Pure Lyricism

I'm crushing this song right now. Loving everything about the video as well. Enjoy the lyrics!

There's too many things that I haven't done yet

Too many sunsets

I haven't seen

You can't waste the day wishing it'd slow down

You would've thought by now

I'd have learned something

I made up my mind when I was a young girl

I've been given this one world

I won't worry it away

But now and again I lose sight of the good life

I get stuck in a low light

But then Love comes in

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

But send me the miles and I'll be happy to follow you Love

I do what I can wherever I end up

To keep giving my good love

And spreading it around

Cause I've had my fair share of take care and goodbyes

I've learned how to cry

And I'm better for that

Sing how far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Send me the miles and I'll be happy to

Follow you Love

Red letter day and I'm in a blue mood

Wishing that blue would just carry me away

I've been talking to God don't know

If it's helping or not

But surely something has got to got to got to give

Cause I can't keep waiting to live

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

But send me the miles and I'll be happy to yeah

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

Been talking to God don't know if it's helping or not

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

Oh send me the miles and I'll be happy to

Follow you Love

There's too many things I haven't done yet

Too many sunsets I haven't seen

National Book Week Challenge

The designated week is almost over (August 20-26 marks National Book Week) so let's get in on the celebration by taking part in a cute little challenge.

The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence and paste in the comments. Don't forget to include your name as well as the book title.

Here's a start:


MBC Sister Cheryl-  "They also hoped we could discover our history through the very product of our peddling."  ~Magic Ciy: Trials of a Native Son


MBC Sister Ana-  "He passed along Klan information to the assistant attorney general of Georgia, an established Klan buster" ~Freakonomics

National Book Week

National Book Week celebrates the freedom that lies in literacy.

In honor of National Book Week, Mahogany Book Club is giving away a copy of Jay-Z's Decoded to the first person to correctly guess which book this passage comes from:

I chose to write about Black boys rather than Black men, because the destruction of Black men does not occur upon their arrival into manhood, or on their eighteenth birthday. the destruction begins when they are boys, and until we can pinpoint those years and what takes place, it will continue. I do not wish to ignore Black men, I simply chose to focus on boys, for numerous reasons. Firstly, correcting the problems of Black boys may eliminate the problems for the future men. Secondly, it is considerably easier to educate, which is a one-step process, than it is to re-educate, which is a two-step process. Two of the most successful sports organizations, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Dallas Cowboys, have consistently fielded good teams, because they produced their players internally, with one step education, rather than trading and buying older players, which necessitates a two-step orientation.

Email mahoganybookclubmiami@gmail.com with your answer.

Best wishes!

Next Up: Jay Z's "Decoded"

I'm not even gonna lie; I don't know much about Jay-Z and can only name a handful of his songs. I've heard he's a talented maverick, a dark 'Illuminati' devotee and everything in between. I like that I get to "pick his brain" and that this book is not the typical run-of-the-mill biographical sketch. I hear that it's essays, or social commentary. He has a cult-like following, for sure. Chances are, I won't become a fan. But once I read this book I look forward to having something thoughtful to say when he comes up in conversation.

Here's a video about his "Decoded" project:




Click here for another interview.

"The Alchemist" Recap

"The Alchemist" was a book that I needed to read.

It was a good selection...and, indeed, a new dimension to our reading medley. Overall, we gave it high marks. It average 8.5 out of 10.

We welcomed a new reader, Mercedes or Merce for short, a vivacious and soulful FAU student. It was a pleasure to have you with us, Merce!

The synopsis: Santiago, a young shepherd, embarks on a journey to fulfill his Personal Legend which is to find a treasure near the Egyptian Pyramids. His journey is a hard but delicious one. He stops in several places: a crystal shop in Tangiera as well as an oasis in the desert before he finally makes it to the Pyramids. Despite calamities, Santiago thrives everywhere he goes, in part because he understands the "Soul of the World" and the "Language of the Desert." Those are simply fancy ways of saying Santiago's a deep dude. And because Santiago is true to his sage soul (sure he chickened out a few times but overall he was courageous) "all of the universe conspired to make his personal legend happen." He learned that his treasure was at the very spot where the journey began. There is a lot that can be said about that, indeed...

Our book club discussion at Rack's Italian Grille revolved around our own "Personal Legends" or what many prefer to call purpose. We spent time thinking about the fact that we all have mini-purposes throughout life. We experience different seasons, just as Santiago did. He was robbed and, later, faced death and, still later, beaten but it was all SUPPOSED to happen. We discussed how the book is part autobiographical and how Coehlo's belief that all religions are the same comes up throughout the book. Santiago mirrored Christ while the Alchemist mirrored Mohammed. This, of course, is not by happenstance...

I understand New Age philosophy a lot better, as "The Alchemist" is considered a canon in the New Age spiritual movement. As I mentioned on Saturday, I enjoy reading things I disagreed with; I couldn't vibe with much of the book's doctrine but appreciated the literary craft, especially for it to have been a translation! "The Alchemist" is a rhymic book...it reads like a ballad. And I kept thinking of "The Giver" as I read it. My only gripe is that at times "The Alchemist" felt repetitious. Yet, this fable kept us engrossed with its rich characters and settings.

If you haven't already, give "The Alchemist" a try!

"The Help"--MBC Movie Review

12My, my, my..."The Help" is a classic.

Did anyone else notice that what's-her-face, Miss Millie from "The Color Purple," was in this piece? I was so happy to see her that I couldn't dislike the character she played in the movie.

Nothing...well, nothing important...was left out of "The Help" movie. Sure, it abandoned the book's plot at times but it was forgiveable. Overall, I gave the movie a 9! I appreciate how they never showed Leroy's face. He remained just a voice and a mean "presence." It was as if Leroy could be any wife-beating man...of any race and any creed. We certainly don't need any more negative black male portrayals...

Speaking of portrayals, as far as the question of whether the movie reinforces stereotypes, I think we as a race need to get over it. The fact that Minnie liked fried chicken and was a soul food extraordinaire was a viable, defendable part of the plot. After all, her cooking skills allowed her to do the "terrible awful" and therefore provided a cover for their underground book...likewise, the fact that Minnie showed a neck-rolling, tell-it-like-it-is style was equally important...and it was only one of her several dimensions. Her bodacious personality cowarded when it came to her abusive husband, Leroy. Similarly, Minnie was a teddy bear when it came to Miss Celia Foote.

 I like the colors and TEXTURE of the movie...the femininity...the good ol' American feel...the cinematography...the pivotal history lesson.  Admittedly, I knew little about Medgar Evars.

I loved little Mae Mobley, affectionately known to Aibileen as "Baby Girl" who acted her heart out...Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer all did fine jobs as well!

I give it a 9, but only because I found Aibileen to be TOO spirited and happy, which was in contrast with the book. Also, they should've shown how she took over the Miss Merna column. That's HUGE to leave out. The movie didn't showcase how much and how well Aibileen wrote.

Still...Oscar, Ebert and Ana give it 4 stars!

Coehlo's blog

A friend alerted me to Paolo Coehlo's blog (thanks, Tee). Just glanced around--actually, more like darted around. I gotta run but my only thought at the moment is "He's been blogging nonstop since 2006. Really? Wow."

Gotta run now...

See ya on Saturday!

Always a pleasure reading with you,
Ana

"The Alchemist" Movie Part Deaux

Well, well, well...I should've done my research ahead of time. LOL.

Turns out I found out the answer to my "why hasn't 'The Alchemist' been turned into a movie?" question?

Not that you can EVER really rely on Wikipedia but this blurb is believable:

In 2003, Warner Bros. bought the rights to the film adaptation of The Alchemist. The project stalled and the movie never materialized, reportedly because of problems with the script.  At one point, the script had a battle sequence with 10,000 soldiers, which was "not what the book is about."

 (courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alchemist_(novel)

During the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, Harvey Weinstein announced that he had bought the rights to the film and will serve as its producer. Laurence Fishburne is set to direct, and to play the eponymous character. It will have a reported budget of $60 million. Weinstein, who rarely personally produces movies, stated that "My loyalty is not to Laurence [Fishburne], my loyalty is not to me, my loyalty is not to anyone other than Paulo Coelho."Coelho added "I am very happy that my book will be filmed in the way I intended it to be and I hope the spirit and simplicity of my work will be preserved. I am excited my friend Laurence Fishburne and Harvey Weinstein will be working together."

A theatrical adaptation of The Alchemist has been produced and performed by the Cornish Theatre Collective, which is their most successful production to date.

"The Alchemist" Movie??

As I'm wrapping up our current MBC selection, I'm thinking a few things:

-I can see why this book is a bestselling phenomenon
-Even though its translated, it's still poignant and rythmic. As the saying goes, things are often "lost in translation" but "The Alchemist" seems to escape this notion.
-I can also see why it's controversial
-I like that I'm able to read things I disagree with. I appreciate this book A LOT, even though I disagree with it emphatically

but, most importantly, I'm wondering

-why hasn't this book been turned into a movie?

There are some authors who refuse to allow their works to be adapted to film. Movie adaptations, they argue, cheapen the book. They won't "sell out," if you will. I wonder if Paulo Coehlo is a part of this school of thought.

Because whenever a book is a runaway classic, at The Alchemist certainly was, big screen offers certainly folllow. It's not even that I particularly WANT to see "The Alchemist" as a flick. I'm simply curious. I'm sure Coehlo has been courted by film jaugernauts.

Why hasn't "The Alchemist" been turned into a movie?

Book Lust : One Day it will All Make Sense

Excitement!  :-)
-----
(Courtesy of Amazon.com)
Common has earned a reputation in the hip hop world as a conscious artist by embracing themes of love and struggle in his songs, and by sharing his own search for knowledge with his listeners. His journey toward understanding—expressed in his music and now in his roles in film and television—is rooted in his relationship with a remarkable woman, his mother, Mahalia Ann Hines.

In One Day It’ll All Make Sense, Common holds nothing back. He tells what it was like for a boy with big dreams growing up on the South Side of Chicago. He reveals how he almost quit rapping after his first album, Can I Borrow a Dollar?, sold only two thousand copies. He recounts his rise to stardom, giving a behind-the-scenes look into the recording studios, concerts, movie sets, and after-parties of a hip-hop celebrity and movie star. He reflects on his controversial invitation to perform at the White House, a story that grabbed international headlines. And he talks about the challenges of balancing fame, love, and fatherhood. 

One Day It’ll All Make Sense is a gripping memoir, both provocative and funny. Common shares never-before-told stories about his encounters with everyone from Tupac to Biggie, Ice Cube to Lauryn Hill, Barack Obama to Nelson Mandela. Drawing upon his own lyrics for inspiration, he invites the reader to go behind the spotlight to see him as he really is—not just as Common but as Lonnie Rashid Lynn.

Each chapter begins with a letter from Common addressed to an important person in his life—from his daughter to his close friend and collaborator Kanye West, from his former love Erykah Badu to you, the reader. Through it all, Common emerges as a man in full. Rapper. Actor. Activist. But also father, son, and friend. Common’s story offers a living example of how, no matter what you’ve gone through, one day it’ll all make sense.

Amy Chua's "Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mom"

Just got through watching Tavis Smiley's interview with author and Yale professor Amy Chua, who wrote the controversial book regarding Asian-American parents' infamous parenting tactics. Chua admits that she is the product of crazy-strict Chinese immigrant parents. Subsequently, she became a tough parent. Her daughters underwent rigorous musical and academic schedules. She argues that she--and her kids--were better for it.

Chua doesn't claim to know all of the answers. Her book, she contends, is not a parenting guide. At the same time, Chua stands by her convictions, even though her youngest daughter chafed against their iron-fisted family life. Chua points to that very experience as her reason for penning "Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mom." By all accounts, she receives conflicting feedback on the book. Lots of American parents consider her an abusive monster. Yet, she gets letters from, say, Nigerians who jokingly comment "Oh my gosh, my parents were the same way!"

Like Chua, I'm a product of immigrant parents. My upbringing was different...but I'm not sure I would call it strict or oppressive. More than anything, it's comical when I look back at it. There was just a certain standard, a way of doing things that is very characteristic of Caribbean families. I guess a part of it had to do with a "kids should be seen and not heard" mentality. There was a kid's place and I just knew to stay in it or else. I was mischievous; but never wicked and lawless.

I believe, as Chua does, that immigrant parents are often no-nonsense, stern disciplinarians. A girlfriend of mine keeps me in stitches when she mocks her Haitian mom. However, I also know plenty of American, particularly, African-American parents who "don't play that," if you will. I'm thinking of my buddy, LJ. His stern American mom is the reason he turned out to be an extraordinary man.

Anyhow, I agree with Chua. Immigrant parents are...well...mission-minded and their parenting reflects that. They traveled far. They seek to go far, I suppose. And it all comes from love. Tough, tough love. But they have to pull back and listen to their children.

I definitely parent through the lens of my black Nicaraguan upbringing. At the same time, I realize that I need a happy medium in order to relate to Selena's world. I suppose what's needed is a hybrid between old-world/new-world parenting.

What do you think? How will/do you parent your kids? And can you find yourself picking up Amy Chua's bestseller?

Lighten Up, Sis!

Okay, what's wrong with this sign?

TV Lust: "Reed between the lines"

I've been debating lately about whether I should just get rid of cable. My condo association fees used to cover the cable tab until the complex hit hard times. I grumbled when I added cable to my 'net bill.

At the risk of appearing to take myself too seriously, I wanna be more conscious of what I watch. It mostly has to do with my walk with God. I always wonder if I would watch certain shows if Jesus were beside me chilling...like, with his feet on the ottoman and sipping on a cup of tea while stroking Puffles, our cat.

And I've cut back TONS when it comes to fashion and pop culture blogs. I was a junkie back in college. Truth is, I simply don't have it like that anymore...I mean, I don't have endless hours to just browse. Hence, no FB or Twitter either.

So weaning from reality or otherwise salacious TV just seems like a natural step. I let go of the "Real Housewives..." franchise starting with New Jersey this summer and don't plan on going back there. A little more recently, I was so outraged with Eric's less-than-chivalrous behavior on "Basketball Wives" that I decided to permanently boycott that as well. I don't care for "Single Ladies" and didn't make it through the first episode. Never got into "The Game" or any of the BET shows. Admittedly, MTV and BET have always been blocked.

During our vacation, my 13-year-old daughter and I have enjoyed Netflix streaming as well as sent-to-home movies. Plus, ever since her godmother introduced her to Hulu she's been hooked like a pirate. We literally live right behind a library and, thus, borrow tons of movies for free. And speaking of the library, boy, do we read!! Right now she is devouring the Twilight saga (Team Jacob, suckas!) and just finished Lois Lowry's "The Giver." She has her iPod and laptop; sure, with monitors and all but still...she catches all of her little froo-froo shows with those gadgets as well...

So why do we still have cable?

There's one show (well, aside from HawthoRNe) that makes me want to keep Comcast: Reed between the lines. I was thrilled to learn that Malcolm Jamaal Warner and Tracee Ellis Ross are teaming up to bring a values-centered, sophistisexy, smart and laugh-out-loud funny show. According to IMDB, Reed between the lines centers on Dr. Carla Reed, a busy psychiatrist, wife of an NYU English professor and mom struggling to balance her job and her happy but chaotic home life.

The question is whether this scripted show will make it amidst today's programming.

I know I'll be watching--cable or no! Will you?

Do you think Reed between the lines is the 21st century 'Cosby Show'?

Below's a cute Tracee Ellis Ross interview, thanks to Essence.com. Cool chick.

Food for thought

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and few are to be chewed and digested”

- Francis Bacon

Book worthy

 Everybody's writing a book or memoir these days. We've seen our share of pop-culture and/or gossip books.

But what if we had more books that brought awareness and activism, like "Mountains beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder, "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson or "A Thousand Sisters" by Lisa Shannon? The fact that these titles went on to be bestsellers proves that books on social responsibility DON'T equate to utter boredom and disappointing sales.

I look forward to someone writing a book about their accounts on the ground while helping to end the desperate situation in Somalia. The region known as the Horn of Africa has been experiencing desertification for decades. The Somali people have nowhere to go and, what's more, little food to sustain them during relocations. So they're stuck and STARVING. Recently, almost every broadcast news network has reported that the past 90 days have been particularly dire for Africa's Horn. Some 29,000 children have died as a result of the famine. Can you wrap your head around that number? Sadly, that figure is 29,000 not 2,900.

Incredible.

This, friends, is truly book...or awareness...worthy. I would certainly be reading.

To access a good Huffington Post article, click here. To donate to help those living in the Horn of Africa, click visit the Samaritan Purse's ministry website for that region.