Pink LadyBug

For as long as I can remember, I've always been one to keep my nails done, either by going to a professional and spending upwards towards seventy-five dollars every two or three weeks on a mani and pedi or by my own hands. As a child in elementary school, I set up a 'Nail Shop' to which case I had my parents spend all sorts of money on all the materials I needed to make my extra dough. I had polishes, acrylics, files, clippers, brushes, decals and stones...everything. And I charged my friends five to ten bucks a piece to get their 'nails did'.

I was pretty good too. I had appointments for after school, on the weekends, and all throughout the summer. I didnt limit myself to doing nails. I did hair as well. And I've always been very well-versed in the art of both hair and nail care. For that reason, I have always kept a bit more supplies than the average female in regards to hair, nails, and skin care. One day I'll write more on hair...but today, we're talking NAILS.

In high school, I always kept my nails done. When I started working at 16, part of my money was spent on dance (and during my team's competition season [and even during the regular season at times], it was against the rules to have my nails done), another part was spent on fashion, and the other part was spent in the nail salon. I did the designs and the decals and back when airbrushing was in style, I did that too. However, when I got to college, I mainly kept my nails clear or in a french manicure. I found I was too busy to keep it up myself, not to mention the nail salons in my college town were wack, so I didn't even bother even when I found the time.

After college, however, I was back on my nail regimen routine. I stayed in the salon every three weeks (gel sets are the best and last much longer) for manicures and pedicures. I haven't done acrylics in years and opt for my own nails. Plus, acrylics are a little harder to function with in the office. My nails even grew out to several inches past my fingers and I cut them down last summer after getting frustrated with the increased cost of paying for 'long nail' treatments.

The past few months, however, in the midst of the current state of the economy, have left me regressing back to my elementary days of doing my own nails and I've gotten far more interested in the art of nail design. Plus, I've got more priorities, which means I've got more money, but more things to tend to with said money. In February, I started really getting into designing and have found it to be a really relaxing hobby for me. Though I've been prompted by many friends, I've promised not to post any pictures of my designs until I was more confident in my work. Here is my latest design. My friend calls it, "Pink LadyBug". Enjoy.

When I finally give in and buy a new laptop screen (it's broken :( ), I hope to one day do a tutorial blog. Til then, I'll just post pics! :)

Happy Thursday all.

Is ALL Art Up For Interpretation?

Here we go again...smh

Here's the cartoon that was published in the New York Post the other day that's been going around the intrawebs and blogosphere ever since it hit the newsstands.

And as soon as Al Sharpton sees this and interprets what many folk see as a pick at President Obama, folk seem to have gotten up in arms arguing that Sharpton is an opportunist and defending this foolishness saying that its a pick at Congress. Though I can understand both sides, this doesnt excuse the cartoon in the least. Surely enough, the cartoonist knew what he was doing to construct something that could swing "both ways".

Is it real art because it's 'so vague' in what it's really saying? Or is the artist really ignorant to what the age-old monkey/black person stereotype is and the fact that racism is still alive and well to begin with? Is all art up for interpretatioiin? With this, I think not...but that's just my opinion, of course.

Find Your Passion...And Run With It...

Last Friday, I read a blog from one of my favorite people, OMG, and it got me to thinking of my own passion I have for all art forms. This piece, however, is old. I wrote it during my Junior year of Undergrad for my school paper for which I was Opinions Editor for two years. Enjoy. Aside from the picture, I have not edited this for the blog.

Find Your Passion…and Run With It…

Before I begin this piece, I’d first like to say that this piece actually gave me a mild case of Writer’s Block! I was literally blocked for about four or five hours. I knew what I wanted to write and exactly how I wanted it to sound. However, the connections between my paper for which I collect, my pen for which I write, and my brain for which I think just wasn’t clicking properly. I hate this feeling I get from time to time and to clear my head I attended the Open Mic Night, had a few laughs, and a nice mellow time. When I returned to the blank notepad, my head was clear, my thoughts were concise, and the connections between my paper, pen, and brain were finally ready to take on what I was trying to construct all along:

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I’ve been thinking a lot about life, direction, relationships, faith, and family. And since a lot of these topics are rather broad, I decided to limit my focus to something more relative—individual happiness!

Individual happiness can be measured in a multitude of variations. An individual’s happiness isn’t exactly a goal, a life dream, or even an unrealistic fantasy. Instead it is the simplest gift or talent deep within a person that, no matter what, gives them the most passion, the most joy. And with this said, it is the reason that…I write.

I’ve been writing for an insanely long time. I think a friend of mine and I enrolled ourselves in our first real poetry contest when we were in fourth grade. I came in second place for the Best Original Poem while she placed first for the Best Poem by a Published Author.

Now these were the good old days of the ‘90s when the Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul were literally ranked with nowadays’ “Addicted” and “The Coldest Winter Ever”. The Chicken Noodle Soup books were so positively inspiring, giving real-life stories and poetry on the most common subjects of daily life. I read those books religiously and that’s when I found my passion.

Writing for me is an escape. It takes me to a different place, puts me in a different scene, and forces me to look at life in an entirely different way. When I am writing, everything around me becomes a piece of insignificant scenery while the words, rhymes, or stories that I am presently writing are the characters—the actors to this theatrical image I paint. And as in a movie, my words are the stars while the real life around me are merely the stand-ins—people to just fill space in a scene. The reason for this is because sometimes I truly feel voiceless, so, in turn, I write. I write about everything and I even have a tendency to get political and philosophical when the need arises. Throughout the years, writing has undoubtedly strengthened my character and outlook on life. I feel if I could put it to the pen and write it, then I can achieve anything that life throws my way.

So over the years, I have written countless numbers of poems, essays, short stories, and journal entries including my childhood crush, my first boyfriend, my first fight, the first time I thought I was in love, the first time I was actually in love, and a wide array of other things like, my own definition of love at age 13. And surprisingly so, I have actually managed to keep up with a lot of my work.

But what do I plan to do with my writing—my inhibited passion that I discovered at such a very young age? With my gift, I plan to inspire others. I am not a Journalism major for the simple fact that I am multi-talented and creative and plan to use my gift in another direction—advertising to become a copy writer and one day elevate myself to an independent publisher. I am highly influenced by my all-time favorite writers including Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, and even Mike Jones (not the rapper, a student that attended QU from 2004-2006). These people have made such a great impact on my writing that I still look up to Mike Jones to critique and offer insight onto my pieces so that I can be even better at my hidden craft. In turn, I also help others with their writing, knowingly or otherwise. I feel a sense of worth, value, and necessity as I have somehow become an unofficial “public figure” of admiration. This is what I love most—more than anything in the world—the gift God has given me—the hidden gift—WRITING.

So what’s the point of this tale? The point is that you find your niche—your drive—what inspires you and what you can’t see yourself being without—and embrace it. Use this passion God had given you—no matter what it is—and turn it into a noteworthy element—something that not only you love and have noticed in yourself—but what others have noticed and have grown to love in you as well. Find your passion…and run with it….