Friday, June 30, 2017

Sexism In The City

The Tangerine Tyrant has struck again. At this point, I have to tell you, I'm not shocked at what comes out of his sick mouth. He is an asshole, and just like all assholes, he deals in shit. I expect absolute garbage to come out of his mouth. Every day. Yesterday he took to Twitter to pick a fight with Mika Brzezinski of the Morning Joe show. 

Now look, I don't really deal with the Morning Joe show. To me, they were WAY too chummy with the mango colored minstrel show during the election cycle, so I don't watch them. Supposedly the show has taken a turn now that Tangerine Tyrant is in the White House--clearly they said something that got under that clementine colored skin. Whatever was said on their show didn't warrant the response, but here we are. Again. 

Millions of people, myself included, ride 45's ass day in and day out-- because he is a political moron and has no business running our country. So why did he choose to talk shit about Mika? Because bullies know exactly who to go after. First, let's just get this out of the way: 45 does not have, nor as he ever had, respect for women. That's why he cheated on his first two wives; it is why he talks about his daughter in a sexualized manner (and allows others to do so); it is why he tells women what it would take for them to be a 10 in his eyes. He is a pig. He is emboldened by a Congress that also does not think highly of women-- that is the reason that pregnancy is a pre existing condition in the drafts of these health care bills and why men only panels are determining the care of American women. The Tangerine Tyrant picks on women because he knows that his base will back him up. And the women that voted for him? They all thought he was going to be their savior with a blond squirrel on his head, but he shows them EVERY day that he doesn't care about them, their daughters, their sisters, their mamas.

So, he knows that his base won't go against him--even the women. He knows that the useless Congress might pitch a fit the first day... and then they will go alone with whatever nonsense he puts in an Executive Order the next. They are spineless... yep Jason Chaffetz, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, we are looking at you. They won't do shit. Hell, 45 talked shit about Ted Cruz's wife TO TED'S FACE and that turd still kisses his ass. Jason said that he didn't know how he was going to tell his daughters that he supported a man like 45 after the Access Hollywood tape came out. How is that going, Jason. You comfortable supporting him now? How did that conversation go with your kids? Uh huh. They will ask him to stop (for optics) but they aren't going to do anything else. They certainly won't stand up to his demented ass. 

Mika hasn't been the only journalist that has something to say against the Clementine Colored Catastrophe... so WHY was she cherry picked for abuse? Jim Acosta has been giving his press secretary the business, nothing about his looks made it to a tweet. Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper and Don Lemon have all taken swipes-- nothing about their faces or bodies have made it to Twitter. Why is that? You know why.


I'm from the Midwest. We are salt of the Earth people here. I learned a while ago what is right and what is wrong. Folks are on social media trying to make what y'all's president did ok. That shit is not ok. What would you do if Mika was your daughter? Would you be ok with the leader of your country objectifying your kid while a whole nation watches? Of course not. You want to know the kicker? That fucker was dead wrong, but will not ever apologize. He is not sorry and he will work tirelessly to make YOU think that an apology is owed to HIM. 


Saturday, June 24, 2017

Soulful Saturday - High School Edition

I have been confronted with my high school experience a lot lately. I am on the Alumnae Board at my alma mater, had dinner with some high school buddies and been over to the school a ton in the last few months. I still haven't really gotten over the fact that, as one of my classmates pointed out a couple of weeks ago, my diploma is old enough to drink. PS- If that is true, why is my mind convinced that the 1990s were only ten years ago?

At any rate, I have been thinking about all the mid 90s radio goodness and after a Facebook post by another buddy, I have decided that we all need a little 90s music in our lives. I am sure that the "high school edition" of soulful saturday will have multiple volumes, because let's be real... the 1990s was the last decade of truly good music. And I'm not looking to debate this... because you can't debate facts, folks. So, let's take a trip down memory lane to the year 1994. I was a sophomore in high school, planning a life that doesn't come close to mirroring the life I have now. These are the songs I blasted on my Walkman on the bus to track practice... or on the way to a basketball game. They were on many a mix tape, youngins!! So, put in some headphones and sing at the top of your lungs... you know all the words. :)

Wild Night - John Mellencamp f. Meshell Ndegeocello



Return to Innocence - Enigma


Because the Night - 10,000 Maniacs (and yes, I do realize this is a cover... shut up and enjoy this music)


Never Keeping Secrets - Babyface


Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Bonus Track:

Here Comes The Hotstepper - Ini Kamoze


Thursday, June 22, 2017

The Way My Sympathy Is Set Up...

In all my (almost) 40 years I have spent a lot of quality time working on my emotional responses. I had to work on my responses in emotionally charged situations, not because I'm a sociopath, but because I am a fixer. If one of my friends is hurting, I am (generally) the person that puts a solution in motion. I mean, there has to be ONE person that doesn't cry, right? Bottom line: when there is a sad situation, I recognize the sad and try to work on making sure everyone and most things are taken care of. I'm not one to cry (much)... I just move into action. 

So, I am proud of my responses in most emotional situations. I am not as bad as Sheldon on Big Bang Theory, but I can recognize that some may be put off by my "can do" attitude when a hug and some comforting words would do just fine instead. I'm working on it-- especially now that I am a mom. Any time it is possible I am totally committed to being the empathetic person in the crowd. I try to put myself in other people's shoes when they have been served a bad blow. What would I need? How did I feel when I was in that situation? What would be better for me? If I were grading my emotional responses, I would be passing... like a low B. Yeah, B for sure. However, there are situations when I feel like putting in less effort.

I am sure that everyone has heard about the Otto Warmbier case. He was the young Ohioan who was convicted of a petty crime in North Korea, jailed and sent back to his parents in an almost vegetative state. He died three days ago. As an Ohioan, a parent and a human being I hated to read about his demise. It was sad. No one wants to read about a parent losing a child. No one wants to read about their fellow statesman coming to a brutal end for some nonsense. Nobody. And I don't want to say that my sympathy for the Warmbier family stops there. I don't WANT to say that...

Let me put it like this: when I read about (and saw the video of) Otto Warmbier getting in trouble for taking a poster off a hotel wall, my thoughts didn't jump to his family. You know who I thought about? Sandra Bland's mom. Tamir Rice's mom. Eric Garner's family. Philando Castile's family. John Crawford's relatives. Walter Scott's family. And see, this is why I gave myself a low B when it comes to emotional responses. Because, see, how my sympathy is set up... makes it hard for me to see things in a vacuum. I see all this social media outrage about the death of Otto Warmbier-- people completely incensed about him dying at the hand of this "rogue" dictator... when people of color die for trivial crimes every day, so much so that the outrage seems to only come from minority communities. And no one pays for it. No one is found responsible. No one pays the price for these lives taken... except for families that are forever altered; and communities that are deeply scarred; and a nation that become accustomed to seeing Black and Brown men and women die on the evening news. The American public, in general, can stomach our police killing Ray Ray in the street... and blaming Ray Ray's family for raising a thug. But let them see a college student- a white college student- receive that same kind of treatment in a different nation. 


Injustice to one SHOULD be felt as injustice to all, but every day we see evidence that shows that ain't the American way. 


Saturday, June 03, 2017

Soulful Saturday - Rene and Angela

Ah, it has been so long. I have no issue in saying that since April 21, 2016 I haven't really been feeling like posting music. It is hard to see your idols pass away. Y'all remember that song "American Pie" by Don McLean? Truly, that cold day in April was the day the music died a bit for me. I was not even a week out of the hospital after having my daughter and the news of Prince's passing was soul crushing. Soul.Crushing. You know why? Because I often use music to get through shit. Rough times, happy times, death, birth, school... life. We all have a life soundtrack... and Prince is in heavy rotation in my soundtrack. So after thinking about it and taking a considerable amount of time off from my Soulful Saturday gig, I am back... because somebody might need a few songs for their life soundtrack.

So for today: Rene and Angela. Dynamic Duo of 80s greatness! Big hair, a Jheri Curl and soulful lyrics-- what's not to love? Their videos are everything that the 80s represent-- shoulder pads, glitter electronic sound, makeup applied with a heavy hand. Their songs have been sampled... so you have heard parts of these songs before. Some songs have been remade by a couple of R&B singers-- y'all already know that I love originals. Rene and Angela definitely had some bangers... here are some songs for your life soundtrack. Let's get after it! 

My First Love

**A tarnished ring, on a tarnished chain** That high note... Get it, Angela!!



You Don't Have To Cry

Also known as the original Ride or Die Anthem. This love song is serious, y'all hear me-- and the rain in the background? Killing it.

 

I'll Be Good

This song was heavily sampled in the 90s. The original is an 80s classic.




Thursday, June 01, 2017

Respect Is Earned

There is an old saying: "Respect isn't given, it is earned." Nothing quite illustrates this point like modern day politics in America. I have made no secret of the fact that I don't like the current president. I don't generally use his name when I write. I don't agree with his platform and I think he thinks that making America a bully will advance his agenda (it won't). Essentially, he is a jackass. I don't repeat that puppet. He was elected by a minority of folks who believe that America used to be great when everyone "knew their place" and being different wasn't tolerated. That is not the America that I want to raise my daughter in. It is, in fact, the type of America that I rebel against daily. 

On Tuesday comedienne Kathy Griffin posted a picture of herself holding a bloodied trump-like head. Now, listen, I don't really care for Kathy Griffin's style of humor... mostly because she seems obsessed with making out with my pretend boyfriend, Anderson Cooper... but there are tons of comedians that I don't like, so...eh. Now what she did on Tuesday was completely unacceptable. She said as much in her public apology. It was tacky. As much as I dislike MANY people, I don't picture them beheaded or physically harmed, nor do I want others to picture them that way. That being said... cry me a fucking river. It was tacky and ill conceived but now the Tangerine Tyrant has pulled the sympathy card tweeting that his children are having a hard time with this? Boy Bye.

As much as I talk about politics, I firmly believe that children should be off limits. Once children start throwing jabs (ex. Bristol Palin, Tangerine Dream's older sons) then they can and will be checked, but little kids? Off limits. So, I don't generally talk about the Tyrant's youngest kid. No one should-- to do so would be in bad taste. But... Tangerine Dream says that the imagery of a comedienne holding a mannequin head and fake blood has essentially traumatized his child. Hmm. Ok. I don't give two fucks... and let me tell you when I will start to care about it: not never. 

I will start to care about the Mocker-In-Chief, his feelings and the feelings of his spawn when the following happens: he realizes that he and his ilk did WORSE to President Obama for 9 years-- without apology; he shows that he has an ounce of empathy for minority groups; he goes one whole week without showing a map of the electoral college win; he goes three whole days without bashing Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or the United States of America; he stops tweeting; he ends his love affair with Putin; he reads/speaks at a level above the 8th grade; he stops making money off this presidency; he stops trying to make life unlivable for the poor and the elderly; he actually realizes and denounces the fact that the folks following him are out here killing Brown and Black folks without fear of repercussion; he brings himself to actually mutter the name of Richard Collins III or ANY other citizen that has been murdered by the ilk that follow him; he stops stealing my daughter's future and the future of all of our children; he stops LYING. 

Considering that as I type he is telling the American public that he is pulling us out of the Paris Accord, I seriously doubt that he is going to start caring about Main Street Americans. He cares about continuing to line his pockets and the pockets of his little friends. Do I care that Kathy Griffin hurt his feelings? Nah. His butt buddy Ted Nugent said that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should be killed and his ass got a White House invite, so clearly Tangerine Tyrant only has an issue when this type of attention is directed at him. Get over yourself. You sell Americans short every day. You pump up deplorables with the idea that you are going to get rid of all of us "others" so that they can live on top of the hog in a Leave It To Beaver fantasy world. You devalue my life and the lives of others who look like me. You are trying to assure that my daughter won't have the same opportunities that your children had... that you had. You gladly took part in attempting to destroy this country's first Black President. You are actively trying to destroy women in leadership (Hilary Clinton and Angela Merkel spring to mind)... and you want me to feel bad for you and your devil spawn. Yeah... I'm good. 



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