This Is It

I was blessed enough to see the highly  praised Michael Jackson film, 'This Is It,' on its opening night. Let me tell you this for sure, it was worth all the hype and not at all overrated. The film was put together by Kenny Ortega. Ortega took the best from over 100 hours of footage from Michael Jackson's last rehearsals. The This Is It Tour was easily going to be the best and most elaborate arena show in history. The technology being used was unbelievable. They had developed many new technologies and stage preparation methods that were being developed just for Michael's shows. 'This Is It' is brilliantly crafted and presented. It shows Michael's true genius and God given talent and spectacular showmanship, all while showcasing his heart and sincere concern for humanity and our planet. There is no way anyone could see Michael in this picture and deny he was musically and artistically gifted by God. He had an angelic soul to go along with his unearthly talent. 'This Is It' is the first movie I have seen in a very long time that actually inspired me. I was thinking to myself all throughout the movie, "That's what it looks like to truly love what you do." "That's what it looks like to have a deep passion for life and know your purpose for living on Earth." "That's what sincere charity and humility should be." "This is what it means to live by your own raw and true talent." I can't say enough good things about the film, you just gotta see it for yourself to believe it. You don't even have to be a Michael Jackson fan to enjoy and be touched by 'This Is It.' When you see the film and he explains why he chose 'This Is It' for the title of the show you will be moved. The message he sends is a powerful one. Hint: It's got nothing to do with him and everything to do with mankind. We can't afford to ignore this movie. 

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You Can Read Me Like A Book

Last Tuesday, while I was trying to kill time before my show at Fords's Theater (...maybe kill wasn't the best word to use in the same sentence as Ford's Theater...), I went to Dupont Circle. There is an awesome bookstore there that a friend of told me to visit. Kramerbooks&Afterwards is a bookstore and a cafe, it's also open 24 hours a day. I picked up a copy of Madeleine Albright's new book "Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box," and the had a chicken quesadilla in their outdoor veranda-covered cafe. Kramer's is quaint, has a wide selection of books, and great food; a booklover couldn't ask for more. Writing about books has made me want to talk about my all-time favorite book series. I am going to list them below in no particular order since they are all my most favorite.

1. Amelia Bedelia
2. The Baby-Sitter's Club
3. Dr. Seuss
4.Sweet Valley Twins
5.Clearwater Crossing

Oh, and the play I went to see at Ford's Theater was called "Black Pearl Sings." It was a perfect balance of comedy, tragedy, triumph, and music. It was touching and I would recommend it for anyone who is a fan of good theater productions. I am going to try to give you a little bit of a synopsis of it without telling too much. Pearl is an African American woman with a golden voice who is imprisoned in the South. All Pearl wants is to find her daughter. She meets a woman named Susana who records old African American spirituals and songs for the Library of Congress. Pearl and Susana team up and form a friendship bond all their own. It is a wonderful play. Now, get up and go see it!

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I Guess This Is Growing Up

I always swore to myself that I would never be that person. This person; the one I feel that I am slowly becoming. I always promised myself I would never be that square, 9-5 working, predictable, routine-living, professional, suit and heel wearing, in the bed by 11pm, workaholic....adult. Ewww. I feel old. Even though I love my job and it has major perks, I can't help but feel its restraints starting to weigh down on my naturally free spirit and playful lifestyle. I am even forced to keep a job-issued Blackberry tethered to my hip at all times because of my job, and all the funky colored hairbows and Betsey Johnson charms in the world can't make up for that. Sigh. I am just scared of losing my loud, colorful, fun self and turning into a plain vanilla "all business type." IDK, I just feel like I am fighting tooth and nail against the grain. Lol, I guess this is how Lady Gaga feels; only I would never wear a bird's nest around my face. I wonder if Me and this new life can exist simultaneously. I hate having to just wait til the weekends to unwind and be the real me. Well, I guess this is just part of growing up?

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10 Things I Have Learned About Living In DC

1. Catching a No Passenger train at Grosvenor during the morning rush is like an early Christmas present.
2. The shopping here is only second to NY, in my opinion.
3. It can easily be 63 in the morning and 81 by a little after noon.
4. Don't let it's appearance fool you, Cleveland Park has the best sports bars.
5.Seeing sexy men in business suits are as common as seeing street lamps, concrete sidewalks, and street vendors.
6. This city never sleeps.
7. You seriously get blackballed in this town if you don't have a Blackberry or iPhone.
8. A $39 week pass is more economical than using a Smart trip to go everywhere.
9. Things are generally more expensive here, but if you look then you can run across great bargains.
10. Manners don't have as much a place here as they do in the South.

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Rushing to Catch Ourself

My birthday was this past Friday (September 25), and I missed celebrating with my family and friends back home. My mommy did send me flowers though:) Momma and daddy also put some extra cash ( $250) in my account for me to get myself something nice. I bought the most rad Betsey Johnson charm bracelet (But I mean really, is there anything that Betsey makes that isn't rad though??)and treated myself to some Cheesecake Factory. I also discovered that there is a World Market, Sephora, and a Bloomingdale's literally 3 stops away on the metro. How damn cool is that?!

This 23rd birthday was a milestone for me. Not only did I celebrate it here in DC, but I also realized that life moves so fast and it's real. I always knew those to be true before, but the weight of life and what's next just hit me like a rock. I had always been sheltered by my parents and school. Now, I am out here as an adult college graduate and completely by myself. It's a very humbling and scary feeling.

I remember when I was 17, and I would ways say that I can't wait to be done with school and out living my own exciting life. Well, that time is here. I am enjoying life very much, but I do often long for the simplicity and guaranteed stability that being young, in school, and living with mom and dad brings. What fools we are to try to wish life away. Enjoy each chapter of life and live it to the fullest. Plan for the future but, don't long for the future.

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Homesick

So last night I talked to my mom and dad like I do everyday, and my mom told me that my pets still seem sad that I left. I know it must sound silly, but I cried when I got off the phone with her because I feel like I abandoned them to come to DC. The thought of my cats and my little chihuahua Pookie Bella crying and acratching at my closed room door, looking for me on the bed and at my office computer work station, and wagging their tail and purring when they hear my voice on the speaker phone when I phone home just tears at me. I hope they understand that I am not abandoning them and I will be back very soon. I feel a bit comforted knowing the fact that animals have no concept of time like humans do.

They won't know I have been absent for months. But I do imagine that if me walking out the front door to talk to my neighbor for 10 minutes seems like a lifetime to them (and it must because everytime I would step out momentarily and return, they would act like they hadn't seen me for 30 years lol), then 4 months must seem like an eternity. I am going home to visit in October though:) I also go home for Thanksgiving for 5 days. After Thanksgiving I only have like 3 weeks left of my internship. I miss my family and friends a lot too, but I raised my animals and I am their primary care taker, so I really have a special attachment to them. My family is doing their best to fill in for me in my absence, and they assure me that the animals still play and are adjusting to me being gone better and better each day. I just really miss them, their sweet faces, and the unconditional love and comfort they give. I can't wait to get back to see my babies.

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Confessions of a Shopaholic

I know my blogs are probably starting to seem a little redundant with me just going on and on about how much I am loving it here in DC, but I can't help myself. Sunday I met up with my homegirl Bennie Baby and we totally did some damage in Georgetown. We went in Urban Outfitters, H&M, Betsey Johnson, Coach, Juicy Couture, and like a million others. Shopping is the absolute best down there. I swear, it has to be a sin to have all those awesome stores in one place! We both spent way more money then we planned but it was totally worth it. I bought the cutest purse from the Betsey Johnson boutique. I have also already got my birthday present picked out (my bday is September 25th for anyone planning to get me anything;) ). I am going to go back to Juicy and buy a gold charm bracelet and two charms to start it off. Oh, I can't wait! Me and Benica then had Sunday brunch at a nice little restaurant with a saloon feel, J. Paul's.

The restaurant was very nice and upscale, with pretty decent prices considering the ritzy area we were in. I also love how part of it is just open and the breeze is able to blow through. And of course, no shopping trip would be complete without a stop at Starbucks. I broke down and temporarily dissed my diet for a double fudge cupcake. It was so worth the guilt later though. I did drink water with the cupcake, so no calories there lol. Anyways, We had a fabulous time, and are planning on making that a twice a month thing. Hey, we work hard so we deserve to shop hard every once in awhile. Every gal does;)

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