at my father's funeral repast with my older cousin Thomas A. Orr III

les paul guitar tribute
jeff beck, imelda, & darrel
how high is the moon

we'll always love big poppa!



daddy words can't explain how much we will miss you. its crazy our last conversation was so random and i can't even really remember but we talked about but i know i loved every second of it. we were sitting in the hospital and i was busy being concerned about you and you were busy being concerned about me. it hurts that you physically won't be here to hug me or kiss me on the forehead like i'm still two years old, but i know you will be in my heart walking and talking with me everyday. i love you man!

not trying to be wordy or long winded so here it is. my dad is fighting for his life, and this is the hardest thing to deal with. i love you dad, and i need you to pull through. we have had our issues but you have always been my support net and i really am not ready to let you go.

nicholas kirkwood fluorescent patent lace up sandals

..guys will cheat. its something that is very real, you can either get used to it, become like them, be lesbian, or leave them alone. but they cheat so welcome to heartbreak my dear....

taken from a random conversation with a very bitter friend.

santogold
'starstruck'

so the new thing seems to be,"if you're not with me, you're hating on me!", but really people lets stop and think about that for a moment. haters. haters are a very real thing. they always have something negative on the tip of their tongue about everything someone else is doing. the mental warfare they can cause is ridiculous. yes ,haters, are a seedy breed that most people try very hard to stay away from....

• that bitch ain't shit
• such and such ain't got shit on me
• blah,blah,blah.
• that's lame
• kill yourself

its common knowledge that everyone hates a hater. that's good and all but why is it that people are now quick to equate a person who is honest with being a hater? please understand there is a huge difference between the two, and if you were unaware, now you will know. ever heard the saying,'don't shoot the messenger'? it seems that now a days its not safe to be that messenger, everyone seems to have their pistols locked and loaded for the messenger.

is it just me or is it that people would rather dick ride and not be marked as hater? in my personal opinion that makes you just as bad as a hater, maybe even worse. remember real friends don't let good friends do whack shit. that's a breech in the code of friendship conduct.

when you are speaking real and truthful facts you are not hating, you're being truthful. my mother used to tell me 'its not about what you say,but the way you say things'. i'm going to have to respectfully disagree. sugar coded cereal is cool, but if you eat too many sweets you will get cavities. if you sweetly spin the truth one to many times, the line between truth and lies can and will be blurred.

sometimes you have to care enough to be frank and totally honest with people. the whole thing is you have to figure out away to do it without...

1. embarassing the person
2. hurting their feelings
3. lying

...all this is being said to get to my main point, there is indeed a difference between 'hating' and 'telling the truth'. yes sometimes the truth hurts, but lies hurt way more than 'spinning stories' ever will. be a friend, if you see your friend slipping by the way side, loving tell them to get their selves together. they may not love what you're saying but they will defiantly thank you later.

new shoes,new shoes,new shoes

so today i paid a visit to my auntie's house, and after hours of bugging her, we raided her closet. and let me be the first to say,YEA AUNTIE!!!! as she began to dig through everything, she remembered that she had a BRAND NEW pair of NEVER BEEN WORN SHOES. talk about coming through in the clutch, whoot whoot. jones new york mary jane peep toe pumps....i'm in LOVE.

its a ugk type of day

ugk feat outkast
int'l players anthem


ugk
wood wheel


ugk
the game belongs to me

the morning after...

so its the day after valentines day, so singles of the world you can stop hating on every couple you see and continue on living your life. don't feel bad, i had a moment of hating myself but it quickly passed. my day was actually all that bad though.

• went to church with my family
• had lunch with the ladies i love
• watched the secret life of bees
• ate blue radberry now and laters
• had a very insightful conversation with my oldest friend
• finally found my glasses
  

yesterday wasn't as bad as i thought it would be....

• dressed to the nine(caught a couple guys staring)
• hair was real cute even though its growing at a rapid rate
  

hopefully you guys enjoyed your vday, i finally came to the conclusion that its really just another day, and i would much rather have someone express their feelings to me,randomly through out the year, instead of on one set day. i do want to thank everyone for the calls, emails, and texts, i really appreciate that i was on your mind enough for you to think of me. thanks! love all you guys, and its just not on the 14th.

happy birthday dwele

almost forgot its one of my favorite performers birthday....happy birthday dwele

the foreign exchange
sweeter than you

i'm late on this joint but it doesn't make me stop liking it. my musical playlist has been sounding a bit more grown up these days so why not add this too it.

happy valentines day

happy valentines day
outkast

despite my current nonchalant attitude i can still wish everyone a happy valentines day. so yea.

forever true double whammy

so my boys over at forevertrue have been putting in the man hours and burning the midnight oil. releasing two new singles this weekend..landing strip and we can do that.... max payne and nick n beans, once again my hat is off to you boys, keep em coming!

to listen and download Max Payne "Landing Strip" click here


to listen and download Nick N Beans Feat. Max Payne "We Can Do That" click here

i wonder if you know i love you

this is my mother. gorgeous right? this picture was taken about a year ago, they say if you want to know what a girl will look like when she gets older just look at her mom.....with that said, i'll be a hottie too...mom dukes....she's dope!

random rambling

sometimes you need to just sit back and think about your life. as i'm lounging on my couch watching zoolander and eating blue radberry now and later's, i'm allowing my mind to wander about some stuff i've pushed to the backburner.

• i miss my boothang very much and i'm sad i won't be able to see him til may, but i'm so proud of him for reaching for his dreams. congrats babe, i know i don't say it enough but i'm so behind you and in your corner until you kick me out
• i miss my grandmother, she recently passed and she was one of the reasons i started caring about fashion and art. she was the coolest little lady walking, r.i.p. johnie mae wesley
  
• school sucks, and i really feel its pointless but like mom dukes says, "you need that piece of paper to go places in life
• still need a job that pays well
  
• having short hair is a great money saver, run a comb through it in the morning and run(until its time for a touch up and lining)
  
• life is full of twists and turns, but it would be boring if you knew what was around the turn
• art is really helping calm my mind, i am in no way a 'great artist', but i am getting better
• attached but single...we're complicated but it wouldn't be us if we weren't
• have to get out and party...shake my blues away, cause nothing else seems to be doing the trick
  
• associates from my past are coming out trying to play nice, i am not trying to be mean but there is a reason we slowed up on our hanging out and dealings, there's no ill feelings but i have learned the true meaning of friendship
• do not want to smoke weed but with all the stress it doesn't seem like a bad idea....lord give me the strength just to say no
• got a lot of hidden gems in my closet, just have to take the time to sort through it
• reggae music is the shit
• dwele is a cutie
• need to move to a different state, would love to be able to relocate, just need the money and faith

random rambling i know but its just some stuff i've neglected to think about. hopefully i will be able to make changes to my life and some of these things will go a bit better.


sister nancy
'bam bam'

zoolander for the kids who can't read good

watch out sylvan learning center, the "Derrick Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good" might be coming for ya...

helloooo nurse!!!!

HELLOOO NURSE!!!!

....pants on the ground

"...pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with ya pants on the ground...."

yes its old, but this makes me laugh so oh well!

digging through crates

"can i get a witness"
marvin gaye

all falls down - iona rozeal brown

showing now through may 10 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.

hiv tests and free condoms

yesterday i was waiting for my late night class to start at school, after getting annoyed with the cafeteria and the people in it, i hopped up and took a stroll through the campus. as i merrily walked along i saw a crudely drawn sign that read "FREE HIV TESTS", i was bored and had an hour and a half on my hands so i decided to bite the bullet and take a test.

after filling out the paper work and talking about my short sexual history, i was given a mouth swab that honestly looked like a home pregnancy test and was advised to rub the swab over my gums. even though i've very careful, those where twenty of the scariest minutes of my life.....but when my test came back non reactive aka hiv negative my mind was filled with relief and my hand was filled with free condoms(that will be going to waste seeing as how i'm not getting lucky).

moral of the story the is get tested, know your status, and take the free condoms....stay protected people.

RIP ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

its a sad day in the fashion world, 40 year old designer alexander mcqueen commited suicide. rest in peace sir.

what the rach rock...pretending like its warm outside

last night mother nature had a nice little laugh at chicago's expense, she dumped a nice two feet of snow for chicagoans to suffer through. after shoveling a gang of snow i decided i was through with snow and long johns.....
sweater: guess
outer stockings: calvin klein
leggings:rose garden
boots:timberland

...turned on dwele's, 'travelin girl', pour some mango juice into a high ball glass and got ready for class, thank goodness for the ride i got to and from school.

some people really love vaginas.....

new music

Wale - My Sweetie (directed by tabi Bonney) from tabi Bonney on Vimeo.

"my sweetie"
wale

...woke up with midnight cravings

...got damn!!! this losing weight shit sucks when you dream of food like me,lol. i woke up around 3:30ish fiending for buttercream frosting and cake. some fat shit, o well, i'll just pour my self a glass of water and make myself believe its a yummy cupcake with sprinkles(i better be uber sexy this summer,missing out on cupcakes and what not). treated.

new music

Wale feat Gucci Mane
'Pretty Girls'

music monday 2.8.10

'travelin' girl'
dwele

music monday 2.8.10

higher
do or die feat. kanye west

the good for "the uncool"

so i knit. yes i sit with the needles and yarn and make scarfs, lol. but anyway i started working on a scarf for my good friend ,fred, the creator of one my favorite indie blogs, " unmistakably cool ". i have been trying to knock this scarf out for a few months now, but after several failed attempts its finally ready(i know my wrists are happy).



the original colorway was black and baby blue, but i quickly let the idea when i saw the nike dunks in the picture above. so when i finally found the correct neon lime green yarn it was just a matter of actually knitting the scarf.



now even though the big homie doesn't get the same chicago winters i get but i'm sure his neck will stay warm in his town...

GZA - Liquid Swords

Rhymes & Reeason: the Mickey Factz and Honda Collab

i am a mickey factz fan, so i think its super cool that he was able to get a collaboration with honda. personally, i like both songs but "automatic" has a smoother feel than "who's hotter".idk you be the judge.

KR3W Footwear...presidential style

Jackson

so i have always loved men's fashion. recently i was involved in a heated debate about how women's fashion is more versatile then men's fashion. being a true lover of menswear i had to strongly disagree. KR3W's newest line shows just how versatile menswear(especially footwear) can be. i like the fact that KR3W's newest pieces are not "flashy" or "edgy" like most sneakers out today. they are very minimal, simple, and clean. every pair can either be dressed down with jeans and tee shirt, or dressed up with a pair of slacks and sweater. either way, these shoes are very stylish. sometimes clean and simple are all thats needed.

Grant

Grant Low

Franklin

you can always check the Kr3W Denim Co. for more updates.

for your listening pleasure...

blackinct : dwele : 09 - courtney crosslin video work from Courtney Crosslin on Vimeo.

amy winehouse

say what you want about ms. winehouse, but its clear her voice is beautiful and she has impeccable style. from her signature high hair, to her killer fuck me pumps she is the truth. i was in class yesterday talking with a few girls about music and she came up. it surprises me that many people still aren't up on her music. she's the bees kness in my eye.



i can't wait for the spring to hit, so i can pull out my winehouse-ish apparel(well maybe not the big hair)but the dresses and shoes will be all her!!!