I will forever....

play #8 on the Roulette table in Las Vegas and Atlantic City (preferably Vegas) because tis' the episode of Chapelle's show..with the musical guest. The wonderful, the talented, the extremely beautiful...Miss Erykah Badu....beyond....

Beyond advertising...

I've heard of being desperate...I've been desperate (unspeakably so in the last year) ....I understand....we all make sacrifices, but,this woman.....this mother.... who sold her forehead as an advertising vehicle.
In my most desperate moments, I thought of selling an egg...(5 to 10 grand for an egg). I'm out of the age range now, but this woman who made the deal is still in the age range (or so they say)...and personally, before I permanently scar my forehead for 10,000 dollars (my child would have to need a life-saving operation)..I would sell his unborn, unfertilized sibling. No doubt about it. But...to each her own...I guess... She said 10,000 was like a million to her and would allow her to send her child to private school. Okay....but who's gonna save the child from the teasing about his mom's forehead. I'm reminded of a scene from Forrest Gump , Sally Fields played young Forrest's mom....The principal wanted to place Forrest in a "special" class. His mom wanted him to have the same opportunity all the other kids had...so....she invited the principal over for a "meeting".....the principal exits the house...Wiping his face and gathering himself..young Forrest sits on the porch....The prinicipal looks at Forrest and says "Your mother sure does care about your education" Forrest looks back at him and starts to moan (the way he heard the principal moan during the "meeting")....Craziness...

What's more disturbing is the company who agreed to pay her for such a thing....Come on....Over the top..... And I would intentionally boycott a company for outlandish advertising ploys...this is such. What a company should've done was....match her e-bay bid of 10,000 for her forehead and give her an extra 10,000 to not do it. grand total = 20,000... and have her advertise on her car or give her a bunch of T-shirts with the company logo....Same publicity except they would appear to be a more humane company......Very Scary.......in the great words of Eddie Kendricks......"Goin' up in Smoke."

POP - JOHN LEGEND

There is nothing better than an extremely talented musician, with cuteness to match....I, two days ago decided to check out this John Legend I hear so much about. I kept hearing songs on the radio and in all my (R&B) friends cars and at parties and so on and so forth...but like a frightened kitten who waits til' the coast is clear to ease from its hiding place to enjoy the bowl of milk set down for him/her...I must discover things in my own time. I have discovered, ya'll...... And am so pleased..the piano players have it. From Stevie Wonder and Barry Manilow (that's right), to D'Angelo, Alicia Keys and finally my new found love...Mr. John Legend....do the damn thing. I learned the words to "Ordinary People" in one day....not intentionally but I wore my new double-sided John Legend cd out...already.

I'm not going to break down each track....I'm no official (jaded) reviewer....I am a consumer....didn't call some company begging for a freebie....purchased with my HARD EARNED money...I have nothing to gain or lose....so Truth it is....I do suggest buying the album (he even has the lyrics- love that.) If you like only three songs on the album (you'll like more) you will still feel like you got your money's worth....how 'bout that?

I will say this about the one single I can't stop listening to.....even though it's been played to death...... If I had to go to the record store in search of the single "Ordinary People" I would have been willing to bet 2 billion dollars that the name of this song was "Take it Slow" and I would've failed to pay up on that one.

Most folks or most folks I know, have a Stevie Wonder box set or two.......I have every album re-released on compact disc.....Not mad at it.....pleased to have them....as I am a collector....but.....the reason is not because I just went and bought up all the Stevie Wonder cd's. Many, many moons ago..while in search of a very specific Stevie Wonder song....I would buy a cd if the track's listed seemed like they could possibly be the song I just had to have..."AS" was the song..is the song..I know it well and so do most...but before it was featured on movie soundtracks....Dayna was in search. Already owned, Original Musiquarium, hoped for the best....wasn't on there. Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale were my first "on the search" buys and then you couldn't tell me it wasn't on Talking Book.......I knew I had it....got home discovered a plethora of beyond beautiful songs.....Knew it wasn't on Hotter than July (already had that one cause' my favorite club cut...All I DO)..... couldn't find the song I thought was called "ALWAYS" would've bet 2 billion on that one as well......would have lost as well.....and I'm almost ashamed to admit because it just seems like something a child of the 70's should pop out....knowing.....of course the song was on Songs In The Key Of Life.....things seem so obvious later......This translates as a sign as to what's to come for John Legend.... He is on his way....and good for him....and I look forward to being taken on the John "becoming a" Legend train...

And now I know how the universe looks out for Sistah' Dayna.....I was expecting to see John Legend open for the talented and beautiful and kind in nature, Alicia Keys, memorial weekend........instead.....love him dearly.....he's a gifted artist......Common......nice and all....but had I jumped on the John Legend bandwagon before her concert and was all aglow at the thought of actually getting to hear John Legend live and Alicia Keys.....in one night....on one stage.....I would have been devastated....instead I was allowed to enjoy, Common, without the grumpiness of LEGENDARY disappointment....Thank you, John, for practicing on that piano and thank you, Kanye West, for helping get the brother a check for his talent (cause' it suffers when you have to wait tables.)


FREE LIL' KIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
they seriously try to break a sista' down and a sista' sure made herself easy prey.....
Is there that much space in these correctional facilities? I'll answer..no. Give the woman a fine and house arrest ....damn!!!!

SWEATIN' TO BEAT THE BAND....

AND WALKING TO THE EDGE OF NOWHERE,
would be the title of my Sunday walk in Los Angeles (if I had to title it.)
I map these walks out in my head and they seem totally do-able. I hit the streets(i-pod-less) with just me and my thoughts and a credit card for the reward , a hearty meal....that's right...could be worse. I could have it delivered, roll over in bed, eat a hearty meal and roll back....Instead I set out on a mind clearing, waist-maintenance walk (patting myself on the back.) The walks are nice for the mind and it gets the blood pumping.....but I do believe genetics play the bigger role in the "decent" waistline area. I'm not obsessed with weight gain or loss.... I come from family with a vast variety of sizes and shapes....and nobody's trippin' about it.....Out here in lovely LALA land.....everybody seems to be trippin' (even me now..a little) The kicker is when some (heterosexual) guy I thought was kind of cool starts going on about his weight and how much he's gained and has to watch what he eats......Good Lord.....I've never noticed men talking about their weight until I moved here.....Not to insinuate the average East Coast man doesn't care about his weight...but he refrains from talking about it in mixed company....it's not the norm. It's the norm here. They could use the "Hey we live near the ocean!!" excuse, but I'm not going for it. Don't talk about it.....Just be about it...Please spare us the details.....MAN.
So......I head out with the plans of a two hour walk....one hour until my destination...nice meal...or movie.....and an hour back. I do believe, a man who wanted to see how crazy people would become if the roads and freeways were crazy must've designed Los Angeles.....because.....my so called two hour walk...turned into a five hour journey through the desert (at least that's what it felt like when I tried to find a place to BUY a bottle of water). And once I found a place that was open I was scared to drink water because you know what comes after input...output..... and who knows where I would be when nature decided to call....... MadDayna beyond the thunderdome....Streets just friggin' end....no rhyme, no reason.....and a lot of them. Then they pick up again....but if you're on foot, you can't chance following a road that just ends..and you can cut two hours off a walk by heading south on this block instead of that block but if you take this block...going the same way...it's going to take you four hours......I was like a mouse in a maze.......A not so innocent looking citizen pulled over and asked me if I needed a ride.....mind you...I'm decked out in workout gear, no purse, no backpack....I look like I'm excercising but to him I guess I just looked like a victim.....I don't make a very good victim so.....I yelled back....LOUD....so the people hidden away in their homes would hear...."I'm exercising, man!" Apparently not into a scene.....he sped away......I steered a Ford Expedition filled with six ready to shop girls....Away from Rodeo drive....I didn't mean to...being a woman...I'll admit it....I said make a right instead of left..they we're well on their way before I could correct myself...I just hoped they wouldn't get the opportunity to reprimand me for my mistake.....and three hours in....just when I thought I could not go on and considered calling a cab, but knew I was too close to home and food to go out like a sucker...A sweet (cute) guy on a bike slowed down...told me I had nice skin and kept it moving.....Thank ya Sailor...I needed that......A little compliment sure goes a long way.....I was able to continue (by foot) to my (first) destination and take enough of a break to continue home.

Now to admit where my first destination wound up being.....originally it was another store.....Los Angeles is much bigger than the map in my head ....so I had to forget my original goal....it was beyond unrealistic....I wound up at...a..... THAI restaurant... I was not a Thai fan in New York, at all, though everybody and his or her brother was....I would always say please no Indian or Thai but somehow I always wound up at a Thai resturant (lesser of two evils) with Production folks...Lemongrass on seventh ave was one of the favorites, Republic in Union Square was another...though I don't really know if they were officially Thai....I do know it was a Production favorite and I left the east coast, not having found a dish I long for or even really want just for nourishment.....Especially since Republic was across the Square from Zen Palate.....a vegetarians haven.....I'm not a vegetarian......but they really did wonders with vegetables....and I do miss the Cranberry Iced Tea....I could sometimes talk the less militant production folks into Zen Palate over the "trendy" Republic. Every attempt to find a "safe" dish was useless...I just couldn't get with the daring mix of beef, shrimp, noodles, pineapples, papaya and nuts of all sorts. Food being my first love, nothing was more stressful to me than trying to find something I like at one of these THAI restaurants folks love so.....I have officially been converted. Sunday, July 3rd was the first day in all my life.....I have ever craved and initiated a Thai meal. I even passed one of my yummy little french restaurants to make it to this restaurant (only a few blocks.) I ordered Nutty Chicken (mild) and Chicken Pad Thai...I can't believe it.....and as I type right now...I'm sipping on coconut juice(wondering what they thought I was going to accomplish with this plastic spoon and this hard coconut) and about to end this post so I can go enjoy the Thai that was just delivered to my home...What's happening to me.....I can no longer think while the aroma of yummy Thai food(clearly laced with crack) sits on my kitchen counter.....Peace...

And let me add....the guy who asked me if I needed a ride could've just been a good samaritan (yeah right) but I'm always about placing safe over sorry....

Also props to my favorite woman in the world......My Great-Grandma for giving me the cool saying "Sweatin' to beat the band"......and many more of my Grandma's verbage.... will, I'm sure, float from the caverns of my mind out into the universe. At least I hope so...because she is a gem and comical in a very serious way. I say hope because its involuntary. I usually don't notice what I'm saying until someone else flashes me a "Did she just say what I think she said?" grin.

Still haven't seen WAR OF THE WORLDS....dangnammit!!

A Holiday Ode To Chevy Chase

On a hazy day with my modern problems
I found out fletch lives
I followed him under the rainbow
Into a dusty caddyshack
It was filled with foul play
On our european vacation
That man was nothing but trouble
He conspired with three amigos
Made a deal of the century
Impersonating spies like us
Which landed them all in the funny farm.





God Bless Chevy Chase!!!!!!

Say it Loud....

VENUS WILLIAMS defeats Davenport!!!!
For years I have had an issue with the way commentators, report the Williams sister's tennis matches..and for the way their fellow professional tennis players talk about them. Whenever talking about a Willliams' win, they love to point out the injuries of the opponents and how Venus just barely outlasted or Serena pulled ahead due to her opponents foot, finger or knee injury..and yadda, yadda, yadda.....Just say it loud......the Williams sisters are skilled, gifted and proud.... Is that wrong?

I've also heard a lot of "Oh Venus was lucky this" and "Serena was lucky that" and luck..luck...luck...

Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity. -Oprah Winfrey

Venus and Serena are lean mean PROFESSIONAL tennis playing machines....Just face it......In the great words of Notorious B.I.G. -"Player haters get away or my lead will spray". It took too many years and this EPIC win for Lindsay Davenport, who I could kind of like (because she reminds me of Sally Fields- bitter version) if I didn't question her sincerity, to give a smidget of the load of respect Venus Williams as a professional tennis player deserves. Professionals, professionals..professionals who work hard on their craft to perfect it.....remember this fact and stop talking about them and treating them like they are just some really lucky inner city kids. Yes, Venus Williams outlasts Lindsay Davenport to take the Wimbledon.....She also outplayed her.
and yes I did miss it competely...I had to read about it on-line. Coulda' gone to a sports bar....but I don't really like to watch these matches in mixed company. The usual feel I get from watching a Williams match, especially when she is gaining on her competitor, is not "Venus was lucky the ball cleared the net" or "Serena was lucky with her 110mph serve", I'm more reminded of a lion tossing a mouse back and forth between his paws before he dines.

Still floating in the river of Da' nile about Luther Vandross....sad loss for the musical world.....relief (I'm sure) for his soul...RIP.
The first substantial amount of money I won on a casino slot machine was during the intermission at a Luther Vandross concert in Atlantic City, NJ. One of my buds worked at Epic records...we had backstage passess and the ability to come and go as we pleased. The man put on a show....his voice thundered across a venue like a direct order from Mt.Olympus, commanding well deserved attention and keeping it on him as he graced us with songs embedded in my psyche. I haven't had a mini Luther concert in forever....maybe I'll jump in the car with a collection of his work and take a cruise on the PCH while inhailing the fresh ocean breeze.

Walk the Quote Land Deux

Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior. -Socrates

Life is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors. -Louisa May Alcott

Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. -Malcolm S. Forbes

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. -John F. Kennedy

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. -John F. Kennedy

We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth. -John F. Kennedy

We declare our right on this earth to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary - Malcolm X

Truth uttered before its time is dangerous. -Mencius (Mengzi Meng-tse

Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. -William Penn

A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably. -William Penn

There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.-Mencius (Mengzi Meng-tse

An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox. - Mexican Proverb



To lighten things.....
I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know that I'm not blonde.
-Dolly Parton

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
-Lily Tomlin

To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail.
-Jane Fonda

Girls Hold up This World

Anyone who has an initial negative response to this book....is just jaded (not Jada) and detached from his or her emotions. And probably headed at 120mph towards hardened arteries and a face full of sourpus wrinkles..(or doesn't really like black folks) how 'bout that? (and I've read a couple of bitter reviews.) Here's an ador-a-blay one:

A Customer Review I found on Barnes and Noble.

Lauren Reed-Gibson (drreedgibson@yahoo.com), 15, violinist/dancer from Det, Mi, May 19, 2005,
It's a comforting book. I loved the book. I bought the first book at Borders, in Dearborn, Mi. The book comforts me when I am down. I know being a 15 yr old myself is a hard thing. A lot of elder women try to encourage young females to believe in them selves, and with the support of her writing a book about it was outstanding. Some people may not like it because every body else is doing it, but since every one is on the same page, trying to make the world a better place by helping young females is a great idea. If we work harder the job will get done. keep up the good work Jada, thanks to my #1 fan God,mommy(Valerie),Grams,Maya Angelou,Sister Souljah,Venus & Serena,Oprah,Madonna,and every other female who has supported girls to believing and achieving thier goals/dreams. Much love from Lauren Reed-Gibson, Jada's #1 fan

Couldn't ya just.....

Now....the response of a 15 year old girl...at 15....I was deciding whether or not life had enough to offer for me to stick around.

I want to buy 40 copies of this book....have them signed by Jada Pinkett Smith and Donyell Kennedy - McCullough, package them up....and send them to 40 of the women in my life...from my Grandmothers to cousins to friends I no longer associate with.....Simply... beyond cute and loving. I walked to Barnes and Nobles today....just to check out the children's book section...I feel secure enough now that the first installment of my own is completed and beyond words. Did not intend on buying any children's books....just looking. Hadn't really heard much about the book.....knew it was in existence but wasn't running out to buy it.....especially since I'm in my (early) 30's. Well.....tears welled up....and yes now that the blanket of depression has been lifted and I'm experiencing life the way I'm used to.... in vivid colors.....I have a heightened sense of emotion towards all things.....good or bad.....ice cream, a good movie, an ocean breeze, roasted beet salad, rain, sun, Fiji water (and ice made from it)climbing stairs, stubbing my toe, a good song, a bad song,....walking 2.3 miles (uphill) to Barnes and Nobles...opening "Girls Hold Up This World" and tearing up third page in and about to really cry over this very adorable book.....If GOD came to me to strike a deal and said "You would die now, but you'd come back in 9 months as Jada Pinkett Smith's daughter.....I'd have to consider.....

I also bought a book...I"m not going to be able to read for a loooooonnnnnggggg time...This is why I don't go to bookstores....I'm on the bookstore wagon....and I fell off today...I bought..."A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" right...the title is brilliant....but this guy appears to be in the middle of a nervous breakdown and trying to take us with him....he'll have to excuse me for a while..I'm not in the mood.

What I really wanted was A Lotus Grows In The Mud, by Goldie Hawn
(man I was just talking about her)....you tell 'em Goldie.....the book was heavy and I swear that little 2 mile walk......5 minute car drive....hour uphill for me....pitiful....almost broke me and I already had things to carry. I'll have to pick her up...in vehicle. I wanna go out and buy a coffee table so I can put Mrs Pinkett-Smith's book on it......ooooooohhhh their little girl is Darling. Her nickname should be Darla..good night.

POP - WAR OF THE WORLDS?

I attempted to go see WAR OF THE WORLDS @ The Grove, tonight..opening night...after all the worker bees got off of work and bought up all the tickets...tis' why I love a matinee. Remember when matinee's were actually a bargain? Half off the usual price....now they think they're doing you a favor because they give you two dollars off....it really bugs me...not because I'm cheap....Have entertainment....Will charge it....but because...historically....a matinee.....is half-off...not anymore....oh the thin (taurean) line between change and stability...that is the Taurean's thin line.

Taurus' we don't like change but crave it at the same time...imagine the battle....
I did make it to a "matinee" of BEWITCHED(there is no need to live in Hollywood or it's surrounding cities if you have no interest in movies or moviestars.) I'm....treading....lightly. Because I love the writing style ( and power) of Nora Ephron....seriously....I don't know anyone who would have gone to see BEWITCHED with me (unless they were just trying to spend time with me and willing to make the sacrifice.) so I went to see it with my best friend...me. I was waiting for friends to go see WAR OF THE WORLDS...no problem except so was everyone's Mom, sister and Step-Dad (we had a goooood meal instead) Back to BEWITCHED....let me state for the record...I will be purchasing this movie when it is released on DVD, cause it was kind of cute. What I really love about a good movie with a good cast is its ability to allow me to lose myself.....even after possibly seeing each leading character, featured, no less than a half-dozen(Krispy Kreme) times in other roles...Nicole Kidman is a darling...and Will Ferrell is a fool.....as it should be....and I loved them...Shirley Maclaine who is just divine all the time, was not used to the best of her ability, yet still ultra enjoyable...as far as "Enjoyable" goes. I also saw that Francine Maisler was the Casting Director. I was (briefly) a temp in NYC for her at Sony Pictures in the casting department for "RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS" imagine my excitement when I answered her phone.....and on the other end was Penny Marshall.....with that voice.....Oh I've lived....sheer (quiet) excitement. I often think of Miss Maisler when I'm trying to find a decent slice of pizza in LA (damn near impossible.) Me, Francine Maisler and her sweet protege/assistant (Kathy?) found time for an official lunch one day (finally.) I found her excitement for a good slice of pizza intriguing....it was foreign to me...tis' foreign no more. Regretfully, here in the west, I completely get it, but I'm still kind of floating in the river of da'nile about it. They told me I had a job with them if I ever moved to L.A. I believe the year was 96'...I was nowhere near ready...Have to be extra secure and grounded or you will drift away........on a memory.....

BEWITCHED.....I don't know.....I was just hoping for (a whole lot) more. I was suddenly aware of my expectations for this movie, while still in the middle of the movie...not a good match. Maybe someone else was supposed to take the directing reigns.

At some point, everyone has some kind of, "hey, I could do that moment" in a career...From Doctor, Lawyer, to Director. As humans we have the right to "Consider". There are some aspects of any job we could accomplish. I had a fleeting moment where I thought "Hey I could direct my own work. I could cast so and so and so and so and get a really good DP". A wiser, know myself all too well, me..knows better. In directing you have to embrace all aspects.......casting, location, production design, wardrobe, make-up, camera angles....blah, blah, blah... In the great words of Ordell Robbie "F*%$ that noise jack!" I'd rather place my story in the hands of a passionate Director who lives to create pictures from words....much better scenario for me and most...not all..It plays out like a magical symphony for some...ie..George Lucas(fellow taurean), Quentin Tarantino etc..etc. and I still float away at times...tempted by the glory (and paycheck) of being a film director but quickly grounded by my lack of passion for being the actual tool in creating the picture.. It's in the details....
FIne with being the writer who bobs up and down with angst and excitement of seeing the finished product.
Overall, I liked BEWITCHED...I had giggle out loud moments....and.....I mean...I totally got it....but...that whole becoming aware of my expectations for the movie, while sitting in the movie thing... really bummed me out. I'm tired....ending......right.......now!

P.S....make that money Sir Michael Caine!!!! I sometimes forget to mention him....Here's my one mention.....While watching him on the big screen in BEWITCHED.....I did not once... think ..."Hey, he's in Batman and Bewitched both playing now...didn't occur to me until way later....Speaks Mountains!!!!

Tabula rasa

writing my first screenplay...
moving to Los Angeles...
Starting my blog.....
creating a children's book....
showering every morning..
here's to a million more new beginnings and fresh starts for everyone...

what's next.....learn french...move to Paris (for a little while)....and work on the greatest fresh start known to all creation....









If it's in the cards....
(I'd be bummed if it weren't)




Off to the movies....