Posts

Showing posts from 2013

2013 Photo Montage: My Year in Review

Image
Another year bites the dust. This is my final blog post for 2013! I’m happy to have made it through another year. I thought it would be both fun and reflective to recap with photos of some of the people, places, and special events that made my year memorable. They say pictures say a thousand words. Enjoy the montage and feel free to post a comment on one of your special moments in 2013! Happy New Year!

Where's the Money?: My Personal Gripe with the U.S. Department of Education

Image
Today I must vent! I'm pretty pissed with the U.S. Department of Education at the moment. Why? I'm pissed because they have no record of my $5309.00 loan repayment that I made last January, I had the blessing to be able to repay my undergraduate and graduate loans thanks to my severance from my former employee. While I wasn't have to be leaving the organization, it was a definite plus that I could be college debt free as a result of it. I paid off all my loans in January of 2013. I made the payments online through Chase Bank  and have the transaction statements to prove it. Thank goodness I do because a couple of months ago the U.S Department of Education sent me a letter saying I owed interest on a loan of $5,200.00. That caught me off guard because I had paid it with the accrued interest back in January. I do my due diligence and call them to find out what is going on and to my dismay they have no record of my payment. I don't understand how this is possible whe

Why? Because Ben Righter's Single Has Dropped

Image
Yesterday my cousin Benjamin Rhodes III aka Ben Righter dropped his single WHY! Congratulations are in order! I would be remiss if I didn't plug him and his hard work as a singer and songwriter. He has been singing all his life and I've watched him grow as an artist over the years. It's really impressive to see his evolution! I also admire the fact that he hasn't giving up on his gift, passion for music and continues to hustle! The writer in me can identify with that struggle. I love the single and just had to share it with you! Check out his video below! If you like it, you can download the single on iTunes and Spotify . It will make a great gift for the holidays, trust me and don't ask why!

Friday's Flashback: A Christmas Story

Image
Are you in the holiday spirit with Christmas only 13 days away? Despite the fact that I don't celebrate the religious parts of the holiday, I do enjoy holiday commercialism. Funny how that works out. I'm happy to report my holiday shopping is almost done. I'll be wrapping and mailing out packages next week. While I'm wrapping and bagging gifts I enjoy watching holiday films too. One of my favorite Christmas films is The Christmas Story . Absolutely classic! I can watch it again and again and again. Today's Friday Flashback is a short clip from the film. In the scene below Ralphie proves he's no punk. Enjoy and happy watching!

Aaliyah's Top 10 Selfies for 2013

Image
The term  "selfie"  made a big splash in 2013. It was officially anointed when the Oxford dictionary added it this year. Pope John Francis may be Time magazines man of the year but I would have to say "selfie" is the word of the year, even if my spell check doesn't recognize it. The  Oxford Dictionary  and  Lakeshore Public Media  made it their word of the year. Everyone from your average Joe to President Obama is snapping one. It's the in thing. I've done my share. Have you? With my personal need to reflect as this year comes to a close  I've decided start my process with a fun "selfie" recap. I've to combed through mountains of "selfie" photos online and bring you my top ten. The word is here to stay but  I'm already  wondering what next year's created word will take us and the media by storm. Aaliyah's Top 10 Selfies for 2013 10. Kim Kardashian.  Where would my list be without the infamous  Kim ? I'

Remembering Mandela

Image
Yesterday the world lost Nelson Mandela. He was an activist, freedom fighter, father, humanitarian, leader, who was also pragmatic and a forward thinker. These past couple of years he had many health struggles and although I wasn't surprised by the announcement of his passing, I still felt a tremendous sense of loss. I believe Mandela was an exceptional human being. I would place him on a humanitarian list that would include Mother Theresa, Oskar Schindler, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and others. This Flashback Friday I'm remembering the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela. A 1961 video interview with a young Mandela is at the end of the post for your viewing. I get angry when I think about his early life and the pain, suffering and injustice he and many other black and colored South Africans endured for more than 40 years because of apartheid . It reminds me of the United States " Jim Crow" days in the south. The two discriminatory systems are p

Giving Thanks

Image
Tomorrow we will celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation. It's my favorite holiday of the year because it's a time when I get to reconnect with family and friends as well as begin my year-end reflection process. Despite the ups and downs I face in  life I am thankful for every day I'm granted on this earth. In today's post I'm going to share the five things I am most thankful for. My top five list of what I am thankful for this year: 1. Karim HadjSalem (the hubby). He helps keep me grounded and tries to keep me focused on my personal goals as well as our goals as husband and wife. It's an added bonus that he's a programmer and handyman! I'm a very lucky girl. 2. My family and friends. I consider my friends a part of my extended family. I have a few special shout outs. My first is to my mom. Even though I'm grown, there are so many ways that she still helps me today and I know I wouldn't be the person I am without her love and support.

Friday's Flashback: Dirty Dancing's Final Dance

Image
Happy Friday everyone, We made it through another week. Yeah. I don't know about you, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I'm looking forward to a short week that will officially kick-off our holiday season. It's time for me to switch things up! You're going to get a flashback, just a different type of flashback video. Instead of picking a music video that I love, I decided to share one of my favorite movie scenes.This week's flashback is the final dancing scene in Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayzee (RIP) and Jennifer Gray . Remember Johnny's line, "Nobody puts baby in the corner!" How can you not? It's classic!  When I heard Hollywood was remaking the film I was very disappointed along with many other fans of the film. If my memory serves me right, I believe there was some national outage, even if it was mostly on Facebook, lol. I felt the same about Footloose . I have yet to see either and am not sure if I ever will. I'm

Friday's Flashback: Cyndi's Lauper "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

Happy Friday everyone! My bad on missing last week's flashback post. Time got away from me and when I remembered it was Saturday. Glad to be back. I'm feeling upbeat this week and thought this week's flashback video should be also be. Before the Spice Girls indoctrinated a generation of tweeners and teenage girls with marketed ideas of girl power, there was a quirky, off-beat singer whose song resonated women across the globe and made them feel empowered. If it's not fun, then it's done and it's why I've selected Cyndi Lauper's , "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" for this week's Friday Flashback. I love this song because it makes me feel good from the inside out. I can be having the worse day, but when I play this song I seem to be able to let go over my negative feelings and remind myself to take a page from Ms. Lauper's book and try to have fun. The single was Lauper's breakthrough hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and bec

Where There is Breath There is Hope

Image
Documentary poster Where there is breath, there is hope. Today I was left with those words from Tonier "Neen" Cain , a trauma survivor that endured two full decades of sexual and physical assaults, homelessness, mental abuse and many other ills that come with being a part of our broken, social, mental health and criminal justice systems. She was the keynote speaker at Clifford Beers Clinic's 11th Annual Builders of Hope Breakfast. Even as I write this post, her words "Where there is breath, there is hope," still resonate with me. The short but powerful phase is a personal reminder to me why I love stories and believe in the power of one person's story. I was invited to the event as a guest of a colleague and while I'm familiar with Clifford Beers and what they do, I wasn't sure what to expect from the speaker. I wasn't familiar with her story. The moment she stepped up to the podium she had a strong presence.  She captivated me, and I thi

Friday's Flashback: Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Under the Bridge"

Image
It's late, but I wanted to squeak in this blog post. I'm not going to let Friday past without getting my flashback video out there. I really like this feature and sharing some of my favorite videos and songs with you. I feel like I bring you into the things that help to shape my opinions and how I view the world at large. This week's Friday Flashback is Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Under the Bridge." I apologize for not sharing upbeat and happy-go-lucky video in advance, but I have to be real about why I choose this video to post. When this song came out I was in eighth grade. I loved the smooth and calming rock melody, but at the time I didn't realize the song was about heroin use. Initially, I think I connected to the message of loneliness and wanting to be taken away. A few years later and wiser I got the song's real message about heroin, aka  H, white-horse, candy, an alluring and secretive killer drug. What I know realize is that the message of lone

Friday's Flashback: Back to Life, Back to Reality

Image
I made it through my first week back from vacation. It wasn't as tough as I thought it was going to be, but I definitely miss the relaxation and ease I felt was on the island of Sint Maarten. I'm back to life and back to the reality that is my life, which comes with it's ups and downs. Luckily, I have my memories and photos to bring me back even if it's just for a few moments. Since I spent the week getting back into the work groove I thought it's fitting to have Soul II Soul's video "Back to Life Back to Reality" be Friday's Flashback. Back in 1989 this song brought Soul II Soul international fame. The group won two Grammy awards; Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Back To Life," and Best R&B Instrumental for "African Dance." I love this song. It's smooth, sensual and has a great beat you can two step to. All you have to do is flow with it.Classic! Well, I'm back to my life post-vac

The Tillinghast Nightmare Premiere Movie Screenings

Image
Halloween will be here before we know it. Did you know t he holiday originated in Europe ad was brought to the United States by immigrants from Scotland and Ireland?  Don't believe me check  TimeandDate.com . This time of year you'll find many people embracing  creepy and scary allure of the holiday. There are haunted houses, fright nights and if you turn on your TV, your sure to find a classic horror film on one of the cable networks, not to mention trailers for horror or thriller themed movies now at the box office.  In the world of indie cinema we have a team of talented and creative Connecticut artists ready to make the most of this Halloween with their premiere screenings of  The Tillinghast Nightmare , directed by   Alec Asten . The documentary film is  based on seven members of the Tillinghast family mysteriously died in 1799. Through re-enactments, artwork and interviews with experts from different fields, The Tillinghast Nightmare makes surprising connec

Back from Sint Maarten

Image
Cupecoy Beach, Sint Maarten I'm home sweet home and am glad to see our government saw fit to raise the debt ceiling although I still can't believe it came to the wire like it did. Hot mess. This post was meant to be a greetings from Sint Maarten, but I forgot to post while on vacation. I can't believe my week on the lovely island of  is almost over. I'm kind of bummed about that. It was a relaxing week. I really enjoyed the down time with family and friends. It's only Monday and I already miss the laid-back and blissful vibe of the island, let me not forget their tasty Caribbean food, the people, the beautiful blue beaches, and last but not least, the weather (I love the hot sunny days and warm nights. This climate is great for my skin.) Since I missed Friday's Flashback last feature week, here is a Monday recap that features the Oh Sweet Sint Maarten Land video and some of the photos from my trip. It was a very good vacation. Time well spent. S

Friday's Flashback: Madonna's "Holiday"

Image
Happy Friday, you and I made it through yet another work week. I'm also excited to report that I'm one day away from a much needed vacation to the island of  St.Martin, also known as St. Maarten .  The tiny French-Dutch island of  Saint-Martin , covering just 88 km², is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The island is known for its beautiful beaches, shopping, outdoor excursions, casinos and bingo (a local favorite). I t will be a second visit for my mom, sister and I and is part of birthday getaway for my mom.  While I do enjoy the fall season, it will be nice to relax and enjoy 80 degree days and be thrown back into summer mode even if it us just for a week. Planning for this vacation, got me to thinking about the fact that most Americans don't go away for vacation and that many people in the U.S. only get two weeks a year compared to our European counterparts who get a least a month. Part of this has to do with our value system. European

Friday's Flashback Video: Sinead O' Conner's "Nothing Compares 2 U"

It's Friday and I'm happy to say I'm pleased to have made it through another week. I'm officially in countdown mode. A week from tomorrow I'll be on the beautiful island of St. Martin with my mom and sister for a birthday vacation celebration with my mom. She is yet another year older (won't say her age), but she still looks fabulous and I hope that I'm working it like her when I'm her age. Ms. Miley Cyrus seems to still be on the minds of folks in the world of celebrity weeks after her disturbing VMA performance with Robin Thick last month. I know they say that even bad press is good (I wholeheartedly disagree because it's no fun to watch people publicly fall apart.) Towards the end of this week, even Sinead O'Connor had words of advice for Miley Cyrus. Sinead knows what it's like to be ridiculed in the media. I found her advice to be right on point, but it looks like Miley would prefer she kept her opinions to herself. Read it here .

Friday's Flashback: Pearl Jam's "Jeremy"

Happy Friday! I don't know about all of you, but I'm ready for the weekend. While I look forward to most weekends I feel the need to embrace the ones that bring moderately warm temperatures as I make my way through the fall season.  Since I've started this feature I realized that I haven't posted any alternative/rock videos. Today will change that. I'm bringing you back to 1992, when Pearl Jam released Jeremy . The song quickly rose to the top of the "alternative/rock" music charts thanks in part to the heavy rotation of the video on MTV (ah the good ole' days when MTV still aired videos). According to Wikipedia,  The song was inspired by a newspaper article Vedder read about a high school student that shot himself in front of his English class. I selected this video for this week's Friday's Flashback because although the video is 10 plus years old, the topic is still very relevant, especially when you think about issues like cy

Friday's Flashback: Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know"

Image
TGIF! It's been a long week for me. I'm so glad it's Friday and am thrilled to share Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know for this Friday's Flashback video. This video was a wake-up call for the opposite sex! I remember how it touched a cord with women of all ages and across the globe. Daytime and night time shows were talking about it and it made Morissette a star. Her candidness shocked many while others thought it was long over due. I fall in the latter camp. If you dated a douche bag, were recently dumped, or headed to divorce court, you probably connected with this song on a personal level. If not, the song is still kick-ass! Today, you may be going through any of the above and if that is the case this song will still speak to you. It still speaks to me! It's timeless because whether we like it or not, most women experience relationship drama and Morissette reminds us that it is okay to be angry and let the world know! It looks like it is goi

The ProduceHERS Fall Women's Artists Showcase Call to Artists

Image
The ProduceHERS, a collaborative effort created by Halima Flynn and Aaliyah Miller aimed at producing new works and building audiences for female theatre artists - will be back with a Women's Artist Showcase on Sunday, October 27, 2013.  Last November 17, The ProduceHERS presented their first Women’s Artist Showcase featuring the work of Anne Witkavitch, author of Press Pause Moments: Essays about Life Transitions and Women Writers ; Dana Astmann, photographer, musician and writer; and Aaliyah Miller, author of Quarter Year Dilemmas .  ProduceHERS Women's Artist Showcase at the New Haven Public Library (March 2012). The theme of this year’s showcase is to raise awareness about domestic violence and is presented as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, men whose work addresses Domestic Violence Awareness are also invited to participate as feature artists.  We are seeking powerful, motivated and dynamic men and women who are visual artists, poets,

Friday's Flashback: Janet Jackson's "That's the Way Love Goes"

Image
My godsons outside of Boston's Museum of Science. Happy Friday everyone! Sorry I missed last week's Friday's Flashback. I was busy gearing up for a weekend with my two godsons Malakai and Noah and I let the time get away from me. I  started the post but didn't finish it. While I enjoyed the quality time I spent with both boys, I'm glad to be back this week. Janet Jackson hasn't topped the music chart in recent years, but it doesn't stop her from being a pop star icon. The last major media coverage you may remember on her was the infamous wardrobe malfunction at the half-time performance with Justin Timberlake at Super Bowl 38. I believe the incident was planned and not a a malfunction but it doesn't really matter at this point. Janet like the predecessors before her (Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, etc.) have laid a strong foundation for today's pop solo female artists like, Britney Spears, Ciara, and others. While