how could i possibly resist this? impossible!
xoxo
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
snow day
i don't know about all of you out there, but i'm finding this cold, dank weather to be exhausting. with icy roads even getting to the mall to walk around is risky. with bad tv and a cabinet full of junk food, i'm finding the draw of my bed grow stronger and stronger. websites like StumbleUpon and Facebook and Twitter draw the attention that should be going to job searches and applications or workouts at the gym. so, because of this, i've come up with a plan. instead of following every word kim kardashian tweets, or every celebrity factoid tmz posts, i'm going to be productive. and, while my productivity may not include another round of applications to be ignored by magazines, i'm going to start learning hobbies, trying new recipes, and perhaps even breaking out that old manual camera i insisted upon in high school. i'm planning on sharing my creations, inspirations, and projects with you along the way, and i'd love to hear any ideas for projects you might have.
ahhh the life of the partially-employed.
see you later, kiddos. stay warm and dry out there.
xoxo
ahhh the life of the partially-employed.
see you later, kiddos. stay warm and dry out there.
xoxo
Monday, January 31, 2011
making moves?
hello everyone! it's been ages since i've posted even a thought on this blog, but i thought what better time than now to get back into it, and exercise my brain and vocabulary. like a lot of people out there, i'm desperately searching for my "dream job" or at least a job that's going to set me on the path. while that works itself out, i'll be sure to be posting thoughts, ideas, pictures, and plans to fill my time and make sense of this crazy post-graduation life. see you soon.
xoxo
M
xoxo
M
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sounds of Afrika
In honor of the beginning of Black History month, Quinnipiac’s Café Q traded in the sounds of clanking dishes and hungry students for the Sounds of Afrika- literally.
Lead by Kojo Bey, the Afrikan drum and dance troupe Sounds of Afrika played an hour-long interactive set of traditional Afrikan songs, complete with tribal dances. And, for Bey, his job is not only deeply rooted in his being, but it is a family affair.
Based out of the Tri-State area, Sounds of Afrika is comprised of Bey, his sons Nile and Rajuma Bey, his wife, Oni Brown, and his uncle, Baba Abishai.
According to Bey, the group has been working since 1995, and “plays their music to honor their ancestors” and can trace its ancestry back to slaves coming from Central and West Africa, and Jamaica.
“What we do would be impossible without Babatunde Olatunji,” Bey says. “He was a leader and a true pioneer. His work reminds us everyday why what we do is so important to our people.”
Baba Abishai, Bey’s uncle, explains that their music is a collection of chants and songs sung by slaves being held prisoner on boats to America. And, according to Abishai, there is an emphasis put on the oceans and seas as well as the Afrikan holiday of Kwanzaa.
“As Kojo [Bey] explained during the performance, our songs are based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa,” Abishai says. “There are seven days of Kwanzaa and seven principles which we base our lives around.”
Throughout the performance, Bey explains the seven principles of Kwanzaa and the importance of the oceans and the seas.
“Yem and Ya are the oceans and the seas,” Bey explains to the audience of students, staff, and cafeteria workers. “Water, in our culture, is the most precious substance, and our ancestors would sing to Yem and Ya when they were being kidnapped for slavery. They would sing and hope that the boats would turn around and return them to their land and their homes.”
When explaining the importance of Kwanzaa’s seven principles, Bey takes special care to interact with the audience and make them understand.
“These principles make up our value system, ya’ll,” Bey says, his voice booming from the microphone. “The word for these principles is Nguzo Saba and it means seven principles in Swahili. These principles are umoja- unity, kujichagulia- self-determination, ujima- collective work and responsibility, ujama- cooperative economics, nia- purpose, kuumba- creativity, and Imani- faith. Practice these everyday, ya’ll.”
The stage where the group performed was set up in Quinnipiac’s Café Q, and had a small altar set up in the front echoing the emotions and traditions behind the lyrics, as did the traditional Afrikan clothing they wear during performances including headdresses and drums adorned with symbolic figures and animal skins.
“The flag you see is the flag of West Africa, the country where my ancestors were taken from and forced into slavery,” Bey says. “The altar is a libation ceremony so the shackles represent the slavery and capture of our ancestors, the plants represents the life, and the chalice is a religious offering.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, 9-year-old Rajuma Bey also expressed a deep connection to the Afrikan culture and to the importance of living a life based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
“My daddy always says, ‘know who you are and where you come from,’” he explains. “I like doing this with him because it shows me where I came from and it makes people understand me.”
“Yea, that is true,” Bey says smiling at his son, “But for me, wherever there is an Afrikan descendant looking for answers and support, that’s where my job is- to teach him about who he is and what being Afrikan truly means.”
Lead by Kojo Bey, the Afrikan drum and dance troupe Sounds of Afrika played an hour-long interactive set of traditional Afrikan songs, complete with tribal dances. And, for Bey, his job is not only deeply rooted in his being, but it is a family affair.
Based out of the Tri-State area, Sounds of Afrika is comprised of Bey, his sons Nile and Rajuma Bey, his wife, Oni Brown, and his uncle, Baba Abishai.
According to Bey, the group has been working since 1995, and “plays their music to honor their ancestors” and can trace its ancestry back to slaves coming from Central and West Africa, and Jamaica.
“What we do would be impossible without Babatunde Olatunji,” Bey says. “He was a leader and a true pioneer. His work reminds us everyday why what we do is so important to our people.”
Baba Abishai, Bey’s uncle, explains that their music is a collection of chants and songs sung by slaves being held prisoner on boats to America. And, according to Abishai, there is an emphasis put on the oceans and seas as well as the Afrikan holiday of Kwanzaa.
“As Kojo [Bey] explained during the performance, our songs are based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa,” Abishai says. “There are seven days of Kwanzaa and seven principles which we base our lives around.”
Throughout the performance, Bey explains the seven principles of Kwanzaa and the importance of the oceans and the seas.
“Yem and Ya are the oceans and the seas,” Bey explains to the audience of students, staff, and cafeteria workers. “Water, in our culture, is the most precious substance, and our ancestors would sing to Yem and Ya when they were being kidnapped for slavery. They would sing and hope that the boats would turn around and return them to their land and their homes.”
When explaining the importance of Kwanzaa’s seven principles, Bey takes special care to interact with the audience and make them understand.
“These principles make up our value system, ya’ll,” Bey says, his voice booming from the microphone. “The word for these principles is Nguzo Saba and it means seven principles in Swahili. These principles are umoja- unity, kujichagulia- self-determination, ujima- collective work and responsibility, ujama- cooperative economics, nia- purpose, kuumba- creativity, and Imani- faith. Practice these everyday, ya’ll.”
The stage where the group performed was set up in Quinnipiac’s Café Q, and had a small altar set up in the front echoing the emotions and traditions behind the lyrics, as did the traditional Afrikan clothing they wear during performances including headdresses and drums adorned with symbolic figures and animal skins.
“The flag you see is the flag of West Africa, the country where my ancestors were taken from and forced into slavery,” Bey says. “The altar is a libation ceremony so the shackles represent the slavery and capture of our ancestors, the plants represents the life, and the chalice is a religious offering.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, 9-year-old Rajuma Bey also expressed a deep connection to the Afrikan culture and to the importance of living a life based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
“My daddy always says, ‘know who you are and where you come from,’” he explains. “I like doing this with him because it shows me where I came from and it makes people understand me.”
“Yea, that is true,” Bey says smiling at his son, “But for me, wherever there is an Afrikan descendant looking for answers and support, that’s where my job is- to teach him about who he is and what being Afrikan truly means.”
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Bamboo: The New Black
Given the state of the economy and the constantly fluctuating fuel prices, more and more people are switching over to “green” or environmentally friendly lifestyles; hybrid cars are selling quickly and organic foods are becoming more popular. Now, the green trend has moved from the kitchen and garage to home décor.
According to Ellie Himmelson, a home decorator from Short Hills, New Jersey, more and more clients are looking to environmentally friendly products to cut down on heating and cooling costs.
“Bamboo is becoming more and more popular among clients lately,” Himmelson said. “Because it’s a sustainable resource it is cheap but is also beautiful and versatile.”
In fact, despite the invasive nature of the plant itself, bamboo is quickly becoming a go-to material for everything from sheets to cabinets to floors.
“The wood is smooth and beautiful,” Himmelson said. “It is also extremely durable and easy to clean. Many of my clients are choosing to install bamboo floors in areas of high wear and tear.”
One such client is Nancy Mertz of Montville, New Jersey.
“We’ve opted to go with bamboo flooring and cabinetry in our condo at the beach,” Mertz said. “From what I’ve seen it can withstand high foot traffic and the dog’s nails won’t easily scratch it.”
Because bamboo is so easily acquired, it is being used for more and more purposes. Stores such as buildingforhealth.com and bluehouse.com exclusively sell bamboo and organic products from planters to furniture to children’s clothing and toys.
While Himmelson does caution that the use of bamboo can sometimes be limiting with regards to style, she does concede that its popularity among younger and more modern homeowners is remarkable.
“I’m seeing a whole new wave of clients right now,” Himmelson said. “An influx of people who are buying homes but want to think ahead to the future, and many of them are opting for bamboo products to do that.”
She is also seeing a shift in the involvement of clients when it comes to selecting things as simple as showerheads.
“Money is tight for a lot of Americans,” Himmelson said. “Many people are becoming more conscious of the efficiency of all appliances like washers and dryers and showerheads. People are looking to keep costs down, and bamboo is clearly becoming a forerunner in the swarm of eco-friendly products.”
Another of Himmelson’s clients, Jane Martin of Essex Fells, New Jersey, is an expecting mother who is doing her nursery in bamboo and organic products.
“Using products that are going to be good for the baby is my main concern,” Martin said. “You can’t go wrong using something that is naturally antibacterial in a nursery, especially with all the germs out there right now.”
Himmelson, as of late, has found herself spending more and more time scouring the Web and stores to find bamboo and organic draperies, pillows, sheets, dolls, stuffed animals, floors and cabinets in various colors and forms.
“it’s amazing,” she said. “Right now, bamboo is the new black.”
Here are some links to stores that specialize in Bamboo and organic products:
http://www.modernecohomes.com/
http://www.ecomall.com/biz/furn.htm
http://www.furniturehomedesign.com/eco-design/the-benefits-of-bamboo-furniture/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)