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Musical Look Back – R & B Groups

(This is a new series of post where I share the music that I grew up listening to.)
(This is a new series of post where I share the music that I grew up listening to.)

Every generation thinks the music of their youth is better than the what’s being played today.  In my case, it is actually true.  Let me present, R & B Groups.

I recently attended the New Edition concert in my hometown.  The guys came out dressed fresh to impress and took  us back on a musical journey to our youth.  The concert was awesome and I stood the entire time singing along to the oldies.

After the show I couldn’t help but wonder, what happened to music groups?  There just doesn’t seem to be any new groups out there nowadays.  So, here are a few of my favorites from back in the day.

1.  New Edition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Tony, Toni, Tone’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Cameo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Debarge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Atlantic Starr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.  Kool & the Gang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.   The Jets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.  Shalamar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  Midnight Star

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.  Soul II Soul

 

 

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Are You Mom Enough? – A Parenting Moment

 By now everyone has seen the cover of  Time’s Magazine May 21st edition showing a woman breastfeeding her soon to be 4-year-old son.  (If  you missed it, click here.)  If the picture doesn’t get your attention, the headline, “Are You Mom Enough?” will certainly get the conversation started.

Here are my two cents.  I breastfed both of my daughters until they were six months old.  I understand the benefits of breastfeeding and enjoyed that time bonding with my babies.  I encourage other mothers to do the same.

In my opinion, continuing to breastfeed a child past a year is taking a good thing too far.  If breastfeeding is a means to supply nutrients or food to your child, what is the benefit of continuing to do so when that child is eating solid food?

My rule of thumb is as follows:  If a child can drink from a cup, eat solid food and has a mouth full of teeth, they don’t need to be sucking on anything.  That includes a breast.

What are your thoughts?  Moms, did you breastfeed?  Did the Times Magazine cover go too far?

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Life Unplugged

Sometimes you just need to unplug for a while.

Like most Americans, my family has the cost saving bundle package combining our phone, cable and internet.  Most days it hums along in the background allowing  you to take for granted the ability to hop online.  Then it happens.  The dreaded cable outage.  If the cable goes out, everything goes out.  Curses to the bundle!

Yesterday I had the day off so I had everything planned.  Hubby was off to work and the kids were off to school.  My day was structured to prepare a few blog posts and work on two stories in progress.  But those plans were stopped.  No internet access.  How could I work without the ability to look up pictures for the blog and research random facts?  How could I be distracted by reading emails and searching web pages for the latest celebrity gossip?  How would I function without the useful tool of procrastination to both inspire and hinder my writing progress?  How could I live a life unplugged?

After some initial anxiety, I settled down.  It was just me, my notebook and a pen curled up on the couch.  I was free to just let the words flow.  Gone was the temptation to check on the proper spelling or immediately verify the name of a local park in Atlanta. I had only my imagination and it was liberating.  I got a lot of work done.  Maybe I should unplug more often.  (Deep cleansing breath.)

Agent Smith – Matrix Movie. Unplugged he became a new man!

Now I really need my internet access back.  It’s my turn in Words with Friends.

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Happy Mother’s Day

Every day mothers perform sometimes thankless tasks to care for their children.  We are the backbone of the family, nurse, chauffeur, maid, counselor, event coordinator and cook.  A mother’s job is never done.  And for the majority of us, these things are performed without thought or expectation of award.  But today is our day and what’s a good way to celebrate?  I say Mothers everywhere should have a day WITHOUT their kids.  Ladies, just do you today!  Enjoy.

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Think Like A Man – Not Quite A Movie Review

For the record, I hate relationship advice books.  Let me be more specific.  I hate men that give relationship advice to women.  I have ranted on this topic to many family members, friends and co-workers.  My basic premise is that men aren’t that complex.  There seems to be the perception that men are some deep mystery that women must seek a secret code to unlock the inner workings of the male mind.  I felt as if some men (looking at you Steve Harvey) chose to capitalize on this.  I felt that these so-called “men experts” put all the onus on women to make a relationship work.  You just don’t see many books geared toward offering men secrets to the female psyche.  At least there aren’t any that end up on the NY Times Bestseller List.

Then I went to see the movie, “Think Like A Man” based on the book of the same name by Steve Harvey.  It was date night and the Hubby and I did the dinner and movie thing.  The movie had been #1 for a few weeks and had generally good reviews.  I enjoy romantic comedies so I went into the viewing with an open mind.  The movie was great.  I thought it was funny and endearing.  I thought the premise was well executed and incorporated chapters from the book into a realistic story line.

Here is my main take away from the movie.  Women have the power.  We give it away thinking that will help us get or keep a man but the opposite is true.  A good man will step up  his game  to be with you.  You just have to require it.  Yes, it’s not easy and it may hurt.  You have to take the chance that he may walk away.  But even if he does, what have you lost?  It’s a common sense saying that people treat you exactly the way you allow them to.

To my fellow ladies I say, “Stop giving away your power.”  When Steve says, “Think like a man” I hear take control of your relationship.  And that’s something I think we can all agree on.

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Musical Look Back – Pebbles

(This is a new series of post where I share the music that I grew up listening to.)
(This is a new series of post where I share the music that I grew up listening to.)

Every generation thinks the music of their youth is better than the what’s being played today.  In my case, it is actually true.  Let me present, Pebbles.

Perri “Pebbles” Reid may be best known for discovering the female group, TLC,  but she was a hit making artist of her own.  These are the songs that had me jamming back in the day.

“Girlfriend”

“Mercedes Boy”

“Love Makes Things Happen”

And one of the best love songs – “Always”  Sorry I couldn’t find a video so this will have to do.

“Always”

Enjoy!

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The Return of D’Angelo and the Rebirth of R&B – Hollywood Prospectus Blog – Grantland

The Return of D’Angelo and the Rebirth of R&B – Hollywood Prospectus Blog – Grantland.

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Musical Look Back – Karyn White

(This is a new series of post where I share the music that I grew up listening to.)
(This is a new series of post where I share the music that I grew up listening to.)

Every generation thinks the music of their youth is better than the what’s being played today.  In my case, it is actually true.  Let me present, Karyn White.

Karyn White is an R & B singer that made her debut in 1988 with her self titled album.  She had four hit singles and was nominated for two grammys.  Here are my favorites:

“Secret Rendezvous”

“Superwoman”

“Love Saw It” w/Babyface – True R&B at its best

 

Enjoy!

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A Night of Firsts – A Parenting Moment

When you become a parent, you find yourself celebrating a lot of firsts.  First tooth, first word, first steps and the first day of school.  We try to prepare our children for the firsts in life.  Maybe we should focus on preparing ourselves as well.

Two major firsts took place in our family this weekend.  Princess had her first date which coincided with her first prom.  Good times!

Lost in the excitement of finding the perfect shoes and getting a mother-daughter mani and pedi was the fact that this was a first for me too.  My baby is careening toward adulthood at an alarming pace.

After all the pictures had been taken on Saturday, I stood there and watched my daughter.  The little chubby cheeked toddler has grown into a beautiful young lady.  I hugged her and told her to have fun.  I released Princess to  her date.  She smiled and waved.  Then she was gone to experience a new adventure.

I was left with conflicting emotions.  A part of me was happy that my daughter reached this milestone even as the mother in me mourned the little girl who only lives on now in memories and old photographs.

Yes, parenting is a moment of firsts.  I’ll continue to help prepare my kids.  And take lots of pictures.

Which parenting “firsts” have you recently gone through?