My NY Yankee Dreams

I was so happy today to be able to walk from the subway to my school and watch the tents being dismantled over at Bryant Park! That means the streets will be safe from the fashionistas that have invaded the areas for the past week and the prices in the local delis will go back to normal. I can finally start to exhale a sigh of relief.

On the pre-production front, I'm still working on my Director's book and trying to secure a location to shoot. Casting notices will go out in about 48 hours from now. Next week will be the last week of my 5th Quarter of Film school and I'm both nervous and excited. I'm close to getting an internship. I was told that my volunteering at the IFP Market will count toward some internship hours. That was a relief to hear because I've been sending out resumes and cover letters and going on interviews all this week and had hope to secure something by the end of the week.

My celebrity siting this week: Terry McMillan. At least I think it was her! It sure looked like her trying to hail a taxi last Friday on Sixth Ave at 25th Street. I'm sure it was her because I know what the woman looks like and she wasn't hiding behind gigantic designer shades either. If not, I'm sure someone reading this will let me know otherwise. I was on a bus going uptown when I saw her. She looked fabulous! Maybe she was going to catch a show at Fashion week? Who knows?

Okay, about the photo at the top left. I found it surfing and I truly believe that it's not Photoshop. Between you and me, I've had dreams about this. Funny, why am I in the mood for a "Jeterarod" sandwich every time I look at the photo of my two favorite Yankees?

Hmmm....

Home Sick!

Greetings Measure of Life readers! I'm at home today sick with a cold and I can honestly say it's been miserable. Yesterday I was fine, but I guess the change in the weather has really done a number on me. Just when I thought I was getting better, I'm sneezing like crazy. Anyway I found something on the web [click image at right or here] that made me laugh years ago and forgot to bookmark it. Somehow it found it's way back to me again and I wanted to share it with ya'll.*

I also wanted to share some good news with everyone. Last Thursday at school there was an event called "The Freshman Connection" held. It was basically a talent showcase to show the incoming freshmen some of the work that the upper classes have been producing. It was sponsored by the Fashion Department. Anyway, before the fashion show, some people in my department (Digital Film) presented some of our work. I was asked by our student coordinator, the very lovely Christen, if I wouldn't mind showing a sample of my work. I was flattered so I showed my documentary amply titled "Measure of Life". Long story short, I think I may have gotten job out of it. I won't elaborate, because I don't want to jinx it, but I will keep you posted! It couldn't come a better time because I really need to get one of my telephones turned back on. It really sucks not having a telephone. I don't know how people could have survived without one, but I guess I'm finding out now. Anyway keep your fingers crossed that something pans out for me.

*[That's sounds so "country" of me to say "ya'll" doesn't it? But I guess it sounds better than it's Noo Yawk cousin: "Yous" (I've lived here in the New York City area all my life and have NEVER heard that word leave these full lips of mine.)]

Anyway Enjoy!

But Will Names Never Hurt?

Recently very good friend who happens to be an educator in the New York City public school system sent me this article and I was blown away. This further reiterates the point I was trying to make in my previous post regarding the Imus/Scarlet Knights Women's Basketball Team remarks. This has got to stop! The fact that it was a 7-year-old child that found this is unacceptable. When will people learn that racial epithets can harm! Of course the bigger question is really who is a fault? Do other countries describe people of color in terms like this? If we, living in the United States (or all of North America for that matter), don't stop using language such as this, how can we expect people on the other side of the world to stop using it too?

Twenty years ago I traveled to Italy and was amazed at the depiction of African-Americans on television there. Now I don't want you think that I went to Italy to watch television the entire time I was there! No I didn't! It was a rainy day and my host and I had just gotten back from a long trip on a train from Venice, but I digress. The dubbed voices used for African-Americans sounded like they came from the "Amos N Andy" shows. It was totally degrading and, in my eyes (and ears), disrespectful. I don't know what its like today in Italy, but if anybody does know please comment to this post and share your opinions. But the underlying thought at the time was: is this how the rest of the world sees me? Needless to say I was determined to prove any native Italian I met during my stay in their country WRONG! I learned as much of the language I could while there to keep me from sounding like a total tourist. (When in Rome...) I had hoped that by the time I left the country, the people I came into contact with over there, had a different perception of African-Americans just by my actions and speech. I certainly didn't go there with the perception that everyone I came across there was "connected", "made" or any of the other stereotypes that American television and film have portrayed Italian-Americans to be like.

The reason I tell this story is because I believe that perception breeds ignorance. The way to break that chain of ignorance from spiraling out of control is to promote positivity and to educate that this type of language is not acceptable! I'm sure the person or persons in China who were responsible for deciding to call the color on the label in question by this name, only did it because that was his or her perception of the color brown. Maybe no one ever told them that this word is a extremely offensive term used to describe people of color? Who knows? Maybe they heard the name used in American Hip-hop lyrics? Who's to say for sure. But we do know one thing for sure: They heard it spoken somewhere.

Any thoughts?

Move Over Effie White! Miss Nia is Here!

Have you seen this yet? I saw this little girl on "The Today Show". Believe it or not she is only 5-years-old. She wasn't even born yet when this song came out and she is getting down!!!! She is too adorable! I also saw another clip on YouTube of her singing "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday. Call me crazy but there is something rather disturbing about a pre-schooler singing about lynching folks in the deep south. These kids today!?! However, this Earth, Wind & Fire classic she is singing is rather cute. Maybe I should upload some of video projects that I worked on in school to YouTube for all to see? Maybe it can get me a job as a videographer? Comments anyone?

Tyler Perry Is Too Funny!

I was wonder if any of you have seen this clip of Tyler Perry. He is best know for his stage shows and films based around a character he calls "Madea." Most of the time whenever I see a male actor trying to get laughs by playing a overweight elderly woman, sometimes the joke gets kind of old quick. But I have to say that Mr. Perry is genuinely very funny as Madea. I wasn't a big fan until I saw this clip where he parody's some film from the recent past. I just found myself laughing my head off. Any other fans out there?