You, too, Can Be a Style Star!

Mz. Star is a fashion/makeup/comedy/writing/ entertainment maven/superstar I met recently. I knew about her long before she knew of me, due to some shady story-telling by one Mr. Glover. No matter, she and I quickly clicked! And since one of her fave sayings is, “I’m Me B*tch”, I just knew she would be at home on the “Just Me” blog. Enjoy!

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1. Name (Blog or Government or Both): Your Style Star, I’m Monique

Star!

2. Blog Address and DOB: www.yourstylestar.com 04/03/08

3. What’s the main focus/goal of your blog? to highlight things in fashion and random pieces of pop culture or random things I like (cupcakes for instance)

4. What would people be surprised to find out about you and/or your blog? That I teach oh and I’m a natural blonde (no bleach baby)

5. How do you pay your bills? Teach kids about science or at least I pretend/ try to

6. What are your 3 LEAST favorite fashion trends of the 80s and 90s? Scrunchies, Camo print anything, petal pushers.

7. Gucci or Prada? Prada all the way

8. Three Proust Questionnaire-Style Questions:

a. What is your idea of earthly happiness? Always having good, delicious food and love

b. Who is your favorite musician? Not a musician, I’m very in love with the Killers

c. Quality you admire most in a man? honesty/ openness

9. What blogs do you use to start your day? none I read some at work though when I can

10. What the most creative and/or disturbing fall 2008 fashion trend? I don’t think it’s creative really but I love fall plaids. I’m lusting over them badly

11. What song is currently (or was most recently) playing in your atmosphere? I write sins not tragedies by Panic at The Disco

12. Give me your six word memoir: Lover of anything frosting or fashion!

Star’s Makeup Madness

**Random answer to a question I didn’t ask: Suck My Kiss

Yoga for Dummies*

*not really for dummies. just for those chained to a desk all day…like me.

While in Florida for the summer, I started taking yoga classes. There is no particular reason, other than to do something productive with my life. The fact that it was hot yoga seemed an even better reason, as it gave me the opportunity to release the toxins (READ: alcohol) from my body. (*Hot yoga, for those who are curious is yoga done in a room with the heat set to at least 95 degrees, though usually no higher than 110. Silly? Yes. Effective? Yes.)

I digress. After having attended the yoga classes regularly for a month or so, I noticed tons of physical and mental benefits. I was able to focus and relax easier, almost immediately. Anyone who knows me know how worked up I can get in a matter of seconds, so relaxation techniques are key. Further, I noticed diminished back pain, which was something I started to develop while at Columbia.

One day, while sitting at work and feeling a familiar pain in my lower back (also due to a lack of water–so make sure you drink tons!), I decided to do some of the simple yoga moves I could remember while sitting at my desk. And since you can find nearly anything on the Internets, I decided to google “yoga at your desk.”

I started doing the simple moves whenever I felt stressed, tired or even bored. Turns out, they are great for their immediate purpose, in addition to being a fabulous way to waste time while you should be doing something else (my roommate suggested another title for this blog: Yoga tutorial for when you’re supposed to be doing other ish (working, reading, etc…))

So, I took a few pictures of me doing the yoga and the link to my favorite desk yoga website. Enjoy!

Peace.

Kasim Allah’s New Video-Hevvy

I like to stay up on what people are doing. It’s my dream to be able to say, yeah I remember when _________ (insert Pulitzer Prize/ Grammy/Oscar winner’s name here) was just kickin’ it around the way. (Do people still say “around the way”?)

Anyway, I’m fortunate enough to have met many people on the verge of stardom and success during my travels, in addition to those already there. Last year, I met a young man who is effortlessly talented. He is able to link words like chains. He’s intelligent, friendly and real. Not to mention his (once) long locs and bright smile.

After featuring him in a blog post a few months ago, imagine my excitement when I opened my MySpace page today to find that he has a new video for his latest record: Hevvy. I did watch the video, but I didn’t pay much attention (to anything, visually, except that he’d cut his hair) to what was being shown, as much as I did what was being said. He always spits from a place of familiarity and truthfulness. It seems that no matter what your background, race or financial status-you always know EXACTLY what he’s talking about. Kasim Allah is at ease

Me and Kasim Allah

using metaphors and similes the way most people use their left and right hands. The skillful way in which he states the obvious in a way that is neither patronizing you for not noticing it first, nor simple and basic is amazing. To me, thats true talent.

Peace.

El Che-Stolen

So I know Rhymefest through a friend of a friend of a friend. He’s talented people and mad cool. Whenever I talk to him, I end up smiling (if not rolling all over the floor laughing!).

Me and Fest

Anyway, he has an album, El Che, coming out soon. I actually heard some of the tracks a few months ago and I feel like there are some certifieds there. Thanks to 2DopeBoyz, I found this video. Enjoy.

Peace.

Technical problems.

Due to technical problems, InterBlog will not post today. Please check again next Tuesday. While you’re here, though, you might as well subscribe to the blog if you haven’t already.
Peace.

Heart of the Matter

so as i googled song lyrics for the india arie song that ALWAYS brings a tear to my eye, heart of the matter:

*not the actual video; a YouTube compilation video

i came across what was apparently the original version:
(

this is a great song and the lyrics are beautiful. so many people i know have been touched by both versions. enjoy.

peace.

EDIT: Aeon is Dope (new title!)

This dude is clearly of the Correctional Facility Pillow/Mattress Variety**

**bound to be criminally slept-on.

Peep him:
1. Name (Blog or Government or Both) Aggregate Dope. Dave Mack!
2. Blog Address and DOB aggregatedope.com/blog. Started the blog as offthebooks.wordpress.com back in April of ‘07. Transitioned to my own server and URL in May of ‘08.
3. What’s the main focus/goal of your blog?
My music, and how my life fits around it. Secondarily it serves as a online venue for stuff that I of unquestionable taste deem dope, particularly the work of my friends. After that, it’s a catch all for stuff I come across in daily life that I find interesting.
4. What would people be surprised to find out about you and/or your blog?
The biggest post ever to date was a post about Megan Fox. It made my blog explode, and the old offthebooks URL-which hasn’t been touched since May- routinely brings in close to 6000 readers a day.

5. How do you pay your bills?
I work in non profit. Unglamorous. I stare at a computer screen all day and daydream about making music. The side (main?) hustle is music production. One day it will pay the bills. Until then…
6. What are your 3 favorite tracks–that YOU produced?
Tanya Morgan - Walk My Way
Von Pea - Good Life
Elucid - A new track we’re actually working on that I can’t really talk about!
7. Tchaikovsky or Timbaland? Timbaland! Does that make me uncultured? lol
8. Three Proust Questionnaire-Style Questions:
a. To what faults do you feel most indulgent? Laziness. It’s a struggle.
b. Who are your favorite characters in history? Thomas Sankara, James Dean and Nat Turner
c. Your favorite virtue? That I possess? Passion + ambition! In general? Selflessness.
9. Can you give us a download (and artist and title) of the DOPEST thing ever, but something most people have never heard (or will never hear)?
Prince
Leaving For New York
http://www.zshare.net/audio/16530714b6533061/

I dunno if nobody’s ever heard this, but I’ve come across a few huge Prince heads who haven’t heard it. It’s pretty random but I absolutely love and identify with this song a whole lot.
10. What song is currently (or was most recently) playing in your atmosphere? The Soul Searchers - Funk To The Folks
11. Give me your six word memoir: No matter what, I always tried.

***Random answer to a question I didn’t ask: Failing 10th grade miserably and being kicked out of school.

***What the what?! I can’t wait to hear your ideas about this one, readers!

Enjoy!

Blister in the Sun

So when I woke up, I had to Google all over the place to find this song by the Violent Femmes. I was thinking of this particular episode of one of my favorite shows of all time. Anyway, as I mention all the time, I’m a firm believe that nothing by accident; everything is for a reason. So as I’m surfing the net, I come across this clip. I am her and she is me…just substitute the name Catalano. LOL Enjoy! (Only really relevant through 2:34 mark)

O God, that I were a Man!

As promised:

1. Name (Blog or Government or Both) Yvette
2. Blog Address and DOB – CanelaNYC.blogspot.com, D.O.B. = July 2007
3. What’s the main focus/goal of your blog? Randomness (mostly in NYC)
4. What would people be surprised to find out about you and/or your blog? I’m not Asian and I haven’t listened to Redman’s “Whut? Thee Album!” in years. It’s just one of those things that stuck with me.
5. How do you pay your bills? I prioritize by finance charges, interest
rates, and last payment received.
6. What are your 3 favorite LL Cool J songs? Radio, I’m Bad, I Need Love (yeah, I know. I’m gagging too.)
7. Shabba Ranks or Buju Banton? BUJU!!!

8. Three Proust Questionnaire-Style Questions:
a. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Loneliness (not being alone. There’s a difference.)
b. Who are your favorite heroines of fiction? Elizabeth Bennet (Pride & Prejudice), Viola (The 12th Night), Yoruichi Shihouin (Bleach)
c. Your favorite virtue? Loyalty
9. What blogs do you use to start your day? Freakonomics, Engadget
10. What song is currently (or was most recently) playing in your atmosphere? Stormy Weather – Lena Horne
11. Give me your six word memoir. - Highly edumacated/not at all overrated

Random answer to a question I didn’t ask - “O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place!”

Now, that’s a pretty deep/serious/borderline crazed statement. Peep the exclamation points!!! Any idea what MissCanela could possibly be talking about???
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And you’re welcome to check the blog daily…not just on Tuesdays.

Peace and Love!

When Someone Shows You Who They Are… (AKA Closure)

Believe them the first time.

I didn’t take my own advice, now, nearly eight years later, I’m regretting that.

Once an a-hole, always an a-hole. So, in tribute to him:

I had your back from the start.
I never once regretted meeting you.
I reveled in our love.
In your laughter.
I knew that no matter what, your heart would remain.
We would be forever, in some form or fashion.
Even post B, I was there.
I down-played the down talk.
Had your back still.
Nearly eight years later.
Still sticking up for you.
Being much more of a man than you.
I saw the God in you.
So today I tell you to stand on your own.
You don’t need me to have your back.
You showed me who you were in ‘93.
It took until now for me.
To believe it.