ACTION!!! This Ain’t no Dress Rehearsal

When was the last time you paid money to watch the rehearsal of a Broadway production or a your favorite artist's concert? Never, right? Or not unless it came along with tickets to the main event, VIP style ( I know how ya’ll roll.) No matter how fabulous a performer is, the rehearsal doesn't compete with the show. It’s a test run – they’re testing everything: Lights, make-up, moves. I remember onetime at a fashion show rehearsal a 6 foot tall glamazon screams "these shoes make my bunions hurt!" Ain’t nothing fabulous about that. Come showtime, she was one of the fiercest girls struttin’, bunions and all. That’s one of the many fun things about show business - you get to try it out before you show it off. But nothing beats the magic of ‘ACTION!’ So I ask you, why are so many of us ladies walking around the stage of life like this is a dress rehearsal? Honey, we’re rolling! ACTION!

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SO many of us fabulous sisters live like we’re on some type of waitlist, like we need some special invitations to our lives, to being 100% our fabulous selves. Meanwhile we got Sex and the City perma-play in our DVD players drinking wine and eating popcorn, trying to live vicariously through fictional characters! You know how it goes: ‘I wish I could be fierce like Samantha.’ ‘Carries so stylish, when they give me a raise, I’m going to get stylish too!’ ‘Life will start when I meet my Mr. Big.’ Honeychild, let me let you in on a secret. THEY are not going to give you anything. People give you want you want after you take it and they realize it wasn’t theirs to begin with. And become Ms. Big, then the men who approach you have to step their game up.
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It’s time for us all to call ACTION on our lives. Dress rehearsal is ova! Give yourself 100% permission to live boldly. Start writing that book, or take that class, or get that degree, go get that sassy haircut, change that job, start that business, lose that weight! DO IT TODAY! Because you know what living vicariously through other people as your life passes you by turns you into?A BITTER BITCH. That shit is spiritual cancer! Save yourself!
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Alas, I am here to help. Ever the bookwork, I have extracted a wonderful exercise from my current favorite book selection: The Smart Cookies Guide to Making More Dough. It’s called the CREATING YOUR PERFECT DAY exercise:

Imagine your perfect day. In a perfect world where you have everything that you want, what does your perfect day look like. Be truthful no matter how crazy it sounds (My perfect day included helicoptering to a spa, so go all out) Ask Yourself the following questions, write down the answers:

1) What time do you wake up? How do you feel as you greet the day?
2) Where are you(at home)? What does it look like?
3) Who is with you?
4) What kind of work are you doing? With whom?
5) As you had to face the day, how do you look? What are you wearing?
6) When and where do you work? How do you get there?
7) When you are done with work, how do you spend your free time?
8) What is your evening like? What are you eating and drinking?
9) When you go to bed that night, how are you feeling after spending a day doing exactly what you love?
10) What are you most grateful for and what are you most looking forward to as you drift to sleep?

This is what you want your life to be! Meditate on what you write down, and then get to work on getting it done! There is NO TIME other than the present.

Some fabulous books to motivate the hell out of you:

The Smart Cookies Guide to Making More Dough; Talent is Never Enough, John C. Maxwell; Piece of Cake, Cupcake Brown; Woman’s Worth, Marianne Williamson; Why Man Love Bitches (for you girls who are letting a man hold you back and need a verbal slap in the face) and Fabulosity, Kimora Lee Simmons.




'Til next time, Be FABULOUS!

xoxo,
Netta

Cause Fabulous Manifesto - Saving the World 10% at a Time

Lovely ladies! After a brief sabbatical (uh, 2 months give or take) I'm back and more Fabulous than ever! But since I've taken a bit of a break from posting, I've decided to start anew with a brief description of what the heck it is I'm trying to do with this blog! (For me as much as for you...)

Some of you may be thinking what is a CAUSE FABULOUS? And 'Saving the World 10% at a time,’ what’s that about? Well it is really 2 fold-

Part 1) Fabulous - It's a Self Love thing

I think that one of the saddest things in the world is when a woman denies her own strength. Somehow, many centuries ago the men got together and duped the woman into thinking that they were smarter, tougher, and more capable of making decisions, and should do so. That's awefully silly, isn't it? Provide and Protect, and let us handle the rest.

I'm not a ball-buster ladies. Quite the contrary, I love, love, love men. They are strong, beautiful, and capable. And, when they work up to there full capabilities (of providing and protecting) it is the sexiest thing in the world.

But when did it begin that for a man's light to shine a women's had to dim? I see that time and time again, woman dimming for men, until we are operating at half-light. Like we're scared to use our extra-strength batteries cause we might blind some weak man or weak woman (which is worse! We need to embrace the weak ones immediately! They’re the ones acting silly and confusing the men on how A WOMAN is to be treated!)

The saddest thing of all is we do it to ourselves! We begin crashing into each other trying to see in the dark, listening out for the enemies drums to rescue us. In this case, the enemy is denial of our independence and therefore fabulousness!

Being Fabulous is about finding your own beat and marching to that sh*t like you got a University band playing behind you every-step of the way!

When we fall in love with ourselves we automatically become more generous because watching another weak soul slumming through life will break your heart so bad, that you will be doing a disservice to yourself not giving them a taste of the fabulous glory that is self-respect! Which brings me to…

Part 2) Cause
I am somebody who believes in giving at least 10% for the benefit of others and the support of something larger than oneself. Examples are: your church; a charity you love; taking a stressed out friend to dinner; or (one of my favorites), treating a sista' to a mani, pedi, and/or massage. Even dedicating 10% of your prayers’ to someone who’s going through a rough patch!

The point is that we save the world by helping each other, and when we replenish another’s energy they are free to do the same to someone else. The domino effect of love!

I personally believe that God does give back 10 fold; I am a witness to that time and time again in my own life.

"That's the reason we kind of exist. It's like our Job. To give to each other. And learn from each other. To capture moments of people." Angelina Jolie. Beautifully said!

So, if any of you were wondering, these were the building blocks of Cause Fabulous!

‘Til next time, Be FABULOUS!


Quote of the day - "I have an idea that the phrase 'weaker sex' was coined by some woman to disarm the man she was preparing to overhelm." Ogden Nash

You Go Girl! Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton Speak at DNC

This ain't your grandmomma's politics... Or is it. For years, nay, decades we have been bombarded by men's politics in the highest office in our land. We've had some great ones, we've had (have) some not so great ones. But look out Joe, there's a new sheriff in town, and she's wearing a cocktail dress and three-inch heels. (Or is part of the 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuit!') Michelle Obama and Hillary Clintons speeches at the DNC proved that there is a reason why our nation is electrified for change. These two phenomenal woman gave speeches that called the cows home and hopefully will call you to action. Enjoy!

Femme Fabulous - Lolo Jones

Much to my chagrin, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is coming to an end. Atleast I can get back to a 10:30pm bedtime instead of my Olympic-viewing induced insomnia. The stories, the dreams, the triumphs, the heartbreak, the hotties; The Olympics was a drug and I was addicted. I knew the names of all of the competitors, I craved Shaun Johnsons smile, I wondered if Michael Phelps would get his 8 golds, I watched Usain Bolt beat Michael Johnson 200m record (which I remember Johnson setting.) My heart smiled every time the underdog excelled (mens gymnastic), the jilted-veteran (61-year-old Ian Miller, equestrian) made good or the shiny ingénue surprised (Shelley-Anne Frasier).

All of a sudden sports I never paid two-hoots of attention to became the center of my evening! I cheered as athletes I never heard of became American Heroes. In a world where our relationship with our millionaire professional athletes is often love/hate, these men and woman seemed to represent something else, something larger. What was it? As I sat glued to the T.V. getting my 2am fix, I pondered that question. It was answered in the form of Lolo Jones.

Who is Lolo Jones you may ask. Well, a week ago I didn't know either. But I would soon find out as I watched the Womens 100 meter hurdles. The first thing that caught my attention was how beautiful the gold-medal favorite was and she was from the U.S.A. Turns out she was the World Champion from Des Moines, Iowa.

I watched the race and Lolo took off. She was doing marvelously until she hit the ninth hurdle. Losing momentum she ended up fourth. Its what Lolo did next that impressed me. She didn't huff off the field or dodge the media (which would have been well within her right after such a disappointment) She immediately took repeated interviews, maintaining the utmost poise and class, and not once giving any excuse to why she hit the hurdle. During her interview she congratulated her teammates who were passing by. Curious, I googled Lolo Jones and what I found touched my heart and answered my question.

Maybe the Olympics is so addictive because the trials and success of these men and woman represent that dream within ourselves that we hope to birth forth and into the world. Our private gold-medal finish that may have nothing to do with scoring or time clocks, but is the juice that keep us believing in ourselves and our lives. Hearing what the athletes have overcome remind us of the goal that we have yet to achieve and have considered abandoning. Well for all of you gold-medal dreamers please read the following article by Bryce Miller, Gannett News Service about how my Femme Fabulous, Lolo Jones overcame poverty and homelessness to become a role model and Olympian and be encouraged!

To see video of Lolo Jones click here or on any image.

By Bryce Miller, Gannett News Service
BEIJING — Every morning, when the kids showed up for the church summer camp at the Salvation Army building in Des Moines, Lolo Jones, her sister and brothers were already there.
Day after day, Jones bounced around the gymnasium as others walked in.

She owned boundless energy, an infectious smile, but also a guarded secret. The woman picked by some to win the gold medal in the 100-meter women's hurdles at the 2008 Summer Olympics lived in the basement.

"I remember we had to wake up earlier than when the kids started arriving, so they wouldn't tease us," she said. "Me and my brothers would get up and we'd be in the gym before the other kids got there.

"So it kind of looked like our parents were the first to drop us off at the camp."

These Olympics are positioned to be a global introduction for Jones, a 26-year-old graduate of Des Moines Roosevelt High School.

Oakley launched a campaign for its "Enduring" sunglasses line that features Jones, the Olympic Trials winner and reigning world champ in the 60-meter indoor hurdles.

The United States Olympic Committee will bring three women's track stars to a Thursday press conference with international media: Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards, Olympic silver medalist and world champion Allyson Felix — and Jones.

A life that included homelessness now resonates with world-stage possibility.
"This is not like a Dream Team basketball person that has a multi-million dollar contract," said Kim Carson, another Roosevelt track star who helped Jones since junior high on and off the track and traveled to Beijing. "This is a kid who had nothing."

Growing up, Jones attended eight different schools in eight years as her single mother bounced between Texas and Iowa, often holding down two jobs to support her children. Jones' father, who spent time in the Air Force and jail, "wasn't really in the picture much," she said.

While in third grade, Jones estimated, the family ended up in the basement of the church.
All the moving and all the change eventually became too much for Jones, who decided against a move to Forest City, telling her mother, " 'Mom, I can't go to a city that doesn't have a track. I'm trying to pursue my dream.' "

The decision began a stretch where Jones lived with three families, including the family of Randy Essex, a former assistant managing editor of The Des Moines Register who now works at the Detroit Free Press.

Essex noticed at youth track events his son participated in that no one seemed to be in the stands cheering Jones, a blossoming star.

"It was a really family-oriented club," Essex said. "I asked (the club organizer) after practice why there were no parents or adults around Lolo."

That conversation eventually led to Jones moving in with Essex and his family for about 16 months, beginning in August 1998.

"When she moved in with us, it was obviously a difficult situation for her," Essex said. "We were almost strangers."

Essex watched, impressed, as Jones quietly focused on decision after decision. She worked at track. She worked at track. She worked at her job at the Iowa Bagel Bakery near 42nd Street and University in Des Moines.

"Just a hard-working, dependable kid," he said.

Jones also lived with Kim Walker, a Des Moines attorney, and his wife, Jean.
Walker watched proudly as Jones returned to Roosevelt recently to hand over new track shoes to her former high school and a $12,000 check to Renee Trout, a flood victim and single mother from Cedar Rapids.

"That's as good a role model as we can ask for, don't you think?" Walker said.
When high school ended, Jones landed a spot on the track team at Louisiana State University — a national powerhouse. At LSU, Jones understood the uniqueness of her situation for the first time.

Other LSU students packed up belongings to go home for the holidays.
"I was like, 'Wait, I don't have a bedroom to go (to) back home,' " Jones said.
LSU coach Dennis Shaver knew the family faced financial challenges, but "she never complained."

When Jones graduated, she worked minimum-wage jobs to keep chasing an Olympic track dream — an experience she said was more difficult than being temporarily homeless.
"It was more hard for me to swallow my pride and take out garbage at a gym when I had an economics degree and Spanish minor," she said.

"I had people come up to me like, 'Didn't you graduate? What are you doing working at this gym?' I was like, 'I'm trying to do this track thing. If I get a 9-to-5 (job), I won't have flexibility to leave the country and go to these competitions."

When Jones missed a spot in Athens after falling during the 2004 Olympic Trials, Shaver became a salesman for Jones.

Shaver told the big-time track sponsors, "Her day will come if given the opportunity."
That day did come.

Jones remembers walking to school during brutal Iowa winters because the family didn't own a car. Now, she's sponsored by Oakley and Asics — and has the ability to focus on track full time.
"My life changed," Jones said. "I went from eating ramen noodles to steak, fish and chicken — what an athlete should be eating."

Sponsorships allowed her routine access to massages, chiropractors and the tools other elite athletes used to maintain peak condition.

"It just helped me get the things an athlete needs to be successful," Jones said of the sponsors. "A businessman needs a laptop. Athletes need massages and the right diet."
Jones talks freely about the struggles that led her to China, where she begins competition on Sunday in the opening day of the 100-meter hurdles.

"A lot of it is, she's not ashamed of it," Carson said. "Her mom's been honest with her. She understands the struggle of a single parent."

In the end, Jones continued to push, balked at chances to quit and traveled from a basement to the ultimate sports stage in Beijing.

"Lolo Jones is a great American story," Essex said. "You don't get that many anymore, with people who grew up poor and seize every opportunity. And she really did."

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Product Shout-Out: Alaffia Sustainable Skincare

I am trying my very best to go green. Seriously. Slowly I have been replacing all my household products with green products, I wash my clothes in 100% Phosphate-free Certified Biodegradable laundry detergent. I'm in the market for a hybrid vehicle (and this is saying a lot ya'll, because I am a big-haired-big-eyed-bonified-Texas-SUV-girl. Just like I like my men, I like my cars oversized!) So, naturally, I have been searching for the perfect 100% organic, paraben-free, chemical-free face and hair-care products. And this search has not been cheap.

Alas, a solution: On a photoshoot for Jungle Gurl (off the chain re-designed one-of-a-kind vintage swimwear. Holla if ya hear me, my Jungle Gurl suit is my new obsession. I mean it's literally making me move to the beach, among others things, but that's a blog for another day) when another model was complaining about her eczema. One of the make-up artist suggested Palm Oil barsoap. Taking notes, as soon as the shoot was over I high-tailed it to Whole Foods looking for Palm Oil Soap. Bingo - Alaffia Shea Butter Face Soap with Goats Milk, Roobios and Vanilla Ylang, Ylang. Well that's an antioxidant power punch. $4.00! I'll take it. Because I had money to spare I went ahead and tried out their Roobios and Shea Face Cream.
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Ya'll, I have never gotten so many compliments on my skin. And this coming from a girl who has had acne, eczema, and skin sensitivity issues that have left me covered head to toe in a reaction. And it smells super yummy! Their power ingredient is pure, unrefined, 100% natural Shea Butter which has 'been carefully handcrafted using centuries old techniques that maximize the moisturizing and protective properties.' Here's another tid bit: 'Shea Butter's unique fatty acid profile and high content of vitamins E and A contribute to its protective and hydrating properties.' Well heck,we could all use a little protection and hydration.

My new regimen:

1) Cleanser - Alaffia Shea Butter Face Soap

2) Toner - Apple Cider Vinegar (100% Organic Unfiltered. I use Braggs)

3) Moisterize - Alaffia moisterizer.

I am super impressed with their products and just bought their toner. I love the Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar for night, but when you use it in the morning, you smell it on your face all day. Not really a good look.

And the best thing about Allafia is that it is Pure for a Purpose!

"The Alaffia/Agbanga Shea Butter Cooperative is an important part of the greater Sokode community in Togo, West Africa. We provide stable, fair incomes to over 80 families. The Cooperative also provides medical care and other assistance when needed. Our members are proud to be able to use their indigenous knowledge to feed and cloth their families. One of our goals is for the cooperative to be a model for other groups and individuals in Togo and other West African nations to follow. 10% of our sales go directly to fund community enhancement projects in Togo."

Well, community growth is what Cause Fabulous is all about!

So if your looking for a mild and magnificent natural cleanser, try them out. I wouldn't do you dirty, trust.

SMOOCHES! Netta

Sista Fabulous - Lorielle Broussard

I know that sometimes this blog may be all over the place. I mean, I go from Sex and the City to Hottest Summer Sports Athletes to Support Pediatric Cancer. But please understand that my main little goal is to inspire you readers to take responsibility for enhancing your life and the life of your community in a creative way. Pick a Cause and be Fabulous about promoting and supporting it! Change the world 10% at a time! I support different causes in different ways, but anybody close to me will tell you that I love encouraging, supporting, and watching woman living life with exuberance and vivacity. So today I am going to highlight a Sista Girlfriend who is doing just that Lorielle Broussard - Barackawear.

Cause: Promoting awareness and assisting in the election of the first African-American Democratic Nominee, Barack Obama, the candidate for Change!

Fabulous way in which she is accomplishing this: She along with her brother Brandon are the owners of Barackawear Inc. whose slogan "Barack the Vote" can be found on the backs of models, actors and musicians alike. Lorielle's background is in fashion and has toured as stylist to Ciara and Celebrity DJ Sky Nellor (you can tell by the fly way she's rockin her Barack the Vote wife beater and pearls - go 'head girl.) Their popular T-shirt company sells gear promoting the first African-American presidential nominee. And they don't stop there... To support their CAUSE 25% of all monies raised go toward the Obama campaign.

Lorielle and Brandon’s goal is to sell 100,000 t-shirts by Election Day and they are well on their way! Aside from selling on their website http://www.barackthevote.com/ they are now in Against All Odds clothing stores across the nation!

And in true Cause Fabulous fashion aside from supporting their candidate, Lorielle and Brandon are active supporters of their community, often donating T-shirts and gift certificates to support the Cause Fabulous of others including my non-profit CLAASS, Inc.

To purchase a Barack the Vote T-shirt click here or on any of the pictures above.

Until next time, Be Fabulous!

XOXO,
Netta!

Pucker for a Purpose: ROCK THE VOTE

Campaign season is in full force - complaining, bickering, blaming and all. But even with all the antics of the school yard (view McCain's Video Obama Love) We all must recognize our call to duty: TO VOTE! The environment, gas prices, healthcare, education - Our country is going through some major growing pains and we need to choose a qualified professional to guide us along the way. Stila cosmetics seems to agree! Teaming with Rock the Vote, the make-up company has launched Rock the Vote Red a Cause Fabulous that is causing me to pucker for a purpose! 1 - You can register to vote directly from the page and 2 - A percentage of the proceeds of each lipstick sale goes to Rock the Vote.

"Rock the Vote’s mission is to engage and build the political power of young people in order to achieve progressive change in our country. Using music, popular culture and new technologies Rock the Vote seeks to engage and incite young people to register and vote in every election. And we give young people the
tools to identify, learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their
lives, and leverage their power in the political process."

Well, Rock On! For more information on Stila's Rock the Vote Red or Rock the Vote, please click on the icons above.

XOXO,

Netta

When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough... Get a Massage!

"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world. George Bernard Shaw "

So, I am a die-hard optimist. Really, I believe that any and everything is possible and stand by my favorite Flashdance quote "When you give up on your dreams... you die" (Boy Michael Nouri was a handsome young man. Anywho...) But even I, the eternal optimist floating through life on a hot-pink-tinted-silver-lined cloud, have my bad days.

As I have stated before, I am an actress and writer, living out here in Los Angeles a city where anything can happen any day. At 2pm you can call a number of friends or associates and grab an early afternoon martini. The home of sandy haired surfers and $25 Brazilian bikini waxes. One day a girl is walking the streets of Hollywood the next she's riding shotgun in a silver Lotus shopping til she drops on Rodeo Drive. Multi-cultured, environmentally friendly, vegetarian, 80-degrees and clear...My kind of city! But even in the City of Angels, sometimes fighting the good fight of your hopes and dreams can leave a girl a bit battered and bruised. Especially when you haven't had a paying calltime in several weeks (and I won't go into what several is.)

I mean, how the hell am I supposed to pay for my happy-hour-martini-induced-brazilian-bikini-wax and make it to the beach in time to ogle at the sandy-haired surfers on my three night a week comedy club waitress salary and a three month passed due cellphone bill? Times like this it is easy for one to have a perfectly timed meltdown. We all know that sometimes the best thing for your soul is to have an all out cry-fest. I mean snot-dripping, chin-quivering, can't catch your breath for the life of you, cry yourself into a sorrow induced ball at the bottom of your shower. Other times it is best to hit the ground harder, work extra long hours, push yourself to the limit and then two steps farther! But I have learned that their is also another option. Take your overworked-under-paid hiney to the spa. Yeah I said it.

It is time for woman around the world to take better care of themselves. And I for one am starting a trend! Treating myself like I would like a man to treat me: with love, adoration, and the occasion indulgence, make that over-indulgence. Maybe not everyday, but every once in a while for sure. So, after a particularly stressful week of hard work to seemingly disappointing results I checked myself into the Pasadena Burke Williams for a spa day, cellphone bill be damned!

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Ladies, I know, it sounds abit immature. How dare a woman who hasn't paid her bills go out and treat herself so excessively. And what do I say to that? Bah Humbug. If you let us, woman will take care of absolutely everything and everyone else until fibroids, breast-cancer, or a nervous breakdown forces us to take care of ourselves. By then it will take much more than a $55 calming-detox wrap to get back in order. So many women lose years of life to making sure that everything and everyone else is in line. Well, I for one don't want to look up 20 years from now rough and ragged, because I'll tell you a secret that I am learning: If you ain't together, the appearance of everything around you running like clockwork is just a facade, and it will all come crumbling down with you when you finally break.

"Not I," said the fly.

Let me calm myself down before I scare you away. It's easy for me to get all Malcolm on this issue, but realize that this here is a peace movement. I am not suggesting that anybody spend the rent on a weekend in Ocho Rios, Jamaica having your feet rubbed by a half-naked Mandingo while you sip Sangria on a white sands beach. What I am suggesting is that you put yourself first at least once a month - ahead of bills, ahead of the job, ahead of the stress. Take a day to refocus on your purpose, your goals and your dreams for yourself. A simple pedicure, manicure, or lunch at your favorite spot could be enough. It's time to burn the 'good' candles for yourself! I promise, If you take the time to focus on what the big picture of your life is, you'll figure out the small issue like paying your cellphone bill. Trust.

As for me, I didn't leave my spa day to a voicemail full of bookings from my agency, but I did leave feeling refreshed, regenerated and refocused feeling like my mind and body had returned to complete harmony. And according to Sallust, "Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay.” Like sanity.

In honor of making ourselves the Queen of our lives for one day, and to put it all into a little perspective my Cause Fabulous for this week is: Queen for a Day® a 501 (c)(3) non-profit. This beautiful organization takes pediatric cancer patients and takes their mind off of there day-to-day trials by offering them quality of life services. They pamper girls with make-overs, manicures, and a 'coronation ceremony' where each girl is crowned as a champion over her illness with a tiara donated by a pageant titleholder. They also treat the boys with hero-themed gifts, reinforcing bravery and courage through police officers and firefighters. That is fabulous on a whole 'nother level ya'll.

To donate to this fantastic organization please click here, or go to: http://www.qfad.org/home.htm

The End of an Era: Sex and the City

Disclaimer – If you have not seen Sex and the City, please do not read this weeks blog – cause I give it ALL away!

There are certain things that I have been able to count on: Jay Z and Beyonce refusing to answer questions about their relationship, Tupac releasing top charting albums postmortem; and Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte. Even after Sex and the City came to a celebrated end on HBO five years ago the ladies lived on in DVD, syndication, and the internet. These four fabulous girlfriends guided woman around the world through issues of love, loss, and labels. Even though my DVDs never disappoint, imagine my excitement when earlier this year New Line Cinema released that there would be a Sex and the City Movie!

Immediately the count down went on my Myspace page and I went into heavy study. Hours were spent at the tube watching and re-watching the girls go through the trials of single life in the city. I applauded triumphs and supported flaws, all the while becoming giddy at the idea of a sensational ending for Sex and the City (and therefore Womenkind) materializing on the big screen! Mazeltoph!

Finally, on May 31st I, six girlfriends and 200 other fantastically dressed fans crowded into the movie theatre. The second the theme music began we erupted in applause. It was the Super Bowl of Fabulosity and I had 50-yard-line tickets.

The entire first scene was like attending a Fashionista Festival with Carrie as the main event dripping in Vintage and fabulously flashing back on her life! Then came Samantha, Miranda, Charlotte, oh my! My heart was actually racing from excitement.

Everything was going great until Carrie presented the suit that she would be wearing to marry Mr. Big. Excuse me, a plain St. John-esque white suit? Not that there is anything wrong with St. John, as a matter of fact St. John is a staple amongst the ladies who lunch, it’s just that’s not Carrie! It’s like when Big got her the jeweled bird Judith Lieber bag (Season2-Ep. 22), cute, but not Carrie! I cringed. Then faux pas number 2: Carrie hesitates when Vogue asks her to represent 40 something brides. Not the Carrie I know whose religion is fashion, God is Gucci and bible is Vogue.

Finally someone slapped some sense into my girl when she decided to do the photo shoot and accept a glorious dress from uber-designer Vivienne Westwood. She even wore a whimsical little bird on her perfectly coiffed little head, Carrie to the C!

We all know what happens next, Big leaves Carrie at the alter like a little pussy and she spirals into depression for a year. Meanwhile My Steve cheats on My Miranda, My Samantha allows herself to waste away in Los Angeles, and My Charlotte gets pregnant and spends an hour thanking God that her life wasn’t as screwed up as her friends. What is happening? This isn’t the racy-romantic-sassy-sexfest-fashion-friendly-fairytale that I imagined. And where the hell is Carries CARRIE necklace! She can’t live without it, it personifies her (Season 6 episode 94 and 95!) Quick, get me a pair of Louboutins, I need to stand up!

I left the movie with mixed emotions. I wasn’t quite sure if my girls would truly be okay (especially after Carrie did actually marry Big in the St. John-esque-sin.) Somebody hum a spiritual, this situation needs a revival!

Then, the most interesting thing happened to me. I had a conversation with a girlfriend of mine. She’s smart, beautiful and sweet, but about five years behind me in maturity. The things that were important to her were boring the hell out of me, though I remembered at one time being just as interested in those catty dramas as she is now. I couldn’t get out of the conversation quick enough… boy have I grown. Then it donned on me, so had my girls.

All of my studying and excitement for the movie, I hadn’t left room for my girls to be at a space in there life that I didn’t agree with. I wanted them to be the same confused single women stumbling through life in sensational shoes and beautiful bags.

Yes, Carrie is still the fearless fashionista, but fashion is not her life. Her fashion now accessorizes her personality, not defines it. This could be why, after 10 years, she chose to retire the CARRIE necklace, no longer needing an object to remind her of who she is.

And Steve is a wonderful man, not a perfect one. It is possible that he and Miranda's life does have it’s own situations that need to be handled in an adult way, as apposed to an on-going joke (Miranda has chlymidia Season 3 episode 36; Steve has one ball season 4 Episode 58.)

If Samantha represents every woman’s inner she-roe, it is great to show that sometimes the best way to save yourself is to try what is right for everyone else, and then be brave enough to say that it’s wrong for you.

And what the hell is so wrong with Charlotte finally finding the happiness that she has been searching for for so long! (Trey is impotent season 3 episode 42, Charlotte has 25% chance of getting pregnant season 4 episode 59, Charlotte gets a divorce season 4 episode 62, Original birth parents from Charlotte, South Carolina decided not to give baby up for adoption season 6 episode 94. Charlotte has a baby Sex and the City- The movie, YAY!)

So though it didn’t end like I would have written it, it did end, and along with it an era. But I can’t write the lives of our Sex and the City sirens any more than they can write mine. So in honor of the Fabulous Ladies of Sex and the City, this week's Cause Fabulous is to honor your girlfriends, sisters, mothers, aunts, and all of the fabulous she-roes in your own life stepping out in style in Manolos and Military Boots, fighting and winning our own battles of personal growth and self-acceptance, and writing our own fairytale endings.

And if you are still uncomfortable with the end of Sex and the City…Rest assured that Tupac still has a hit in him, and Beyonce and Jay-Z will probably never release the pictures of that wedding dress.

Art for Life

I’m really big on inspiration. I get it from everywhere: walks, movies, books, conversations, antique stores, television shows, traffic. I thrive off of it! I literally get turned on by being inspired, any new way to light a fire of creativity within myself I jump at, which is why all my life I have desperately wanted to love art.

I envision myself as the type of woman with an art collection so sensational that museums actually beg me for the opportunity to showcase it. I would join the ranks of Tamia and Grant Hill, Chris Webber and my name sake Aaronetta Pierce who at one time with her husband had the largest African-American art collection in the state of Texas!

But as much as I fantasize about being a chic woman, cultivated and engorged in the art culture, my home a constant stimulation of exceptional works displayed on pedestals and walls with my guests, friends and family praising my unique taste and keen eye; There is one small problem, I know absolutely nothing about art.

I go to galleries and museums in search of inspiration but most of the time I end up being inspired by the bar or coffee shop. I hate to say it but the most interesting thing to me about the Mona Lisa is that she is rumored to actually be Leonardo Da Vinci. Creepy…but kind of cool.

It shames me to admit these things, I am an actress which is its own art form and the militant in me also yearns to offer support to anyone journeying the road less traveled, which is most artist.
So imagine my delight when, in search of my perfect piece I walked into an LA gallery and saw:
'Gold Digger, Like a Hooker... Just Smarter', by Todd Oldham. I felt the familiar tingle of inspiration. Could it be my first art piece? I actually found myself evil-eyeing the other patrons and protecting my piece like a guard dog. Finally, I got up the courage to look at the price. 'Price upon request.' Isn’t that 'art speak' for ‘Probably more than you can afford?’ A little down but not out, I went home to research the piece. Read: google!

‘Recording Artist/ Philanthropist Rhianna purchases 7 Todd Oldham pieces"

Huh? I got a little bit jealous and competitive. No Rhianna did not go out and buy my piece of art. Of course I knew she did, because she has excellent taste and wouldn’t leave that one on the wall. Sure enough in the list of works that Rhianna aquired 'Golddigger, Like a hooker... but smarter."

I found out that I could get a lithograph for $1100? But like I said, I know nothing about art, is that like a knock-off Gucci bag? I don’t think so. I want an original or nothing at all!

Well, the truth is, if the lithograph was $1100 then the original was probably out of my reach for the time being. Though in mourning I figured something out, I don’t have to be a Mona-Lisa loving, Renoir toting artistic erudite. The important thing about my art is that it inspires crazy, sincere, fabulous, fun, me! And it was then that I found her, or should I say them, at my favorite Sunday spot the Fairfax and Melrose Trading Post (which is a fantastic non-profit itself).
S.A.D., Shawnte

The artist is Shawnte’ Shawnte’ and boy is she fun. All of her pieces remind me of my fabulous girlfriends, my loving sisters, my superfly mother and all of my aunts! And I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all asking for prices because immediately I wanted to support this sister.

Hopefully Adi Chicks by Shawnte (bottom) will grace my walls very soon (In the event of another national…) But it is important for woman of all ages to find something to adorn their walls that speaks to them because as Picasso said, 'Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.' Amen to that.

Which is why this weeks Cause Fabulous is Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundations ‘Art for Life’ owned by Russell Simmons.

The Cause of the Rush Foundation is to present the highest quality arts education for children, with a particular focus on underserved, under-recognized or disadvantaged populations. His 2008 Miami event raised over $575 thousand dollars for youth in the Miami Dade community and that is just fabulous!

Dedicated to my girl Leigh, aka Whitley Gilbert, who is destined to have the kind of art collection that is shown around the world!

Boys of Summer

You know what I love about summer? Yes, of course the obvious… longer days, hotter nights, sipping Sangria during happy hour with reckless abandon, wearing too-short shorts and a devil may care attitude day and night sans judgment. I love the fabulous pool parties, the fantastic barbeques, the overall feeling of it’s a beautiful life! But there is something else…

Now, before I divulge this other decadent summer delicacy let me say that I am all about Girl Power. I love the authority of women embracing their inner Goddess and devouring all that life has to offer. But after such a big meal a girl needs a little rest and a little treat! Sometimes all we want is a sweet juicy piece of candy; And half-naked men playing summer sports is the perfect amount of eye candy for me!

Trust, I am an equal opportunity appreciator. In the words of Mae West, ‘Personally, I like two types of men, foreign and domestic.’ And what Cause is perfect for respecting and supporting the gamesmanship of men playing hot, sweaty, competitive sports around the world? Why the fabulous 2008 Olympics, of course!

According to Janet Hotzel, Development, United States Olympic Committee, donations cover all the needs of the athletes including lodging, food, transportation, and training. The athletes primary focus is on training to be the best they can be, so donations remove the need for them to worry about everyday necessities.

To donate to the 2008 Olympic fund and find out more about our talented team click here.

And in honor of athletic eye candy all around the world I have compiled my list of 10 top Summer Sport Hotties:

Okay, so Jason Taylor plays football, which is technically a fall sport. But he is currently on 'Dancing with the Stars', which is a spring show, so it all averages out to a Summer Adonis.

Japan's Akinori Iwamura, MLB Tampa Bay Rays. Didn't know who this guy was until I started my... ahem, Research. Glad to have... educated, myself.

Kelly Slater, Surfer (It's a sport ladies...)

Jamaica's Asafa Powell, World Record Holder, 100m dash. Usually I don't condone a man in tights. But, in this case I have no objections.

Sweden's Frederick Ljunberg, soccer. Soccer is just poundin 'em out, aren't they!

Brazil's Wagner Limeira, soccer. Now this is exactly what I mean by half-naked! Way to go Wagner!

Mexico City's, Rafeal Marquez, soccer. Soccer must be the world's finest sport.

U.S.A. Tennis Beauty James Blake. Love to love ya, James.

British Beauty, David Beckem. This goes without say.

Finally, Spain's Rafeal Nadal, Tennis

All Hail the Queen

Lena Horne, An Original Queen

It was my birthday last Friday March 7th and when I woke up on that glorious day, something clicked and I absolutely fell in love… with myself.

Not to sound too narcissistic or anything, it wasn’t like all of a sudden I woke up and ordered a turbo charged Rabbit (not that there’s anything wrong with that), I just began to appreciate all the wonderful qualities and experiences that have added up to this moment in time of me being me. I must say though, much of my road to self-acceptance has been paved in the uncertainty of if it is indeed okay to be in love with yourself.

From the beginning of time confident woman have been associated with all sort of things: witches, heifers, c*nts, b*tches. A young girl who is beginning to appreciate the way her features are coming together is quickly regarded as conceited; a girl with a youthful interest in learning and reading will be cast aside as a nerd; A girl who shows interest in sports is regarded as a “dike” and a young girl with an over-all healthy appreciation of herself is accused of the kiss of death: Thinking she’s all that.

Let me take this time to put this disclaimer on my text: I am not trying to insight a riot. I understand that as woman are battling out our own worth in this ever changing world, so are men. As long as everyone is seeking to learn, grow and love, the world will be a better place. But facts are facts: Barack Obama is considered young at 44! A man is considered to age like fine wine, his salt and peppered hair sexy, while a woman will cover her grey’s and hide her age as if we age like moldy cheese! Here’s the rub, men are said to reach their sexual peak at between 18-23, while woman are rumored to peak at 35-40! Hmm, sounds like somebody’s cheese is going to mold much quicker than mine.

In men’s defense, I did recently read an article by The Advice Diva that said a woman’s sexual peak isn’t so much a reflection of hormones as it is a woman’s confidence and the comfort level with her body associated with that self-acceptance. You mean to tell me that girls are put through hoola-hoops of self-discovery all the way up to their mid-thirties? Shoot, by the time its okay to love ourselves society starts telling us we’re getting too old to enjoy it!

It seems to be a conspiracy to slay the Goddess! Well I for one say “Hell no, we won’t go!

I use the terms Goddess and Queen interchangeably, but let me give you a definition for both:
Goddess: A female being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a people.
Queen: A woman eminent in power or attractions; the highest of her kind

Literary Goddess and New York Times Best selling Author Marianne Williamson put’s it best when she says:

“A queen is wise. She has earned her serenity, not having it bestowed on her but having past her tests. She has suffered and grown more beautiful because of it. She has proven she can hold her kingdom together. She has become its vision. She cares deeply about something bigger than herself. She rules with authentic power”

Now, that deserves an Amen!

I know that I have many lessons to learn before I can rightfully take hold of my Queendom, but one truth I have fully embraced: It’s magnificent to be a woman and grow into my womanhood! And I think it’s absolutely FABULOUS when organizations decide to make it their Cause to take a young girl by the pre-manicured-pubescent-princess hand and help to usher her to her throne, which brings me to my next Cause Fabulous WriteGirl!

WriteGirl’s mission is to use creative writing to promote creativity and self-expression to empower girls. By having one-on-one mentorship and holding workshops, WriteGirl is ensuring that the princesses of today are the Queens of tomorrow!

To Donate to WriteGirl go to http://www.writegirl.org/

Vote Smart

So, I have a question for you: Who will be the 44th president of the US of A?

Yes it’s that time again, our constitutional right has reared its beautiful head and voting season is upon us. It is time for us to choose our nations next leader (All things being equal and all parties playing fair…)

And unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you know that this election is history in the making. For the first time a major party ticket will house either a black man or a woman as their nominee for the president of the United States of America. Ladies and gentleman let me help you out on the importance of this momentous occasion that we all have the ability to participate in: 44 short years ago it was ILLEGAL for blacks to VOTE! Now a black man has a true chance at becoming our nation’s first African-American president! These are a sign-o-the-times. Obama campaigns on the slogan of the being the ‘candidate for change’, and he is the physical manifestation, the personification of the changes that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther Kings spoke about, dreamed about and died for. Can I get an Amen? But let’s not sell Hillary short. The civil rights act was not only for African-American citizens’; it also barred discrimination on the basis of sex. As late as 1965 government was still trying to tell woman what we could and could not do with our bodies with some states prohibiting married couple from using Birth Control… excuse me, can I have a say on how many babies I want to carry in my womb, or at least could my husband and I discuss it and agree upon it?

So in a country so wrought with a history discrimination against woman and African-Americans, you see why it would be something to write home to momma about now that either a woman or a black man will be the candidate running on a major party ticket.

But I’m not here to give you a history lesson, I am here to inspire you, and if the changing of times does not inspire you then I don’t know… Go rent Sex and the City, I’m always inspired by Carrie’s fashion choices.

Or let it inspire you that our nation is changing. Anything is possible. Our leaders reflect that. We should allow ourselves to be infected by these changes.

But I understand… Even if you are infected by change and excited to move forward with this voting process, some of you are downright confused! I know that I am. Primary? Caucus? Delegate? Superdelegate? NAFTA? Healthcare? What the heck does GOP stand for? (Grand Old Party-I just found that out, rather disappointed I must say) and what does any of this have to do with me and my student loans?

Although I am inspired by change, excited to vote, and eager to see how history will change with this election, I realized that I needed to educate myself! And that brings me to the perfect Cause Fabulous for this week: Non-Partisan Non-Profit organizations that provide unbiased information on candidates and issues! The following organizations have made it their mission to educate voters on the candidates, the issues, and the money, all important aspects of government and this election. Hint: If you would like to see the cost of your allergy medications go down, and your drug company gives $10 million to your candidate, that probably won’t happen this time around.

The Center for Voting and Democracy is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that studies how voting systems affect participation, representation and governance. http://www.fairvote.org/

Project Vote Smart is a nonprofit, non-partisan source of information on candidates and issues. http://www.votesmart.org/

The Federal Election Commission is the independent agency that regulates the financing for federal elections. The website has campaign finance reports and data and information about voting and elections. http://www.fec.gov/

When used correctly, our right to vote gives us ownership of our country. Our President isn’t our boss… We are his boss. He is more like the manager of America, he looks over all of our affairs, keeps them in order, and has the power to make executive decisions based on what he thinks would be best for our country. And just like with your own business, if your not happy with the job an employee is doing, you have every right to send that guy packing with love and hire somebody else! Well, it’s time to hire somebody else for the job. Let’s educate ourselves to make sure that the person that we hire puts our company, The United States of America, back in order!

The Princess Project

Ahhh Spring! Well… Almost. Close enough to begin fantasizing about flirty sundresses, sun-kissed golden skin, long days, late nights, an increase of half-naked men running through the park…

The beginning of spring always feels like a re-birth to me. An awakening from winter hibernation (Quick get me some sandals, My toes need to breath!) Spring is like a delicious appetizer to all the gluttony summer has to offer, Bon Appetite! As we wax, scrub, and buff our winter blues away, don’t forget to schedule that deep cleansing of your home: SPRING CLEANING!

Along with hitting up your stove, refrigerator and baseboards with reckless abandon, now is the perfect time to give your closet a well-deserved colonic and get rid of all that sh*t you no longer fit, wear, or need. (You ladies know what I mean; I know you need all 5 pairs of those hot pink bejeweled 4 inch stiletto sandals.) I’m talking about the pair of shoes you bought on sale three years ago that were a size and a half too small, the pants from high school that will fit perfectly after you lose those 5 extra pounds, the bridesmaids dresses - let’s face it- they can never be shortened and worn again.

In the spirit of spring cleaning I have the perfect Cause Fabulous for you. In a few months million of high school girls will be attending the event which they feel will be the most important of their lives, their Grammys, their Oscars, their Senior Prom! And just like any major night in our lives, all that excitement comes at quite an expense. According to Your Prom magazine high school girls spend an average of $530 on prom a year. Thankfully fabulous organizations such as The Princess Project has made it their cause to make sure that every girl feels like a princess on her prom night!

The Princess Project promotes self-confidence and individual beauty by providing free prom dresses and accessories to high school girls who cannot otherwise afford them. As the costs to attend high school prom soar, The Princess Project has made this tradition a reality for over 6,800 Bay Area girls since 2002.


To donate to The Princess Project or to find out how you can benefit from their services go to http://www.princessproject.org/