2011 VMAs

Clearly, the #1 show stopper of the night was Beyonce announcing her pregnancy. Seems like that’s all the whole world is talking about this morning. How cool is it to be the center of attention while you are yet in the womb? Imagine the pressure.  Anyway, I figure I might as well throw my two cents in! Now before I say anything else, let me say this… I think Beyonce is a great entertainer. She is one of the best, maybe safe to say the best in her genre presently. She is a very hard worker and rightfully deserves all she has accomplished thus far. Plus I really like her songs! They are catchy and fun to sing, dance to, and have a good ol’ time while imagining I can also be Sasha fierce for a moment. So! NO hating here. I'm a fan! However, I was somewhat irritated with how she announced her pregnancy last night.

First of all! That baby bump is not one that should have skipped the watchful eyes of paparazzi! Considering Beyonce has been performing at several shows out in the public promoting her new album “4”, how in the world did not one media outlet break the news first?! How did she pull that off? While her performance last night did not disappoint as usual, I was not impressed with the mic drop at the end and rubbing of her belly followed by the cameras on Jay-Z and Kanye West acting silly and childish in my opinion. Your wife is pregnant… Okay? I thought that was what followed after marriage. The chic is smart though, she has successfully branded herself in such a way that some people go crazy over getting such news about her. She was all that was being discussed on facebook last night, she was the number one trending topic on twitter(still trending), and when I logged onto my yahoo homepage… of course it was none other than Bey as the main story! Fantasia just announced that she was pregnant. Who gave a hoot?  I didn't even hear about her on my local news!

Here’s my “main concern” though. Why now? Especially when she just put out her fourth album? We all know Beyonce to be a very career crazed individual. Clearly with the nature of her profession, I would assume she is well educated on contraceptives. I mean she waited three years. She got married to her husband Jay-Z in 2008. I don’t want to believe this pregnancy was a mistake.  Prior to releasing her new album “4”, Beyonce went on a 9 months hiatus! According to her, it is the longest break she has taken since she started her music career with Destiny’s Child in the late 1990s. Why did she not get pregnant during her break?! Catching my drift here? So what does this mean? No touring for “4”? I hope not! I saw Beyonce in concert a couple of years ago and honestly it is one of the best concerts I have ever been to! I got my money’s worth! I was so totally looking forward to her next concert! Now what?! Let’s see what happens. I won’t be surprised if Bey tours with her big belly and all. After all, Alicia Keys was jumping on top of pianos right before she had her son. You can do the same too! Right Bey?

I do wish the parents-to-be the best and I hope this journey is as exciting as it should be for them. Here is her performance from last night.

Some other mentions….

I am totally irritated with this creature at this point. Stop already!

What the heck was Nicki Minaj wearing?

Chris Brown Killed his performance!

Wayne, those pants, and that performance! Lol

 Excuse me for not being part of the world, but who the heck is “Tyler the Creator”?

Adele. That is all. 

Hope everyone enjoyed watching!

In related news…

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson  would have celebrated his 53^rd birthday today.

May his soul continue to Rest in Peace.

HopefulDreamer

Live A Little!

D'banj, one of my favorite Nigerian artists has a new song out called "Oliver".  You can read more about him here. He made a video for the song with his producer Don Jazzy of MoHits Records and another MoHits artist Wande Coal who is also a personal fave! The point of the video is to get his fans to make their own videos dancing to the song and send it in for a prize … I think. I’m not sure what’s up for grabs though if you are the winner. This song has totally grown on me and I am enjoying watching some of the videos posted online by fans. Oh the joy of technology!

Here’s the clip for D’banj, Don Jazzy, and Wande Coal. Don Jazzy got some moves there….

Here's a post that I really liked…

I thought this one was hilarious. The girls can really dance and I love the fact they included the fam!

I remember when Beyonce’s song “Single Ladies” was in rotation and everybody and their mama were making videos. Remember this?....

I so badly wanted to make a video with my sisters. Well… that never happened and I doubt I’ll be participating in "Oliver" either. Womp Womp. I know. It is fun watching though! So if you’re feeling up to it, get your dancing and jonzing on and please DO ENTERTAIN! 

HopefulDreamer

Don't Settle

“Disturb me, Lord, when my dreams come true only because I dreamed too small. Disturb me, when I arrive safely only because I sailed too close to the shore. Disturb me, when the things I’ve gained cause me to lose my thirst for more of You. Disturb me, when I’ve acquired success only to lose my desire for excellence. Disturb me, when I give up too soon and settle too far short of the goals You have set for my life.” 

I read the above excerpt in my devotion yesterday and I was totally taken by it. First of all I looked up the definition of "disturb" (I do stuff like that), not because I don’t know what it means but because I like understanding the context in which words are used. It also helps me to truly appreciate the context in which the word is used. Here are some of the definitions I really liked:

• To destroy the tranquility of composure
• To throw into disorder
• To put into inconvenience

I liked the last definition best. The expert touches on being disturbed when: 1) Your dreams are too small 2) You avoid taking risks 3) God loses His place in your life because of what you have acquired 4) You don’t yearn for more 5) You give up and settle.

If I had to sum all five points in one sentence, I would say, “Disagree to be satisfied with the status quo”. Regardless of wherever you find yourself in life, there is always room for improvement and opportunities to accomplish more beyond what you have already. Sometimes we see people who are already successful but still venture out past their comfort zones and we wonder why they are yet eager for more even though they seem to “have it all”. Well...  Maybe they have realized there is still a whole lot more out there left untouched and I believe there really is!

Don’t ever get satisfied with your position is life. It does not have to involve acquiring wealth. There is still room to be a better person, parent, sibling, friend, lover, student, professional, etc. We all have a role to play and we should strive for the absolute best in those roles. When you realize you are settling, pray to God for an inconvenience within your spirit.

Here’s a bible verse I LOVE:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20  NIV 

HopefulDreamer

Some Relaxation!

So I went to see "The Help" finally! I say finally because it took three different attempts between my mom and sisters to make this movie date happen. Anyhoo! I absolutely loved it. Without giving away too much, the movie is based on #1 New York Times best-selling book by Kathryn Stockett. "The Help" is about three women living in Mississippi in the 1960s. These women form a friendship based on a secret writing project which was against society rules at the time and could put them at risk. It is a powerful story about the ability to create change. “The Help” stars Emma Stone as Skeeter a twenty-two year old lady who has just returned home from school and is an aspiring writer. Also academy award nominated actress Viola Davis plays Aibileen, a housemaid in her 50s that has taken care of several children and is the first person Skeeter reaches out to about the writing project. Octavia Spencer plays Minny, Aibileen's best friend who is well known for her sassiness and good cooking. Also one of the notable characters, Hilly played by Bryce Dallas Howard, is the queen bee of the young women's social circle in town and known for her manipulative ways.

From left to right: Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Bryce Dallas Howard

I ended up watching the movie with my sisters. How appropriate! Mom was not feeling up to it. I think this outing was our close to the summer hangout and I couldn’t have picked a better movie. My older sister left for school this morning. She is about to start her second year at law school and this Saturday my younger sister leaves for college. This is her first year! How exciting. The movie shows a sisterly bond between the women and how regardless of the rough time they went through, laughed and cried some but in the end found their happy place and went after their dreams. It reminds me of my relationship with my sisters. We have for the most part been around each other all our lives and there have been a lot of laughs and a lot of fights and some tears but as the years go by and with the end of each summer break, we all get closer to our dreams and happy places.

HopefulDreamer

Miracles When YOU Believe

From the Soundtrack of "The Prince of Egypt", written by Stephen Schwartz and performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. "When You Believe" is one of my most favorite songs about being hopeful and dreaming big.

Family, friends, and employers can see potential in us but until we believe and realize that we carry something great within us, it is hard to make dreams become a reality. We all have our unique talents and gifts, but we need to dig deeper to find out what God has placed in us. No dream is too big or too unrealistic. 

So! Block out fear and naysayers and go after your dreams while being hopeful!

LYRICS

Many nights we've prayed

With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there's much to fear
We were moving mountains long
Before we knew we could

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

In this time of fear
When prayers so often proves in vain
Hope seems like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I'm standing here
My heart's so full I can't explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I'd say

There can be miracles, when you believe
Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill
Who knows what miracles you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will
You will when you believe

They don't always happen when you ask (Oh)
And it's easy to give in to your fears (Oh...Ohhhh)
But when you're blinded by your pain
Can't see your way straight through the rain
A small but still resilient voice
Says hope is very near (Ohhh)

There can be miracles (Miracles)
When you believe (Lord, when you believe)
Though hope is frail (Though hope is frail)
It's hard to kill (Hard to kill, Ohhh)
Who knows what miracles, you can achieve
When you believe, somehow you will (somehow,somehow, somehow)
somehow you will
You will when you believe

You will when you
You will when you believe
Just believe...in your heart
Just believe
You will when you believe

HopefulDreamer