relationships

Morning Wrap Up 10/25/2011

Allegedly, J-Hud broke off her engagement with fiance-Punk. The internet is buzzing with rumors that Punk’s refusal to sign the prenuptial agreement was the game breaker.

Nas: My 17-year-old daughter was the initial reason I contemplated quitting rap.

“It’s crazy, because when she was young, she was a baby, I thought, Aw, man, I’m gonna quit this rap sh*t before she becomes old enough to even know what I’m doing, what I did for a living. I never thought that I’d be still doing it while she’s a teen, growing up. And I’m still in the game. It kind of f*cks me up,” Nas explained. “It’s weird as f*ck sometimes. But then, other times, it’s, like, perfect. It’s, like, I’m glad it worked out this way. ‘Cause then I would have to be telling her, “No, I really was a somebody in rap. Like, you got to believe me!” via sohh.com

Pharrell Williams continues to add onto his extensive resume, as he has unveiled plans to release a book in the near future entitled “Places & Spaces I’ve Been.”

While details are still coming together, the music hitmaker has teamed with fashion designer Ambra Medda for his latest project.

Given his air miles, it makes perfect sense that the Virginia Beach native is working on a book with Ambra Medda, co-founder and director of Design Miami and Design Miami/Basel — “Places & Spaces I’ve Been.” Having worked with Williams in the past, Paper magazine’s Kim Hastreiter said they will no doubt work together again. “He is gracious, smart, super handsome and has an amazing style and eye,” she said. via Panache

Introduction:

The internet is abuzz over Bill Duke’s upcoming documentary “Dark Girls.” This film explores deep seeded issues of colorism in the black community. Private one night screenings of “Dark Girls,” is currently underway, in major cities. Bill Duke also directed “Cover,” and “Hoodlum.” Watch the trailer on my facebook page, outstanding!

Backstory:

“Dark Girls” takes a compelling look at the impact of colorism: a state of prejudice, conscious and unconscious, that causes both black people and white people to label as more beautiful or desirable or intelligent individuals with lighter shades of skin, particularly when it comes to black women. Few among people of color are unfamiliar with the saying: “If you are light, you are all right. If you are brown, you can stick around. If you are black, get back.” A writer in The Washington Post aptly described the phenomenon a few years ago as “the crazy aunt in the attic of racism.”

And it appears she may be getting crazier. Almost buried in the midst of the Oprah lovefest was the news that the huge protest generated last month by a Psychology Today article — purported to be a “scientific” examination of “Why Are Black Women Rated Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women but Black Men Are Rated Better Looking Than Other Men?” — resulted in the publication pulling the article from its Web site.

As important and necessary as this victory was, it provides small comfort when one considers that less than two years after Google executives apologized for a doctored picture, which gave Michelle Obama the facial features of an ape, after it showed up in a Google Images search. The offensive photo still remains available on the site for all to see.

Source: NY Magazine

Real Life Notebook: Iowa Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands, an Hour Apart

By CHRISTINA NG

Oct. 19, 2011

A devoted Iowa couple married for 72 years died holding hands in the hospital last week, exactly one hour apart.
The passing reflected the nature of their marriage, where, “As a rule, everything was done together,” said the couple’s daughter Donna Sheets, 71.
Gordon Yeager, 94, and his wife Norma, 90, left their small town of State Center, Iowa, on Wednesday to go into town, but never made it. A car accident sent the couple to the emergency room and intensive care unit with broken bones and other injuries. But, even in the hospital, their concerns were each other.
“She was saying her chest hurt and what’s wrong with Dad? Even laying there like that, she was worried about Dad,” said the couple’s son, Dennis Yeager, 52. “And his back was hurting and he was asking about Mom.”
When it became clear that their conditions were not improving, the couple was moved into a room together in beds side-by-side where they could hold hands.
“They joined hands; his right hand, her left hand,” Sheets said.
Gordon Yeager died at 3:38 p.m. He was no longer breathing, but the family was surprised by what his monitor showed.
“Someone in there said, ‘Why, then, when we look at the monitor is the heart still beating?’” Sheets recalled. “The nurse said Dad was picking up Mom’s heartbeat through Mom’s hand.”
“And we thought, ‘Oh my gosh, Mom’s heart is beating through him,’” Dennis Yeager said.

Norma Yeager died exactly an hour later.
“Dad used to say that a woman is always worth waiting for,” Dennis Yeager said. “Dad waited an hour for her and held the door for her.”
The inseperable couple was engaged and married within 12 hours in 1939 on the day Norma Yeager graduated from high school.
“She graduated from high school on May 26, 1939, at about 10 a.m., and at about 10 p.m. that night she was married to my dad at his sister’s house,” Sheets said.
The vibrant duo had a “very, very full life.”
They worked as a team. They traveled together, they were in a bridge club together and they worked in a Chevrolet dealership, creamery and other businesses together.
“They always did everything together,” Sheets said. “They weren’t apart. They just weren’t.”
Dennis Yeager described his father as an “outgoing” and “hyper” man who was still working on the roof of his house and sitting cross-legged with no problem at age 90.
“The party didn’t start until he showed up,” he said. “He was the outgoing one and she supported him by being the giver. She supported Dad in everything. And he would’ve been lost without her.”
Dennis Yeager said it is strange today to go into his parents’ home and see the “two chairs side-by-side that they sat in all the time,” empty. He said it was in those chairs that his parents cheered on the Arizona sports teams they loved and rarely missed an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Price Is Right.”
According to their obituary, besides their children, the Yeagers are survived by her sister, Virginia Kell, and his brother, Roger Yeager, as well as 14 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Where Is My Love Like This?????

Single, Bi-Sexual Black Man Seeking Black Woman

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT. Write this, just want some opinions on this article.

I have this Black male guy friend. He just landed on the opposite side of 30 and finds himself single. Very marriage minded; he eagerly waits for the day when he can meet that special lady and have children. He’s a successful entrepreneur in New York City. He has a devilish sense of humor. He LOVES his Momma and always conducts himself as a gentleman. His body is cut up like a Greek statute thanks to his daily body building and yoga routines.

His smile can light up a room. And above all else he is a man of principles; this guy is honest and refuses to play games with a person’s heart. So Single Black woman having trouble finding a ‘Good’ Black man…interested yet? This worldly Libra has his own place in Brooklyn (with Brooklyn swagger included). He enjoys spoiling a lover with time, affection and attention. He travels frequently and runs in some very interesting circles. He’s also a personal trainer so you know he’s got ‘stamina’ and what Good Black woman doesn’t want that in a man?

He shoots hoops with the (equally fine) fellas! He’s a collector of African art! He’s a writer, poet and photographer! He’s also a very active and in demand MODEL!!!! Are you sold yet? Oh, yeah. There’s one more thing I forgot to mention.

This single marriage minded, eligible Black man is also bisexual. That’s not a problem, right? Because he still possesses ALL of the qualities listed above, doesn’t he? He wants to marry a woman and have kids some day soon. Like any other man, he wants to make a baby and one day be known to the world as ‘Daddy’. He has everything these single Black women say they want in a ‘Good Black’ man, no?

Queen ‘O’s knew what to do to (further) boost her ratings during her finale season of her monumental talk show. Her latest show with author J.L. King’s revisited the topic of down low brothers. Nearly everyone who watched it noticed the exploitative undertones of the show. I doubt some Black women need encouragement or a reminder from Oprah to continue to diligently witch hunt those lowdown, down low, sneaky, whorish, lying, conniving “closeted” BLACK gay men.

Some men are living a ‘down-low’ life; just like there are straight men that fall into bed with anything with a heartbeat and put their health and the health of their loved ones at risk. There are homosexual men that are semi-closeted and only come out to their close friends and family. There are homosexual men that live their lives in total secret for professional and religious reasons. There are homosexual men that do not go ‘down low’ to satisfy their alternative sexual appetite There are homosexual men that are happily out and F-you if you don’t like it.

In the mean time guys like my friend Corey are pushed further and further into the realm of nonexistence. The behaviors and examples of gay men that are shown in the media all seem to be specifically chosen to reinforce the stereotype of the sissified, feminine, weak male. These are the images of gay men that both female and male heterosexuals find familiar and non-threatening. Homosexual men are not thought to be threatening or taken seriously. Homosexual men are here for your entertainment; or to be your best girlfriend; or at the very least, to tighten up your Doobie.

People often confuse sexuality with gender. Sexual orientation refers to sexual desires, feelings, practices and identification. Sexual orientation can be towards people of the same or different sexes (same-sex, heterosexual or bisexual orientation). Gender identity refers to the relationship between sex and a person’s experience of self expression in relation to social categories of masculinity or femininity (gender). Sexual orientation is not something you can ‘see’ no matter how great you think your ‘gay-dar’ is. A person’s gender has nothing to do sexual orientation. There are many bisexual (and homosexual) men and women who exhibit behavior in line with traditional gender roles up to and including the desire to marry someone they love and waiting for day when it will be their turn to pop out some youngings.

But what are the odds that a Black woman would still find this “Good” Black man to still be a worthwhile catch upon learning that he is bisexual? Would these Black women who are so desperate to find a ‘soul mate’ be willing to consider life with a man who openly and honestly admits to having maintained past relationships with both men and women? If he were to commit to one woman while in a relationship I don’t feel like his sexual history with men would matter any more than a straight man’s sexual history with other women. After all, as a bi man, Corey is DEFINITELY attracted to black woman.

I think Corey is a “Good” Black man and he will make some lucky man OR woman a fine partner one day. He’s old fashioned and is looking to settle down and have children. I think he’ll make a GREAT Dad when his time comes. Here is a BLACK MAN who isn’t a felon, nor is he a disrespectful, cheating, emotionally unavailable, underemployed, abusive, angry, low down, “down low” excuse of a Black man. I’ll take him if yall don’t want him! Rather than looking at his sexual orientation as a DISQUALIFICATION, I’m willing to bet there are plenty who would accept his sexual orientation as a part of who he is or better yet, those who would see it as a QUALIFIER, possibly making this GOOD BLACK Man, the perfect catch.

BTW, the above pics are of Corey… Holla!

Link to article: http://thefreshxpress.com/2010/10/single-black-male-in-search-of-or-where-are-all-the-good-black-women/