Making Waves

The hit BET series  Boomerang  is back, and I’m here for it. The show follows the lives of a group of close friends and rising young professionals navigating the world of friendship, careers, and their growing relationships. After watching the first season, I couldn’t wait to see how things continued to unfold with Simone and Bryson. If you’ve seen the show, then you already know last season ended with a little heartbreak after Bryson found out his girlfriend Simone went to dinner with her newly engaged ex-boyfriend for closure, mind you, Bryson said it was cool when Simone asked if it’d be okay if she got up with her ex. Well, after she did, the evening ended with Simone kissing her ex, lying about her whereabouts when Bryson checked in on her and finally confessing to what she’d done. Of course, this didn’t end well for her. Bryson was hurt, felt like he couldn’t trust her anymore, and he bounced.   Now that we’re in season two, Bryson’s got a hotation situation ...

Love Jones is one of my favorite movies. It’s also a classic in the black film world.  It’s a story about a relationship between a professional writer named Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) and a creative photographer named Nina Mosley (Nia Long). They’re both hard-working and focused creatives, striving to break new ground in their careers, who also happen to fall for each other in the process. Let me just say, Darius Lovehall was  everything  in this movie. He comes close to perfection (at least I think so) and he checks the following boxes: handsome, smart, soulful, funny, gainfully employed, and charming. What I love most about  Love Jones  though, is that in addition to the story between Darius and Nina, everything else about the film from the soundtrack, cast, settings, and dialogue, just flows well.   During one memorable scene, Nina referrers to Darius as a “Renaissance black man.” And I thought that description was wild because whi...

That recent episode of   Power  was something, wasn’t it?   Things definitely didn’t play out the way I thought they would, but I have to say, it was nice to finally see things coming together for James “Ghost” St. Patrick.  James is handsome, charming, intelligent and street-smart, and I admire his ability to move through controversies and conflict, and still rise to the top, no matter how insurmountable the obstacles. While he has had some questionable business practices and compromising ethical choices when it’s come to running a business, finding love, taking care of his family, and doing his best to protect everyone he loves, as a major decision maker he teaches three important lessons I believe many of us can benefit from.  1. Know How To Be Strategic.  On  Power,  James is a businessman who also happens to be an impressive criminal. Whenever he had a business deal go bad or crossed paths with anyone who threatened his family ...

In honor of March Madness and my overall appreciation for the sport of basketball and films in general, I thought it’d be cool to recommend some of the best basketball films I’ve seen or have heard are worth checking out. If you’re a basketball fan and have some cool recommendations I haven’t listed, I’d like to know about them. Check out the list below and enjoy! 🏀 Love & Basketball – This one is a classic and I  love  it. I’ve seen it a ton of times. Plus, the chemistry between Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps? Legendary.  Space Jam – The GOAT (Greatest of All Time), Michael Jordan, plays the starring role and helps lead the Toon Squad to victory. Most ‘90s kids grew up with this film. I still enjoy it to this day.  Air Bud – This one is adorable and inspirational. It’s the story of a young boy and his dog Buddy, who happens to be a canine that becomes a basketball star.   Glory Road – This basketball film tackles issues involving racial tension...

In the popular ‘80s film (and one of my personal favorites),  Footloose , Kevin Bacon portrays a character named Ren McCormack. When Ren arrives in a small town, he’s shocked to discover that the local Reverend has outlawed rock and roll music and dancing. Ray decides to shake things up by gathering with a small group of some of the towns local teens, including the Reverend’s daughter, and together they embark on a journey to embrace their right to listen to the music they want and dance as they please.  Although I’m a millennial and this film came out before I was born, I have to say I can understand  Ren McCormack’s plight and respect what he did.  He went into a small town and brought  change.  The Reverend and many of the townspeople weren’t on board with Ren’s desire to change things and they probably felt threated by his desire and influence to bring dancing and rock and roll back into town. Although he was threatened, pushed around, and opposed, h...

One weekend I dropped my dog off to the groomers and had to write my father’s cell number down as a pickup contact. For a brief moment, I forgot his number. I couldn’t remember it off the top of my head. I’d left my phone in my car and was baffled I couldn’t remember his number. Frustrated even. I’m a smart young woman and I couldn’t remember my father’s own phone number? And at that moment, I realized how much impact smartphones have made on almost all of us. I don’t believe smartphones are horrible, but I don’t like that I forgot my father’s number. I also don’t like when smartphones interrupt moments when I’m hanging out with someone, and whoever I’m with begins scrolling through their phone when we’re trying to spend time together or when someone begins updating their “status” and taking a ton of pics and telling the internet about how much fun we’re having vs. being present and in the moment. It makes me feel like I’m not important to the person I’m trying to spend time with. B...

Gifted. Dedicated. Extraordinary. These are the first words that come to mind when I think about the woman they call Beyoncé. Beyoncé is one of the most legendary performers I’ve ever seen and to see how she continually dominates, impacts, and influences the game in music, movies, clothing, and business shows that women can be as powerful as they want to be. I could go on and on about her legendary status, but in an effort to keep things concise, I’ll move on. One of the things I admire about her most is how she manages her private life and the vulnerability she chooses to share in her work. She’s known to be relatively private when it comes to her family and personal life, but when she dropped  Lemonade  I was blown away and impressed. To see her openly share her heart through her visionary album isn’t something often seen in the music industry – especially from someone who’s selective about what parts to share and not share with the public. Beyoncé is a living legend and I ...

Dedicated. Soulful. Rockstar. These are the first words that come to mind when I think about the man called John Mayer. I was already familiar with his debut  Room for Squares  but when I was 16, I was obsessed when he released  Continuum . John Mayer spoke to my heart when I listened to his music. I thought he was soulful, gifted, and brilliant at his craft. Although I temporarily boycotted his music for a lengthy season after a memorable and disappointing  Rolling Stone  cover story I learned about, I eventually put it behind me and remained a fan. Despite his personal life, I can appreciate the amazing music he’s made. I really enjoyed his work  Battle Studies,  but to this day  Continuum  remains one of my favorites. It’s awesome from start to finish and worth checking out if you’ve never listened to it before. In fact, get a dose of  Continuum  here . He’s an artist you just can’t get out of your head. And his guitar skills? L...

Tiffany & Co. jewelry is timeless and iconic. I watched a documentary titled Crazy About Tiffany’s that documented the rise of Tiffany & Co. and how much its legacy continues to evolve. I learned and discovered how significant some of their pieces have been throughout history and pop-culture. I even have three Tiffany & Co. pieces of my own that I adore. Tiffany & Co. also has one of the most beautiful engagement rings I’ve ever seen (The Tiffany Setting -- seen here .) It’s incredible, right? Two things I learned from Crazy About Tiffany’s was that Tiffany & Co. are the designers behind the legendary NFL Super Bowl Vince Lombardi trophy, and that some of their jewelry was featured in a movie based on one of my favorite books and arguably one of the most brilliant literature pieces ever written – F. Scott Fitzgerald’s  The Great Gatsby. In Baz Luhrmann’s version of The Great Gatsby Daisy Buchanan is wearing jewelry from Tiffany & Co. during a beautiful s...

Superhero fans all over the world may have had this debate. It’s a battle between the world of Marvel and DC. Honestly, my loyalty has always leaned towards the world of Marvel. I remember watching the animated X-Men series as a kid, and I’ve seen all the X-Men films except for the solo Wolverine ones – I even dressed up as Storm one Halloween (I wasn’t able to manipulate the weather like she does, but I still looked great! Professor Charles Xavier would have been proud of me.) But my take on each side? Let’s see… The world of Marvel has brought us: X-Men Spiderman (Tobey Maguire is my favorite pick) The Avengers Daredevil (Ben Affleck was a terrific fit) Thor Deadpool Captain America (Chris Evans is a hottie) Guardians of the Galaxy Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman is a babe) The world of DC has brought us: Wonder Woman (Much respect to Lynda Carter – the original. Without her, we wouldn’t have Gal Gadot. But Gal Gadot is a beast. She also served in the Israeli...

I’ve been a fan of Aubrey Drake Graham for a long time. Even as far back as when he used to play a character named Jimmy on a show called, Degrassi: The Next Generation . This was way before he was rapping. I always thought he was cute and had the biggest crush on him. The first time I heard, Best I Ever Had,  I was hooked. I couldn’t believe he was rapping, and to see how much his career has grown has been incredible. I even got to see him in concert once, when his Take Care album came out. And it was a night I’ll never forget. It’s wild when I meet people who diss him and his work, and say things like, he’s overrated and corny , but I don’t think so. I think he’s cool. One of the things I love about his music is that he sings and raps, and that’s something special. I also used to have a bunch of his posters hanging up in my bedroom, but took them down years ago – they seem like they’ll be more fitted for a home office space in my bachelorette pad. His earliest album, Thank Me ...

The royal family didn’t like her, the aristocracy didn’t like her. She was vulnerable, she was not a perfect person, and I guess she could be difficult. But she was good. And she cared. – Dominick Dunne Princess. Humanitarian. Kind-hearted spirit. Lover. Legend. All these words come to mind when I reflect on the life of, Princess Diana. When I was a little girl, I remember being fascinated with her and her life. It wasn’t until I became a woman that I realized why. On the surface, Princess Diana’s life may have seemed like a fairy tale, but truthfully, reports shared she was in a loveless marriage and lonely in her role as a princess. She also struggled with insecurities, an eating disorder and loneliness on a level I couldn’t imagine anyone being able to cope well with. When she divorced, the world saw as she completely reinvented herself into an extraordinary woman who could empathize with just about anyone she encountered and touch many hearts and lives in the process. Her ...

His music. His sense of humor. His effortless coolness. I’m here for it. I first learned about Donald Glover when I watched his stand up show  Weirdo . I knew he was on a show called  Community (which I hadn’t watched before) and was involved with music as well, but I had no clue how funny he was until I watched  Weirdo  and his hit FX series  Atlanta . Atlanta is h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s and very well written. The man is a genius and I love that he’s massively multifaceted. He can write, act, produce, sing, and rap. I mean, what can this dude not do?  One night I listened to his song  Redbone  on repeat and was a goner. He’s all kinds of cool and I really enjoy his work. It’s definitely worth checking out. Get familiar with it. Check out the link below to listen to Redbone and some of his other material. Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp7eSUU9oy8

If you were a 90s kid you probably grew up knowing about the hit abc series  Boy Meets World . The premise of the show was about a boy named Corey Matthews, who navigated the perils of growing from a boy to a man, with his best friend (and total babe) Shawn Hunter, and Corey's first love, Topanga Lawrence. I recently binged on the show when I saw it was on Hulu and fell in love all over again. I’ve asked other women if they were team Corey or team Shawn, and to be honest, it’s a tough call. Both were adorable. Corey Matthews was an overall good guy. He was the epitome of the boy-next-door. He was also smart, goofy, loyal, and committed to Topanga Lawrence for the long haul. Then there was Shawn. Shawn Hunter was the bad boy. He had a rough life, but, he was the rebel with a good heart, which made him even hotter. He also had a sensitive side, and when he hooked up with his girlfriend Angela when the show went into its later seasons, I was hooked. I was definitely rooting for those...

One of my favorite movies is  Office Space . It’s absolutely hilarious but since I’ve officially joined the 9-5 working world, in a lot of ways, I now find Office Space to be strangely relatable. I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone that hasn’t seen it but if you have, you likely know what the movie is about and why the main character, Peter Gibbons, is a very funny yet unenthusiastic employee who dares to challenge the conventions of the 9-5 life. The movie is pure, comedic genius. I enjoy working in an office, having an excuse to slay in business casual attire, and being employed. It’s a blessing. And while I have had jobs I didn’t necessarily like, I was able to learn something from all of them, which is a blessing too. If you watch Office Space you may be able to gather more of what I’m talking about, and observe some of the highs and lows of being part of the professional working world, but I’m certain you’ll get a good laugh from it all as well. Check it out sometime....

If ever there was a time this country needed Olivia Pope (and obviously Jesus) it’s now. If you’re not familiar with Olivia Pope, she’s a fictional character on Shonda Rhimes hit series  Scandal . Olivia is a complicated yet smart, beautiful, gutsy, and determined go-getter that fixes any and every crisis that goes down in Washington. So, I imagined what I’d write to Olivia Pope to enlist her services to handle things, and it’d probably go a little something like this: Dear Olivia Pope, I don’t know where to begin. Things have been a mess and I’m reaching out because the struggle has been too real. As I’m sure you’ve seen in the press, and perhaps a little before last November things have been super out of control. This country’s got enemies in and outside of the area, massive amounts of hate, in addition to inequality and division like never before, and all hell feels like its breaking loose. Lately, I’ve also found myself in a situation that’s been uncomfortable, and it’s...

Back in March Netflix premiered a series called  13 Reasons Why . Originally, I had no idea what the show was about until I later learned it was about the suicide of a young teenager who took her own life, after enduring bullying from some of her cruel peers. The main character, Hannah Baker, records 13 cassette tapes narrating all the events that led to her suicide. I felt drawn and especially connected to the series, as I was bullied in middle school. Middle school was a rough season for me, and as much as I tried to just get through it, it wasn’t easy. I got picked on for things like the way I looked, the clothes I wore, being a Christian, and for my many failed attempts with trying to be accepted by the cool kids. And just when I thought I’d get a fresh start in high school, one of the guys on the football team humiliated me in front of a crowd of my peers when he called me a loser, and said that I was a nobody that sucked at life. What was wild about that particular incident...

When I was 11 I wrote a fan letter to Sarah Michelle Gellar. To my surprise, I got a response. At the time I was obsessed with her show  Buffy the Vampire Slayer and wanted to let her know how much I loved it. Looking back, writing a letter with anticipation of getting a response was naïve but I believed something would happen if I did, so I went for it. (Imagine what would happen for you if you possessed that kind of faith as an adult.) Even more surprising was the fact that my parents let me watch the show. I was raised Christian and remember a church member at the time referring to the show as “demonic”, but if my parents didn’t have a problem with me watching it, I was unbothered. At the time, I thought there was no one cooler than a butt kicking teenager who fought vampires, went to high school, and had close friends. Buffy Summers was awesome . I can’t remember exactly what I wrote in the letter, but I do remember how excited I was to see a letter from California waiting f...

In March the Power Rangers movie came out. When I saw it, I loved it and to my surprise, I wasn’t the only grown up in the movie theater (as there were other adults present and filled with as much excitement as kids.) Originally, I was hesitant about seeing it, especially since a bunch of different television versions came out that weren’t too great. I’ve been a Power Rangers fan since the original series aired and I believe the original version was definitely the best. Kimberly, the Pink Ranger and Pterodactyl, was always my favorite and I even had an action figure when I was a kid. I thought she was so cool . She was girly and could kick butt, what’s not to like? Overall, I was impressed with the remake and thought it was well done. The storyline, cast, and action delivered beyond my expectations and the fact that the Red Ranger was a total hottie helped too lol. I also loved the diversity of the cast and the chemistry that flowed. It’s nice when remakes are made that don’t compl...

When I went to see the new and much anticipated film Wonder Woman , I was not prepared for the excitement that surpassed my expectations. Not only was the film incredible, but it also marked an important and timely message of empowerment for women. I can think of no other hero quite like Wonder Woman, who is a great representation of what it means to be a total, butt kicking feminist, and unapologetically so. Gal Gadot did an amazing job in her portrayal of the powerful, beautiful, strong and courageous role of Diana, the Amazon princess and well skilled, trained warrior. I appreciated her humor, beauty and brains, and the fact that she wasn’t over sexualized. She was a hero who fought for the greater good, embodying strength, and love. As a fellow feminist, a number of things resonated with me that I believe were great lessons that women everywhere can learn and benefit from. When the film started it showed an island full of smart, strong, and beautiful women who were training for bat...