Affirmation

To God Be The Glory ..... Thank you my heavenly Father for allowing me to witness the dawn of a new day, with infinite possibilities.  I awake refreshed, cleansed and renewed.  Please let me continue to be a vessel to those that I encounter, may I continue to share your word and glory.  Allow me to be an Angel to all those that who are in need.  The blessings that I receive from you are gifts that I shall never take for granted, you guide me, you're my rock, refuge and shelter, so to you God I give the glory.  If God be for you who can be against you.  I woke in my right mind and consciousness, I ask that you protect me from hurt, harm, fear and danger, that you will continue to guide and direct my path, and always allow me favor mercy and grace.  In my soul searching I ask that you remove any afflictions and addictions from my life. Heal my body and mind to complete restoration.  Watch over my family and friends, reveal yourself to them, and allow them to see the way. From where all of my blessings flow, I do give thanks.  Love and Light to all of those who speak, live and breathe your name.  Amen

Shriver's ex-husband showing his true colors!

One of the big reasons Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't give Maria Shriver an advance copy of his autobiography is that he intends to keep all of the money he makes from it, ONLY in America
Even though Arnold and Maria were together 34 years and married for 25 and a good chunk of the book is about their relationship, Arnold has made it clear to her the book is HIS, but California is community property and she will not be getting any part of his multi-million dollar advance or any royalties. Well Shriver needs to hire a shark attorney.

And there's more on the money front ... Allegedly Arnold has been extremely tough in negotiating a financial settlement with Maria.  "Arnold has been really stingy with Maria and the kids, which is amazing considering what he did." The more I read this story, the more that he is showing his true colors with NO remorse.
Arnold has treated his divorce as a business deal, and not an end to the relationship he had with the mother of his kids. Here's the most shocking part. Here's the kicker recently as last week, Arnold asked Maria to take him back. She's not biting.
The divorce settlement negotiations are ongoing so no agreement has been struck.
Lastly Maria Shivers went against her family legacy of being a Democrat to being a Republican for her immigrant adulterous scheming husband.  One last question Maria, was it worth it, did he work it?

Cogitating/TGIF

Happy Friday .... Let's Talk about It!!

Truth comes in the midst of adversity, that's where the true character of a person is revealed, it shows their substance.  Often times we flow through this life without a care in the world, and really it's easy to do because no real challenge or reason for angst. You faith is never in questioned until you're face with a dangerous blow from out of nowhere. I found that belief is something that's easy to convey until you have a frailty that shakes up your world or better yet what you deem to be your comfort zone. Determined, Destined and Driven are some of the key tools for a successful life.

Make no excuses for who you are, stop apologizing for your walk. As long as you diligently do the work on self it's all that is required and all that is asked of you. Bad habits are always the hardest to break, and it's in our DNA the reasons that we have certain behaviors and why we react and respond to certain situations. The prize is in the fulfillment of pressing forth in search of that break through. In doing our soul searching sometimes the hardest task is just getting out of your own way. Again I say do the work, when tested stand strong and firm in your delivery, show what you're made of.  Walk with a direction, a mission and a purpose, and yes forks in the road are just a part of the testimony that says I WAS HERE!

What Are You Doing With Your Life?

Keeping It !00 ....

X-Factor much hyped new hosts is clearly being topped by the crazy back drops of its contestants. Could you please get away from the dramatic back drop, every effin body has a sob story ..... save the stories, and sing DAMN IT!!  I'm over the dramatics AND Simon Cowell, you should damn well know better.

Beyonce' Knowles is allegedly pregnant with her second child.  Honestly keeping it 100 she was NEVER pregnant with her first child.  Hollywood is a very hilarious place to be.

Last week Kanye West confirmed that he has two porn tapes and also admitted to watching his current girlfriends porn tape where Ray J. is knocking her back out while he's having sex for inspiration and motivation.  I think he was watching because he's turned on by Ray J. his dramatics are too much too.  Keep it about your music Son!

Whitney Houston's blood sucking family will debut their 'Coping without Whitney' show on the Lifetime Channel which premieres October 17. Arista/RCA is releasing a greatest hits on November 13th. CBS has scheduled a Memorial tribute for Whitney in November featuring Usher and Jennifer Hudson, and VH1 is doing a Divas Live salute to Whitney in December.  Seems that EVERYONE wants to make money off of the late great Whitney Houston ESPECIALLY her wretched gut bucket family, and yes I'm including Bobbi Kristina who needs to get her sh*t together QUICKLY before her uncles wifey Pat takes all of your mother's money.

Evelyn Lozada and Chad Johnson are now divorced. It was a train wreck from the beginning and it ended exactly the same way, but mark my word these two media whores will reunite.

50 Cent and Floyd Mayweather have officially broken up their 'friendship' allegedly.  Its a lovers breakup, take your glasses off people, I mean what straight male friendship announces that they are are NO longer friends.  Seems like just yesterday 50 was dropping his 'friend' off to jail, then he was just picking his 'friend' up when he got released from jail, where pictures were taken of him riding shotgun next Mayweather as they drove away together from the pokey.

Command Performance

Joe Sample of the Crusaders has to be one of the baddest musicians in the land.  He manages to always take me away from my troubles and he captivates me with his artistry.  He's  a class act, never a follower always light years ahead of the masses.  I love this performance of 'Ashes to Ashes' one of his best in my opinion.  I love live instrumentation, it captures the true rawness of the original intent.  Set back and witness a miracle craftsman at his best.  It doesn't get any better than this.  Enjoy~

RIP Andy Williams you were a class act!

 

R.I.P. Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012)...Singer, songwriter, actor, record producer who recorded eighteen Gold and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and was owner of the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri named after the song "Moon River", with which he is closely identified. He was my favorite Grammy show Host (1971-1977) and I loved his performance below with the late Pearl Bailey, from the days of old, when talent was a dime a dozen.  Williams is survived by his wife Debbie and his three children, Robert, Noelle, and Christian
RIP Andy you will be missed

Faces ...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ....

Sara Nuru ,,,,,

Noemie Lenoir......

Sterling Sly ....

New Whitney Houston music Nov 13th!

RIP Did You Know ... Gone Too Soon!

Actor Andrew Koenig, the 41-year-old former "Growing Pains" actor who has been missing since February 14, has suffered from depression, according to statements from his family and law enforcement officials. "Andrew has recently been despondent, and his family and friends are concerned for his well-being," Vancouver police said in a statement released Sunday February 14 - 2010.

"Andrew was suffering from depression at the time of his disappearance," the family said in a statement.
Koenig, who played Richard "Boner" Stabone — star Kirk Cameron's best friend, on "Growing Pains" — was visiting friends in Vancouver and was expected to return home to Venice, California, on February 16. His father, Walter Koenig, who played Chekov in the original "Star Trek" TV and film franchise, last spoke with his son on February 9-2010. He received a troubling note from Andrew, postmarked February 15. Andrew has not been seen since Valentine's Day."He sounded despondent," Walter said of the note. "Nobody has seen this [note] but my wife and I."   Andrew committed suicide, his father told reporters after his son's body was found Thursday in a park in Vancouver, British Columbia. My son took his own life," Walter Koenig said at a news conference in the park. The body of the former "Growing Pains" star was found by several friends who conducted their own search of Stanley Park, where Andrew Koenig liked to walk, his father said.  His body was found so deep in the park, you could tell that he didn't want to be found. Koenig, 41, was first reported missing by his parents after he did not board a flight to Los Angeles from Vancouver.

While Vancouver police conduct an investigation, Andrew Koenig's Hollywood peers have begun spreading the news of his disappearance via social-networking sites. Alyssa Milano, Kevin Smith, Alyson Hannigan and Sarah Silverman have all sent out updates from their Twitter accounts about their missing friend.

Lance Miccio, a producer and director who worked numerous times with Koenig, told ABC News that Koenig recently turned down an opportunity to collaborate, saying he didn't want to work anymore.
"He's been my editor on about 15 projects," Miccio said. "I told him, 'Look, I have a new gig, are you interested in working?' And he said, 'No, I'm not.' Then I invited him out for drinks to talk and see where his head was at, because I knew he wasn't feeling great, and he declined on that."
Walter Koenig said "I think it's something that has been a part of his makeup for a long time," of his son's disappearance, which he doesn't think had anything to do with drug use. "There's no single trauma. There's no episode."

** I created this weekly tribute dedicated to the stars who for one reason or another did not receive the send off through the media that they deserved. Please join me every Tuesday as I continue to celebrate 'LIFE'. People will live on as long as we remember them. Thank you Andrew 'Boner' Koenig for your contribution to this world and through your artistry, you will live on forever. kk **

Always Be My Baby ...

Dearest Whitney,
Another week has gone by, and some days it's unbearable in your absence.  I'm astonished how deeply your passing has affected me.  I related so well to you, and your journey.  Living your life under constant scrutiny could not have been easy, and what the media failed to realize or just didn't care is that you were human, and had feelings just as they did.  I watched the Emmy Awards last night, and in their Memorian section they showed a picture of you in your grammy performance of 'One Moment In Time' were you wore the tight white form fitting gown, where you sleighed everyone in the house with your spine tingling performance, wow such a great performane, well back to my point, you won several Emmy's.  Needless to say I was clearly upset how brief the segment was on you, like you did not leave a MAJOR mark on Hollywood, again just another reason why I know that you had to make your transition, this industry only wants to reward caucasians and reduce other nationalities.  I dont get it, but though they may try to reduce, it can never been denied that you were a SUPERSTAR, a LEGEND no myth, and they can never take your LEGACY and body of work away. Rest easy my beautiful princess, until next week.  RIP .... I'm missing you.

Affirmation

Thank you God for the reverence of seeing a new day, and understanding that it's a blessing to wake up in my right body and mind.  I understand that everyday is a chance to be a better person than I was yesterday, and I understand that its also a chance to do more for myself and the world than I did yesterday.  To God be the Glory, If God be for you who can be against you. Please continue to bless my family, friends and even my foes.  I asked you heal me of my addictions and afflictions in my life, and any entanglements that are in my path.  Allow me to see all of my dreams into fruition, guide the pen in my hand to be your canvas. When I wake every morning I want to be a vessel of your word and please allow me to be an angel to all of those who are in need of my help.  For all the blessings that flow in my life, I do give thanks.  Love and Light to the world.  Amen

Veracity/TGIF

Happy Friday, Let's Talk about It!!

To thine ownself be true, is an testament of a spiritual cleansing, seeking out what you expect to receive in the solitude of self. Integrity aligns your character and how you are perceived. Walking in a consistent path is the purpose that drives your life. To know that truth exists in the smallest places and is always presented, how you treat the discovery is the tale that you share when you play it forward. Nothing beats a failure but a try, in understanding that every day we're merely works in progress, and the mission is within our grasp.

I look at the world and it's not always a pretty picture, it's 2012 and most of the issues still exist, somehow they have just morphed into a different pattern as not to appear relative, but veracity will never fail you because the sixth sense teaches you to pay attention to your gut, for the person who still chooses to ignore the warning signs, is bound to repeat and spin. I don't want to live in a world, where I can't believe in the good of man, where my fellowman wont extend a hand, because of self gain. The politics and problems of our universe will not go away over night, I think staring the matter head on, speaks to something that is possible, which beats all the wrongs that we've ignored. Its your life, it's time to take a stand, or get left behind.

What Are You Doing With Your Life?

Command Performance

Sir Elton John is one of kind, his performance of "Benny And The Jets" captures his true artistry, with only a piano,a mic and a few speakers he embodied the same genius that a full orchestra would capture.  He had the audience in the palm of his hands and he never let them go, nor did he ever disappoint.  Hitting all the highs, and showing his comedic timing with his over the top personality.  This song will always be special to me, because it was one of my mother's favorites .... taking us back to the day where real raw talent was a dime a dozen.  Enjoy!

Faces

Beauty is in the eye, and always something lovely to behold ......

Lidi Silva

Patricia Neal .... her beauty and brains took Hollywood by storm

RIP Did You Know ... Gone Too Soon!

Actor Brad Renfro (July 25-1982 / January 15-2008) has died at age 25. Renfro died Tuesday (July 25) at a Los Angeles apartment where he spent the night with friends, Craig Harvey, chief investigator for the Los Angeles county coroner. Renfro was heard snoring overnight, but found not breathing later Tuesday morning, and the friends called 911. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene at about 9am. The Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed that actor Brad Renfro died from an accidental overdose of heroin.The cause of death was ruled "acute heroin/morphine intoxication," and the drugs were injected, according to the coroner's office. "The final manner of death has been ruled an accident," the coroner reported. The actor, who starred in The Client and Apt Pupil, had recently completed a movie with Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton.

Film director Joel Schumacher discovered Renfro at age 12 and cast him in the 1994 John Grisham movie The Client (which also starred Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones). The following year, PEOPLE named the young screen hopeful one of its "Top 30 Under 30." The actor's other credits include Tom and Huck, Ghost World and Deuces Wild. Renfro had a troubled life off-screen, going back to 1997 when he was sentenced to two years of probation after he tried to steal a yacht. In 2005, Renfro was busted again, this time in a police sting in which he was charged with a felony count of attempting to possess heroin. In a separate incident, he was charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence and two counts of driving with a suspended license.
In January 2006, he entered a rehab program. At the time, Renfro's attorney, Richard Kaplan, told the Los Angeles Times that his client was doing well and "looks forward to doing whatever is necessary to take care of his personal and legal issues." Renfro eventually plead guilty to the heroin charge and was sentenced to three years' probation. Most recently, in June 2007 Renfro was found to have violated his probation by not enrolling in a long-term drug treatment program. A judge warned him that if he violated probation two more times, he could be sentence to a live-in rehab program or to jail time. He is survived by a son identified as Y Renfro, who now lives in Japan

** I created this weekly tribute dedicated to the stars who for one reason or another did not receive the send off through the media that they deserved. Please join me every Tuesday as I continue to celebrate 'LIFE'. People will live on as long as we remember them. Thank you Brad Renfro for your contribution to this world and through your artistry, you will live on forever. kk **

Pink RETURNS with The Truth About Love CD!

Having new music from Pink is always a refreshing change in the marketplace. Raw talented and edgy are the key ingredients to this outspoken over the top singer who is now married and a mother. Truth picks right up from were she left off, without missing a beat. From her debut release the singer was on her way with something intriguing to say and always unique in her delivery. Welcome back to the fold Pink, some of your contemporaries should be nervous. The CD is in stores TODAY!

Always Be My Baby

Dearest Whitney,
I finally saw Sparkle this past week, and I must say it feeled my heart with joy and sorrow.  It gave me all the emotions that my soul needed, at first I was reluctant to see your final work, but I came away very proud, very satisfied with a job well done.  There's a part in the movie, where I felt like you knew this would be your last, and the words that you gave to Jordin Sparks before her performance said everything to me about your entire journey here on earth.  I miss you, I think about your everyday, my joy is in knowing that I will see you again, and that you'll always be a part of me, which no one can take from me.  Now that you're inflight, your life and purpose takes on an ever greater meaning. Thanks again for the body of work that you left behind, and what you gave from your unselfish soul.  Until next week, rest easy my sweet princess.

Affirmation

Heavenly Father, thanks for the love and light in my life. I appreciate the opportunity to live to see another day, to witness the beauty and grace of your mercy.  I know that I am nothing without you in my life.  Please continue to guide and direct my path, I ask that you protect me from hurt, harm, fear and danger.  In my quest to get to know you better, let me continue to be a vessel of your word, and may I be an angel to all those that are in need of my services.  Please remove any addictions and afflictions from my life.  To God be the glory, for if God is for you no one can be against you.  I counting on to bless my life missions and dreams into fruition.  For all that you are to me, my family and the world I do give thanks.  Amen

Patterns/TGIF

Happy Friday everyone ... Let's Talk about It!!

Having a bad day can make you think that all the rights one day were wrong, and the second guessing ability to feel that you could not win, is when the mind is doing what it does, thinking too much instead letting go and letting God, Learn to make decisions and stick to them, irregardless of the outcome. The enablers do it to shield their realities and to escape, when you give another person a pass for continued ill patterns its a shortcoming of yours not theirs, because it allows you to hide from your truth.

The key ingredient is not to have all the answers to get you through life, but to involve yourself with key players to help you solve the problems to the questions that lay in the waiting. Deja Vu is the hand that you're dealt when you don't get it right, getting it wrong is taking it all for granted and by not paying attention to signs as they are written. We go through life evolved, not so much as changed, the shell may change, but who we are, what we stand for, how we relate to each other, are the core of our hearts, which is assembled from our early on upbringing, all the things that bring security and comfort. So when you hear people say that they have changed, no not really at some point the felt comfortable to be themselves.

What Are You Doing With You Life?

Command Performance

Swing Out Sister tight instrumentation with equally great vocals by lead singer Corinne.  This group is timeless, and always manages to bring a smile to my face.  This LIVE performance of "Always On My Mind"  just reiterates what made them so special and ground breaking.

Faces ...

Beauty is in the eye ....

Tyra Banks paving the way...........

                                       Dedication of beauty is about putting the working in .....

Glenda Rivera a 5'9 stunner ......

RIP Did You Know .... Gone Too Soon!

Actor Brad Renfro (July 25 -1982 / January 15 -2008) died at age 25. Renfro died Tuesday July 25 at a Los Angeles apartment where he spent the night with friends, Craig Harvey, chief investigator for the Los Angeles county coroner. Renfro was heard snoring overnight, but found not breathing later that Tuesday morning, and the friends called 911. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene at about 9 a.m.

The Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed that actor Brad Renfro died from an accidental overdose of heroin. The cause of death was ruled "acute heroin/morphine intoxication," and the drugs were injected, according to the coroner's office. "The final manner of death has been ruled an accident," the coroner reported. The actor, who starred in The Client and Apt Pupil, had recently completed a movie with Winona Ryder and Billy Bob Thornton.

Film director Joel Schumacher discovered Renfro at age 12 and cast him in the 1994 John Grisham movie The Client (which also starred Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones). The following year, PEOPLE named the young screen hopeful one of its "Top 30 Under 30." The actor's other credits include Tom and Huck, Ghost World and Deuces Wild.
But Renfro had a troubled life off-screen, going back to 1997 when he was sentenced to two years of probation after he tried to steal a yacht. In 2005, Renfro was busted again, this time in a police sting in which he was charged with a felony count of attempting to possess heroin. In a separate incident, he was charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence and two counts of driving with a suspended license.

In January 2006, he entered a rehab program. At the time, Renfro's attorney, Richard Kaplan, told the Los Angeles Times that his client was doing well and "looks forward to doing whatever is necessary to take care of his personal and legal issues." Renfro eventually plead guilty to the heroin charge and was sentenced to three years' probation.  Most recently, in June 2007 Renfro was found to have violated his probation by not enrolling in a long-term drug treatment program. A judge warned him that if he violated probation two more times, he could be sentence to a live-in rehab program or to jail time. He is survived by a son identified as Y Renfro who now lives in Japan.

** I created this weekly tribute dedicated to the stars who for one reason or another did not receive the send off through the media that they deserved. Please join me every Tuesday as I continue to celebrate 'LIFE'. People will live on as long as we remember them. Thank you Brad Renfro for your contribution to this world and through your artistry, you will live on forever. kk **

RIP Did You Know .... Gone Too Soon!

For a time in the late 1990s, Lynden David Hall, who died ( February 14 - 2006) of cancer aged 31, was British soul music's boy most likely to. It was anticipated that he would achive a good dollop of stardom, thus raising the profile of British R&B, always a cottage industry compared to the might of its American counterpart. His trajectory fell considerably short of predictions, but artists such as Craig David and the Brit-winning Lemar are indebted to him for creating a "conscious" alternative to the macho, status-obsessed American R&B, a musical form redefined in the era of post-disco soul and funk.

Although he never got higher in the charts than No 17, with the 1998 single Sexy Cinderella, and his brief recording career spanned just six singles and three albums, Hall was revered by peers and fans. A multi-instrumentalist who wrote and produced his own records, he was considered by British soul circles to be the homegrown equivalent of the influential D'Angelo, the American neo-soul vocalist who inspired him as a teenager.
Inevitably, he was also the object of much female attention, despite being the antithesis of the materialistic alpha male. Slightly built and poetic, he subverted soul's macho stereotype, which brought out female fans' protective instincts. After his death, one woman poignantly wrote on an internet messageboard: "If we had known [he was ill] and prayed for him, he maybe might have got better."

Brought up in Earlsfield, south London, as a 16-year-old Hall went, in its inaugural year, to the BRIT School for Performing Arts in Croydon, a music-industry college known for turning out such entertainers as Katie Melua. He was one of its more credible graduates. A couple of years after leaving, he was signed to Cooltempo Records by the veteran producer and DJ Trevor Nelson, who heard in the 21-year-old singer echoes of Al Green and D'Angelo - with a London accent and attitude. A precocious songwriter and performer, he had already nailed down a spiritual, intuitive style devoid of macho cliche.
Between October 1997 and the following autumn, he released four singles. Except for Sexy Cinderella, none sold especially well, but Cooltempo stuck by its protege, the management believing its faith would be vindicated by his first album, Medicine 4 My Pain, which appeared at the end of 1998. It was - critically, if not commercially. Pitted against the all-conquering pop of the Spice Girls and Fatboy Slim, the record did not even reach the Top 40, but it received all the acclaim Hall and his label could have hoped for. Ronnie Herel, a DJ on BBC1Extra, recently said: "He did for neo-soul in the UK what D'Angelo did in America. The first album was a landmark album for UK black music."

Still only 24, Hall had become the R&B name to drop. He won a Mobo award for best newcomer in 1998, was nominated as best male artist at the 1999 Brit awards - against, among others, Fatboy Slim - and was the first British artist ever to win the best male category in the Blues & Soul magazine awards. He also came 17th in a poll of black British sex symbols.
All he lacked were record sales, without which it became difficult to maintain a profile. An introspective second album, The Other Side, squeaked into the Top 40 in 2000, but the singles from it performed indifferently, and Hall was released from his deal. He began recording independently, and put out his third and final - album, In Between Jobs, in 2005.

The year before, however, he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. A bone-marrow transplant is the only cure for this rare cancer, but donors must be of the same ethnic group, and Hall discovered that a shortage of black donors gave him a minuscule chance of finding a suitable match. A stemcell transplant in late 2004 failed to arrest the disease. In November of 2005, his wife Nikki held a benefit concert at London's Jazz Cafe, featuring Lynden's friends Beverley Knight, Ms Dynamite and Shola Ama. At the end of the event, she phoned her husband in the hospital and asked the crowd to say hello. The cheers raised the roof. Nikki survives him.
Lynden David Hall, singer, born May 7 1974 - died February 14 2006

** I created this weekly tribute dedicated to the stars who for one reason or another did not receive the send off through the media that they deserved. Please join me every Tuesday as I continue to celebrate 'LIFE'. People will live on as long as we remember them. Thank you Lynden David Hall for your contribution to this world and through your artistry, you will live on forever. kk **

9/11 America Remembers You ...

America remembers you, your family and the horrific tragedy that day, but we will never forget anyone who lost their lives in those twin towers on September 11.  We pray for peace and strength to your family members whose life will never be the same.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Andy Murray a Grand Champion at USOPEN!

Andy Murray has won the first Grand Slam title of his career, besting defending U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic in an instant Flushing Meadows classic that stretched five sets and nearly as many hours. Murray's U.S. Open triumph makes him the first British man to win a Grand Slam singles crown since Fred Perry captured the 1936 U.S. Championships at Forest Hills.
The 25-year-old from Scotland won the first set (7-6) after a historic 22-point tiebreaker, the longest tiebreak in U.S. Open final history. After breaking Djokovic to win the second set, 7-5, Murray stood on the precipice of history. Not so fast...

Defending with ferocity and making frequent attacking forays toward the net, Djokovic stormed back into the match, winning the third (6-2) and fourth (6-3) sets to force a decisive winner-take-all fifth set. The sentimental favorite at the start of the match due to his paucity of Grand Slam hardware, Murray surrendered control of the match and the crowd -- who roared for the improbable comeback bid. As noted by Reuters and others, no one had lost in the U.S. Open men's final after winning the first two sets since Pancho Gonzalez stormed back to defeat Ted Schroeder in 1949. Having lost in his four previous trips to a Grand Slam singles final, it seemed that Murray might cement his runner-up reputation with an epic collapse. Instead, the fifth set produced a memorable display of physical and mental resolve and a career-defining moment for Murray. After all 315 points in the match had been played -- 160 won by Murray and 155 for Djokovic (via @USOpen) -- the year scratched from the "not since" list was 1936 instead 1949.

"Novak is so, so strong. He fights until the end in every single match," Murray said after the match, according toThe Associated Press. "I don't know how I managed to come through in the end."

Always Be My Baby ...

Dearest Whitney,
This week will mark the 7 month of your passing, time is moving swiftly yet it seems like yesterday that my world came to a crashing halt when I got the news of your passing, it nearly destroyed me, I was numb and couldn't move, did not want to move.  I always have my cell phone on vibrate, as to not startle me when it rings.  I noticed that day when I looked at my phone, I saw numbers and names from people that I had not been in contact with for yours since school, and at first I couldn't put it together why I was getting calls from all of these people, I assumed that some of my friends parents must have passed away or something, little did I know that those calls coming in were to console me on your passing (EVERYONE KNOWS HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU), and believe me those calls helped me immensely to cope with one of the biggest losses of my life...YOU!
This past week was the DNC and you would be so proud of President Obama, I think that he will win another four years, also MTV aired their VMA's and NOT shockingly, they didn't have a special tribute to you, which baffles me, because you did so much for them, at any rate they are jackasses.  Basically that was my week without you, so until next week, rest easy my sweet princess, and I know that I'll be seeing you again ... one day.

Serena Williams US OPEN 2012 CHAMPION!

Serena Williams has won her 15th Grand Slam title by winning the US OPEN Grand Slam Female title.
Finally tested, even trailing, at the U.S. Open, Serena Williams turned things around just in time.
Two points from defeat, Williams suddenly regained her composure and her strokes, coming back to win the last four games and beat top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 on Sunday night for her fourth championship at Flushing Meadows and 15th Grand Slam title overall.
Serena Williams celebrates after winning her fourth U.S. Open singles trophy Sunday, beating Victoria Azarenka in three sets.
"I honestly can't believe I won. I really was preparing my runner-up speech, because I thought, `Man, she's playing so great," Williams said during the trophy presentation after the 2-hour, 18-minute match, adding: "I'm really shocked."
Might be the only one.

After all, what really was stunning was that Azarenka made things as interesting as they were, given that she came into the day 1-9 against Williams over their careers.
Add in that Williams hadn't dropped a set in the tournament, losing only 19 games through six matches before Sunday. All part of a tremendous run she is putting together in reaction to her loss at the French Open in late May, the American's only first-round exit in 49 career major tournaments. Since then, she is 26-1, winning Wimbledon and the London Olympics.
There hadn't been a three-set women's final in New York since 1995, and Williams came through with a late charge to become the first woman to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same season since a decade ago, when -- yes, that's right -- she did it

Affirmation

To God Be The Glory, I give thanks for living to see another, for the opportunity to be better than I was yesterday, also to understand your direction and goals for my life.  I ask that I may be a vessel to all those that I encounter to spread the word of your goodness.  Please heal me of all the addictions and afflictions in my life.  In this world the demons come from everywhere, please continue to keep a shield over me, by protecting me from hurt, harm, fear and danger.  Guide and direct my path as I continue to be an angel to all that may seek my help and wisdom that you've empowered me with.  I continue to pray for the meek and the weak, the people who have no voice. For all the blessings in my life I do give thanks, please continue to look after my grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. If God be for you, who can be against you.  Forever giving gratitude of all the good that's in my life.  Love and light to those who share the belief of you.  Amen

Reinforment/TGIF

Happy Friday everyone ... Let's Talk about It!
Mrs. Obama struck a cord with me at the DNC. Rewards aren't given to the those who try to take the easy way out, the ones who are constantly looking for shortcuts, or complaining with the 'poor me' bouts. I was one of those for a time in my life, it seemed the accomplishments weren't coming fast enough, and not being grateful enough for the obvious good that was in my life, and my accomplishments. The easy way out, seems dishonest, somewhat sneaky and downright crooked.  Humility is something that makes us all better people, which enables us to be humble and sincere.

Life is about struggle, hard work speaks about dedication, in knowing that it's about going above and beyond the call of duty. When you put forth that valiant effort, some days 24 hours doesn't quite seem enough to get the work done. A goal is an achievement, to always reach for something, to focus on the finish line, a destination. You must always reach back to pull the next person up, it's called a shoulder, and be it that you're leaning or standing on, it's about reinforcement. This world is built and based on structure and principle. It's the collective effort that holds a land together, for no man is an island, let us all be conscious of the power that we affect on each other.

What Are You Doing With Your Life?

Chris Lighty's Funeral Service

Chris Lighty's Funeral Attended by the whose whos of Hip-Hop Stars ...
                         
Chris Lighty's funeral drew a slew of hip-hop biggest artists on Wednesday, September 5. Celebrities namely Lauryn Hill, LL Cool J, Nick Cannon,P. Diddy, Missy Elliot, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Russell Simmons, Mary J. Blige, Lyor Cohen and Grandmaster Flash were blending with family and friends to pay final respect to the late music manager at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in Manhattan.
The funeral service began at around 9 A.M. and the attendees only started to come out shortly after 1 P.M. Met outside the chapel, LL told MTV News, "He was a jewel and a treasured person in the community. Just one of the architects of our culture and he was my friend." Busta exited at around 1:30 P.M. and shared hugs with other mourners.

Following the service, Chris' casket was loaded into a hearse. His wife and two kids left shortly after. TheHip-Hop mogul was later laid to rest at the George Washington Memorial Park wearing a dark-colored suit and surrounded by white flowers.

R.I.P Chris Lighty

Command Performance

This is the performance that made myself and America fall in love with Chris 'Breezy' Brown.  It was his performance of "Run It" at the Grammys in 2007 where he also did a tribute performance to the late James Brown, but what I was most impressed with is that Brown performed with a hairline fractured ankle, and 'still' danced his ass off, and didn't miss a beat, that is is pure DEDICATION.

Faces ...

Beauty is part of what Americana was built in, and it's in the eye ....

Camila Pitanga

Lei Ling

                                                                   Louise Glover

Our First Lady Michelle Obama #Soproud

Michelle Obama: "You don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square"

This is my new mantra.(No Shortcuts) kk

Mafia Mama Griselda Blanco killed ...

It was CONFIRMED on yesterday Griselda Blanco, known as “The Godmother of Cocaine" during Miami’s “cocaine cowboys” era of the ’70s and ’80s, was SHOT IN THE HEAD in Medellin by two motorcycle-riding assassins.She lived as the "godmother of cocaine", ruthlessly ordering scores of bloody murders and violent revenge attacks as she plotted the course of Miami's infamous drug wars.

So it seemed only fitting that the manner of Griselda Blanco's death on Monday reflected the brutality for which she became notorious – gunned down in the street by a killer on a motorcycle as she left a butcher's shop in her hometown of Medellín, Colombia.
Blanco, 69, was credited with inventing the motorcycle ride-by killing during her years controlling southern Florida's fledgling cocaine trade in the late 70s and early 80s, an era in which she pocketed billions of dollars before being convicted of three murders, including that of a two-year-old boy. Detectives suspected her of dozens more.

"It's some kind of poetic justice that she met an end that she delivered to so many others," said Professor Bruce Bagley, head of the University of Miami's department of international studies and author of the book Drug Trafficking in the Americas.
"Here is a woman who made a lot of enemies on her rise and was responsible for the deaths of untold numbers of people.
"She might have retired to Colombia and wasn't anything like the kind of player she was in her early days, but she had lingering enemies almost everywhere you look. What goes around comes around."

Blanco, who was deported from the US in 2004 after serving almost two decades in jail in New York and Florida for racketeering and murder, became one of Miami's original drugs gangsters as tidal waves of smuggled cocaine swept aside marijuana as the dealers' most profitable commodity.
She set up a distribution network across the US that netted her tens of millions of dollars a month, making shipments of more than 1,500kg, and maintained her dominance by building an empire staffed with violent enforcers, who were well rewarded for following her orders to execute rivals at the drop of a hat to and make sure they left, no witnesses.
She was also personally involved in developing creative methods to get cocaine into the US, even setting up a lingerie shop in Colombia that produced underwear for export with secret compartments.
Her story, which was featured in the 2008 documentary Cocaine Cowboys: Hustlin' with the Godmother, showed that her love of the underworld did not only extend to her drugs activities. A son with her third husband, Dario Sepulveda, was christened Michael Corleone Blanco after the central figure in the Godfather trilogy of mafia movies.

Two of her three other sons by her first husband were murdered after entering the family business.
Blanco became a widow three times, and remained under suspicion for the deaths of all three husbands. In one notorious episode in 1975, remarkable even among Colombia's hardened drugs criminals for its violence, she confronted her husband and business partner Alberto Bravo in a Bogotá nightclub car park over millions of dollars missing from the profits of the cartel they built together.
Blanco, then 32, pulled out a pistol, Bravo responded by producing an Uzi submachine gun and after a blazing gun battle he and six bodyguards lay dead. Blanco, who suffered only a minor gunshot wound to the stomach, recovered and soon afterwards moved to Miami, where her body count – and reputation for ruthlessness – continued to climb.
During her Florida reign of terror she was suspected of responsibility in at least 40 murders, possibly as many as 200, yet was convicted of only three – two drug dealers who crossed her and a two-year-old boy, Johnny Castro, the son of a former Blanco enforcer, who was shot twice in the head by hitmen as he travelled in his father's car.
Blanco's former lieutenant, Jorge Ayala, told police: "At first she was real mad because we missed the father, but when she heard we had gotten the son by accident, she said she was glad, that they were even."

She escaped the death penalty on a technicality when Ayala was discredited as a witness after being caught having phone sex with secretaries in the prosecutors' office.
Bagley said Blanco, who was shot twice in the head, was likely to become the subject of books or a Hollywood movie.
"She was a pioneer in the sense that she helped to forge and carve out the drugs trade in south Florida and used bloody tactics to do so," he said.
"The danger is she will be remembered not for her cold-heartedness and brutality but for being a woman entrepreneur in an emerging field dominated by men."

RIP Did You Know .... Gone Too Soon!

Actress Kathryn Joosten, best known as "Desperate Housewives'" mo"Desperate"st meddlesome neighbor Karen McKluskey, died Friday June 2, 2012 after a long battle with lung cancer. She was 72.

Joosten's death came less than three weeks after the emotional "Desperate Housewives" series finale, which saw the redemption and eventual death of Mrs. McKluskey as well.

Joosten won two Emmys for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her "Desperate" role, in 2005 and 2008, and was nominated for a third time in 2010.

Prior to her residence on Wisteria Lane, Joosten had another tony TV address: The White House. She played Mrs. Landingham, President Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) secretary on "The West Wing" for the series' first two seasons until her character died in a car accident.

She also had memorable TV roles on "Scrubs," "Joan of Arcadia," "My Name Is Earl," "General Hospital" and "Dharma & Greg."

Joosten was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001. The cancer returned in September 2009. After Joosten underwent surgery and chemotherapy treatments, she was officially declared cancer-free in January 2010. She was an advocate for lung cancer awareness and research, even doing speaking engagements about her battle.

Joosten, who didn’t begin her acting career until she was 42, famously told interviewers through the years that Housewives‘ creator Marc Cherry had promised never to kill off Mrs. McCluskey, seeing how many of her prior characters hadn’t survived to their shows’ series finales.

According to her rep, Joosten was surrounded by family at the time of her death.

** I created this weekly tribute dedicated to the stars who for one reason or another did not receive the send off through the media that they deserved. Please join me every Tuesday as I continue to celebrate 'LIFE'. People will live on as long as we remember them. Thank you Karen Joosten for your contribution to this world and through your artistry, you will live on forever. kk **

Michael Clarke Duncan Dead at 54

Michael Clarke Duncan was one big, jumble of contradictions. Born in Chicago in 1957, Duncan was raised by a single mother whose resistance to his playing football led to his deciding he wanted to become an actor. But when his mother became ill, he dropped out of college, Alcorn State University, and worked as a ditch digger and bouncer to support her. By his mid-20s, he was in Los Angeles, where he looked for acting parts and became a bodyguard for Will Smith, Jamie Foxx and other stars. The murder of rapper Notorious B.I.G., for whom Duncan had been hired to protect before switching assignments, led him to quit his job and pursue acting full-time.

His presence was formidable, even intimidating: The former bodyguard had a muscular, 6-foot-4 frame, but it was topped by the brightest of megawatt smiles.
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan, Oscar nominee for "The Green Mile," has died while being hospitalized following a July heart attack.

The prolific character actor, whose dozens of movies included an Oscar-nominated performance as a death row inmate in “The Green Mile” and box office hits including “Armageddon,” ‘’Planet of the Apes” and “Kung Fu Panda,” died Monday at age 54. And although he only turned to acting in his 30s, it’s clear from the outpouring of prayers and remembrances he received across the Hollywood and sports worlds that his gentle-giant persona made him much-loved during that relatively brief time.
Duncan died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was being treated for a heart attack, said his fiancée, reality TV personality Omarosa Manigault, in a statement released by publicist Joy Fehily.

Duncan “suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered,” the statement said. “Manigault is grateful for all of your prayers and asks for privacy at this time. Celebrations of his life, both private and public, will be announced at a later date.”

Tom Hanks, star of 1999’s “The Green Mile” — the film that earned a then-little-known Duncan a supporting-actor nomination at the Academy Awards — said he was “terribly saddened at the loss of Big Mike. He was the treasure we all discovered on the set of ‘The Green Mile.’ He was magic. He was a big love of man and his passing leaves us stunned.”
“I will miss my friend, Michael Clarke Duncan,” comedian and talk-show host Steve Harvey said on Twitter. “What an incredible soldier in God’s Plan.” Other sad and shocked reactions came from a diverse field that included Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, actresses Alexa Vega, Niecy Nash and Olivia Munn, and former boxing champion Lennox Lewis.

In the spring of 2012, Duncan had appeared in a video for PETA, the animal rights organization, in which he spoke of how much better he felt since becoming a vegetarian three years earlier.

Duncan had a handful of minor roles before “The Green Mile” brought him accolades and fame. The 1999 film, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930s. Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer with a surprisingly gentle demeanor and extraordinary healing powers.

His industrial-sized build was suited for everything from superhero films (”Daredevil”) to comedy (”Talladega Nights,” ‘’School for Scoundrels”). He could have made a career out of his voice work alone, with appearances in several animated and family movies, including, “Kung Fu Panda,” ‘’Racing Stripes” and “Brother Bear.” Among Duncan’s television credits were “The Apprentice,” ‘’Two and a Half Men,” ‘’The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and a new series, “The Finder.”

Highlights from the acting career of Michael Clarke Duncan, who died Monday at 54:
- "Bulworth," 1998.
- "The Players Club," 1998.
- "A Night at the Roxbury," 1998.
- "Armageddon," 1998.
- "Breakfast of Champions," 1999.
- "The Green Mile," 1999.
- "The Whole Nine Yards," 2000.
- "Planet of the Apes," 2001.
- "Cats & Dogs," 2001.
- "See Spot Run," 2001.
- "The Scorpion King," 2002.
- "Daredevil," 2003.
- "Brother Bear," 2003.
- "D.E.B.S.," 2004.
- "Sin City," 2005.
- "Racing Stripes," 2005.
- "The Island," 2005.
- "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," 2006.
- "School for Scoundrels," 2006.
- "The Last Mimzy," 2007.
- "Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins," 2008.
- "Delgo," 2008.
- "Kung Fu Panda," 2008.
- "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," 2010.
- "Green Lantern," 2011.
- "The Finder" TV series, 2012.

Always Be My Baby ...

Dearest Whitney,

Another week has come and gone since your departure from this earth.  On Saturday I was watching some of your old interviews and performances, and it really hit me, I got very emotional, it was another direct reminder that you're really gone.  For some reason when I listen to you speak, and hear your clear tone on whatever you may be communicating, it hurts even more to realize that I will never hear you speak again, I will never see that gigantic smile coming from this little person.  All my life I thought we would roam this earth together, be it us travelling in different directions, I took comfort in knowing that we were doing it together at a similar pace. Needless to say that Saturday was an emotional day for me of missing you.  I went to bed with my play list on repeat, (my set starting with 'Saving All My Love For You' which is 'still' my all time favorite song yours, which is ironic because that's when I fell in love with you, and though you've had many nuggets since then, that is so special to me 'Saving' still trumps all, because it was the 'first' for me). I went to sleep and you came to me in my dreams, and our conversation was so powerful, you basically told me that no matter where you are now, that I should continue to communicate with you, because you can still hear me and respond, and you showed me some of the other people that you're still are in communication with.  I loved my dream and it made me feel a hell of a lot better than I did before I went to sleep.  I love the powers of the Universe.  I love you my sweet princess, have a restful sleep until next week.  I'm wishing you a peaceful journey.

Affirmation

Hello Jesus, Jesus Children, Jesus Loves you ..... I had a conversation with GOD today and he heard my cry, of late my heart is heavy and full, but in the valley, I will never waver from believing that my cry will be delivered to a righteous place.  I'm grateful to be among the land of the living, doing a worthy work of spreading the goodness of the almighty.  Trials and tribulations will continue to arise, for that is only par for the course of this journey that we call life.  I ask that the Almighty relieve me from the addiction and affliction in my life, so that I might be a vessel to all those that are in need of my help and attention.  I want to be an Angel to all that I encounter for I am a believer that we will all meet one day again in the Gates of Heaven and I will rejoice and be glad in it, because the Gates of Heaven will greet me with a lot of love from the ones that I've lost, who are now found.  I pray for healing those in my world, who keep me lifted,  I pray for annointing to those who are in need of direction, and I ask for forgiveness to all who believe, even when mistakes are made, I pray for the chance to begin again.  And yes to God be The Glory, for when God is for you, no one can be against, evil will stumble and fall.  I ask for Love and Light, and for this I will always give thanks.  Amen

Brandy gearing up for her 2/11 cd Cover Shot

Looking HOT like FIYYAH!!!  I can't wait for Brandy Norwood's return to music .... LEGGO!!