tuckergurl

I Miss Eric Benet

All of us Crown Heights/Bed Stuy/Midwood Cablevision havers were recently blessed with a few new channels. First came FX (and thank GOD! I had been missing Rescue Me all these years.). Then came VH1 Soul and those myriad of music channels that acutally play music.

VH1 just played Eric Benet's old song, When You Think Of Me and it got me missing him. I miss the old Eric Benet. The guy before he married and divorced Halle Berry. The Eric Benet with dreads who had a jazzy R&B sound. I missed the mystery. He was a really good singer who was well, really hot.

Now I know he's some lame guy who cheated on Halle Berry. I never wanted to know that. Ever.

On a random note, my favorite summer song is Bossy by Kelis. Now you know.

Cute Gear

I've been taking these dance classes for a little over a month now and I have to admit something. The time has come for some cute workout gear. The old t-shirts are not working.

All of the girls in the class are quite cute but that does not make me insecure. I am as cute as most of them but I could be even cuter with new, cute workout clothes. I used to see workout clothes as not worth spending the money on. You are just sweating in them, what's the point? But I actually am not being supported the way I need to be. I am well-endowed upfront and well, I need a little extra lift, especially if I am taking two dance classes in a row.

I really want this but it's a bit pricey. Does anyone have any suggestions for where I can buy cute workout gear (that fits an XL) that is not really, really expensive? Y'all are the best.

A Question

I will begin this by saying that I do not watch Lost. Maybe if I did, I would understand this but I am not really interested in it. Not sure why.

Anyway, as I read more and more about the new season I keep reading about new characters coming on this season. Um, I am kind of confused. They are on an island. How can they keep adding new characters. How big is this damn island!

The Woman At Stonehome

To the woman who I sat next to at Stonehome. I was a bit loopy from the many glasses of wine. Thanks for making me feel like a superstar!

Dark Angel is on Sci Fi!

Yes, Dark Angel was a bad show but I have a soft spot for it. It was nice to turn on my TV and find that it is back in reruns. Jessica Alba had some meat on her bones. Michael Weatherly was on a show I could bare. Memories ...

Tiesha Sargent R.I.P.

I've never met Tiesha Sargent but I knew when she was killed. I knew immediately because Tiesha and I were thisclose to knowing each other. We knew many of the same people and I got emails for days about it. I was not really ready to know too much more about it until Isha called me at work and left me a message that I had to read this article. Finally, Sunday night while I am freaking out about the sight of a mouse in my living room and stewing about some personal stuff, I sat down and read it.

Tiesha was in Prep for Prep, a program that I attended as well where students of color in NYC public schools are placed into private schools. We were raised to be leaders and many of my friends from there are very, very successful. We all share a unique bond that we do not share with anyone.

We both went to private all girls schools right across the street from another. She went to Brearley. I went to Chapin. She travelled from Crown Heights to school every day as I did for the last few years of high school. We both went to Wesleyan (referred to in the article as Prep 2 because so many Prep for Prep students went there) and were awakened politically, intellectually.

Tiesha's story is her own. I am not trying to claim it. It was just incredible to read about someone who had so much in common with you. Someone who was killed not that far from where I am sitting writing this entry.

Many people I know (or whose blogs I read regularly) are having a hard time dealing with her murder. This New York magazine article, though a tad condescending at times, does tap into the feeling that folks have but might not admit which is if you do all the right things, go to right school, have the right job, that means that being murdered because your boyfriend was a small time drug dealer should not happen to you. Think again.

I wanted to take this moment to honor her. She seemed capable of so many great things. Her story was a good reminder that every day is a gift and that mice and silly arguments are not as important as remembering that.

I hope she rests in peace. And I hope that people do not forget that ths story was only in the news for a few days and we moved on to stories like finding pictures of Baby Suri. Would her death be treated the same way if she was a white?

Danger Mouse

Listen to an interview with him on Hammer Museum’s podcasts. Danger Mouse is a DJ/producer who did the second Gorillaz album, is half of Gnarles Barkley and has done a bunch of other stuff. I find DJs and Producers so interesting. The amount of creativity it requires is pretty mind blowing. I adore the new Gnarles Barkley (As does everyone. It makes me so sad that I walk into Banana Republics and it is playing. I feel the same way about Corinne Bailey Rae. When I was in South Africa, she was huge there. I felt so special. I thought I was going to introduce her to the US. Then I got back to Brooklyn and her face was on the side of every building in Crown Heights. Geez, I'm so mainstream.) Danger Mouse gains so much inspiration from so many different things and hearing him talk about it is pretty interesting. I love hearing people talk about their craft. Plus I love that Danger Mouse can not read or write music.

I love the Hammer Museum’s podcasts because they are have great talks with fascinating artists. They are more conversations with different folks. Some great past ones are Miranda July & George Saunders, David Foster Wallace, Stacyanne Chin & Jeff Chang.

I recently went to The Hammer Museum when I was visiting my friends, Sharon & Rey. The museum itself is kind if mediocre. That was sort of disappointing. But whoever curates their speaker series ROCKS!

New Trailers

I am addicted to watching trailers on the internet. Some good stuff is out this week! My fave director, Pedro Almodovar's new film, Volver starring the lovely Penelope Cruz. I have heard good things about this film. I can not wait!

Running with Scissors, a great, great book that looks like a great movie (though Annette Bening sort of gets on my nerves).

Hollywoodland, a new flick about George Reeves' murder starring Adrian Brody. This movie might help me get some respect back for Ben Affleck. Maybe. He has not made a decent film in a long, long time.

The Science of Sleep which looks exactly like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with Gael Garcia Benal. This is probably not a bad thing.

Oh and then there's the Rocky Balboa trailer. When is enough enough. Is this finally the end? Please say it is! And why oh why did you not put Milo Ventimiglia in the trailer. Young girls know him from Gilmore Girls. The film exec in me is a bit baffled by this. I am sure they will recut it. (I know that is a random thing to be focused on but I needed something to distract me from the horror that I was seeing.)

Find Your Inner Beyonce

These past few weeks have been kind of stressful. I am working through some family stuff. I had a huge breakthrough with the LP. It was getting a bit heavy.

This morning my LP said (in his own way), I need to chill out. I need to cut myself some slack. I need to have some fun. The "bad feelings" (His words not mine. English is not his first language so every once in a while his phrasing is a bit off. I forgive him) that you have sometimes start to define you. You can not see the forest for the trees and the only way you can cope is to put the feelings somewhere that you can deal with them.

For the past month, I have been taking a West African Dance class. I took West African Dance in college and when I was in Ghana, took a few private lessons. I love dancing. I feel so sexy!

This week, a few girls from my class mentioned that I should take the Cardio Strip Tease class after our West African Dance. At first I was unsure mainly because I always feel pretty beat after West African Dance but it was a lot of fun. I was able to let my inner video girl be free! Plus since I am a big fan of learning dance steps from videos (preferably Beyonce's) I already knew a lot of the steps.

I felt on such a high and though I am going to really, really sore tomorrow. I wouldn't have it any other way.

My Thoughts on the Emmys

There is this new judging system that is supposed to level the playing field. It definately made for some random nominees:

-Kevin James for The King of Queens - I really like this show but never dreamed he would get nominated for an Emmy. Odd.

-I'm glad Six Feet Under got some nominations. This last year was a great one.

-I am glad Lisa Kudrow got a nod for The Comeback. Why oh why did you cancel that show? I adored it.

-There's a show called Out of Practice and Stockard Channing is on it. I'll just take your word for it.

-I've always had a crush on Will Arnett from Arrested Development. I am glad he got nominated.

-Maybe Desperate Housewives getting so few nominations will act as a hint to the writers that it sucks now.

-Same for The Sopranos

-And Lost.

-Alfre Woodard's nomination is a pity nomination. Nothing more. I would want pity too for that bad role.

-I really liked Bleak House. I am glad it got so many nominations.

-The Office is a great show. After watching a marathon, I have given in. The seaon finale made me tear up. Some good TV.

-I hope Chandra Wilson from Grey's Anatomy wins. I love that spunky chick.