Too Close Breathless the attraction makes me. Still and silent I stand waiting for more, for fear to pass -Wanda Toby I wrote this inspired by Yuna's single Too Close from her album Chapters. The song is light and melodically beautiful. I'm sure it resonates with many of us that's been burnt by pass relationships, experiences. Though we may be at a point where we are ready to test the waters but when faced with that person or situation there's a hesitation. It is understandable. The beauty though lies in the heart's willingness to risk it all again. Yes, there is beauty and bravery and hope in that even if it may take us a while to get there. Let life flow. No reason to force it. Let love happen organically. Like Yuna sings, "let this heartbeat lead you."

Yuna's Chapters Yuna's latest album, Chapters, is a beautiful, simply compiled set of melodies that can put you in a nice, smooth groove. This is her third album release and like the previous two, it show cases her relaxed, yet beautiful voice and relatable lyrics. I swear this album spoke to me like a preacher who's preaching that sermon, you could swear he wrote just for you. I guage the worthiness of an album by how many songs I enjoy out of the entire compilation. Chapters has 13 tracks and I absolutely love 12 of them. The songs are touching, inspiring and relatable. I think many who have been in relationships or trnasitioning can understand and appreciate her lyrics. If you are looking for fast, jamming beats, this album is not for you. If you like a smooth ride, strong lyrics and something you can just chill, relax and groove to then Yuna's Chapters is a wonderful choice. 92% yes.

Do what today others won't, so tomorrow you can do what other's can't. -Brian Rogers Loop Accomplishment  and reaching our goals is about sacrifice. Everything takes some level of effort from us. How much effort we are wiling to exert is the difference between sitting on the couch in front of the television for an couple of hours and doing something productive towards your goal, something we may no really want to do but is necessary to get to the next level. As much as it is about what we are doing, it is also about what the next person is not doing. Did you know accomplishment is rewarding to our sense of self and well being? The effort we make to get where we are going helps reaffirm our self-esteem when that goal is reached. A strong sense of self is a building block in stress management and stress relief. While getting there may require we step outside of our comfort zone, the reward in arriving there adds to the overall enrichment of our lives. Remember these f...

Hidden Figures, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe and Kevin Costner, grossed just a little over 22 million to beat out Rouge One for he number one box office spot this weekend, and I could not be more excited. It is a fabulous film with fine acting and well put together dialogue and cinematography. In Hidden Figures "three brilliant African-American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) -- serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world." Based on the true story of Johnson, Vaughan and Jackson, this film brought to light not only their involvement but the countless women of color and women all together who contributed to a significant moment in history against all od...

Media Pawns The truth exist out there somewhere in the midst of media manipulations for clicks I disdain injustice and racism and hate just as much as the next person. Therefore, articles that hint at such injustices get my attention. I also find click and bait to be extremely irritating. However, diguising the truth as sensationalizes headlines in order to invoke strong emtions resulting in a click on an article is even more disturbing. We cannot  and should not take anything for face value. Investigate everything because there are too many fake news articles , distorted truths and blatant lies disguised as real news out there. Sites that we knew as satire are blending in with sites that just do not really care about the message being pyt our. The media giants as well as up and comers want is to get your clicks, get more viewers, and make more money. Journalistic integrity seems to be flailing in the wind, held together by precious few. Do not react too quickly before i...

There are times when you have good intentions but those intentions do not translate into action. I am well aware of my own guilt in this. Sometimes it is because I am ignorant. Sometimes it is because I am protecting myself. Sometimes it is because I am not as risky as I would like to be. Nevertheless, if your thoughts and intentions are not lined up with what you are actualy doing then we are not living a fufilled life. We are in essence cutting our selves short. We often discount the words of others when their actions do not add up. We may get dissapointed by the person who says they love us but then turn around and treat us like we really do not matter to them at all. However, what about when we do similar actions to ourselves? Do you have goals? Are there dreams that you would like to see come true? Dreams that are within our grasp if we just made a little effort. Our words and thoughts can be powerful tools for change and actions and motivation or they can be duds. I do not w...

Need instant stress relief. Laugh a little or a lot. Laughter is medicine. I enjoy watching Toby Baker's voice overs. They always lighten up my mood. This one below was one of my first ones. Do a search for Tony Baker on Facebook for more. Fun stuff.

Make your dreams reality. Take action. Get to work.

J. Cole's 4 Your Eyez Only is ... wow. A quick internet search will show a lot of results attempting to explain the "deeper" meaning of the album, but I do not see how that is really neccessary. All you have to do is listen to the album with your ears and heart open. It is what it is but with layers upon layers of strong lyrics, stronger imagery, and a sad but hopeful message at the same time. Lately, I have been cutting down on listening to music in the car when I'm riding with the kids. We do financial flash cards from Boyce Watkins, go over prominent Afican/Haitian/American hsitorical figures or talk. However, I think I am going to bump this album for a little bit. It is worth the listen in comparison to what has been playing on the radio lately. It can also be a good basis to foster further conversation. Not too mention, it is quite melodic which I enjoy and appreciate. Lyrically, there is enough variety to enjoy while understanding a community engaging mess...

Do not be afraid to be original. Do not be afraid to be yourself. Do not be afraid to be unique. Know that you are magical, beautiful, mysterious, powerful and awe inspiring.