My Life In Music: Soundtrack to Me 2012/2013

It's that time of the year --- the end of it -- where I reflect on my favorites and things that have touched my life. Yes, music continues to be a significant part of my life and who I am as a person, so I have returned with what I consider my personal soundtrack.  

With all that happened in 2012 [primarily, the loss of Whitney Houston --- and a few other things], I didn't supply a set for last year, but don't worry -- the music continued and I have included songs to cover 2012 and 2013. I have listened to the "soundtrack" and enjoyed reflecting on the songs and the moments in my life that made them significant to me over the past two years.

I present to you the latest edition of My Life in Music.  These are songs that have shaken my world, played with my emotions, and reflect aspects of my personality; contain lyrics that touched my soul; or just made me shout "That is my song!" (over and over, again) during the span of 2012 and 2013.

MY LIFE IN MUSIC: Soundtrack to Me 2012 + 2013

• Emeli Sandé - Read All About It (Part III)
• Robin Thicke - The Good Life
• Fantasia - Get It Right
• Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man
• Beyoncé - Love On Top
• John Legend - Shelter
• Lina - I'm Not The Enemy
• Tamar Braxton - Love & War
• Whitney Houston - All The Man That I Need
• Christina Aguilera - Here To Stay
• Mary J. Blige - I Feel Good
• Whitney Houston - Oh Yes
• Bruno Mars - If I Knew
• Katy Perry - Walking On Air
• Whitney Houston - Don't Cry For Me (live)
• James Blunt - Miss America
• Tamia - It's Not Fair
• Jill Scott - Shame
• Patti LaBelle - Not Right But Real
• John Legend - Tonight (Best You Ever Had)
• Katy Perry - Roar
• Robin Thicke - Get In My Way
• Jonas Brothers - Pom Poms
• Adele - Set Fire To The Rain
• India.Arie - Just Do You
• Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan - Missing You
• Tamia - Smile
• Ledisi - I Blame You
• Beyoncé - Schoolin' Life
  

As I always say, to me music is a therapy: it relaxes me, it inspires me, it becomes my voice to express myself when I cannot find the words. Put your life to music. Which songs capture you?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Deals! Deals! Deals!

Buy this. Buy now.

Limited time only...

Chiiiiiile, bye. These shopping shenanigans stay doing the absolute mostest (and yes, I meant 'mostest'). From Black Friday dipping into Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday starting the Saturday before. I know times are tough, the seasons and other things change, but a 'day' is still only a specific 24-hour period. Friday is Friday and Monday is Monday; black, white, online, or off...they don't change.

These shopping holidays [read: gimmick days] are unbelievably entertaining: from the way consumers line up, camp out, and act like raging fools over limited supply, cheaply-priced, about-to-be-phased-out-or-discontinued products to re- and e-tailers trying to lure you into purchases with 'deeply discounted' marketing and advertising. Hi-la-ri-ous!

From the commercials and print advertisements I've seen along with the influx of promotional emails; many of the special sales are pretty much sans special. Far too many are identical repurposed  Friends & Family sales specials from a few weeks prior. I just knew I'd had enough when a luxury retailer send an email advertising their Cyber Monday special as Free Gift-Wrapping. After realizing I would have preferred for them to use the term "complimentary" in lieu of 'free,' I wanted to toss my laptop around the room, but quickly realized that the computers being promoted for the special days had lower specs than my current machine and a higher price tag. No losing to win there.

In short, stop acting like you've never gone shopping before and giving into the hype; retail employees would like to spend time with their families and enjoy the holidays. Shop strategically; it may be promoted as the best sale price, but the lowest price may actually occur at another time. Also, do a cost/time analysis -- will the cost outweigh the amount of time and energy you consumed waiting for stores to open, waiting in lines, and wrangling yourself through hordes of people?

Shopping Seasons's Greetings!

Unemployed People's Problems: Check A Box

Have you ever looked for a job? Any job? A real job? An interesting job? A challenging job? A likeable job? One that's worth-while and worthy of your time? Yeah, it's a process. Yet, while each company's online resume submission tool will likely make you want to toss your laptop, tablet, and universal remote across the room, pull out your hair, duct tape your eyes shut, remove your fingernails, AND scream, there's always that inevitable, "voluntary" survey. 

Yes, that one! The Race/Ethnicity/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veteran/Non-Discrimination survey....or, should you prefer it's more lotto-centric, joke amongst some crowd name: The Pick One. Only one.

All are someone interesting, some are wordier than others, and each one makes you wonder: what happens if/when I choose "not to disclose/respond"?

The options below from a section on of the surveys was rather side-eye inducing:

Race:
What is your race? Select one of the following race categories.

	White A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the MiddleEast, or North Africa.
	Black or African American A persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
	Asian A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, The Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
	Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
	American Indian or Alaskan Native A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
	Two or More Races
	I Choose Not to Respond

Anyone care to play Name That Company?

Celebrating & Remembering Whitney Houston

The greatest diva of all would have turned 50 years old today. It has been a year and a half and not a day goes by that she isn't thought of and missed.

I can't sing...at all...so I'll express in the way that I know.

Aptly titled with the words she often proclaimed with warmth, "I Love You, Back!" is my tribute to and celebration of the icon and legend...WHITNEY HOUSTON.

Happy Birthday, Whitney! RIP.

Is A Man's Heart In His Pants?

"Topics from Social Media"' day continues...

I've long heard the old saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach; but, does that journey start in the stomach, above the stomach, or below the stomach? Then, in which direction do you work? Which bring me to today and my homegirl ... I happen to love her so much ... Jada Pinkett-Smith (yes, we are bffs...in some way and form...in my mind). I straighten my bangs to her -- she truly continues to amaze me with the questions she poses publicly and the issues she fights for and support. I just love how she pretty much just says her business is her business, her life is her life; get yours, behave within your realms, and be who you are.

Anyway, back to today... Ms. Jada posed two really good questions; initially, pretty much asking 'is a man's heart in his Oscar-Meyer-Schlong-Dong' and then followed it up with this:

""Is great sex the only need, or primary need, for a man to have a good relationship with his partner?"

I love that she used "partner," because it adds another layer of potential discussion if you consider a relationship between two men .... and if both of their hearts are in the same location or different. 

As she noted in her Facebook post, it's a debate among she and her girlfriends and she's asking people to simply comment "YES" or "NO." That's nice and all, but I want to know your REAL thoughts; I mean, start out with the 'yes' or 'no,' but then give me the real juice...tell me why. GIVE IT ME! Drag your friends into the conversation (share buttons below), too, let's all talk. Bring men! I have an idea of what women will say, but I want to hear what the gentlemen have to say, as well.

Jada used with her post, as well. I have a feeling it's how many view the placement of the (romantic) hearts in women and men. Ooooh...that just made me think of a similar question about gay relationships. Hmmmm....!

Flirting While In A Relationship. Cheating?

Today is a "topics from social media" day; there are a few interesting questions surrounding dating and relationships that are floating around the networks and they offer some great discussion opportunities.

One was a tweet by Juan San Roman:

If you're in a relationship, flirting is cheating.
— Juan San Roman (@_JuanSanRoman) June 7, 2013

Some think cheating is only when visible activity (you know...sex) is involved; some way it's emotional. What is your take on this: within the boundaries of a relationship, is flirting innocent and allowable or is it cheating?

Comment below on how you feel and share this post with your friends to get their take.

Also, about to share with you a question from Jada Pinkett-Smith involving a man, his penis, and a relationship. Be sure to check it out...it's a good one.

Hooking Up

Yes. That.

Within the past week alone, it's been the topic of discussion...in a different way than normal; "newsworthy." Yes, I said it...like it's the new hotness. I've read an article's popular on the social media circuit and people are on national television shows discussing it and asking for viewer's thoughts. 

A word to the left behind: Hooking up is not new. Where have y'all been?  Am I missing something or are media notables of the heterosexual community just catching on or feeling comfortable enough to talk about it?

It's old; real old. It's a nuisance. It's been here for so damn long, I believe it's one of the main f***ing (no pun intended) reasons dating and relationships have gone by the wayside. Mass quantity, no responsibility, profit/gain. As the saying goes, "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?".

It's bad; real bad. I'm all about change and evolution, but dating and relationships seem to be on the verge of extinction; at least, as they are traditionally known and what's taking its place doesn't even resemble a relationship --- it's like a suit without any lining. Hooking up has been around for so long and has become so popular, it's become the main and first point of conversation of catch-ups amongst friends [let me tell you about my latest victim...I mean conquest...trophy....Let me tell you about whom I did what with], people are doing research studies on it, and it's become a culture: Hookup Culture. That must be like having a mind of its own.

It's not newsworthy. Point blank, period. How do we save society and have people form more interpersonal relationships of substance with each other (not necessarily physical or romantic), as in let's spend some time together and not disrespect or act like we don't know each other once we part ways...THAT is newsworthy. Hell, finding people who still believe in dating and getting to know each other will make a great news story; they are rare. If you can find someone who inquires of your name before trying to kiss you...they should be the next social media or reality tv star.