Buy My Stuff & Support a Negro

Earlier today, I was in the mood to bitch slap a few muthas, but hours later, I am in the mood to hug the world.

Flashback: A few weeks ago, I mentioned here that my boy Tony “Shades” Agee contacted me & asked that I participate in an art show that he is curating this coming Saturday (8/30/08).

After I got the call, I was so excited & asked you (my blogging buddies) to help me narrow down my submission choices by voting on 2 of 8 images.

After the voting was done I selected “The Wave”, “Flight of the Syrphid Fly”, “Perfect Popping Poppy” & “Swirl”.

2 weeks ago, I placed my order for prints & as soon as they arrived, I gave them to my aunt Juicy P to matte & frame.

Flashing Forward: Well this past Sunday, Juicy P called me & told me that my pieces were ready for pick-up & 50 minutes later I was knocking at her door.

When I walked into her living room, I saw my pieces all lined up & looking so awesome. As I got closer to them they looked better & better. When I actually picked one up, all I could do was my bitch scream & I could not stop because they looked so awesome & ultra ready for a show.

I remember how excited I was to see them just as a print straight from the shop but when I saw them matted & framed, it was totally on another level.

After I got my mind right & could actually talk, I thanked Juicy P & she in turn thanked me for working with her. It was a perfect collabo!

During our conversation, she said that she believes the pieces would sale before the end of the show easily. I said that I hoped so but if not, oh well, I am just happy for the exposure.

Well yesterday, I took in the pieces to work to show my co-workers & friends the final outcome to get some feedback before the show & the unexpected happened. One of my friends told me that she wanted a piece; possibly 2 & asked me to hold them for her. I was so geeked by the notion & I held them!!!

On a similar note, today I took all of the pieces to “Designer D.” an art dealer friend of mine to get a sense on what I should be charging.

Once I got to her office, I unwrapped each frame & laid them in front of her & it was so cool watching her facial expressions as I pulled them out one by one.

As she examined them, we discussed my price for a 12x10. I explained that I wanted to start with $225.00 to which she said was good to start. “Designer D.” stated that as my name grew so would the price. She also said that at my current asking price, my items would go really fast.

After our very productive conversation, she broke me off a check for “Flight of the Syrphid Fly”, another unexpected surprise. After I left Designer D.’s office I was so in the zone & I quickly called my boo to share the news!!!!

Later in the day, I ventured over to my co-workers homes to discuss her art purchase & we had a great time in the process. After my 3 Hendricks & tonics we etched a deal for her to purchase my remaining 3 pieces plus a print of “Above it All I”.

With all this said, I am officially out of the pieces that I planned on showing for sale this weekend, which is a major problem!!!!!!!!!!

As I was driving home I called up Juicy P to see if she could whip up a few frames for me before I leave for Chicago Friday. She said that it was iffy but she could give me a definite by tomorrow @ noon. If things don’t work out, we came up with a plan B.

So when I got home, I put in a rush order for more prints & my fingers are crossed hoping that my plan A lines up the way that I want it to.

Oh wait, I forgot that I sold another print to Suite Suzy’s girl “Ramona Jones”.

With this latest unexpected sale, I had to do a quick revamp on that rush order that I put in earlier in the evening.

Coordinating all of this is going to be a trip as I try to make it to Chicago with the family Friday.

It has been a day full of drama but at least most of it came with a nice payday.

Before I wrap, check out the site that I put together in preparation for the show: www.photographybytafari.com

Bygbaby @ The Market

I took myself on a photowalk at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market this past Saturday for a little fun. I winded up getting some great shots, but I also winded up broke as hell.

I left after I spent 40 bucks & had very little to show for. A quart of black raspberries, a huge bag of basil, 3 loaves of artesian bread & 2 moon flower plants.

When I got home, I made a black raspberry simple syrup, which I later used to drizzle over some double vanilla ice cream that was served with pound cake. Then I made enough pesto to get me through WW III. The plants have not been planted yet & half dried out on the kitchen island. And the bread has barley been touched.

I guess I had fun getting broke & maybe that is all that matters.

A Few Questions

I have a lot of ideas in my head that I need to write out but I seem to have writitus now & I found questions easier to spill out.  Indulge me if you will... 

• Why come “Lucy Pearl” broke up? I loved them so & need another release.
  
• What come Congress is apologizing for slavery & Jim Crow now & what does it really mean for those of us who are “Black in America”? And does the timing have anything to do with Barack Obama? And what about my damn reparation bitch?
  
• Why come my 30” High Definition Mac monitor is off the mutha fucking hook?
  
• Why come one in every two Negroes choose to have unsafe sex, which led to them getting HIV/AIDS? And can we make them get a tattoo on there forehead that says “you don’t want none of this” since they seem to not tell anyone? And finally why is this such big news now? And finally one mo gin', why can't people just masturbate instead of spreading the hot mess to others?
  
• Why did I get all sad when I learned that Estelle Getty died last week?
  
• Why come guys in the DC area wearing pixie pants aka bitch jeans aka skinny jeans?
  
• Why come I’m so fucking excited to be going to Toronto for a long lovers getaway this weekend?
  
• Why come John McCain is blaming high gas prices on Barack Obama?
  
• Why come Congresstrick Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick give up her braids for those hideous wigs? IS it becuase she is trying to soften her image inthe midst of her stupid assed son's various Detroit scandals?
  
• Why come no one called me this morning and offered me the photographic opportunity of a lifetime.
  
• Why come the stall at work out of tissue yesterday & I did not realize until I was finished taking a major dump after some Taco Bell?
  
• Why come XM Radio took my station XM80 “the Move” off the air?  I’m pissed!!!
  
• Why come I get chills when I listen to Nina Simone’s “I Love You Porgy”?  
  
• Why come my kids insist that the know what ghetto means?
  

Don't Want it, Don't Need it!

Why I’m not getting the new iPhone 3g:

• I’m broke
• I would have to sign another 2 year contract
• I would be forced to get the new 3g service plan, which is 10 dollars more & 5 bucks if you want a minimum pf 200 text messages.  So with both, that brings the data package to 35 bucks on top of your minute plan
• The only difference in the new iPhone vs the old is GPS capability & that is not something that I need
• The software upgrade 2.0 is available for my current iPhone so I get some of the same things just maybe slower in terms of using AT&T’s network
• I don’t want to spend another 200 bucks on a disposable item

So for the record, AT&T is a bitch!  Today I spent 10 minutes on the phone with a sales person trying to figure out my bill & minute plan. My minute plan is 59.99 per month for 900 minutes & I had early nights & weekends, which is 8.99 per month (now cancelled).  I also found out that I have like 6000 roll over minutes. The real kicker is that I’m paying over 10 bucks in taxes!!!!!!  I guess I need to start reading my bill. I tried to get a cheaper plan but the next step down was 450 minutes for 39.99 per month, which is not enough because my average over the last 4 months was 407.  Basically I could get ate alive in overage fees & I am not willing to risk that.  So I will continue to get raped by AT&T until this damn contract is up. ………….

I am however, going to get the Mobile Me service offered by Apple.  It looks cool & worth the 100 bucks for convenience. With all this said, I still have the right to back peddle & get the iPhone 3g.

NYC Nigga Tales

Niggas on Broadway:  Thursday about 7pm, I was walking down Broadway headed toward Times Square to meet Suite Suzy for dinner @ Victor’s Cuban Café.  It was a long hike because I was walking from 17th & needed to get to 52nd; damn my ‘feets’ were hurting!  I know I could have taken the subway, but I really like walking to see whatever I can see.

When I made it to Broadway & 29th, I spotted a rack of sequin covered Converse All Stars & decided to pull out my camera because they looked pretty cool.  I popped on my 50mm lens & started taking shots; then out of nowhere this guy asked me if I was taking pictures of the shoes or the “niggas”.  I was thrown off by the question.  He then asked me again in a more aggressive tone.  Are you taking “pictures of shoes or niggas”.  I replied, what are you talking about, what “niggas”?  Next thing I know, like 8 “niggas” popped out of nowhere (yes, magically appearing niggas).  They were all thugged out, most with fucked up teeth & I was like hmmmmmm.

At this point, I was like the shoes as I started to walk away.  Then he and a few other “niggas” were like, we out here doing some shit, ain’t no pictures allowed.  And lastly, the head “nigga” took one of the shoes & threw it on the ground & was like came back a take a picture BITCH, if you want a picture of this bitch ass shoe, come take one now.  Since I am usually not in the mood to get into a street jump off with a bunch of  “niggas”, I declined his offer & kept stepping.

As I continued to walk, I did notice quite a few “niggas” out & about on Broadway between 29th & 30th looking like they were slangin’.

A few things I learned were,  a) niggas, can appear from nowhere, b) niggas do not care if you are an artist c) my camera bag can be used to swing on cars but not sure how it would work on “niggas” on Broadway  d) I need to be more aware of my surroundings.

Niggas Need Cabs Too:  Wednesday night after wonderful conversation & dinner at Negril Village with bloggers Cluizel, Jose Vilson, & Renea, Suite Suzy & I decided to take a taxi back to the hotel because we were both tired (and that last pomegranate rum punch me over the edge).

The decision to catch a cab was pretty easy but actually getting one was a little difficult.  I cannot tell you how many cabs whizzed by with no passengers that would not stop for us.  After 10 minutes of flagging cabs down, we finally got picked up.  We got in the cab, me with an attitude, said, thanks for picking up a couple of Negroes.

Once we were off, I expressed my frustration with CWB (Cabbing While Black).  The driver was a Negro himself, Ghanian in fact, so we had an open discussion.

He shared a few stories with us that illustrated his frustration on having to deny “his people” rides.  He told us how Blacks [some] would get in for a ride, then jump out @ the destination without paying.  He also told us how people would get in, get to their destination then claim to have little or no many.  He even described an incident when a Black woman tried to jack him up physically & monetarily.  Lastly, he stated that he was just really sick of niggas who just want something for nothing & act like you owe them a ride on GP.

The conversation was really interesting & showed me the opposite side of the coin, which gave me a little more understanding of the problem in NYC.

Once Suite Suzy & I were back in the room, we continued the conversation & she felt the reasons given by the cab driver were enough to justify the denial of rides to Black potential passengers.  I on the other hand, felt what he was saying, but the simple fact of the matter to me was not every Negro is going to jump out.

My thing is, if you want to deny rides based on a possible jumper, then you need not drive a cab because shit can/will happen on any job.   I’m Black, have money for your service, so break me off with that ride & don’t speculate on what I might & might not do, just do your job.

After my incident on Broadway, I thought back to the conversation with cab driver & said, these must be the “niggas” that he was talking about.

Stopping to Smell the Roses

My roses managed to bloom this year before the disgusting Japanese beetles hatched. On any given year, I may see a few roses but never get to enjoy them for long. It seems like as soon as a rose bud appears, it is attached by those damn bugs & no matter what I do, they always win the garden fight.

Anyway, I guess there are worse things going on in the world outside of my garden.

On a photographic note, my little unofficial but official photography is starting to pick up. I had a gig last week covering a private fashion party for Word Play T’s & got a call today to bid on the Ultimate White Party (Detroit). This job is kinda big & will require me to hire 3 photographers to assist. The assignment is to shoot the party entrants (approx. 4k) paparazzi style as they walk down the white carpet.

After hearing he idea, I called up a few friends, penciled them in to make this happen & forwarded my bid for the job. I hope this one comes through because, it will be additional exposure, a much needed credit card payment, & a good opportunity to see how Ghetto Fabulous party in all white.

One of the coolest things about the call, was that she found me through my Barack Obama photojournal via a mutual friend. The photojournals may be working.

Lastly, tomorrow, I am placing my weekly call to Wire Images to see what it takes to become one of their photographers. This will be call number 4 & I am not stopping until I get a damn call back!!!
I’m trying to stay on the grind but I am not sure where this will all lead. Sometimes I wish a I had a crystal ball.

Oh wait, I ain't done:::

- NYC Friends, I will be in Manhattan next week starting Tuesday, would love to meet for Negro Fixin's!!! (I am so looking forward to seeing "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" and a picnic in Central Park)
- Toronto Friends, I will be in town for the Caribana July 31 - Aug 3 (already looking forward eating @ Golden Thai & the Hot House Sunday brunch)
- Chicago Friends, I will be in town for a quick Labor Day weekend trip
- DC Friends, a quick trip in the works, stay tuned.

Damn, it looks like I am going on a fucking tour.

Workin' My Side Hustle

I finally completed a Landscape Management website that I have been working on for months. The client was referred to my by Cousin Dee & the referral was based in part because the client like CD’s website, which is always good to hear.

The job started out as a simple site but grew into a logo design, business cards & other print materials.

I am very happy with the final look of what I put together & the client was as well.

With another website win under my belt & cash in the bank, I am chilling on any more web designing until this semester is over & then I will still not be doing much.

I am kinda over this business venture but the money is hard to say no to, so I will be operating on a case by base basis. One cool thing resulting from this project is it may turn into some landscape photography work this summer, which will be great for me Verta Photography portfolio!

Anyway, check it out, let me know what you think & don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings!

Grace Landscape Management Inc.

The Red Years

This week, my Brother Locks are a healthy 4 years old. Top celebrate this self-imposed holiday, I got my highlights freshened with some new color. So at the last minute I booked a standby appointment with one of Detroit’s best colorists Mary V. Henderson who works at the Meagan Mitchell Salon.

So I show up at the appointment yesterday @ 3 & talked with Mary V about look I wanted (pretty much the same that I had but kicked up one notch). We discussed my options & she showed me a few swatches & strongly recommended that I go with Paul Mitchell’s “the color” (demi-permanent (not as intense as a permanent color but better than a semi-permanent)) instead of doing a Sebastian Cellophane (semi permanent).

Now that the scary technical stuff was out of the way, 1½ hours & 65 bucks later I was a new man with a red hot locked look.

When my hair finally dried & I looked in the mirror, I was so happy with the result! Mary V truly made it happen & is so on top of the color game as far as I’m concerned.

On the salon tip - All the time I was at Meagan’s, I was laughing my ass off, as we all discussed Kwame & his janky ass to relationship drama. I do miss the barber shop/salon experience, especially for hot topical conversations that can be had nowhere else. Another cool things is that I took some Quench orders & got booked to give Quench hand/foot massages at a “Christian women's bachelorette party” (yes that is what the organizer called it).

After we talked a bit, she was like you can’t do all that cussing up in her house. I was it as long as you are paying I will shut the fuck up if you want me to, she then said “oh lawd’ I need to pray for you”.

Back on the hair tip - I think I will be getting that haircut that I have been considering lately, some time early summer. I’m not thrilled with the way my locks are growing out in the back so they need a little help to get their sexy back

- Mary introduced me to the Sebastian Potion 9 Wearable Treatment, a very nice leave in conditioner that left my locks shiny, not weighted down & smelling good. Check it out, if you need to condition on the go.
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In other news:

- My boy Obama, kicked ass this weekend & I hope that he repeats the same excitement this Tuesday during the “Chesapeake Primary”. On a related note, it looks like Billary is telling some of her staff to “kick rocks” (inside joke for those who read Sugar & Spice).

- So as most broke Negroes I know, I’m excited about the 2100 bucks I am getting from the IRS. If you have been sleeping under a rock, the US Senate approved a $170 billion tax rebate plan to slow down/stop the recessions that so many are in denial about. If you are not sure if you are getting a rebate, here is some info that should be helpful.

When the plan sounded like it was going through & we were still in the financial range of getting a rebate, we had it partially spent. We decided to take the girls on a quick trip to Chicago so that they could go to the American Girls Doll mecca. They have been begging for one of those damn dolls for the longest, so I guess this is a good reason to finally give in & get a road trip out of it. The some cash will go to back to school gear. With the 3 bucks left, maybe I will invest it (in a cone of ice cream).

Is your check already spent, are you paying bills, getting repairs, or breaking yourself off with a gift etc???

A Little News w/Some T&A

Here are a few images that I captured at the 2008 Detroit Dirty Show (an erotic art exhibition). If you are a people watcher like me then you would have enjoyed the visual orgy of interesting sites.

This event marked my last photo assignment with the Detroit Fashion Pages for a while. I sat down, did the math & figured that currently, this is not worth the time spent (although I love the social high life). Not only, that when I shared my decision with the family, Olivia was happy & said that I could spend more time with the family. I was proud to hear my baby break it down like that.

Another factor that also played into my decision was that I was offered a photo editor position back in Sept/Oct 07& I was so excited. Well after waiting months for it to materialize, it never happened. That news was very disappointing especially after I was basically promised that it would go into effect Jan 08.

The cool thing overall is overall is there are no burned bridges & I left the door open for me to be available for special assignments & maybe some gigs in the summer.

My plate will be totally cleared once I finish this last website, which should be this week. At that point, I will be able to concentrate more time on this damn math class.

The Cost of Lunch

Last night, I packed myself a lunch of leftovers to bring to work today like normal. This morning the girls prepared my lunch bag for me which typically has my morning snack (Special K bar, banana, & cherry pomegranate juice), leftovers & my afternoon snack (apple & or grapes). Well rushing out the door, I saw the bag & picked it up (or so I thought) then hit the door to drop Olivia off @ school.

When I finally arrived at work around 9ish, I realized that I did not really pick up my lunch bag & shouted SHIT!!! (inside my head).

So I darted to Mickey D’s for a large OJ & fuck, I gave in to a sausage egg & cheese biscuit (I did not eat the top half biscuit in an attempt to lessen the caloric & fat intake).

With breakfast out of the way, all I had to do was get lunch; I set in my mind to go to Macy’s Marketplace to pick up a little something.

So now it's 1pm, I’m up in the Marketplace & grab a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat, a country fresh salad, bottle of water & damn, I gave in to the food urges & got an oatmeal raisin cookie. $9.79 later, I was making my way back through Macy’s but to get out, I had to go through the mens dept.

My eyes kept on focusing on sale signs, new spring wear etc, but I kept strong & kept moving. Well at least until I got to the shoe dept. where I spotted a pair of brown Clark casuals. Next thing you know, I asked for a size 12, moments later I was signing a credit slip & the shoes were in my possession.

As you can see, today, I totally fucked up everything that I said I was not going to do far as food & money. I will redeem myself tonight @ the gym and ask the elliptical machine for forgiveness.

OK, so now I am back at the office eating my lunch, (whole sandwich, half of the salad & half of the cookie) while reading a few blogs. My last blog stop was the “Concrete Loop”, where I read a story about Haitians eating “mud cookies” to survive.

Initially, I thought that this was a spoof but soon realized this was some real shit & did some Googling to find more news about it. Suddenly, I felt socially bad about my lunch time escapade @ Macy’s & wished I had taken Suite Suzy up on her offer to bring my lunch bag to me (She is home sick but functional & also taking care of Sade who barfed a few times this am).

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Poor Haitians Resort to Eating Dirt
By: Jonathan M. Katz (AP)

It was lunchtime in one of Haiti's worst slums, and Charlene Dumas was eating mud. With food prices rising, Haiti's poorest can't afford even a daily plate of rice, and some take desperate measures to fill their bellies. Charlene, 16 with a 1-month-old son, has come to rely on a traditional Haitian remedy for hunger pangs: cookies made of dried yellow dirt from the country's central plateau.

The mud has long been prized by pregnant women and children here as an antacid and source of calcium. But in places like Cite Soleil, the oceanside slum where Charlene shares a two-room house with her baby, five siblings and two unemployed parents, cookies made of dirt, salt and vegetable shortening have become a regular meal. (Read More Here)

Also check out this photo slideshow; pretty powerful!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

My math class started this past Monday & so far it is all good. But this is now!!! I know in a few weeks, my locks will start falling out because math is my weakest area & I will be struggling to hang on big time.

Over the next few days, I will be working on getting my mind right so that I can switch up to have a positive attitude about the work so that I do not sabotage myself, which has happened in the past.

In other news:

• I decided today that I am trading in my 2006 Saturn VUE for a Toyota Prius this spring. My V6 engine frequent trips have got a brotha looking like a fool @ the gas pump. Not sure if you are up on the HBO show "Curb Your Enthusiasm" or not, but my boy & Jewish role model Larry David drives one.
  
  While discussing this with Suite Suzy last night, she was like hell no, you are really starting to take on the Larry David role. I asked her what she meant & she said that I acted just like him with all his tacky ways, uncouth behavior & ability to say the wrong things at the wrong time. I then told her to go to hell because she acts just like Susie Green & treats me like I’m Jeff some times. We both laughed!
  
  
• Anyway, since I will be photographing at the North American International Autoshow Charity Preview (big time black tie event for Detroit), I will try to sneak away to get close & personal with the 2008 Prius.
  
  This Friday 1/18/08, I am officially giving up eating beef to further push my new health kick. This coming Friday is actually an important day because this same Friday last year, I made the decision to change my name to Tafari in the spirit of Kujichagulia ((Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.). This year I am still moving in the spirit of Kujichagulia & it’s all good. I was already considering this before but after watching "Fast Food Nation" one night last week, I was like, I gotta do this.
  
  Maybe one day I will be strong enough to give up pork, but I cannot imagine life without pork chops, occasional bacon and or sausages & ham...
  
  
• I know you all know that Ofra will be starting her own network, which will be called OWN. Although Ofra gets on my nerves, I am so super happy for the legacy she is blazing. So just to let you know 1st, I'm starting a letter writing campaign on MLK day to petition Ofra to bring back Video Soul for her new network. Just kidding my girl Sugar got me thinking about the old & “golden” days of BET.

Giving Consciously

Gift buying for Suite Suzy is getting difficult because she has everything & I never know what to get that will be put to use. A few weeks ago when I started thinking about what to get her but never came up with anything decent. Gift certificates are so impersonal, she has a ton of perfume, she’s lost like 25 pounds in the last 2 months & I have no idea what her bra size is anymore & our sex toy drawer is full. I was just at a loss.

So on a trip to the mall to get my laptop repaired, I walked past a jewelry store & just happened to look in as just as I was about to turn my head, I saw this bright green bracelet that called my name. I was like, hmmmm, here is her gift. I got the attention of a salesperson to ask about this green bracelet. Excitedly, she explained that is made of Malachite & the little stone in the gold cage was a rough conflict-free diamond.

Then she told me that it was this was a benefit bracelet designed by Russell & Kimora Simmons with 50% proceeds going to the Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF), an international, non-profit that raises money to educate and uplift the people and communities of Africa. With all that said, there was nothing to think about & it was mine without a doubt.

How perfect, a totally conscious gift; Negro budget friendly, it’s beautiful, designed by a Black company and benefiting those on the continent.

So tonight at dinner, I presented the bracelet to her & she was so super excited.

I guess was a good thing that my laptop died on me, which forced me to go to the mall. Otherwise she would have winded up with a book of movie tickets.

On a selfish note, after visiting the Simmons green website, I found a necklace that I liked, which will be seen around my neck soon!
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In related news:

Simmons Launches Green Jewelry Collection
Ice Accessories Joins Simmons Jewelry...
Diamond Empowerment Fund to Hold 10-day Auction on eBay Giving Works

Staying on the Grind

The post title is inspired by Erykah Badu's song “The Grind” from her "World Wide Underground" album (2003).

Every day is a struggle how to hustle some doe
If you was raised in the hood well then you already know
It be days it be good but mostly money be slow
Have you ever been hungry before
"gotta get these dollars man"

Steady on the grind
Steady on the grind
Cause I got to make it happen
For one last to make ya know me
Steady on the grind
Steady on the grind
Cause i got to make it happen
Ain't nobody gone do it for me...

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I joined the gym to get rid of my man tits. Well, weeks later, I am starting to notice results. Although the results are not major, they are still results.

When I started weeks ago I could not even do 10 minutes on the elliptical machine; now I am able to do 1 hour without a problem, I like getting all sweaty doing it! Depending on how fast I go, I can do anywhere from 3.5 to 5 miles and usually burn up to 500+ calories. Needless to say, I’m happy that I made this progress. Coupled with my ass moving on the elliptical, I have stepped up my weight lifting and added an additional set per machine to my regimen.

All this exercise has helped my energy levels, as I have noticed that I am not felling like I used to previously. I also noticed that my metabolism is faster which helps burn calories and I am using the bathroom like crazy (TMI).

In addition to my exercise, I am working very hard to watch what I eat and my meal portions. All of the fruits and veggies have my doing some major farting but luckily, by the time I get to the gym, the farting has calmed done and not nearly as bad where as when I started there.

With all this said, I am happy to say that I have lost 6 solid pounds so far and I think some inches too. A few shirts and pairs of pants are definitely fitting a bit better. Suit Suzy even felt on my booty the other day and she was like oh, fells tighter. That made me smile.

In other on the grind news:

I am the featured member on the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce website. Not sure how long it will be up, so check it out now!!!

The Detroit Fashion Pages did a feature article on Quench Essentials, sales are up and, we are saving many people from ashy skin!!! (notice the nice photos of out products.)

I just got a new web design client who happens to be a local Detroit fashion designer. Her designs have been showcased in magazines nationwide such as Essence and Vibe. Also her designs have been worn by top celebrities: Outkast, Pink, Angela Bassett, and Monique. Stay tuned!!!

Say Cheese on 1 - 2 - 3

A few weeks ago I had a Detroit Fashion Pages photo shoot with Detroit fashion maven Rufus Bartell, the owner of Simply Casual who is also the founder of Detroit Fashion Party Weekend.

Before the photo session jumped off I asked him if he wanted to crack a smile, which is when he informed me that he preferred not to smile in "pictures." Then I said (in my head) "I did not take "pictures", I make photographs cuz I'm a professional." Nevertheless, he never cracked a smile.

Anyway, Wednesday (11-21-07) I ran into Rufus at a party & he thanked me for the photos then complimented me on how they came out, which made me feel pretty good. Although he never smiled, he was mos def a satisfied subject. Who ever said taking portraits was easy was wrong!

If you are interested in knowing more about this Detroit mover & shaker read on....
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Celebrate Detroit Style: Rufus Bartell and Fashion Party Weekend
By: Lauren Sackey

Just as the cold winter weather sets in, local retailer and entrepreneur Rufus Bartell’s Fashion Party Weekend heats up Detroit. December 14-16, four lavish events celebrate Detroit’s influence on fashion and showcase the hottest looks our city has to offer.

Growing up in Detroit, Bartell credits his family for instilling in him an appreciation for fashion at a young age. Bartell honed his business and marketing skills at Western Michigan University before launching a highly successful career in the garment industry. A determined entrepreneur, Bartell didn’t allow early setbacks to dispel his dream of creating a fashion empire in Detroit. When his first store in Pontiac did not meet his expectations, he moved back to his hometown and opened Simply Casual. Now in its third location, Simply Casual plays an integral role in attracting shoppers to Detroit’s historic Fashion District.

Bartell describes Simply Casual as a “lifestyle brand,” providing a complete wardrobe that can take the chic, urban professional from the office, to cocktails, to a star-studded event. The store exudes both class and comfort, providing plush velvet couches, chilled drinks, and the latest fashion publications. Its welcoming atmosphere makes Simply Casual both a social, as well as a shopping destination. Bartell plans to open a second store, Shoehouse Boulevard, nearby on Livernois before the holidays.

Believing that “fashion is a celebration,” Bartell held the first Fashion Party in 1999 as a showcase for not only his emerging clothing store, but also other local designers and merchandisers. The show has since grown into Detroit’s premiere three-day fashion event, Fashion Party Weekend. Fashion Party Weekend unites local and national designers, providing extensive networking and advertising opportunities. The events have successfully led to national exposure for many local specialty stores and designers. (read more here)

About Last Night XII: Urban Organic Music Festival (UPDATED)

Saturday (11/17/07) I was assigned to photograph the 6th Urban Organic Music Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). When I heard about the event 2 weeks ago I got excited a) because Amp Fiddler was hosting and b) because Roy Ayers was the featured act (one of my favorite jazz musicians).

The Urban Organic Music Festival features great music workshops for those wanting to break into the business, a concert that has an eclectic mix of hot new R&B/Neo-soul (what's really new with soul) acts from across the country and always tops it off with a cherry by having a music heavyweight on the bill like my new friend Roy Ayers. Bottom line is this event is a must do for any serious music fan; it attracted online R&B maven Honey Soul, who I kicked it with briefly.

My evening at the MOCAD started around 8pm and like most events, the coordinators were happy to see me, gave me my press kit and let me in to do my thing.

So now I am up in the spot and the crowd was already thick, luckily I was able to get in some quick photos of many of the artist before they went on (talk about busy!).

As the hours went past and the who's who of Detroit showed up, I grew exhausted longing for a 15-minute nap (I was vending Quench Essentials yesterday in 2 locations from 9am-730pm) but that was not going to happen. Between taking performance photos and kicking it with friends, I got occasional adrenaline rushes that got me to 10pm when Roy Ayers entered the building. Here is shot of Anthony David and it is one of my favorites from the evening.

Now that Roy was in the spot, backstage took on a different tone. Everyone was excited and enjoyed the vibe that this living legend was giving off.

After things slowed down, I was able to kick it one on one with Roy (guess who was ultra excited). This was a moment that I had been hoping for and I had my questions ready to go.

First I asked Roy, what was on his mind when he wrote "Kwajilori" (one of my absolute favorite songs). When I finished asking the questions, he chuckled and said that he did not write it. His bass player at the time wrote the song and when he heard it the 1st time, he knew that it had to be recorded. I told him that Kwajilori also makes me smile and feel good about life and he said that was the point; then we both laughed.

Secondly, I said "Roy, I love "Brand New Feeling because it gets me in the mood", we again both laughed. I then said, excuse my French and no disrespect intended at all but.......... when the vocalist (Merry Clayton) sings, it sounds like she is fucking, she sounds so very sensual: Roy, what was going on during that time. He was like man if you only knew! He said that "she sang like she knew how to do it" and again, more laughing.

Before we parted ways, I let him know one more time how his work influences me and always gets me singing and feeling great. Usually at events I do not get photographs of myself because I trust no one with my camera and last night was no exception. So I was like, Roy, lets take a picture. He was like how, no one is around then I said, I got this and did my thing. He was like, man you are BAD! Minutes later he was on stage.

Although Roy’s set was 4 songs long, it lasted for over an hour and he set it off!!! He started with "We Live in Brooklyn," which sent the large crowd of fans out of control with excitement. He then smoothly transitioned to "Searching" and the crowd started singing. Once he neared the end of “Searching,” he asked the crowd what they wanted to hear then an unanimous thunder of the word SUNSHINE flew back at Roy, seconds later it was on and poppin’. This version of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" lasted about 30 minutes and included improv duets with most of the artists that performed that evening including Amp Fiddler, Monica Blair, YahZarah aKa Purple St. James, Melissa Young, Alison Crockett, and Profit (a new Detroit based rapper, who really got the crown hype). I mean this performance was an orgasm for the ear!

The evening wrapped with a dance favorite "Runaway". I think most of the crowd including me was up shaking their thang and singing the hook (doo be doo, run, run, run - doo be doo, run, run, run - doo be doo, run, run, run).

After the concert was over, Amp Fiddler announced the after party location and people started to file out. I said fuck that, I need to sit down before I passed the fuck out, eat & take my ass home. I made it home about 2am totally drained of energy but glowing thinking about the time that I spent with one of my idols.

Oh I forgot to mention that Roy asked for my card and I excitedly gave it to him. I hope he hits me up, how cool would that be???

::::::::::::::::::::::UPDATE::::::::::::::::::::::

Yesterday, I was contacted by Drake Phifer, the founder of Urban Organic because he stumbled across this post & loved the photos. We did a little business & he will be forwarding many of my photos to Fusicology & Detroit's Ambassador magazine. Guess whose geeked???

Quench Essentials @ the Shop-n-Sip

If you are in Metro Detroit or just looking for a road trip with a mission to shop, come check Quench Essentials out next Saturday at Spectacles for the annual Shop-n-Sip. This will be a shopping experience to remember!

Are You Moist?

If you are reading this, then 9 times out of 10 you are ashy as hell. Check your hands, elbows & legs to verify!!!

Whether you verified that you were ashy or not, I guess really makes no difference because you need to order some Quench Essentials Body Mousse anyway.

Check out my website & place an order of $20 or more before Nov 2 & get 15% off For the discount, use coupon code "fighttheashyness"

Below is a fresh batch of Orchid Body Mousse that was used as VIP bags at a fashion show here in Detroit tonight for clothing designer Maisha Davis hosted by Niki Johnson f the Detroit Fashion Pages.

I had to whip together 50 jars last night so the kitchen product laboratory was trashed by the time I was done.

Help me feed my kids!

I’m a Winner Today

First off, I am excited to announce that I won a “Motif’d Challenge” in one the Motif'd Challenges Flickr group today for a photo that I took during my birthday dinner date with Suite Suzy. I love this Flickr group & it's one of my favorites!

What you see here is the marvelous lemonade cake topped with a lemon gummy wedge & fresh raspberry served with fresh strawberry sorbet. This is a periodic desert served at Gratzi Ristorante downtown Ann Arbor, MI.

Secondly, I was contacted by my boss Niki Johnson, the publisher of the Detroit Fashion Pages (my side photography gig) & was asked to come on board as the new Photo Editor.

OMG, when she asked me, I was like damn, I’m really just a Nigga with a camera & a dream but I guess I am much more (we both laughed!!!).

After the terms are worked out, I will make my final decision & move from there. From our initial conversation, I am thinking YES, YES, YES. And yes, I will still keep my fulltime job, shit I need benefits up in this bitch.

So after all this jumped off I called Suite Suzy & Cousin Dee to share my news; they were excited for me. After I had lunch, I gave Cousin Dee another call & told her that she was talking to a real winner, she then said fuck you & hung up in my face. Aren’t best friends great!

Anyway, now I can afford to get another $18 water bottle!!! LOL

Last but not least, I did my official non ghetto photo shoot for an article article published in the Detroit Fashion Pages last week & had so much fun working with the crew & the subject. Today I got the email that the piece was online & I got so excited to see my images coupled with the journalism.

If you are interested in knowing about a rising Detroit mover & shaker, please check out the piece on my girl Melinda Anderson.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Inside Look at Melinda Anderson
By: Nicole Brown

As the Michigan Opera Theater opens a new season with the world premier of "Cyrano", Dr. David DiChiera's original opera, there are tons of preparations underway to ensure that patrons experience the French provincial countryside from the beginning of their three day journey to the end. Heading up the design of the opening weekend's events is event designer extraordinaire and industry veteran Melinda Anderson of Colonial Party Event Rental.

If the name sounds familiar it should. In the past five years, Anderson has taken the event world in Michigan by storm by transforming local venues into flights of fancy using her signature dashes of bright, bold colors and utilizing lights in unique ways. Most recently patrons who attended the Michigan Opera Theater's Encore group's Bravo Bravo! event, which Anderson chaired were privy to not just another fundraiser, but a multi-sensory extravaganza. This year's event which included the traditional restaurant and bar buffets provided by the area's leading restaurants, but featured a wide variety of Metro Detroit talent including three DJ's, two bands, a violinist, a singer, a psychic duo all inside of what seemed to be the biggest club in the world. Using modern furniture, lighting, a dizzying array of flowing fabrics and a volunteer staff of 100, the Detroit Opera House ceased to exist that evening and the ultimate home of cool was erected. Read More Here

Getting Broke & Finding Inspiration

Going to Whole Foods is always a fun trip but as anyone who shops there, it can break yo’ ass & today was no exception for me.

I simply stopped in to pick up a salad for lunch & next thing I know, I’m at the register with purple artichokes, pomegranates & an $18water SIGG water bottle (what the fuck was I thinking???).

The fruit & veggies were of course to eat but really for me to get some cool photographs. Now when I see certain fruits or veggies, especially ones that are not totally common, I think about how I could compose them for a shot.

Anyway, here is my hard earned money at work.

We will be having pomegranates for desert tonight & the artichokes with dinner tomorrow.

Pomegranates: Did You Know:

• Exodus 28:33–34 directed that images of pomegranates be woven onto the borders of Hebrew priestly robes
• The Qur'an mentions pomegranates three times (6:99, 6:141, 55:068) — twice as examples of the good things God creates, once as a fruit found in the Garden of Paradise
• The Moors (Yes, Negroes) who brought the seedy fruit to Spain round 800 A.D.
• Spanish Padres are credited with bringing pomegranates to California in 1769

Artichokes: Did You Know:

• Purple artichokes are more nutritious than their green counterpart.
• Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean basin
• California claims to be the "Artichoke Capital of the World."
• Total crop value of artichokes for the 2002-2003 crop season was almost $50 million

Bygbaby Factoid:
I love marinated artichokes on fresh green salads.

Work Them Skills Boo!

A few weeks ago, I got a call from a client who needed an emergency website together & I mean like needed in 5 days. Since it was one of my favorite clients I had to rise to the challenge, especially cuz I needed to pay my credit card down considering all of my photo equipment buys lately. And at this point, consider my iPhone & new Nikon 17-55mm 2.8 lens paid for!

The challenge was quite simple, just a basic page & a little e-commerce. Luckily this client gives me creative freedom, so the only real challenge was to come up with a design that made me feel proud (sometimes not always the case).

One day later, I submitted my design & he loved it! I was so geeked & it was on & poppin’.

Side note: Another reason I have been absent from Blogger is because I have been slaving away getting my CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) right + busy @ photography.

Well, a little over a week later than expected, the site is completed, approved & officially online. So check out my hard work here.

What do you think about it? Keep it real, I’m a byg boy.

Now I can concentrate on my homework & one final website for the next few months for a landscape design client.

Do As I say, Not As I Do

So in my “Apple iPhone: Maybe it’s Just Me But…” I talked about the racial challenges I observed (some said imagined) in Apple’s advertising campaign for the iPhone & pretty much decided not to get one.

Getting an iPhone was really not going to happen after I purchased my Nikon D40 (which is now on sale on eBay because I get a bigger better camera; the Nikon D80). I have really been blowing my personal budgets!

So anyway, last Wednesday Apple announced the new iPod Touch which looks so fucking awesome & it has some of the same features of the iPhone. The price was Negro friendly at 399.00 so I was like fuck it, when it comes out I am going to get it, especially seeing that I did not have to change/update my AT&T contract.

After I read a few more blogs, I read more Apple updates & specifically speaking, the new lower priced iPhone (OMG). Initially I was like what Negro is going to spend 599.00 for a damn phone, shit that is just too out of the box. Now the iPhone is very friendly for the Negro budget @ just 399.00 for the 8GB model.

Wednesday afternoon I called Cousin Dee to talk about this juicy tech tidbit & after some seriously intense conversation about what I should do, I had decided to just get the new iPod touch. I decided on the iPod Touch because I could really use all of the other features, such as contacts & calendar, I am a PDA slave (I currently have a Dell Axim X30, which is now on eBay). Later in the day I flipped the script & decided to go with the iPhone then called AT&T to find out about the plans. I winded up talking to some woman who really turned me off & made me say fuck it (again).

Once I got home from class, the new iPhone/iPod Touch were on my mind & I could not shake it. Shit I even dreamed about it.

So in the am when I got to work I did a little more reading about it & called AT&T back to get better clarification on the plans. This time I was happy with what I heard & talked to someone who had their shit together. Basically, all I would have to do is add 20 bucks to my plan & sign a new 2 year contract. The contract was no big deal because I have been an AT&T customer you years. With the package the rep put me up on it would only cost me 79.99 per month, I get 200 text messages per month (I probably only use like 10 per month), unlimited web browsing & I still keep my 1100 peak minutes (YES!!!).

So on my lunch break, I ran my big ass over to the mall so I could hit the Apple store (working across the street from the mall can be a dangerous thing for someone like me). Once I walked through the door, I ran straight to the iPhone & soon a salesman greeted me & asked if he could help. I was like hell yeah, I want an iPhone but I’m torn on what to do, so…. At this pint he proceeded to tell me of the price drop, which I knew about on the 8GB version. He also informed me of new price of the 4GB version, which is only 299.00 while they have them in stock as they are being phased out. This was music to my ears & I quickly said, ring me the fuck up. 10 Minutes later I was on my way back to the office with my iPhone in hand.

Once I sat at my desk, I called Suite Suzy to break the news & too my surprise, she did not go off on me. Later in the evening, I set-up my new iPhone 4GB & fucked around with it trying to figure out the features. After about 2 hours, I was a pro.

I need to mention that another factor that helped influence me to go iPhone was the fact that I saw a “minority” (Asian man) demoing the new iPhone touch. Maybe Apple does care about marketing diversity.

Now that the iPhone is more Negro budget friendly, do you think you will be getting one?

Brothers Where Art Thou

Over the last few weeks I have been engaging in conversations with some sisters out & about in Detroit about the dating scene & pool of potential boos. What I have been hearing is really fucked up & not really anything new if you read relationship blogs like Sugar n Spice, then you know what I am talking about.

Before women used to complain that all of the brothers were either in jail, on drugs, into white woman or gay or all of the above. Today what I am hearing is I cannot find anyone in my socioeconomic status, I cannot find a man with a degree and a job & most fucked up, I cannot find a man who does not live with his boys, cousin or momma.

When I hear the stories of looking for love, all I can do is shake me head and think about root cause of why these young (25-40) educated & seemingly successful women cannot find a man to meet on their level. To figure out where I am coming from read this or this story.

As an outsider looking in I feel bad for these women who want a Black man to spend their life & time with but are frustrated searching & coming up with little or nothing. BROTHERS, WHERE ARE YOU???

One of my recent conversations occurred at an AA Human Resources Professional conference with a woman from my area. This woman is in her early 30's with a MBA & has been single for 3 years has had a hand full of dated in the meantime. She says she meets men but they have not been to college or barley attended & have jobs not careers.

She went on to say that she was set on a Black man & would hold out hope for as long as possible. I then mentioned the census findings on interracial marriage & how Black woman have been hooking up with white men as an alternative then asked her how she felt about it.

She was neutral about it & said that sisters need to get in where they fit in but it would be a last resort for her.

So I had the almost the same conversation with this weekend with another sister who was down because her dating pool was limited at best but she was willing to jump into the interracial dating scene to find an "equal or better". I begged her to hold out for a brother (there has to be someone out there)!

I know there are brothers out there somewhere with the right set of demographics but I also know there are not enough to meet the needs of the YBP (young black professional) woman.

Wait let me take a second to wonder if sister’s expectations are a little too high. Are there skewed views on what success is???

BROTHERS, WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!!!

I wonder what this lack of "qualified men" is going to mean for the future of Black families. Actually, I don't even want to think about it.

Totally avoiding the interracial drama because I have strong opinions but I respect an individual’s choice(s), ladies what do you think is going on with the lack of available YBP men. YBP men, what are your thoughts & is it hard out there on you???

Pieces from the African World

If you missed my ass, well I’m back for a hot minute. Over the past few days, I have been doing a couple of assignments for the Detroit Fashion Pages & lurking on my favorite blogs (are you on my list?). I was kinda too tired to jot any thoughts down.

I’m doing this quick post because I am on my way downtown Detroit to do some photography at the 25th African World Festival. Last night I went to get a sneak peek at the vendors whom some happen to be my friends from the circuit (because of Quench Essentials).

While down there last night, I only intended to get 2 outfits & maybe a Dashiki but things took a turn for the worst financially. I winded up getting 3 outfits, 2 dashikis, 3 lock ties (from Bamboozled out of New Orleans), a sea glass bead necklace & an antique/vintage Agbada. All this for a grand total.... I am too embarrassed to admit the dollar figure. Put it this way, I will need to do 6-8 photo assignments to pay it all off.

The highlight of all of my shopping was getting my wonderful Agbada, which I winded up wearing out. Once I put it on & stepped in front of the mirror, I just could not take it off. First of all, people were stopping by & telling me how good it looked on me & second is because it matched my red, yellow & green Puma’s. So I guess it was meant to be.

I tried to haggle with the Nigerian sister who was here from VA but her & her husband where not having it but gave me a break on the tax so I guess I did OK.

As I made my way from the festival, I could hear people saying look at him, boy that’s sharp etc, which only added fuel to the fire to my over inflated ego. So after the festival I headed to Spectacles to chill with my girl Zana & to listen to her house DJ. This week she was featuring BlackMan who is a true master!

As soon as I walked into the shop with my Agbada on, BlackMan yelled out, Jesus is in the House! Then he was like, what’s up Jesus to me. Everybody including myself was cracking the fuck up at that. So for the following hour or so that I was there, I was Tafari aKa the Black Jesus.

The night ended on a good note with me safely at home giving a West African Fashion show to Suite Suzy & the girls. They only like a couple of the things I purchased but I expected that & I am still going to wear the hell out of it all!

I will be posting a funeral update tomorrow & guess what it was all good & an awesome experience. What to you hear the surprising results. Wait that sounded a little too much like the Maury show.

So before I hit the door running back downtown, here is a snapshot of my Agbada, which is from the city of Dandogo & made by the Yoruba people. The beads are sea glass beads from Nigeria as well. This little purchase set me back a little, so this means my new lens is on hold for a bit.

About the Agbada: Agbada is the Yoruba name for a type of flowing wide sleeved robe, usually decorated with embroidery, which is worn throughout much of Nigeria by important men, such as kings and chiefs, and on ceremonial occasions like weddings and funerals. The Hausa name for the robes is riga.

Although today they are often still made from hand-woven cloth, the painstaking and beautiful hand embroidery that was used in the past is very rarely seen. Fine old robes have become family heirlooms passed on from father to son and worn with pride at major celebrations.

In the past prestige robes were traded over vast distances and similar or related garments are found throughout much of West Africa. (Source | Adire African Textiles)