Lyric Fire

My Blog Lyric Fire: I'm Not at SXSW, But...

I wasn't able to attend this year's South by Southwest Conferences & Festivals (March 11-20) event this year, but it has been nice to see everyone posting about their takeaways and adventures from Austin, Texas the past few days.

For those of you who aren't familiar with (SXSW), it is a conference that highlights the creators and distributors of music, independent films and emerging technologies. The conference features presentations, panels, music showcases, film screenings and much more. 

If you're like me and couldn't attend but still want to get in on the action, you can keep up with the SXSW happenings on Twitter. Attendees have been tweeting around the clock about the event using the hash-tag #sxsw. 

Also check out the SXSW website and the SXSW YouTube Channel  for video clips, event schedules and behind the scenes information. If you are in Austin and have any news, photos or video from the event to share please do so. 

 

My Blog Lyric Fire: Oprah's Candid Interview w/Author Iyanla Vanzant Part 2

Last week I featured Iyanla Vanzant's book, "Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through" as a Book Binge selection. After searching for the title at one of the larger bookstores in NYC, (Borders), to no avail, I found a copy at Harlem's own Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe.  The book starts off with Vanzant detailing the last hours of her daughter's life and from the first word she captures the heart of the reader. I'm finding that reading this book is more like watching a poignant documentary, as Vanzant paints vivid pictures with her words. 

Today, I'm focusing on part 2 of the Oprah Show conversation. Vanzant speaks even more candidly about how she lost her husband and her million dollar fortune. Her pain is still fresh as she talks about the death of her daughter from cancer, but she demonstrates how she is handling her losses as we witness her vibrant sense of humor still continue to shine through. It's evident that Oprah and Iyanla still have some bridges to cross, but even with those issues, it's obvious that they truly love and respect one another. 

I have posted the first segment of the interview below. To view the rest of the conversation go here: YouTube Links to Oprah/Iyanla Part 2. Also, visit Oprah's website for more behind the scenes info on Iyanla. 

PERSONAL CHALLENGE: Evaluate a situation in your life where you've lost someone or something meaningful. What was your role in it? Have you healed? If not, explore ways to do so. 

 

 

My Blog Lyric Fire: Book Binge: "Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through" by Iyanla Vanzant

Making personal and professional decisions are not always easy. I can think of quite a few that had my head spinning: Do I stay in my hometown or move to a new city to pursue my goals and dreams? Should I leave a "stable" but unsatisfying job and take on a freelance gig that promises more money and creative opportunity? Can I make this relationship work or should I move on to someone new? Sometimes I find myself still questioning my decisions, even though I know I made the best choices I could make at the time with what I was equipped with mentally and emotionally. 

Imagine that you're Iyanla Vanzant. Successful author, relationship guide and guru and besties with none other than Oprah Winfrey. Okay, maybe not besties, because we all know Gayle King holds that title, but she likes and respects you enough to not only give you face time, but talk time on her show at the beginning of your career. She also lets you take the stage while she sits in the audience. Then an opportunity comes up with another big name in television, Barbara Walters, who wants to give you your own show. Oprah does too, but feels you need to wait and grow more. Which choice would you make? Stay with Oprah and wait a while before you get to take the TV reins, or go with Barbara where you can hit the ground running NOW? 

Iyanla was forced to make that difficult decision which had a great impact on her life, career and relationship with Oprah. She writes about this painful period in her new book entitled, "Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through", which is my Book Binge selection this week. 

Being a fan of Iyanla's I can't wait to read this book. I didn't know much about what happened between Vanzant and Oprah, but I did wonder why she hadn't been on television in a while. The book also covers her personal triumphs and tragedies during the last ten years and how she was able to endure and continue to flourish. 

The following is an interview which aired on Feb 16th where Iyanla and Oprah clear the air about what really happened between them. It is riveting television that will make you laugh, cry and also think back on some of the decisions you've made. It is a teaching and learning moment. Stay tuned next week as the two media queens conclude their conversation on Feb 23rd. I will post the clip along with my personal thoughts. 

Also, visit Oprah's website for behind the scenes information on the interview and exclusives from Iyanla Vanzant. 

PERSONAL CHALLENGE: Think back on a difficult decision you had to make. With the benefit of time, would you make the same choices? Why or why not? What were your life lessons? Please share! 

 

My Blog Lyric Fire: Ode to Love Via Brown Penny Poem by William Butler Yeats

Valentine's Day is coming up soon and it has me thinking about love declarations. Whether you have that romantic connection now or not, it does the heart good to reflect on love and reading poetry can conjure up some beautiful feelings.

Here is a lyrical line from me for those who may have lost a love or may be longing right now: 

Focus not on lack, but on fullness. The past, present and future is filled with love. Look around you, hear it reverberate against your insides, listen to it sing you a melody. Ah, how sweet the sound as it mirrors the symphony of a rushing sea. 

What follows is one of the most pure poems about love ever written. Read it slowly and drink in the magic of the words:

Brown Penny - William Butler Yeats

I whispered, 'I am too young,'
And then, 'I am old enough';
Wherefore I threw a penny
To find out if I might love.
'Go and love, go and love, young man,
If the lady be young and fair.'
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
I am looped in the loops of her hair.

O love is the crooked thing,
There is nobody wise enough
To find out all that is in it,
For he would be thinking of love
Till the stars had run away
And the shadows eaten the moon.
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
One cannot begin it too soon.

To hear the poem recited, watch the clip from One Life to Live which features characters Marty Saybrooke & Patrick Thornhart making a love connection. Thorsten Kaye (Patrick) could read just about anything and make it sound good and Susan Haskell's (Marty) ability to pull you into her characters with her authenticity is always on point. 

Enjoy Valentine's Day, but remember to show your love everyday, whether it's romantic, platonic or familial.We all need love to survive. 

Cheers. 

 

My Blog Lyric Fire: 'The Game' Redux: Can BET Lead the "Team" to a Championship?

Anticipation has been at an all-time high for new episodes of "The Game," a show created in 2006 on the CW network which quietly built a cult following showcasing the life of a rookie football player (Pooch Hall as Derwin Davis) and his med-school student girlfriend, (Tia Mowry as Melanie Barnett) who get thrust into the celebrity lifestyle in San Diego, California.

The 2009 season three finale featured sports agent/manager Tasha Mack getting punched out by her love-scorned friend Kelly Pitts and love-birds Derwin and Melanie barely making it down the aisle after a string of relationship struggles and missteps by them both culminated in Derwin getting another woman pregnant. We gushed when they finally joined in unison with Derwin saying these beautiful words to Med School: "A while ago somebody asked me, How do you know when you've found the one? You know that you've found the one when you listen to the vows Melanie, it's all there. Do you want to be with her for better and for worse, through sickness and in health til death til you part? If the answer is yes, I mean TRULY yes, then you know. With no hesitation and no reservations Melanie I know. Mel... I know."

Everything was set up for a killer season 4. Everyone wanted to know: Was Derwin really the father of Janay's baby? Would Kelly and Jason get back together? Would Tasha and Rick Fox get back together? Would Malik remain a player on and off the field or would he finally find true love?  

Then the CW network decided to cancel the show in it's bid to do away with half-hour comedies amidst protests by fans, the actors and show's producers. After a whirlwind of negotiations, The BET network decided to revive the show. 

Finally on Tuesday, Jan 11, 2011, the new season premiered opening with a spicy slogan punctuated by the saucy Wendy Raquel Robinson character Tasha Mack, "Game On Bitches!" 

We see Derwin and Melanie basking in the glow of celebrity, Tasha taking on the task of managing Derwin's career and also a younger man in the bedroom and Malik growing in arrogance as he beds the team owners wife and his former assistant Tee-Tee's current flame. Jason and Kelly are at each others throats as she stars in a new reality series and lavishly spends money she's received from the divorce settlement. Questions still swirl around whether Derwin is the father of little DJ, now two-years old and Melanie being Melanie swabs the child's cheek with a Q-tip and ships it off to a lab for paternity testing. In the meantime, Brit-Brat, the daughter of Jason and Kelly has aged tremendously and taken on a new look!

Back at the ranch Melanie learns that DJ isn't Derwin's and tells him, breaking his heart. She then finds out the test was faulty and that Derwin actually IS the father! So now we're left wondering if she'll do the right thing and tell Derwin the truth. Oh so much drama! Well, this is what we were waiting for right? 

Actually reviews of the first episode have been mixed due to the darkness of the show and irregular pacing. The original show was more billed as a comedy and was fueled by a laugh track. Last night's episode featured a few laughs too, but the track was a bit off as well as some of the casting decisions. 

Fans of the show took to Twitter (Pooch Hall, Tia Mowry and Hosea Chanchez were trending topics) and Facebook to express their opinions and they were quite lively. The consensus is that they want more of the original feel of the show but are mostly happy that their favorite cast mates are back. Actually it was reported last year that Brittany Daniel will only be featured in six of the 13 episodes that have been shot due to financial constraints. She was not present at any of the recent televised promotional events and was definitely missed by the fans. Almost one out of five people posting comments on The Game Facebook Fan Page were asking "Where's Kelly Pitts?"

It would seem that with all of the buzz and fanfare that "The Game" can get back to it's former glory. But BET has a major challenge on it's hands as they try to breathe life back into an established show that already has a expectant following. 

I'll continue to weigh in as the season progresses and would like to know what your thoughts are. This is history in the making as it's very rare that a cancelled show gets another chance and on another network. Let's hope that the powers that be can iron out the wrinkles and make "The Game" a true come from behind world champion!  

CLICK BELOW TO SEE COMPILATION SCENES FROM PAST SEASONS:

 

CLIP FROM SEASON FOUR EPISODE ONE 

BET Videos

 

 

THE WAY THEY WERE: CW CAST PHOTO: 

Cast of "The Game"pictured left to right: Wendy Raquel Robinson (Tasha Mack), Hosea Chanchez (Malik Wright), Brittany Daniel (Kelly Pitts), Coby Bell (Jason Pitts), Tia Mowry (Melanie Barnett-Davis) and Pooch Hall (Derwin Davis)

 

My Blog: Lyric Fire: How Did I Miss This? Blog Cabin!

Okay, there are way too many shows on television. We have network TV, cable TV, Hulu, webisodes and  content you can watch on your phone and music players. The list goes on and on. So I'm browsing around on Hulu after taking a leisurely stroll this weekend and find a DIY network show in it's fourth season called Blog Cabin. Come on. How could I have missed this?

The premise: Blog It. Build It. Win It.

The process: A team of home improvement experts build a cabin inspired by bloggers who post their design ideas on the DIY website. When the home is complete a lucky winner gets to move in! Sweet!

The location for Blog Cabin 2009 was Asheville, NC and I have posted the finale episode which features the finished dream dwelling. Now that I know about this show, I might have to jump into the act. This year's location is the Catskill Mountains, Sullivan County, NY. That's only two hours away. I could be blogging in new digs in no time. One can dream, right? Anyway, even if I don't win at least I found another interesting show to watch.

Check out last year's beautiful blog cabin below:

My Blog: Lyric Fire: Cool Comical Commercials

My last two posts have been on the serious side so after a long week that resulted in a major victory, I've decided to have some fun on this fabulous Friday!

I don't know about you, but I truly love DVR's and the ability to fast-forward through commercials. I know advertising is key to keeping my favorite shows on the air, but being interrupted in the middle of a cliffhanger is so annoying at times! However, the following commercials are just so interesting, quirky and fun that they keep me entertained enough not to pick up my remote.

I've compiled my top-five current best TV commercials below. Please comment and let me know if you agree with my choices or list your own. Happy Friday! 

(1.) Progressive Insurance: I love Flo, the Progressive pitch woman. Some say she's annoying, but I love her quirkiness and positive energy. Go FLO!

 

 

 

(2.) NBA Auto-tune Spots: I love all of these commercials, but I had to list the one that featured my boys Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce: Defense is our backbone! We never give up! (I'm a Boston Celtics fan if you couldn't tell.)

 

(3.) The Most Interesting Man in the World!-Dos Equis Beer: I chuckle every time I see these because I know some guy is sitting on his couch believing that HE holds this prestigious title! I posted the long and short versions. Too much!

 

(4.) Old Spice Deodorant: I actually saw this clip on a good friend's Facebook page. She said her kids loved it and so do I! P, P, P, P power! 

(5.) Old Spice gets me again with this punchy clip of a handsome man on a horse. Love it!