Featured Designer

I am constantly seeking and observing new, different, and innovation Designers. In my search, I've come across a very talented woman, who also happens to be a close friend, Karin Lang. She has many businesses and talents including a very unique and innovative clothing line called "Adore Life". Not only does her designs obtain new and custom designs, they also have a positive message, to simply adore life. I am honored to have met Karin Lang and am proud to feature her wonderful clothing, "Adore Life".

Who is Karin Lang?

My love for clothing designs began at age 8, when my grandmother and I sat on the porch drawing designs. Shortly after, my mother bought my first paper doll book. Somehow, I just wanted my paper dolls to have more of a variety of clothing. That's when my love for drawing clothing designs began and I haven't stopped since. My love for art has lead me pursue putting out my 1st designer collection of women's tees that reflect the way I feel about life. I'm the kind of person that loves to dress according to my mood, as seen in the various looks on this site. The designs are a representation of how I feel about life. There are so many things in life you could choose to focus on, the good or the bad. Preferably, I choose to focus on the good and to be reminded constantly of all the things that I have to be grateful for that make my life what it is at this very moment. Therefore, I choose to share this with everyone. We have to choose what our focus and attitudes will be. I personally choose to adore life, I hope you will too.

You can Check out adorelife

http://www.adorelifekl.com/

http://www.adorelifekl.blogspot.com/

Old Men Dream Dreams in "House of Blue Leaves"

I often ask myself if leaving Howard University to chase my dreams was a good idea. Some have told me I was crazy to leave a sure thing. Others have had mixed feelings on the departure. And me? I've been undecided for the last two years- until last week when I saw Ben Stiller in "House of Blue Leaves" on Broadway.

Stiller, who made his big stage debut in the same production back in the 80's as the main character's son, returned to the production to play the protagonist. In the play, Artie, a 40-something unappreciated New York musician, struggles to chase his aged dreams while working as a zoo-keeper and caring for his mentally disturbed wife.

However, before the audience could feel sorry for Artie, we learned that he was also carrying on a very public affair with his downstairs neighbor. What a shame. I was so ready to sympathize with him as one whose dreams had never come true. As for my dreams, I never starred in a TGIF sitcom, I never went to the Olympics, and I never got to be the lead singer of a boy band.

That night, I shared my nevers with Artie as he blamed everyone for his being "an old talent", defined as one who still chases youthful dreams in old age. He blamed his wife and her mental problems for holding him back, he blamed his job for not allowing him growth, and he blamed club owners for not liking the music he played.

But there was a saving grace for Artie. The Pope was coming to New York and legend has it that anyone who makes a wish in the presence of the Pope will have that wish come true. I laughed with the audience at Artie's audacity to take his wife and his mistress to see the Pope together. But it seems that Artie really believed.

However, that visit to wish upon the Pope only unraveles Artie's life more as he looses a grip on all of the things that he does have in order to make a grab at all of those things that he doesn't.

During this play I thought back to when I let go. I just walked away. I left class, packed up my dorm room, and I hit the open high way in search of adventure. Boy, how far that adventure has taken me. From DC, to Atlanta, to Charlotte, and now to New York- all in search of fame.

But is fame really worth it? In "House of Blue Leaves" Artie's mistress, Bunny, sees him fading away in search of the spotlight and tells him that a regular life is all that one should desire because "when the stars go to sleep at night, it's us they dream of." Artie didn't take Bunny's advice, and though she sounded as deep as a home wrecker could sound, I can't take that advice either. Like Artie, there is an itch in all of us to want to be greater than we are. I felt that itch long ago, but waited years to scratch it.

Now, I'm an associate at a repuable entertainment company in New York and living out the early stages of my dreams, like going to big shows for free, skipping lines, sitting in on concert rehearsals, and being a part of bookings and contract negotiations. I'm living the almost good life. Just think, If I had stayed at Howard, I would be on my way to being a community celebrated writer of books that are only read by collegues and students. I gambled on my life, and as of now I think I am cashing in.

I looked back to the stage to see Ben Stiller, as Artie, crouched, lamenting his dreams that never came true. I also looked at the acquaintances I'd come with: an a near 60-year-old music manager, a 55-yea- old actor, and a 50 something-year-old writer; all famous in thier own circles. I watched the close of the show with a really good feeling that someday I would be famous. I'd hate to be an old talent.

jjoneswrites@yahoo.com

http://www.quickread.ning.com/

www.twitter.com/K2quared 

Remaking "Marvin's Room" While "Planking"



Chris Brown Planking

 So it seems as if social networks have been going haywire over the latest crazes.. Planking and Marvins Room. It all started a couple of days ago while I was just doing my daily tweetwatching I meant promoting and I see this trending topic #plankin. I click on it out of curiousity and see that many other tweeters had no clue what #plankin was and why it was trending. So I head to the most trusted site for information/research.......... "GOOGLE". Yes,  I google plankin just to see images of people laying face down on different objects. I think to myself  "Is this what people are trending about", and by God YES IT IS. People are really talking about #planking and the reason it is trending is because some people had died while in the act of planking.

So I go back to google and research more on this trend and here's what they're saying

1. Planking is the act of lying facedown for a photograph. The term planking originated from Australia but is actually just another name for 'the lying down game'  The specific instructions: to put your body face down to the ground (or table, or object, or anything) with your arms to the side. The act itself is to lie down on the ground. Anybody can do that, right? That's why kids are getting crazier. You get creativity points for planking in odd places like trees branches. Or escalators. Or animals!  The more wild you get, the 'better' the picture will be.

But then as I continue to Google.. I meant research I came across a disturbing passage which associates planking with the way slaves were stacked on ships

2. A plank collar is used on slave benches. It is a heavy wooden plank with five semicircular openings, when the plank is lifted it provides holding collars for five slaves. The plank is then chained down. The primary holding arrangement for women on the benches, however, is not chains. Each place on the bench is fitted with ankle and wrist stocks, and for each bench there is a plank collar, a plank which opens horizontally, each half of which contains five matching, semicircular openings, which, when it is set on pinions, closed, and chained in place, provides five sturdy, wooden enclosures for the throats of women. The plank is thick and thus the girls’s chins are held high. The plank is further reinforced between each girl with a narrowly curved iron band, the open ends of which are pierced; this is slid tight in its slots, in its metal retainers, about the boards, and secured in place with a four-inch metal pin, which may or may not be locked in place.

Toilet Stool Planking

Ladies and gentlemen are we really this bored or do we just wanna have fun?!??! I must admit since learning what it was i've been tempted to take a couple of planking pics but decided against it when I realized I had better things to do. Nonetheless I've seen some very hilarious, dangerous, out the box, crazy planking pics BUT  I've decided to leave it up to the planking professionals. (For more Planking Pics, Scroll Down)




Now on to Marvin's Room. If you have not heard, Marvin's Room is a song by Drake where he gets drunk, call up his ex girlfriend, and Lets her know that "She can do better". No harm done. The song is pretty good the usual R&B track you would expect from Drake. The problem comes in when you have 4 remakes to this one song. Its beyond annoying when I log on to my daily Blog Sites and the first thing that pops up is "Chris Brown remakes Marvin's Room" or "JoJo remakes Marvin's Room". Its redundant and useless to have six remakes to one mediocore song.

So far Marvin's Rooms has been remade by
1. Chris Brown
2. JoJo
3. Sammie
4. Teyanna Taylor

So to any artist out there thinking about doing YET ANOTHER REMAKE OF THIS SONG....PLEASE SPARE US! (See all 4 Remakes Below)




Old man Planking




Planking on a Vehicle




Planking on an alligator (I doubt is real BUT if it is, SMH)





Even Babies Plank




Planking on Camels




Walmart Planking



Remakes OF Marvin's Room 

The Review is in "Beyonce 4"

I love Beyonce and I've been waiting for her to come out with yet another platinum album. Unfortunately today is the day and I've yet to purchased it. (Yes Purchase, I refuse to download it)... But I won't leave you guys waiting. I picked up some reviews from different blog sites. I didnt want to draw my own conclusion until I actually listened to the album, but the singles I've heard thus far i've developed a LOVE/HATE relationship. "Party" and "Run the World"....LOVED IT, "1+1" and "Best thing I've never had".....HATED IT.  So you guys enjoy the (unbyass) reviews and as soon as I get MY COPY, I'll let you know how it go. Dont be scared to leave your own review of the album in the comment section.



From http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beyonces-4-a-track-by-track-breakdown-20110608
By: Matthew Perpetua

Beyoncé's new album 4 is a change of pace for the R&B queen. While her first three solo albums were full of blockbuster jams, 4 is a more relaxed, personal set that emphasizes ballads over bangers and showcases the singer's nuances; it's very much the sort of album a pop star makes when she doesn't feel like she has anything to prove. (She seems, in other words, to have set aside her alter ego Sasha Fierce for the moment.) "4" won't be in stores until June 28th, but since it leaked this week, here's a track-by-track preview of the album's 12 songs.


1. "1+1" - The album opens with its most tender ballad, a slow-burning number that calls back to both Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World" and Prince's "Purple Rain" without sounding like a retread of either tune. The song is already available as a single, but it sounds best in the context of the album, where its slow, steady build to a cathartic guitar break is the perfect introduction to a set of mostly low-key tracks about love and heartbreak.

2. "I Care" - "I know you don't care too much, but I still care," Beyoncé sings over cooing background vocals and dense percussion, delivering the words with a devastating blend of sadness and resentment. It may not be an obvious single, but it's one of the finest tracks on the record.

3. "I Miss You" - This is Beyoncé at her most understated. Her phrasing is cool, calm and collected as she sings over a simple metronomic beat and layers of atmospheric keyboards.

4. "Best Thing I Never Had" - "Irreplaceable Part Two," basically. It's a breakup ballad with a bitter, nasty streak: "When I think of the time that I almost loved you / you showed your ass and I saw the real you / thank God you blew it / I thank God I dodged a bullet." Beyoncé's vocal performance brings depth to a straightforward song about dumping a terrible suitor, conveying a compelling mix of wounded pride and genuine heartbreak.

5. "Party" featuring André 3000 - The first non-ballad on 4 is also the only song on the record to include a guest appearance by another star. André 3000 is sharp and effortlessly charismatic on his rapped verse, but the real attraction here is the track itself, which was co-produced by Kanye West and delivers a mellow Eighties-style smooth funk groove.

6. "Rather Die Young" - There's a great melodramatic kick to this song, which comes across like a quiet storm slow jam spiced up with modern drum programming. "I’d rather not live at all than live my life without you" is an unusually self-pitying lyric for Beyoncé, but she sells it well regardless.

7. "Start Over" - While the other songs on 4 all have a distinct flavor and give Beyoncé an opportunity to try something new in some way or another, "Start Over" just kind of sits there at the middle of the disc not doing much of anything. It's an inoffensive ballad that doesn't do much for the record aside from break its momentum at the halfway point.

8. "Love On Top" - This song is a shameless throwback to perky, squeaky clean mid-Eighties R&B, and it's a blast. Beyoncé sounds confident and joyful as she sings about a lover who can do no wrong. If you've been craving a modern take on old-school Whitney Houston, this is the song for you.

9. "Countdown" - 4's much-needed mid-album stretch of upbeat tunes continues with "Countdown," a playful, inventive jam that revisits the sassy spirit of B'Day's "Get Me Bodied," but swaps out that song's jumpy rhythm for a heavy brass riff and steel drum fills.

10. "End of Time" - This Fela Kuti-influenced track is one of the most adventurous cuts on 4, with Beyonce singing lovey-dovey lyrics over an ecstatic, beat-heavy arrangement.

11. "I Was Here" - A Dianne Warren-penned showstopper that disrupts the flow of up-tempo songs on the second half of the record, but it works well as a bittersweet emotional climax for the album. "I Was Here" is exactly the sort of blustery ballad you'd expect from a Warren/Beyoncé team-up, but it seems a bit flat and generic in comparison to other more emotionally nuanced tracks on 4.

12. "Run the World (Girls)" - Much like album opener "1+1," this intense club track based on Major Lazer's indie dance hit "Pon de Floor" was a bit underwhelming when it came out as 4's lead single but is exciting as the record's celebratory conclusion. After all those songs about romantic angst, "Run the World" feels totally joyous and liberating.

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jun/23/beyonce-4-album-review
By: Alexis Petridis

".................This isn't by any means a bad album. There's nothing wrong with a song such as Love on Top, which is well written, has a great vocal and will doubtless help ensure Knowles doesn't have to manage on a mere $35m in the next 12 months. It's just that it isn't the album you might have been led to expect. The highpoints offer hints of what it might have been: it's hard not to feel that what it might have been sounds better than what it is"

From http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/album-review-beyonce-4/2011/06/28/AGxjyDpH_blog.html
By: Chris Richards

On Tuesday, Beyonce drops “4,” as in her fourth album. It’s also her fourth-best album, as in her worst.


Both cool and low-key, its subdued tone suggests that she’s turning an intimate new leaf. Surprise! She isn’t. Instead, Beyonce sounds more precise and distant than ever, making these mid-tempo tunes feel vexing at first, then dull. Unlike Sade and Prince — her mysterious, ultra-private forebears — Beyonce is becoming a puzzle that might not be worth solving.

The album’s oomph is drained instantly with the Prince-pantomime of “1 + 1.” It’s a stark ballad about desire, but Beyonce’s pleading comes from the emotive one-size-fits-all comfort zone that’s become her default. “I don’t know much about fighting,” she sings in a fiery, too-familiar voice. “But I know that I will fight for you.”

She spends the rest of the album fighting to make her words sound more believable. But with “I Miss You,” it’s hard to know which Beyonce to trust. Over an airy, puttering beat, she double-tracks her apologies to an absent lover: One Beyonce coos softly in our ear while the other wails for our attention from a distance. “The words don’t ever seem to come out right,” the battling Beyonces sing. “But I still mean ’em.”

Fans are used to this sort of thing. With her 2008 album, “I Am . . . Sasha Fierce,” Beyonce introduced an alter ego to help explore her wild

side — which was actually the side we’d been exposed to all along. The album was split in two with Ms. Fierce specializing in the dance-floor urgency that made Beyonce’s 2003 debut, “Dangerously in Love,” so riveting. Meanwhile, we learned that the “real” Beyonce was into bland, pseudo-triumphal balladry, a trend she unfortunately continues here with the mascara-smudging piffle of “I Was Here” and “Best Thing I Never Had.”

She’s still at her best when she’s singing in the service of others. “Run the World (Girls)” is a classic Beyonce empowerment anthem where the message is as dizzying as the beat. As if leading a college marching band into a Caribbean street carnival, she belts out a disjointed feminist salvo, saluting a generation of women who “bear the children” and are “smart enough to make these millions.” It’s the final track on “4,” putting an exclamation point on an album that doesn’t really deserve one.

And whether it was intentional or not, “4” puts Beyonce in the company of other pop greats who have used that same number to celebrate their respective arrivals at new creative summits. Gap Band, Zapp and Led Zeppelin each released enduring “IV” albums that memorialized some of their finest hours.

Beyonce’s “4” won’t go down in the books like that. It smacks of a once-great blockbuster movie franchise sadly spinning its wheels.