After living exclusively with females for the first 19 years of my life, committing to a life of involved male companionship by way of a husband & three sons (our daughter not applicable here) has really challenged me mentally & emotionally during the past 12. There is much to be said for one driven primarily by testosterone, but not here - at least not scientifically. Can anyone recommend a good book? Your friendly 'hood sister finds herself lost in this aspect of existence. No doubt!!!

This week's destruction:
1. Pencils/Pens removed from my desk drawer & deposited into the heating vent
2. The second, of the drawers on my desk was broken & the face completely removed.
3. Drawer on daughter's bed busted after being used as a step-stool

When my siblings & eye were young, my Granny would always follow the confession involving breaking or destroying of her cherished goods with, "Can't have nothin'!" Even then, in all my good-two-shoe denial, something about her remark struck me a vaguely honest. Having male counterparts around, kicks that sentiment up about 500%. And "that's realer than real deal Holyfield".

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Where to begin...

Here again eye find myself overwhelmed at the possibilities of this iBook. To walk into a random restaurant around town with a slim hope that wi-fi would be available, means big things are changing when it actually works out for the best. Even the waitresses were amazed at technology today, as they all hovered over my laptop like it was a flying saucer.

With the proper gear, even rolling with the Mac via public transportation isn't so bad. What's wack is the lack of a worthy bus route around this city. Geesh!!! It's not all bad though. Eye must admit. Quite refreshing actually. For one who hates driving especially. The kids complain at the end of the walk, but all in all, they appear to love the complete experiece as much as eye do.

New York...we are ready. Bring it on. Japan. London. Paris. Ethiopia. Make it happen! All ye in favor...please say "I". Until we feel that resounding warmth from you & the ancestors - for the cause, we'll be right here. On Broadway!

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***NEW FEATURE***

Not only are we internationally known, we are All The Rage locally. You better ask somebody!

Shellie R. Warren always has the scoop on what's feverpitch around these parts. BIG UPS!!!

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Jamie Foxx has mad talent - in his own right. Many people compare him to artists of old, failing to recognize that while he may not be of equal talent, his gift is equitable. Dwight'll tell you...Foxx's abilities struck me as something to admire back in the day (1994-95). So this is no new interest. His NBC special, which he produced, showed me how grounded he remains even in the midst of his celebrity. He went out overtly ghetto, but with class. As he said in his Oscar speech, he was acting like he had been somewhere. That's keepin' it real!

Hold up though. Let me also bring attention to the outlandishness related. The video-ho's at primetime...that's a no-go. Fa' sho! You better know something. It's very frustrating, as mother earth, to try to combat the effects of such perverted images. A brother can't just sing anymore. Huh? Gotta be tail feathers reverberating throughout the theater? It's a shame, Jamie. You can do better. It's in you, bro. Don't allow those who do not exist to shape your perspective on the Goddess.

We go out of our way to ensure that our seeds are as well versed in scholastics as in pop culture. They really have the science on this thing. But, how can eye justify exposing our daughter & three gents to pure bull? No rubbish in this house. Um, um.

DEFY MEDIOCRITY!

Who's gonna' be at the DOOM show tomorrow night? Maybe we'll see you there.


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As much as the iBook has revolutionized my work habits, it still falls just short of my complete communication needs. For this reason, pardon the lack thereof for the past few days. Deadlines innundate, while personal situations continue to exist & intensify. Ma Dukes spent the past 24 in the hospital in surgery & recovery. Hopefully, Doogie Howser can be trusted in this instance. Unfortunately, most surgeons operate as simply "parts changers" anymore. Their whole career depends on how many body parts they can remove and/or replace, but mostly remove.

Anywho, all is well. More tomorrow. Please visit then.

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GRITTY LIVING

When RZA droped that "Grits" single (Birth of a Prince) my mind was completely blown. We first saw the video & the old timers crooning about impoverished conditions that many of us know so way was enough to make somebody shout:

[Hook: Allah Real]
When I was small
We had nothing at all
We used to eat Grits, for dinner
It was pain
almost drive a man insane
what we could find for
to survive another day
but I said nah...

You might remember back to Nas' quick reference on Illmatic, but he didn't go into enough detail to really capture the signifigance. Though it did bug me out to hear him bring attention to an aspect of my life that eye had never noticed in Hiphop.

Down South, grits & farina (cream of wheat) are a standard filler food the same way that Asians use rice or Italians use bread. This is partly because these are the cereals that come in the food bank box, but also because you WILL get full for cheap. Now even though we were poor, my granny believed in cooking a solid meal every evening. Even if that was just spam and a canned vegetable and potatoes, she would do her best to provide a balanced meal. But eye can remember spending time at the houses of other friends, and for days at a time, bread & farina might be supper. Grits with cheese on top might be the gourmet meal for the week. That's real.

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Thank you God for strength.
Thank you God for power.
Thank you God for wisdom.
Thank you God for knowledge.
Creator of all things, thank you so very much for Fridays.

It's too bad that this country no longer honors the traditional work week. Many of us find ourselves slaving 24/7, in some capacity or another. No matter, Friday has a certain energy about it that does signal that a let down is near. Even though eye am usually forced to press my way through whatever break should exist, something about these mornings gives me the uumph to attack the day with such an intensity as eye would the last 100 yards of the 400 meter dash back in my track day.

Hopefully you will find your self just as motivated at this hour. Now is the place. Now is your future. Let's challenge one another to reach our full potential at this moment and each moment for the remainder of this career day. For those who are actually blessed enough to work a standard 9-5 with weekends off, take great advantage of this personal space. For those who will wake up tomorrow to do this all over again, see it as another chance to sculpt your professional & financial vision for your life.

Please remember my mother & mother-in-law in your prayers at this week's end. Know that we will send words up for you & yours. Kyle, hang in there!

Holla!

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ON BEING A NOVICE...

As you may already know, self-publishing is no easy feat. It now seems obvious to me why so many choose to hire one of the popular services to aid in such endeavors. But not me. Oh no! Doing things the hard way or long way has always seemed logical considering the knowledge gained as a result.

In my life, shortcuts hardly pay off or satisfy in the end. While my desire to micromanage means more work for my lonesome, participating in the entire process guarantees me a complete & organic perspective as to how to produce & market my own works. Eye can't say it's not adding to the craziness already crowding my mental, but eye would be remiss to not admit how adventurous the learning process. If only the learning curve wasn't sooooooo windy. Word up!

Well, after another long day on the grind, it's necessary for me to throw in the towel for the night. Sorry for the brief visit. Know that you're in my thoughts.

Shawne Bailey...you are the man, yo. Thanks for sharing yourself with us. You are truly a gem!

PEACE.

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HAUNTING BIG PINK LIPS

So it's a divine 3 in the morning & insomnia has my head wrapped tighter than 2 yards of kente. Most of the time, it just bees that way. Ever since my childhood quite honestly.

The King & eye actually attempted to retire together about 45 minutes ago, but he drifted off & here eye sit at the PC. The same discussion that sent him into a hog's call, left me wandering off into past experiences. Just as tears began to stream from the recollections, he joined with dreams & eye found myself replaying a real life nightmare over & over in my mind.

The same big pink lips that have haunted me since around 4 or 5 showed up, once again, to remind me from where much of my constant hurt, anger, & pain ultimately derive -

Battleship.

An interesting looking game that conquered more than water vehicles or enemy fleet as it pertains. It was my inquisitiveness regarding that specific challenge that gave my first predator his outlet in which to sink me.

My grandmother, my primary guardian since inception, took me to this monsters house, morning after morning, not knowing the depth of the dive. His mother & sister were my baby-sitters, & it seems he felt that he had a role to play, too. On several occasions, eye would be dropped off at this house just a few doors away from my own, only to be sent into the basement/den to watch television until my sitters were fully woke. As his sleeping area was in that space, which eye later understood to be a true & living hell, he felt that anyone occupying his territory was his property.

To say the very least, he had his way with me, as if eye were a fully developed woman. To this day eye see him, smell him, feel him way back in my dark, nightly thoughts. Those pink lips haunt me like the "checheche" sound that precedes Jason. That experience forever re-routed the course of my life & that nasty, pink-lipped bastard still maintains the power to rob my body of decent rest. That really sucks & pisses me completely off!

Unfortunately, way too many females around the world sympathize with this common pattern of sleeplessness as a result of similar situations. Unfortunately, way too many fellas have actually been a participant in like instances. All told, at this moment, eye am using this journal as a means of awareness, not pity or sympathy, or accusation even. But these are the types of mentions that so many of us fail to make though it's a fact of life for many, at some point or another on this journey.

Please take this offering not into your nightmare people, but into your consciousness. Wake up, sleepy heads. Many of your hardcore ladies are already half dead.

Too real? Hey, maybe this isn't the blog for you.

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Hey - Hey! We finally got the Oriana lee MySpace Music Page up & mostly running.

Other music pages to check out:
CountBassD
Merge
Ramp
Infinito:2017
Label Who
Starr tha Femcee
Braille
Eibol
Jamalski
Coolout
MC Paul Barman

Adding more throughout the day...
Be productive!

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ORIANA LEE ME

We received a small batch of the "OFFICIAL" EP this week. Smokin!!! Thanks again, Ben! Expect a personal message of appreciation, my friend. The response from this collection has truly been remarkable. So many people have reached out to express their love for the work & it warms my person. You all know that we do what we do in order to :

1. Express ourselves artistically;
2. Share our talents;
3. Feed the little ones

It's really that simple. Unfortunately, growing bodies don't find much nourishment in praise & accolades, so we are certainly hoping that the adoration translates to book sales (Something To Cope), record sales (Act Your Waist Size), & belt purchases (Unchaste). Not only because we have honestly done what we do for free or little or nothing for long enough, but because if we don't we'll never be able to build this business just the way we have always hoped - pure art+ethical standards+integrity. But, hey...here eye am preaching to the choir. You already know what it is...don't you?

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Who knows something about a good ole' fashioned ghetto-style fish fry? With all the fixin's??? Don't go slappin' on your mama now, but you better tell somebody about how we fry to a golden brown crisp over here. Homeade organic fries.

O.K...so there has to be some contradiction here.

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BIG BORN DAY WEEKEND

Hezekiah: Congrats on reaching the lucky age seven. Really, they're all lucky, but allow me to be the first to say:

"Happy Biriririrth Dayayayay!" (rendition compliments of Chilli)

January 13 is also the day that my late favorite cousin Joyce was born. In her honor, we poured libation & remembered her in our own special way. It's odd how there are so many shared birthdays in our family. Besides that, strange coincidences seem to exist on a day to day around here.

For instance:

Magnificent sat down for his regular after breakfast ritual - watching Sesame Street. Of course, as they highlight a number of the day in each episode, the number of this day just happened to be seven. Then the segment of "Elmo's world" was all about birthdays, too. Never mind that my sister nicknamed Hezekiah "Elmokiah" when he was a toddler because we dressed him in so much red (it's truly his color). And from there on, it kept happening throughout the day. That's just how it is around the way. Feel me? Weird!!! Or maybe it has something to do with his granted luck.

"But wait, there's more." (compliments of infomercial speak)

Hezekiah's first celebrity obsession was with LL Cool J who just so happens to celebrate his born on January 14. Odd right? Have a blessed day, Todd! We're rocking a jam as recognition. Hmm...not sure what it'll be yet. Hezekiah should be allowed to decide. That's what we'll do...

Let us also pay most respect to the "people's champ", Martin Luther King, Jr whose birth we recognize on January 15. King Hezekiah was as great a leader in his day, and it so pleases to have Zeke is the astral company of those who have walked a path so clearly fit for him.

What a wonderful weekend! What a joyous time!

Shouts to Shellie R Warren - holding folks down as usual! Thanks to Sam the "eye-guy"!

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You know your computer is on the fritz when you can't even access a text document with ease. Here eye am using my Blogger template for temporary list compiling and other copy that will not go up on the site - ever.

What a joke these PC's! Can you tell how begruging these perpetual bugs & viruses have me feeling?

Hold up...let me go & grab the iBook. Later for this hassle.

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Platform 8470 Year End Wrap-Up

We are excited to announce that we (Writehanded/CountBassD.com) hired our first intern this week. Welcome aboard Bowls!

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10 Things much adored by Oriana lee...

1. Macintosh ibook

"...just about to grab my notebook
I just did - blanc apples in my lap cook"

2. Herbs

"Now herb in my diet help me clear the clutter,
making all the words eye spit flow smooth like soy butter."

3. Hot Tea

You'd think eye was British when it comes to this habit. We like coffee over here.Rightht? Sure, even me every now & then. But as for all day, every day, it's tea that eye like. Moments choice: Tazo Green Tea (Zen)

4. Oriana lee EP CD

How fulfilling to participate in a work that eye absolutely can't get enough of hearing.

5. iTunes

For someone who still has not owned an iPod, this offers a variety in music that only a numskull couldn't get addicted to. Eye listen to the same collection in the park as in the kitchen as in the office as in the bedroom as in the studio as on the airplane as in my hotel room. Yo...what more can a music lover ask for? Anything else would be just plain greedy.

6. Hardcover Books (especially reference)

Sure, as it's convenient, eye find self using online reference materials more than ever before, but nothing can ever take the place of running my fingers up the spine of a library bound book.

7. Sunshine

When our oldest son was a toddler, he once offered to pull me down a piece of the sun. Had eye the resources, we would have canned as much as our cupboard could stand.

8. Boots

Back in the day eye fell in love with a pair of calf-high brown leather boots that doubled as a Wonder Woman prop. It's been on ever since...

9. Incense

Frankincense & Myrrh in particular. Obviously for the spiritual significance, but the aroma truly calms the environment in our temple.

10. Automobiles

Since childhood, eye have always had an affinity for cars. The speed. Design. Aerodynamics! Sound Systems (Woofers, Tweeters & EQ's). That kinda talk excites me to the greatest ecstacy.

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FROM THE LIKES OF ELLEN,
TO THE LOOKS OF SHARON STONE

As eye prepare my schedule for a number of upcoming photo shoots in the next 2 weeks, eye can't help but think about possible color combinations, posh poses and fire attire. Though we (the King & eye) usually pride ourselves in always being true & natural - in all situations - normal "appearance" sensors sometimes arise out of regular, everyday experiences. Those moments when you wonder not only if you visually represent the person that others are looking at, but whether you are the you that you see. Today's channeling came via the honorable Oprah on one of those commonly revisited "makeover" episodes.

To watch the "makeover team" transform a school teacher in typical "gym-teacher" gear (flannel shirt over a t-shirt with baggy jeans and hiking boots) was to uncover a hidden gem that so many of us hide with layers of much cloth in our over the top efforts to not look too revealing. A female firefighter that spent her down time dressed like a leisurely Ellen Degeneres was transformed into a stunning "super model type" goddess at the request of her "doing well for himself" mate. From what eye saw, he might need to step his game up ;-).

There are a few independent designers that might get a message from me this week requesting pieces for the shoot. Nothing flashy or away from the norm. But just quality, well made, yet fashionable joints from my people around the globe that eye would be pleased put on any given day of the week. Ujamaa!

A to the L! DJ Haze! Thanks for keeping me in your thoughts this week!

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GOT ME FIENDING

"I can't leave you alone.
You got me fiending."

Jodeci put into very soulful song the addicts primary pity. Romantic relations aren't the only obsession that we as confused "grown-ups" find ourselves facing. From the moment we exit the womb, we are shot up with dope of some kind or another - at least in this country. These chemical substances are protected and governed by pharmeceudical science.

Just today, eye found myself fiending for a tootsie roll that found it's way into what was my empty candy bowl. That was until my beautiful sugar daddy brought a bag of sweet treats home. They were on sale. $1.87. How could he resist? Don't eye know the feeling. Supa Nova Slom reminds us in his generational dietary DVD guide, Holistic Wellness, that refined sugars merely one chemical compound away from crack. CRACK!!! Can you believe that?

The pain that now screams out from the root of my cavities to the crown of my molars reminds me in a mighty way why the bowl was empty to begin with. Candy...my first addiction as a youngin'. Funny how refined white sugar would in turn be the first drug that we pushed on our children. Not intentionally. But yes, on purpose.

Eye can't help but feel shamed and guilty. How could we help not to give it to them? It's in almost every edible product on the grocery store shelves. Even where you may find "no sugar", you find the harsh tasting chemical sugar substitutes.

Well, eye have had enough of this shit. Eye am waging war against sugar in the bodies of our youth. This will require a lot of discipline, & even more concentrated label reading. It's happening, yo! Please continue to lift us up in your thoughts,prayers and meditations. For you, we offer the same.


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THE SECOND IS FOR SAGE

Finally! We got around to purifying our atmosphere with our traditional new year smudge. It is customary for us to do so during our holiday house cleaning, but this time around we ended the temple tidy on January 2nd by filling the air with the stinky fragrance of white sage (Salvia apiana). Hopefully, it has killed the negative energy that has pervaded this space for the past few months and will make way for more positive forces to occupy our environment.

It must be working because outta no where my boy DJ Haze @ The Low End Theory Blogspot blessed me with an incredible write-up. For those of you who have not yet heard the "Oriana lee EP", this is a good place to check out a few cuts. Also, remember to check the Unchaste site for the full spread on the project.

2006 definitely seems to be putting off a good vibe. Word up!

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Habari gani?
::Imani! (Faith)
.
"I Praise the Lord and keep the faith; it's alright, keeping biting at the bait."
Greg Nice from DWYCK/ Gangstarr featuring Nice & Smooth

HAPPY NEW YEAR BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!

Eye woke at 4:28 a.m. Perfect timing! What a way to start the new Gregorian stint. Before eye even had the chance to disclose my single January 1st resolution, the creator took control & made it all possible. This is the time eye had hoped to rise on this day. It is my belief that you start the year the way that you envision yourself ending the year. Geez! Am eye encouraged!

As eye am typing to you, eye am bouncing back & forth between documents. Book number two has it's own Appleworks document & has begun it's gestational period - today. How exciting! Eye can't wait to disclose the full idea. Soon come. Soon enough.

So who's having a Karamu today? Who's even attending one? My good friends Tock (from "Just Rhyming With Tock") & Alimah are throwing their annual feast. Though we are always invited, for various reasons it is never convenient for us to attend. We will be in attendance this year; and on time, at that. Mark my words.

Please excuse me for now. You know, eye don't get much time undisturbed. Back to writing...

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Habari gani?
::Kuumba! (Creativity)

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