR0u92iulby0bQr3q/s2160/IMG_9450.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco2oukNl2VxuUn0qjW9MTbD3HsWUSYZCC6ZVckbzx86dy1qW3S8BgAbFqBiesUT2eMsjlfF63AIolw3Pr7gmlDdeaC0XMoWy7pmNG_U9zuthBt6EvB1sxYvisCnLASmL28hfWpKPYptjlkklcLkDNy9fE-VoS7z_juLUFH1zfR0u92iulby0bQr3q/s320/IMG_9450.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>I never really believed in magic. That is, until I witnessed the New York City ballet. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I was in for quite a treat since once of my most favorite artists, Solange Knowles, was showcasing her musical prowess as the first Black composer of a ballet.</p><p>One of the first things that struck me was the ballet dancers' outfits. They sparkled like diamonds in the sun, radiating in rays of iridescent glitter. It turned out that some of the costume designs were collaborative fashion pieces made with Swarovski. We were in for a night filled with surprise.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8gEOQJ5Q9mI1Q2IbMMFUPtsxaQH2hciyyzLPHzJFy7TgpPaQilFkCjFta0c_ue_415CGrr1JPHFjH8VT_pQU3CzIen4Kylozz4K5RbuFa5LODzNMRneMDXs4m_XutS66VtZYnmIImqUvdhTppSHgjbIUC2uuDkqsIPBAzh20g7xLdfwo2CIXw-38/s2160/IMG_9451.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8gEOQJ5Q9mI1Q2IbMMFUPtsxaQH2hciyyzLPHzJFy7TgpPaQilFkCjFta0c_ue_415CGrr1JPHFjH8VT_pQU3CzIen4Kylozz4K5RbuFa5LODzNMRneMDXs4m_XutS66VtZYnmIImqUvdhTppSHgjbIUC2uuDkqsIPBAzh20g7xLdfwo2CIXw-38/s320/IMG_9451.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU24Ho4UOY7tJWs_N19b45zUYbCgdJFtQ_9sQsuIwxuNJ_1OXC8vxe9ch2h-9vfywpQiLU5ddSEWST4U_ry_LTqiagL_YBkWD_f7Lu-IRUDYvyU08Ta4E-hALABluvNPXGtOv81MrFFYueRMDfBlOPSMIe_uB-LpUt4qUGNtrHuwOQp0raNtuo9eS1/s2160/IMG_9452.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU24Ho4UOY7tJWs_N19b45zUYbCgdJFtQ_9sQsuIwxuNJ_1OXC8vxe9ch2h-9vfywpQiLU5ddSEWST4U_ry_LTqiagL_YBkWD_f7Lu-IRUDYvyU08Ta4E-hALABluvNPXGtOv81MrFFYueRMDfBlOPSMIe_uB-LpUt4qUGNtrHuwOQp0raNtuo9eS1/s320/IMG_9452.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>How would I describe the experience? It was a perfect combination of when classical music meets classical fashion transpired through the art of dance. Forgive my expression, but the fashion was delicious.</p><p>That's why it made perfect sense that the dress code for guests, was bite-sized NYC street style clashing with the classes. I felt like I was attending prom at Vogue. It was pure magic.</p><p>Except, this experience wasn't just any prom, it was black-excellence, art-in-motion. I mean, the feathers, the heels, the style, the champagne, the exquisite tastes. I say this as fact, not feeling: culture and style is unmatched because of black culture. They are the tastemakers, the style breakers, the visionaries, honey. </p><p>As we skipped around the streets and aisles of the Lincoln Center with the clink-clank of our heels zig-zagging across Broadway past 66th Street, I wanted to slow down time. I breathed it all in and it will forever remain in my memory bank.</p><p>For the majority of this beautiful show, the ballet dancers wore white tutus. But for Solange's piece, my oh my. It was bursts of radiant hues on the costumes, once again reflected in the light with the Swarovski crystals. I'm talking about deep purple, aquamarine, magenta just cascading across the stage in a manicured motion, set to the rhythm of the songs that were quintessential Solange. </p><p>How does one explain the songs that are the brainchild of Solo? You can't. You just understand it, you just experience it. So there we were, just experiencing her magic as the colors, the songs, the instruments, the sounds, and the emotions were all curated for our viewing and hearing pleasure. </p><p>Leaving Lincoln Center that night, I carried a renewed sense of energy, inspired by creativity on so many levels. The night belonged to New York City, which is magical, too. I took the subway back to Brooklyn kind of in awe. You wouldn't believe it, but I think I saw the actor Keanu Reeves on the train. I kept staring at him, because I thought it was someone dressing up as the character John Wick. I thought to myself, wow, this person is doing an excellent job with his costume. I was on my way to ask him a true John Wick question: if you had to fight off secret assassins on the train, what would you do? As I made my way, he got off on Union Square. To this day, I debate whether or not it was him. I did a poll on social media and majority said it was him. <br /><br />File this all under a perfect New York night. </p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-3254929642074147012022-12-28T11:31:00.003-06:002022-12-28T12:18:53.024-06:00Nerd Out With Us Real Quick!<p><i>by Missy E.</i> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCudpT6vG3hlZ-rDQjlNhbrHQ2VU0AqsvrAyQg094F7OXH3k-Ka4iPuGtVXso11GIVEd4enE_xro4E1Uu7hLw0t_MOL9COBAKEkFMknq17EA6MARRhJsj_606KDNSDcctu3v2Yh7zeaowILsxYdCBu4c_tEGGmVL9AyieN7wY5zmWBOERBUHEYt3Cr/s1358/stars%20-1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="1358" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCudpT6vG3hlZ-rDQjlNhbrHQ2VU0AqsvrAyQg094F7OXH3k-Ka4iPuGtVXso11GIVEd4enE_xro4E1Uu7hLw0t_MOL9COBAKEkFMknq17EA6MARRhJsj_606KDNSDcctu3v2Yh7zeaowILsxYdCBu4c_tEGGmVL9AyieN7wY5zmWBOERBUHEYt3Cr/s320/stars%20-1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #727272; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.13px; text-align: left;">The Webb Space Telescope’s mid-infrared view of the Pillars of Creation, which showcases the telescope’s ability to detect dust, a major ingredient in star formation. <br />"For you are dust and to dust you shall return." - Genesis 3:19 (NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">Nerd out with us real quick!</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">When you read a sentence, a lot of times the words go over your head. But getting to know words and the depths of their meaning plays an integral part to experiencing something as simple as a sentence. Case in point, Scripture! While this post doesn’t have scientific backing, per se, let’s mix science and faith for a second.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br />“For you are dust and to dust you shall return.” - Genesis 3:19</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We associate that with existentialism, to exist in its entirety, to live is to die, a ying and yang of sorts. We are masses of molecules that make skin, bones, organs, etc. that eventually will just become dust once we pass away.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgej8T90bGTdkWBF2SXQwUh2wr86Hj0yW_xj68IPJyBkSnkyoCdst5defRAENFH8xBvxeeal4EzWYjw-dop9WFTprWVXxv1AX-dSsWMKLEyI4FrCw1Rj5bYMh76kTRbrScQEt6rMvhBSBoWmzpEQrvSH8bEJ9rG5JWz25V0Tig0PZ3yGALJjG5XqL1_/s1368/stars%20-2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgej8T90bGTdkWBF2SXQwUh2wr86Hj0yW_xj68IPJyBkSnkyoCdst5defRAENFH8xBvxeeal4EzWYjw-dop9WFTprWVXxv1AX-dSsWMKLEyI4FrCw1Rj5bYMh76kTRbrScQEt6rMvhBSBoWmzpEQrvSH8bEJ9rG5JWz25V0Tig0PZ3yGALJjG5XqL1_/s320/stars%20-2.png" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif" style="background-color: white; color: #727272; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Deep in a cloud of dust and gas, a star is being born. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Did you know that dust is a major ingredient in star formation? In the universe, deep in a cloud of dust and gas, a star is being born. At the center of the hourglass light from a spinning shrinking protostar leaks out the top and bottom of a thick disc of matter feeding it and illuminates surrounding gas and dust clouds.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What if we took another creative stance on this Scripture reference and said: We are intricate, mysterious, majestical, stars! We were created and formed to shine our light bright with our life in the depths of the dark universe. And maybe even when we go, somehow our light will still shine, but in a different way and capacity.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I love that for us. Go, shine!</p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-52863639156738803912022-10-18T09:14:00.004-05:002022-10-18T09:14:30.050-05:00M Report Music Mashup: Meet Caroline Polachek <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlz3uEGpau7wZ6lodrFagCu6qjEQbnOfa0pIISugP4rTg-iAtzO8iC2Oeik1MSiBewObolMIkVhpDw2cmRw6lMj1fOv-_GR65slyEDpeNSaFbAUISxpMAf5O5HZRIGb2iTiYopxQJ0vMWgF53zOL9KpAspzN-G96b00PUuNCwVFnKhgBgKs0gomz9h/s800/CAROLINE%20POLACHEK.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlz3uEGpau7wZ6lodrFagCu6qjEQbnOfa0pIISugP4rTg-iAtzO8iC2Oeik1MSiBewObolMIkVhpDw2cmRw6lMj1fOv-_GR65slyEDpeNSaFbAUISxpMAf5O5HZRIGb2iTiYopxQJ0vMWgF53zOL9KpAspzN-G96b00PUuNCwVFnKhgBgKs0gomz9h/s320/CAROLINE%20POLACHEK.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">“One of progressive pop music's most revered songwriters.”</span><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px;"> - The Fader</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;">After quietly previewing her new song at shows and festivals around the world over the past year, today</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"> Caroline Polachek</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"> steps boldly back into the spotlight with the release of the </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;">Sega Bodega</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"> & Caroline Polachek</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"> co-produced track “Sunset”</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;"> and the sun-soaked accompanying visual. </span><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;">Diversifying her sonic palette even further, Polachek’s voice elegantly dances in and around Balearic beats, hand claps and fast, warm guitar strums; an unwavering ode to fearless love and youthful rebellion. Directed by </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;">Matt Copson & Caroline Polachek and shot on location in Barcelona</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial;">, the official video showcases the incomparably stylish Polachek pacing through New Wave inspired scenes of beach and city life crescendoing into sunset. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">On the record, Polachek says: “<i>Resolution is so rare in life, but music is unnaturally full of it. A sunset is the biggest pop cliche ever, because it's a perfect resolution. Ennio Morricone passed away a few months before Salvador (Sega Bodega) and I started "Sunset", and the folkloric, epic tone of the spaghetti western sunset played on my mind. I wanted an operatic chorus with no lyrics, but salted with some very real disillusionment: past all the distraction, dead ends, and false promises of the world is the love we too often take for granted. That's my sunset.”</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">“Sunset” follows the acclaimed singles “Billions” and “Bunny Is A Rider” which both garnered critical fanfare from <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoVW511U0ab7Ml669kiCIBD4HthknsvKWFLZ_FxG1x3h9zswauvt6hKl64kU_MdmoFfFXaCimyGvDFU1g5c_X1zCCl7R_Xfiupun6IWuNGwFZqjr0QMfEKMYi7KQdBV1NsaFAN-UhewPfLop8QYIsHdpyVoo_0_dlLM5IzVfbtGBh4=&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;">Rolling Stone</span></a></span><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;">, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoViErdOIjNxOHZ-0ugyXAWWn2-dK275N52nOV8UDE9pEZcj1niYdHWf7IPkAQt_CfcArn-xk38PoiNiDhseu4iv-6svQ2a0GPM8a9TRFfPloPI0ck3-OfF1G6LF4EzlUc1NMgXVjw_qok=&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Pitchfork</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoVj0t3f08h44DNMDs2GgxdSlJzrzvkCq6KNBQLg7MXpCaSTPuf0lSRpFdTC5TapBxcsPN0HZwhd7QebxqeEULu6hFWgSMjsE2isdSaqK-yjKAzh-zLkAENJOVkdbsqCp3pSjkSUnSdj8b3-uSMmBs-rmaegfnfREle&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The FADER</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoVivjxM59htgjwlRAQ2fHXIQJHZBJIAcGxepEfSgqqGCn-5bq_eWO1GVWsBNMEy3lKty1I_i8FqCj6-ruaR8cHsQ7lH9Orqxs0OoZ0XbYxyNrsHXwaxiUzkX7FYneXw-kIivuhkj8b4p8kWvfzHoNdI_o9f4DMorIQ&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">SPIN</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRL_Ah3HfKiEIwzUAbEHgTxh9MQbdwOHP8ISHwLIXyyXmvoIGetwxC199L4Z-bFIsDOja9HtizMYuoq3nufER9FHGsOs7KO1gpHQd-lj3h3qbTzWcFsei_XI7sQugDBridIz87e2fM3Bae51ZvkqPZsv7lh73PUn_RdvDle5wLp7d5TQN4K-cj7u2KJeDu5RRycNNQBX3kmcsB1ZLJ-LBI39M=&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The New Yorker</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoVPgDlKymK97epmW_q_mERz0TcprPD-ksyvWI-LyRAvqyCD6tlURymdu4--dVP9ibv5fL-KuSSnMDUVM_hueD_vzKtRyej0u8n__BIzDJ9KMqZ3SkLKBt7ZcFhdETr3WEOU33-l7ByMI80s1_6C4N-Jw==&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The New York Times</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoVA1ofj6P7EbWkpo9QaCJG5ldawVuevuDjp1Qfc9BfLgImGKtvzpTvz66o74NGnoY0frHfrbTIXO26HxxrddI-0vj72UZXqexnENFozN9Wu3pUg3VAQuTEHGs_nec-xWx4CIujFPRlPc6YH5OXvMOIFCrj-lIA2JPhdgxjOB-FyBw=&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The Guardian</span></a>,<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRL214LYBwBYHnmIS6V_OcbvVhVtPvvIVAlR4rYakdTKS2_P-hKAkZpUqS0NbaCVYkYFoeK77GGCRQSRcPNc0QKQ6JMr_niOar7yYfAA6er-iOxjTf8qMVFNu2b4N09TNvy-yI8ObThz3fv0l4r5uqFqIsgzgePjoygbetvTIaLRBcOLcbi2bxn4kPI56zqFH4TQ==&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> NPR</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoV_Gfhi-LcnjS5zAeyAknaq9SumSHqeqMeJiCtTM2HQQ_smHau5P3OwSYr7lva57-Pw24NZGsjjCq7t9J1rRVW9bPgDS2xowR7KePt69Ee1txX7C3vegDX0SWc705rOiSAul9ms8eEM3ulqewK5kEklQ==&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">NME</span></a>, <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRLxAdI9-30CoVRXAHgCEporl3YJjC1WULHGGBDiXw5HcX0oDrWF6TULrPpzglaJ_8LqgeChf4-YceScUTSO47TsvGc_Os6lC83lfKsHYRKrIn6UZqW2IYmG4QFrOZiiHGzxZvldrRu0Cot1IQSebz04QXwnX59KjBpf2_E5zlhg2J&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">i-D</span></a> </span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">and more and the latter even earning <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRL02JWjL75aosViyhRYbRRuGqA4OKm5iZrzYt3veDakK3HgzzQxokORL1jHrA4Ry7hN8eZ5mlTmtZYG7TanwyyyEQJ8bZGtXhT9eS-Yj_oEVfHatZJ5iRruXeCCrb7BIsgLa3ho6rET9zElk9SS4dHMM=&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;">Pitchfork’s #1 Best song of 2021</span></a></span><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;">.</span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Polachek’s profile has grown exponentially since the release of her critically heralded 2019 album <i>PANG</i><i>,</i> landing her everywhere from the direct opening spot on Dua Lipa’s 2022 North American Future Nostalgia Tour + Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Primavera, All Points East, Governors Ball, Pitchfork Music Festival and Outside Lands and involved with campaigns & shows for Loewe, Dior, Eckhaus Latta and Chloé, to late night performances on</span><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;"> <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRL1q49xhMLfJROSSF7w46msW_TW-mtr7eKSqo45GOxH90n9PFkm_PKK1S4RcWT7e7iaYvXv9X44BaJzwTGQY9pju3uwD4EhEfFQ5O-7ae9chW5XLzxZhs-lauELdWl1Bi85ahLflcfB4n2FcSnF0L1PFV2bY7XvKDr9cmvklwkY0Ycz4G7LvykR-FLDCqQmlWJ25BzQHQll6Sc9qJKYLctPxSQs269bovng==&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Jimmy Kimmel Live!</span></a></span><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> and <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001x5GWn4LYcmqwZBi_24IvYsQhP8R81lsOjLj39uVXr2Pi7UGjrtlRL_Ah3HfKiEIwSounG3dmk1WLShaIM9dcQyzNxZBcGw1tsTJNGdPxqwDCsuTRDujfZ0v5L9EcM_sEskK_ZKrGdu-WAMK3ihyJymX02Oi_GtIjoFCYjogIbh7w_PNYfc_e_w==&c=Ff81aiIk5PfIWPkHBMWeyXI1O4NRZeTEdrxJd-i2WK6WYMYkpqUjrA==&ch=Z5EJslmRr9uypglUAIOZxYd9XZYgEg1U5tPNnfleVJFLzMWXWP052A=="><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;">The Late Night Show with James</span><span class="s4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(16, 60, 192); background-color: white; color: #103cc0; font-kerning: none;"> Corden</span></a>. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/-YBP-D6vQIA" width="480"></iframe></div>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-52061875761353929002022-10-15T16:26:00.008-05:002023-01-10T03:36:05.562-06:00Why You Should See Virgil Abloh's "Figures of Speech" Exhibit at Brooklyn Museum <p> <i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">By Missy E. </i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuats4xBMYIwEeFBNTTk85SU0bRmhPjAhiP6B-tHaIr9d9vidzk44SFayHpIG2sMxFzxa0MzpP2_SfrEO9EicA_laM0sejrAIvi9J9malNErHoYkmxM5vREtJicQ7c0r7JupqnDtwwaM02pAlHa-rhOCl5y_erDRWrhnPRekH9KNACuDDv005Tf6RA/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuats4xBMYIwEeFBNTTk85SU0bRmhPjAhiP6B-tHaIr9d9vidzk44SFayHpIG2sMxFzxa0MzpP2_SfrEO9EicA_laM0sejrAIvi9J9malNErHoYkmxM5vREtJicQ7c0r7JupqnDtwwaM02pAlHa-rhOCl5y_erDRWrhnPRekH9KNACuDDv005Tf6RA/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The late Virgil Abloh's "Figures of Speech" Exhibit debuted at the Brooklyn Museum.<br /> (Photos: The M Report)</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> <br /></i>Virgil Abloh was a visionary, fashion idealist, trained architect and trailblazer. After attending one of his last projects he curated before his passing in late 2021, I was reassured of his contributions to the culture.<p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLAZjd1b9QZxBEQZyfiDusI_iIgK324Rr3FVBg7ftK0jSexLXUoWxXCOs4lbs01RWESQvHwxn9h6KTQNjTvUul-3lKCGBO2PpHLH8TQrrYwf5SyQK5mOTGYKC11nWjqBWv3Bwl2BXWvEUvj3r70a7_tHr0rpoPNc7fG4Rnuc6Qwk4EcaZLb5_Eutf/s1600/virgil-abloh-nike-the10-12-73201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1079" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLAZjd1b9QZxBEQZyfiDusI_iIgK324Rr3FVBg7ftK0jSexLXUoWxXCOs4lbs01RWESQvHwxn9h6KTQNjTvUul-3lKCGBO2PpHLH8TQrrYwf5SyQK5mOTGYKC11nWjqBWv3Bwl2BXWvEUvj3r70a7_tHr0rpoPNc7fG4Rnuc6Qwk4EcaZLb5_Eutf/s320/virgil-abloh-nike-the10-12-73201.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />When it comes to breaking barriers, having a black man call the shots at a successful luxury brand was, or is not the norm. <p></p><p>But Abloh's work at Louis Vuitton as creative director now retails in the thousands. Hypebeasts flocked to the eponymous products of his brand "OFF-WHITE" and its costly price tags. </p><p>Consumers called out contradictions to whom he was catering to - was it just the rich? Regardless, his work was cut short due to his passing. Just another reminder to create until you can't. Tomorrow is never guaranteed.</p><p>Abloh's relationship with Nike began long before he first visited the company's world headquarters in October 2016 to start a new collaboration, according to Nike's press office. As a teen, he and his friends would sketch shoe ideas and mail them to Nike. They were enamored with Air Jordans. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"Michael Jordan was larger than life - he was superman to me," Abloh told Nike. "My entire design background and ethos came from the '90s."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Abloh's early design education was drawn from athletic footwear, hip-hop, rock album covers and graffiti. He merged those inspirations with his formal training in architecture and engineering. He blurred the lines of various creative processes and rewrote the rules of fashion and design.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaLbIdToQmxfgcjnu6b5QdJSVC3Zo6yt3MDdKGNYxhhkTLxJvnWFwyLuiV7hsmc8XDa7WpYJVPAzRkg8IVqo_8-7bM3vf0b0QsnzCpsBH0z_LVBGOcTsFyFsmNRa3YlwSn2jc5WNUucFM8X9yDMylbp--2rzgKDmCiz8mdt-QgBaMfyrdDkqotA3Z/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaLbIdToQmxfgcjnu6b5QdJSVC3Zo6yt3MDdKGNYxhhkTLxJvnWFwyLuiV7hsmc8XDa7WpYJVPAzRkg8IVqo_8-7bM3vf0b0QsnzCpsBH0z_LVBGOcTsFyFsmNRa3YlwSn2jc5WNUucFM8X9yDMylbp--2rzgKDmCiz8mdt-QgBaMfyrdDkqotA3Z/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-3.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louis Vuitton prototype. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbTbs3hCAZa32J8dUEWZ97l88sPIdul5znSSvQtAtwI5Godq9FG-jRkQcCYhdCIXsxwCGa6OwdhGLfZBXMytbLcMG-VhG7tfBDDpdi06zEHnEEd_hrRBddudVGM85M8y7lDxGo9qSX_CgGT39VjmJy2S1KHAjWNLisKWkkiRNnQsFE2w20J0wnMi0/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbTbs3hCAZa32J8dUEWZ97l88sPIdul5znSSvQtAtwI5Godq9FG-jRkQcCYhdCIXsxwCGa6OwdhGLfZBXMytbLcMG-VhG7tfBDDpdi06zEHnEEd_hrRBddudVGM85M8y7lDxGo9qSX_CgGT39VjmJy2S1KHAjWNLisKWkkiRNnQsFE2w20J0wnMi0/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-0.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhgP3mUYI336Yz_VE6wc6mOcKI74p9TuhuGg4z_jPJmgBVoJ89cbp59oshZH59-oF2__VHUsiC07bLvhdduqWtIEhtMUj1mxSxJTL2Jh-4eTQDYoVIQ-taxJXUrDgCZNrxaJdzB7mL6xq_JXG_KNuej14THdNmFFbbRZayCIYdtwuPBwaCOQ6w9aH/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhgP3mUYI336Yz_VE6wc6mOcKI74p9TuhuGg4z_jPJmgBVoJ89cbp59oshZH59-oF2__VHUsiC07bLvhdduqWtIEhtMUj1mxSxJTL2Jh-4eTQDYoVIQ-taxJXUrDgCZNrxaJdzB7mL6xq_JXG_KNuej14THdNmFFbbRZayCIYdtwuPBwaCOQ6w9aH/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serena Williams wore this during the peak of her tennis career, at a time when media criticism came pounding at her door, critiquing her career as a woman and a mother. I remember when she wore this. It was a statement piece. She looked like a beautiful black ballerina who was shutting all her haters down.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQrOwbvf2jdDTzdCv2zxYm2RMDxf24sce3bP_tTXVt8IxrcTytnhpRua4RP208166D-7he4j6WKXHJ-aQ5xprRU5Dze2L7wdSOZxr7jRJ0Msa3195yxTOisi0o3VrAwcR4eQdDzGkd_lzyfUVnMhm7U_8AlLiFVYudg7PSYj6Gblx4aHUibW0_qDT/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQrOwbvf2jdDTzdCv2zxYm2RMDxf24sce3bP_tTXVt8IxrcTytnhpRua4RP208166D-7he4j6WKXHJ-aQ5xprRU5Dze2L7wdSOZxr7jRJ0Msa3195yxTOisi0o3VrAwcR4eQdDzGkd_lzyfUVnMhm7U_8AlLiFVYudg7PSYj6Gblx4aHUibW0_qDT/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcVKSO7i_-LwCevA63hfhvTJQ08E0P5P59_W-_4LC1W_W5qt4HFkmVp1DP3DbsLUTOupv6EeECbvoH3bghOKUFlLlc_rACb06iM-C7DK_0-bIZzqsm3PSZd1JlNApXLD-9saJCDumcio03fSZSCtFYnjNwvI5SA2KJVmHLqhpoZZU-Cm8tURyiAhC/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWyqToiQ2wqo3Tw0KluMF8m61lVYXE-uekQlYh8ERayQJRYAUeUm6jWTGNXUnIhHjSTji_7d7IxvYAt1_BYXJD9xPCMRt96fqeJVaUkFPWtfUyPfpK46cxJuB-vUGhCFnhMS5oXNq0KcmbtxxTmgAcjjuGyP0T5cbZUqv1pxMSBRzu9rUjIxjLSLb/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWyqToiQ2wqo3Tw0KluMF8m61lVYXE-uekQlYh8ERayQJRYAUeUm6jWTGNXUnIhHjSTji_7d7IxvYAt1_BYXJD9xPCMRt96fqeJVaUkFPWtfUyPfpK46cxJuB-vUGhCFnhMS5oXNq0KcmbtxxTmgAcjjuGyP0T5cbZUqv1pxMSBRzu9rUjIxjLSLb/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPr_7FMoAlUX08vwCjFj6nvxZEmG3VFnw4f0062QI0huWDJ3rPGoEzUVg2nKWtT5SXAjtPrr0VmQ09YjT3wwNgiThEbTEqU1iROERqPnwYzon8FT3P0xa5SbTCfTzjHyWJkOBvbQqnsiem1HskpqmqobioTVfdwZyAs3MJ-k-74DbY6HtzNaFKk_L/s800/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPr_7FMoAlUX08vwCjFj6nvxZEmG3VFnw4f0062QI0huWDJ3rPGoEzUVg2nKWtT5SXAjtPrr0VmQ09YjT3wwNgiThEbTEqU1iROERqPnwYzon8FT3P0xa5SbTCfTzjHyWJkOBvbQqnsiem1HskpqmqobioTVfdwZyAs3MJ-k-74DbY6HtzNaFKk_L/s320/Virgil%20Abloh%20-%20Figures%20of%20Speech%20-10.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-46409939109624328452022-10-05T21:30:00.005-05:002022-10-17T19:27:02.445-05:00M Report Music Mashups: Meet ENNY<p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOc9HN1PqQguzZSqrr8E5Gl0PgX1L-CQIh7bhUenmVuiZgg3AyUMUEiheWuNWnYX9EDxLfvhiH-iRjtDGzQLxsYrUbLtX2CvfV9Lsap7sM3BaNVpBPB92-0Va54VZbSZil2y-9XoZs0oG-TkV9Fe-4i20o0VUL-6Sj_oWbmqIF7CL90t4OnxLvQjWb/s1374/Enny.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="822" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOc9HN1PqQguzZSqrr8E5Gl0PgX1L-CQIh7bhUenmVuiZgg3AyUMUEiheWuNWnYX9EDxLfvhiH-iRjtDGzQLxsYrUbLtX2CvfV9Lsap7sM3BaNVpBPB92-0Va54VZbSZil2y-9XoZs0oG-TkV9Fe-4i20o0VUL-6Sj_oWbmqIF7CL90t4OnxLvQjWb/s320/Enny.png" width="191" /></a></div><br />Following a momentous year that has seen her tour across the globe, rapper/singer <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">ENNY</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"> returns with her first release of 2022, "</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Champagne Problems".</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Produced by Beat Butcha & Tala </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">(with additional production from </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Will Yanez</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">), the single is quintessential ENNY, marrying deeply intricate lyricism with butter-smooth instrumentals that’ll make you want to hit repeat before you even reach the end. Accompanying the track is a striking new B+W video </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">directed by Jean-Sébastien Degni </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">which was filmed around ENNY’s local community of Thamesmead, South London. </span><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span class="s3" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-kerning: none; font-size: 13px;">Speaking on the track, ENNY says “</span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(19, 19, 19); color: #131313; font-family: Arial; font-kerning: none; font-size: 13px;"><i>The problems I’ve had this year aren’t last year’s problems but they’re problems nevertheless. I call them Champagne Problems, because they are definitely the problems I would’ve rather had two years ago. With this track, it’s nice to just get back to freestyling and rapping as an art."</i></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">A compelling and compassionate storyteller, ENNY’s arrival as a true artistic force kicked off at the tail end of 2020 with the release of her breakout single, the anthemic <i>Peng Black Girls</i>. Within the space of eighteen months, she has gone on to be featured in tips lists such as BBC Sound Of.. 2022, BBC 1XTRA Hot for 2022, MTV PUSH for 2022, Vevo DSCVR Artists To Watch 2022, DAZED 100 & NME 100 amongst others, dropped epic performances on <a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ER39lJ4bJG_5qiJ6RdTqeu0EOpaYMMFjMcqMqPbisSs4k9z1zc01cHBPNQREVv78I_uuY1Rnn_ssyTj2VYVLgFMzaUZYShiSXdTct5oiK0w-oSkxKSLBBOgne8Yt-f6X4k3Kw3lj4kYFPW2rxCeqTSvKJ0yYfNmPGv7jqCC9fKZk67SiLiIqPA==&c=8gWVBV76e-bTTy2bJRbOz6QXrjZOA-9Y8nVPszeSfMn-TTCnUt9J1w==&ch=WzhE2ckbXZiLhVNda7akPjzlSZM0NTbP6N1HXETi9ChNHA5qsUQq3A=="><span class="s4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(12, 54, 165); color: #0c36a5; font-kerning: none;">LATER With Jools Holland</span></a>, the GRM Awards, MOBO Awards, Tonight With Target, and Colors (her Colors session received over 19M views alone), and covered a broad variety of publications that included POP, CRACK, The Guardian Guide, Mixmag & Wonderland. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Additionally, she has collaborated with brands such as Levi’s, Adidas, Alhuwalia & Mulberry and performed at this year’s Glastonbury, Wireless, Longitude, Park Life, Board Masters, All Points East, Primavera & We Out Here festivals. Throughout it all, she’s combined her integrity and passion to emerge as one of the most important British voices to emerge in recent memory.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: white; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/dQfGaKGMgQI" width="480"></iframe>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-17443820346720177452022-10-05T02:25:00.011-05:002022-10-17T20:30:03.118-05:00An Interesting Way I Discovered We Are All Connected to Our Past, Present and Future Versions of Ourselves<p><i>By Missy E.</i></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6T2yfYE6Jcn43gO-maomI650pdL7fjV97MW-1MlsKrqnAGo0LYXRi9nY6o4QZfHhnJGN0M4pO3g2Lr-PomCOyiiwKX5HFLj5m9eaFj-dPRQQxpyAfyU0P21v3KEzmuXW78W0TCI9X0ETfXgRJhXzIHr188h-lKXpJLzkjr8Vsqca68PPd3LrI_Lvp/s5472/fabio-lucas-_eYDuLSjkpw-unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6T2yfYE6Jcn43gO-maomI650pdL7fjV97MW-1MlsKrqnAGo0LYXRi9nY6o4QZfHhnJGN0M4pO3g2Lr-PomCOyiiwKX5HFLj5m9eaFj-dPRQQxpyAfyU0P21v3KEzmuXW78W0TCI9X0ETfXgRJhXzIHr188h-lKXpJLzkjr8Vsqca68PPd3LrI_Lvp/s320/fabio-lucas-_eYDuLSjkpw-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@fabiooulucas?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Fábio Lucas</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/future?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote><b> "The journey (including relationships, whether intimate or friendships) always leads us back to self. At least it should in some way."</b></blockquote><p></p><p>Finally, and interestingly enough during this season of reset/refresh/renew, I've committed to reading more books. What a disadvantage to take that for granted <i>for too long. </i>Maybe it was because my job usually entailed long, arduous hours staring at a computer screen to either write, proofread or edit published works. The last thing I wanted was to stare at another screen and read a book. (Yes, I've borrowed hard-cover books from the library and no, it didn't work out). Why am I telling you about this? Well, I want to be a better writer and future published author. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>I had a professor in college who told us that in order to write well we should read well-written works of art, literature, newspaper or magazine articles (way before blogs and online media was mainstream). I used to get such an accomplished feeling picking up a copy of The New York Times and reading it on the subway and watch how the "sophisticated New Yorkers" read the paper. Back then, everyone was reading a newspaper. They folded it in half or quarters and read the news standing up or sitting down. Pure talent. </p><p>So if I want to manifest this dream of writing a book, I have to do the little things daily, the things no one sees, and conquer them. I'm 300 pages in on the 2013 novel, <i>Americanah, </i>by Chimimanda. Cut me some slack, I know someone reading this might suggest this was low on the totem pole of fiction writing and might say I should've read more classics. Pfft. Call me wrong, but to get into the groove, I've got to meet myself where I'm at and then work up the ladder. Not that this novel is basic in any sense. </p><p>The author takes us on a journey, from present-day to past tense memories, flipping us through time, in order to build a better understanding of the main protagonist, Ifemelu and her long-lost lover, Obinze. It brings me to a solid reflection of my former self and the past lovers I encountered along the journey. Guilty as charged, I tend to associate a certain period of my life with the boy I was interested in or dating at the time. The point isn't about the boys, it's about me. Now as a newly married woman, I tell my single friends that the journey (including relationships, whether intimate or friendships) always leads us back to self. At least it should in some way. </p><p>I even dug a deeper hole and took out the receipts, figuratively speaking, of a time long ago, where email was the main form of communication besides text messages. Yep, I read old emails.</p><p>So many thoughts occurred during this time of introspection. I thought to myself - damn was I really that naive back then? Why was I trying so hard? Looking back and knowing what I know now, how the journey continued from that point, I noticed key takeaways. For example, I knew when I was putting up a front for my friends at the time, while suffering on the inside in order to come across as normal. I say to myself - for what? It's like I don't exactly know who that girl was typing those emails almost a decade ago.</p><p>I grin, at the thought that for what it's worth, in my 20's, we had a lot of fun running up a muck in this crazy city called New York City. Then I think to myself, nowadays, wow, who has that energy. I've unsubscribed to up-keeping the status quo on social circles that exist for the sake of ego versus authentic, beyond surface level relationships. High school kool-aid expired a long time ago, but so many still drink it. That, to me, sounds exhausting. Many do not get to master existing in one's identity as an individual. But life moves on.</p><p>Guess my point is, that, in many ways, I am not that young woman from 10 years ago. And yet, in many ways, she still lives within me but doesn't get center stage. She's (hopefully) matured, gotten wiser, sharper, stronger and more refined. </p><p>That's what we might all come to find out: that in many ways, we must acknowledge who we used to be, laugh at its humorous moments, come to understand why we might've said something or acted some way in the past, and then at the same time, still give ourselves enough credit that who we used to be can still guide us to understand who we might be and who we are becoming - in the present. </p><p><br /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-62144207980899222962022-05-01T15:42:00.002-05:002022-10-17T20:12:34.268-05:00Sunday Soul Session: Joy As Our Sacrifice<p><i>By Missy E.</i></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGdRu1_6vuotTMUJT0jXjP6wirOc8oEdWpUnEhNhIULhiRI2gnb6vX3JI0UyS_rq5bB6M5bPoZVcaJJEn4nAQ9II3xlYl1hS3rjy86ZEHTW8RIQ9ipePrYTirUi3yRqlgWuuMyriSqMQAHVxcJzG5FcBJi6RfyYK7oVdA3iHTez6RalS83KIxMemS/s4032/SNOH.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGdRu1_6vuotTMUJT0jXjP6wirOc8oEdWpUnEhNhIULhiRI2gnb6vX3JI0UyS_rq5bB6M5bPoZVcaJJEn4nAQ9II3xlYl1hS3rjy86ZEHTW8RIQ9ipePrYTirUi3yRqlgWuuMyriSqMQAHVxcJzG5FcBJi6RfyYK7oVdA3iHTez6RalS83KIxMemS/s320/SNOH.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snoh Aalegra performs in Houston. Photo: Robyn Tuazon</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Hello to my fellow M Report readers! What's up ya'll! Too many days have passed since I shared on this blog more of my posts. I've admittedly spent more time posting content to the social media platforms all while neglecting the foundation of this platform - THE M REPORT WEBSITE and newsletter. <p></p><p>Well, while excuses are my challenge, I must also admit, that wedding planning has been in full swing, if not even more so now, as crunch time continues to approach. I can't believe it but truly - time flies! </p><p>Back to the message: Joy as our sacrifice. </p><p><i></i></p><blockquote><i>"I shall offer within the Lord's tent, a sacrifice of joy. I will sing and make music for the Lord" Psalm 27:6</i> </blockquote><p>Weew, chile, when that message hit, it was without a doubt something I contemplated on for a hot second. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>Joy as a sacrifice. Not equating it with happiness, which is temporary, but joy, this internal peace amidst the circumstance, especially when suffering or hard times coincide - how does one find joy? I think peace can only come from God, from listening to our internal instinct, which I know comes different based upon a person. I have found that when we stop what we're doing and literally stop distractions, we let external noise out and let internal messages become louder. </p><p>Life is full of distractions that can take our peace and scrolling through social media feeds that literally feed us this idea of "comparison" which is the thief of joy - then it's hard to know when to listen. Once we get there, it's interesting to think of it *as a gift* as something we are giving, as something we must attain in order to give. That to me says - what is stopping you from your joy? What are you not surrendering? What if God isn't asking you to keep fighting but to totally surrender, trust in Him and have faith? If we're stopping ourselves from joy, then we're stopping ourselves from our gift. <br /></p><p>Let's not aim for depleted happiness in things of this world, but a joy knowing we are loved, protected, worthy and enough and that we walk through everyday with a simple purpose: to accept the Love from Our Father. It is the calm breeze on a cloud day, the shade on a scorching hot day, the rainbow on a rainy day, it is water to our parched soul.</p><p>We are meant to "sing and make music" for the greatness of God, which coexists when we are living in our potential and in the quest for the best version of ourselves. That doesn't mean perfection, but our "best" varies day to day and on our circumstances. If today, all you can give, is love for your child, and picking up the toys for the 500th time that day, that's love, that's greatness. If today, your best means picking up the phone and telling a friend that you're not okay, and to pray for him/her, that's love, that's greatness. Whatever it is, your joy, our joy, is a gift, and it's destined for us because we give what we get - we gain more by giving it away.</p><p>Have an amazing Sunday!</p><p>-M</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-83950541727670012402022-02-02T00:08:00.000-06:002022-02-02T00:08:02.197-06:00Gone Too Soon: A Lesson on Societal Pressures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5CsDBCRYJkes5lo6WFRgUs33gUaBmJa-REFVRhkczkEQGCToC6MU0yf4kH7cmpG58zZ-QH8MNBAymwZh5p6aqSd80pGats0kn0_7SgNEus6T3ODh7LonK6D-magkg0CzCX0Gp8-LGtS3Zc2EbAp7BrzvofB3ng1hK7_Ea7bg005qUg9LAN_NxiH3P=s2464" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="2464" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5CsDBCRYJkes5lo6WFRgUs33gUaBmJa-REFVRhkczkEQGCToC6MU0yf4kH7cmpG58zZ-QH8MNBAymwZh5p6aqSd80pGats0kn0_7SgNEus6T3ODh7LonK6D-magkg0CzCX0Gp8-LGtS3Zc2EbAp7BrzvofB3ng1hK7_Ea7bg005qUg9LAN_NxiH3P=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p><i>By Missy E.</i></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="3nr1p-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3nr1p-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="3nr1p-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">RE: Miss USA Cheslie. Here and there, I've still been contemplating the downfall of this beautifully intelligent and successful woman. It wasn't until I stumbled upon this project I'm editing and this author's words stuck out like a deer in headlights. I want to paraphrase and let it marinate with us:</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="f4bii-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="f4bii-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="f4bii-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="9hbqc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9hbqc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="9hbqc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The narrative that being average, is failing. How some may find that being ordinary is not okay and does not bring fulfillment with life that they become victims of their own misery just to be in their own league.</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9hbqc-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span data-offset-key="9hbqc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="2njqi-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2njqi-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PHEW. Social media does feed us everyone's highlight reel and I am not devoid of sipping that kool-aid. What a lie we feed ourselves on the daily, when we're really exceptional in ordinary ways. Have we set standards that this world pressures us into believing is valued? This world is filled with fallacy; watch what you eat.</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="ac8ih-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ac8ih-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="ac8ih-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I think about the ordinary life of a young carpenter in Nazareth and while we never got too many details on his days growing up, besides when he started his public ministry, what if those were the best of times? What if the process was the real progress? Are we so focused on the outcome, the comparison, that we don't even recognize the leaps and bounds we've taken, whether internally or externally?</span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truly, I think we've all felt the pressures of life; whether it were to succeed, aim for perfection or be excellent. But are we making a fear of disappointment? From what external factors? </div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we see ourselves through the lens of our Creator, we must remember we are loved, protected, worthy and enough. Rinse and repeat that mantra:You are loved, protected, worthy and enough. But if we can't see ourselves through that lens, we can just turn on the national news and see how our lives are ones that some people in this world can only dream of. </div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">God has a purpose and a plan for each and every life created. You are loved, protected, worthy and enough.</div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-offset-key="3v61a-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="articleContainer__content" style="align-self: start; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: Lora, serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; grid-column-end: col4-start; grid-column-start: col3-start; justify-self: start; margin: 0px auto; max-width: none; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; width: 640px;"><div class="paragraph" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 712px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to </em></span><a aria-describedby="external-disclaimer" class="external-link" href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95) 0px -1px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 28px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank" title="(opens new window)"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">suicidepreventionlifeline.org</em></span></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">.</em></span></p></div></div><div class="articleContainer__content" style="align-self: start; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: Lora, serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; grid-column-end: col4-start; grid-column-start: col3-start; justify-self: start; margin: 0px auto; max-width: none; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; width: 640px;"><div class="superMegaBylines superMegaBylines__primary" data-tracking-zone="body" style="border-top-color: rgb(0, 158, 216); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 32px 0px 24px; padding: 32px 0px 0px;"><div class="superMegaBylines__primaryTextContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column;"><span class="superMegaBylines__primaryNameContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: row; z-index: 1;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></div></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7uvl4" data-offset-key="fmnt6-0-0" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></div>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-23884164238787642832022-01-12T11:00:00.014-06:002022-01-12T16:13:07.881-06:00The Dance We Do, The Missteps We Take, As We Internalize Growth, Honesty and Friendships<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Missy E.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSaMTwAbpZaGbcFyx_4NqoQe-XyeZrCYjHPdk41zS06j1u_hFqrn_JgvXMVN9kzVxfR59IB6KnNG_-buLbS2o80cfg5IbFg5M0gDwhsbXVy1c3j8NJKiHCsq0U4bQum9TJSn5iN0ZN14SE1kgadV-kOS0tC8FUQZKYmLwCfRx-By547QItxf7fk5Jy=s5184" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSaMTwAbpZaGbcFyx_4NqoQe-XyeZrCYjHPdk41zS06j1u_hFqrn_JgvXMVN9kzVxfR59IB6KnNG_-buLbS2o80cfg5IbFg5M0gDwhsbXVy1c3j8NJKiHCsq0U4bQum9TJSn5iN0ZN14SE1kgadV-kOS0tC8FUQZKYmLwCfRx-By547QItxf7fk5Jy=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: italic; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">I've found myself slowly turning the volume up on my own personal (writing) voice. Towards the end of 2021, I began publishing editorials, which are opinion-based pieces structured upon supporting facts or statistics. In all my years of being a professional writer, there was this new voice which had the freedom to just explore and take flight. It's safe to say I'm enjoying the newfound freedom and opportunity, not holding any qualms to other people's opinions of it. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span style="font-size: 14.7px;">This confidence didn't come overnight, but it trekked through the trenches for years - which is to say, like a famous line from the Disney movie "Finding Nemo" - just keep swimming. It's a metaphor to carry-on, continue the process that is the present, for there is wisdom, knowledge and experience on the other end, even though it might not seem like it.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">Here's a profound excerpt from novelist and writer James Baldwin, that serves as a proper intermission to my next topic.</p><blockquote><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">"The earth is always shifting, the light is always changing, the sea does not cease to grind down rock. Generations do not cease to be born and we are responsible to them because we are the only witnesses they have. The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other and children cling to us. The moment we cease to hold each other, the moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out." - Baldwin</p></blockquote><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">You see, I like to think that what I'm going through, what we all should strive to go through, is some type of growth. I'm internalizing how throughout the multitude of shifts and shoves that life throws at us, we have a personal responsibility to ourselves and to our greater community, to become the best versions of ourselves. That's not an overnight recipe - but once again - just keep swimming. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">I've found that within this time, life will continue to show the constancy of reoccurring deaths and resurrections. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about so many lessons - whether as a nation and as a person. We were emblazoned by social injustices, racism, inequality and a bankrupt system that kept that status quo intact. Throughout that time, I realized how precious every single day was - because it wasn't guaranteed. That bled into friendships and the authenticity behind them.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">Every single one of us could have easily have perished during the early days of the pandemic, pre-vaccine. So when the days of social rendezvous that brought us in surface-level circles was completely eradicated out the picture, I realized, how silly some relationships probably were. The pandemic rearranged priorities, it brought about clarity and it showed a lot of people's true colors. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">I often wonder how come history books didn't add that Jesus' miracles included maintaining 12 really close friends (apostles). I laugh to think I could too. But that is far from a loss, but a freedom from the reigns of what ultimately doesn't serve me as I grow. It's self-sabotage to clip a butterfly's wings after it outgrows its cocoon. Yet, shedding our old skin and letting go of friendships that no longer serve this chapter of life, isn't void of mourning some kind of death. This was what I meant by the constant deaths and resurrections. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">The deaths bring out new life. Trust me. But it doesn't mean it won't sting as we outgrow our old clothes. My motto for the letting go of attachment runs as: "No Love Lost" and I believe it. The times spent in those past stages required certain people and in those times, it was necessary and it was beautiful. It was needed until it wasn't. But no love lost.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">I recently sprained my ankle after a silly, clumsy fall where I missed a step. Thankfully, my dad was able to hold me while my mom frantically asked a million questions out of natural concern. In life, we will dance, and in life, we will clumsily fall. It's about the people who pick you up in the end. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">That being said, thanks to one of my dear friends for picking me up and being my chauffeur when plans failed because of that sprain. In true friendship fashion, we still had a blast!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><br /></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-47452899170718617782022-01-11T21:23:00.005-06:002022-01-11T21:27:48.239-06:00Momma Mondays: Women in the Workforce<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px;"><b>Tips on how to prepare for maternity leave and returning to work.</b></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzZyb-KjVvoZF0dKWG11CuQEqdYJqwZf6-axzvVz1WRmpmddW7hQUYO4Mt4JNrYIy63RC0I9GLZObgksXDhxJ2xW9JnqLE7esXBc_2VJqCQ-3plLMy_KgsDRI6rrjS8k5ybMG0Qg-AsuEMJQ75JnKOK2HlqX5y5KQ3Icxet5m1RJhzjn5zdT7DHPZ9=s776" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzZyb-KjVvoZF0dKWG11CuQEqdYJqwZf6-axzvVz1WRmpmddW7hQUYO4Mt4JNrYIy63RC0I9GLZObgksXDhxJ2xW9JnqLE7esXBc_2VJqCQ-3plLMy_KgsDRI6rrjS8k5ybMG0Qg-AsuEMJQ75JnKOK2HlqX5y5KQ3Icxet5m1RJhzjn5zdT7DHPZ9=s320" width="247" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></i></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">By JoAnne</i></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Although Women’s Empowerment Month has passed, I’m still convinced that us, women, should be honored every month and every day. Not only are we capable of surviving in the workforce with our counterparts, but some of us have two (maybe even three) jobs after we clock out – well, do we really clock out?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">During my last pregnancy, one of my superiors told us he was retiring a month before I found out I was pregnant. As my manager and I started to prepare, I was terrified to let him know I was expecting since there would only be one person on our team while I was on maternity leave. Fortunately, my manager was very understanding, and we did our best to work with each other and prepare before and while I was on leave.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">My best advice on preparing for maternity leave is to be proactive. Know your leave benefits and take advantage of them. You only get to experience motherhood once and nothing will give back the time you had with your baby. It’s understandable to not want to tell anyone about your pregnancy right away, but for work purposes, I think it’s best to at least let your direct supervisor and human resources department know in order to prepare. Communicate three months before your leave with any other individuals or departments that you work with – this was important for me since I’m in the corporate world and we focus on quarterly items.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Every working mother has her own preference and we all have different leave benefits. Some may completely check out from work and focus solely on their little one and others may check in once a week just to make sure they do not need to put a fire out at work. If you’re the latter of the two, I suggest that you block out time just for baby, just for work, and just for yourself – trust me, you’ll need it! During maternity leave, sleep when baby sleeps, you’ll never get that back.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Returning back to work was one of the hardest days postpartum. How was I going to work a full day and then have the energy for my son BJ while running on limited hours of sleep? Preparing for it was one thing, but leaving BJ took an emotional toll on me.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">During that time, my husband and I were living with my parents, so I knew he was in good hands, but for six weeks straight, BJ never left my side (maybe for a couple of hours at most) and I didn’t know how I was going to be away from him for 10+ hours. It eventually got easier as I learned to get ready the night before.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Looking for childcare options as soon as your baby is born is ideal especially due to waiting lists. Some companies provide childcare benefits which can help save for more diapers and wipes in the long run. Every childcare facility is different and you’ll want to take tours, get a better understanding of what’s provided (meals, wipes, even diapers), and what the day looks like.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">For breastfeeding mothers, I would start pumping milk at least one week before going back to work for some extra stock. Though you really only need one work days’ worth of milk the day you go back to work, you never know when you’ll need that extra – a return to work happy hour, anyone?</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Checklists are my best friend. I had a checklist for pump parts to bring to work and a checklist for what needed to be packed for BJ with my mother and/or childcare is what helped me the most. My suggestion would be to have double of everything (that needs to be washed in particular) – pumping parts, bottles, bibs, sippy cups, in case you have one of those nights where you just don’t feel like sterilizing.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">And up until this day, being a mother has never felt more than natural. It’s tiring and exhausting, for sure, but every stage with your little one is a learning experience for them and for yourself. I take pride in being a working mother as I am able to provide for my family and even get a break from the little one when needed (and I’m sure he needs a break from us also), however, my biggest advice is to learn to separate family from work. Though BJ may not remember these first couple of years, I’ve cherished every moment.</span></p><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.7px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Sounds like a lot of preparation in such a short amount of time? See, we’re superwomen. But also, make sure to always ask for help – women love to help other women, mother, wifey, or not.</span></p>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9141949471728863886.post-23564129190358612952021-10-23T22:05:00.002-05:002021-10-23T22:05:35.820-05:00Take a Walk Down New York Fashion Week Memory Lane <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bQ70theAq9c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>Host Missy E. and correspondent Iris L. interviewed Houston's own-designer Cesar Galindo during his showcase 2018 runway show. His humble and inspiring story is timeless and is one to watch!</div>Missy E.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14286976922667155170noreply@blogger.com0