Musiq and Lyriqs – it’s a Jodeci kind of Morning

I am a sucker for a great beat… but as with all things, I am about SUBSTANCE, and an amazing beat or melody with meaningless lyrics is unappealing to me. When I hear a prospective song that I may just fall in love with, you best believe that the first thing I do is pull up the lyrics on google! With the songs that I love so dearly, I can name out the Line that hooked me…

And when I find bar or three that I love, I also have a tendency to replay that segment over and over again in the car… if it is the melody, hook, or intro I usually work hard to find the instrumental of the song so that I can listen to the song uninterrupted with words. And sometimes, the words may be simple, but it’s the way the artist sings it that makes me fall…

When I fall in love with a song, I can listen to it a million times in a row… and get lost in it over and over and over again… I believe in sleep music… and maybe, just maybe that’s why I am such an insomniac at night… even in my dreams, I am still listening to the song…

I have so many songs in which I have lyrics I drool and cry over.. but for now I am sharing my favorite Jodeci songs just because it’s that kind of morning… it’s too cold in the Bay Area today and my heater is turned up high while I listen to my Jodeci play list… here’s a few of my favorites… what are yours?

Jodeci – “Feenin”
I love the WAY he sings these lines… so soft and melodic, I can feel myself lifted

So tomorrow if you’re not here
Then girl I’m down
So I need you near
I just wanna make it through the night
So hold me tight
Then girl I’m alright

Jodeci – “Cry For You”

hook line and sinker! YES, Jodeci has me crying too…

It’s been an hour
Since you’ve been gone
And that’s too long
So come back home
I can’t live without you
So I’ll cry for you
Do anything that i can
To feel that touch from your hand
Sorry that I want you
Lady what do I do?

When you’re not here i can’t even smile
I can’t think without you
My mind is always with you
It’s amazing what you do
To keep me falling in love with you

Jodeci – “How Could You”

I am still taken back to the first time I saw this video and heard this song every time I hear that “rattle” in the intro of this song… it gets me every single time!

Ain’t no more blue up in my sky
Only cloudy mornings
And these tears like rain you left behind
All of those memories
In the corners of my mind

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Do things with Intention

All that I did,” she said, “everything I tried to do. All for nothing.” Nothing is done entirely for nothing, said the fox of dreams. Nothing is wasted. You are older, and you have made decisions, and you are not the fox you were yesterday. Take what you have learned, and move on.

Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, The Dream Hunters)

The number one complaint I often hear from friends when advising them on break ups is around the thought of “I did it all for nothing” or “I gave him/her my all and now I he/she takes it and I have nothing in return…”

It is easy to be angry about losing someone you love, specially when they choose to walk away from you, or you have to make that very difficult decision of walking away from them when you have invested so much. Often times, we forget that the quality of a relationship supersedes the quantity of years spent and what we have invested. I know, I’ve been there before.

This I say to you…

If you really love someone, you do things out of the kindness of your heart. For whatever reason it was that inspired you to sacrifice or give to this person, it should have been done out of true kindness. Our actions should not expect something in return if our original intention was sincere. Our actions should not be held over someone’s head or it means that we expected something and therefore we were motivated by ill-intention. Out of Love, we want to see one another succeed that’s why we worked so diligently to help those who needed us. If you are feeling spiteful about helping someone who left you and now you feel empty, you may need to look within yourself to see the root of the problem… perhaps you have to concentrate on loving yourself first so that you don’t feel that emptiness within.

Often times, we also forget that not everyone gives the same way that we do so you have to remember to not expect the same level but instead appreciate what he/she is capable of giving. When we learn to accept the different capacities people have, we leave less room for disappointment and more room for happiness.

This is my rant for today… Have a Blessed Day.

There’s something I wanted know…

Slum Village – “Closer”

Although winter began sometime ago, I am finally feeling it in the Bay Area… how wonderful to have someone to cake and share hot cocoa with… until now it’ll be warm socks and an electric blanket (which I don’t have just yet).

#39 on “The List”

Yes, I have a LIST… and you should have one too… I added this on on October 15, 2007.

For the LOVE of CRAB!

In order these are my top three favorite crabs:

1. KONA CRAB
2. DUNGENESS CRAB
3. ROCK CRAB

But whatever crab it is, I will enjoy every single piece of sweet meat it has to offer!  I actually was allergic to crab as a young girl.  I used to sit at the table with a bottle of Benadryl and ate all the crab and shrimp I could while my mom stood back and watched in horror.  I eventually grew out of my allergy of both iodine-filled crustaceans and now I only have allergic reactions to Blue crab, which obviously did not make it to my top three!

I remember watching an old school episode of Martha Stewart as a teen on crabs.  She shucked them like a pro and I often fantasized about being able to shuck the perfect crab with all of its meat intact.  I know right?  Big Culinary Dreams for a 15 year old!  Rather than daydreaming about boys, I was daydreaming about shucking crab! My mom loved to cook for us, and she never complained about buying two fresh dungeness crabs for us whenever we asked for fresh crab sandwiches or crab cakes.  Mom was always glad to take some time out and de-meat the crab; and I guess that’s a huge reason why I love to do it too.

It’s crab season again and our home has been blessed with fresh, sweet, thick crab meat… and I am back at my crab shucking fantasy at least once or twice a week.. I am still perfecting my craft… My choice tool is my kitchen mallet… The technique and amount of pressure I am applying with every whack! is ALMOST perfect!

Today it took me 30 minutes to shuck all of these crab legs… I was aiming for 15… but I will try again next week… I am actually planning to do a Crab Boil for the next Beats Rhymes and Life meeting along with Crawfish if there are fresh ones at the market next Thursday!

This was today’s mission:

and by the way… if you’ve never had Kona Crab… get some because you are missing out… at least ONCE in this lifetime!

 

…. and here’s some other hardcore shots of other crab conquests!