My song of the day…You sing it Mary J! I feel you girl and I’m so with you on this one.

I seem to be more introspective than usual lately. Someone suggested that it may be due to my upcoming birthday and that perhaps I’m doing a little life check-in. Perhaps.

Ever since my birthday in 2001, two months after the events of 9/11 and the passing of a beloved teacher, my intention has been to celebrate myself on my birthday and this year I’m looking for a way to do that again.

As I’m typing at 11:28pm on Sunday, Nov. 1st the song ‘No More Drama’ by Mary J. Blige is playing on iTunes. An excerpt from the lyrics:

“Hooh it feels so good
When you let go
Of all the drama in your life
Now you’re free from all the pain (free from all the pain)
Free from all the games (free from all the games)
Free from all the stress (free from all the stress)
So find your happiness

I don’t know
Only god knows where the story ends for me
But I know where the story begins
It’s up to us to choose
Whether we win or lose
And I choose to win
Ohhhh…

No more pain
No more games
No drama
No more in my life…”

That’s it! No more drama. That’s what I want for my birthday this year, a drama-free life. I’m going to celebrate the amazing turnaround that has happened over the past 12 months as I’ve watched old drama, old stories, old BS fall away, and I’ll gratefully embrace the people, events, relationships, etc. that reflect my deeper sense of freedom and joy.

All the negative chatter in my head for nearly 44 years caused me incredible pain and, quite frankly, I’m through with it. Of course, as Byron Katie might say, I’m open to it coming around for a visit just in case there’s more to learn from it. But I’d rather learn from joy.

Hmm… Maybe I haven’t been so introspective lately. What I notice now is that I’ve been doing a lot of visioning about the next 20 years of my life – beyond the walls of my home, beyond New York City, and beyond my current work environment. Could it be time to create a new Vision Board that visually describes what I am seeing and hearing in my mind, something that answers the question, “What’s great about me”? I like that.

What’s great about you?

Amen.

Today I am grateful for another chance to question my thoughts, to practice positive thinking, to see the sun, feel the cool breeze, laugh with friends, laugh at myself, watch my cat knock things off the kitchen table, savor Mexican food, write my blog, listen to my neighbors celebrate the Yankees win over the Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series, and plan another birthday ceremony.

(Be Open t-shirt photo by Sarah Sloboda, http://www.sarahsloboda.com)

Thanks and peace to all!

Joe

Here are some quick-hit thoughts on the last two episodes of “Entourage”…

“No More Drama”…

*It was nice to see Vince actually have a storyline again. And it’s pretty interesting to boot. I think Vince having a stalker is a great wrinkle and it’ll be interesting to see if he or she is actually caught. *I was glad that Drama didn’t get fired from “Five Towns”. Given the title of the episode, it really could have gone either way. I loved how painfully obvious it was that he was trying to record his conversation with the studio exec Dan. He was right, it was right out of a bad cop show. I can’t wait to see just how Dan plans on torturing Johnny. And, where can I get one of those gift baskets? That thing was intense; three iPods??

*I enjoyed E’s “first day on the job” storyline as well. Ari’s pizza delivery bit was fantastic. “You’re no longer a pizza boy, you’re now a pizza man.” Eric’s retaliation wasn’t as good, maybe he should get some tips from Adam Davies. I hope the writer’s give Kate Mara more to do than just answer E’s phones. She’s such a talented actress. The highlight of E’s storyline though was Bob Saget’s cameo. He was great in the Season Two episode, “Neighbors,” but the took things to new heights in this one. I couldn’t believe he said he’s sign with Murray’s company if he could have sex in his office. And I really couldn’t believe Murray said it was fine, just as long as E had a cleaning crew come in afterwards. I also like the rivalry that looks to be brewing between E and co-worker Scotty Lavin.

*As much as I loved Saget, I laughed the hardest when one of the guns Drama brought over went off and blew out one of the windows, followed by Vince saying, “Maybe we should call Ari’s security guy.” Turtle’s Pesci in “Goodfellas” impression was pretty good, wasn’t it? The thought of those guys carrying guns was funny enough, but one actually going off was the perfect way to end the episode.

*Overall, I thought this episode was pretty good. I would have been nice to see a little more Ari, but I guess everyone has to take a backseat each week in a 30-minute show. He made his impact with the pizza bit anyway.

On to this past Sunday’s show, “The Sorkin Notes”…

*I thought Ari’s security team turning Vince’s house into Fort Knox was hilarious. I loved the line about how there was about $600,000 worth of cars in their driveway and they should think about putting that kind of investment in their protection. I also liked when team was running drills in the house. Watching Drama get hauled into the bathtub and he and Turtle pretending to be Vince and an, ahem, overnight guest was a riot. After finding the possible stalker’s driver’s license in the couch, I wonder if they’ll be able to track him down.

*It was depressing to see E dragged back into the Ashley-Sloan mess. I was hoping after last week, we’d get to see him concentrating more on his new job. Instead he spent the episode working with Vince’s security team and getting ready to meet Sloan for “friendly drinks.” Ugh, enough with the soap opera stuff already. I will say I was glad that E put Sloan in her place and said he was sick of the back and forth. I just wished he didn’t go back to Ashley. She’s like the neighborhood cat, she won’t go away. Hopefully her time will be up by the end of this season.

*As each week goes by, it looks more and more like Babs was right about Andrew. It was pretty horrifying that he slept in Ari’s office and woke up to a crowd of people while he was in his PJ’s. Although I enjoyed watching Andrew drive his car through his living room (for a minute, I thought he was going to run over his wife), I wasn’t a big fan of that scene. It went on for too long and while Jami Gertz was great when she went storming through the Miller Gold office a couple of episodes ago, her screaming was a little annoying this time to me. Like I said before, I’m more interested in how Andrew’s affair affects his relationship with Ari, rather than Marlo. Speaking of Andrew…

*I loved the Sorkin cameo. He was great. I loved that he wasn’t shy about his dislike for Ari and Babs. The highlight of the episode for me was that he was willing to go to see Andrew in jail to meet with him. His ideas sounded that interesting I guess. And how about the fact that Andrew was able to sign him and save his job? A pretty decent ending to an otherwise awful day for Mr. Kline.

*Overall, this episode was OK. E’s back-and-forth with Sloan and Ashley turned me off a bit, as did Andrew’s fight with his wife. I’m looking forward to seeing how if the stalker is caught in the next episode.

So, what did you think of these last two episodes? Will Vince’s stalker get caught? Will Andrew last even a year at Miller Gold? Will Sloan and E ever make it work? What exactly does Dan Coakley have in store for Drama? Comment below!

Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC. He is a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at thedytonian@yahoo.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.

Fent és lent. Mik ki nem derülnek az ember családjáról… Félelmetes mennyire idősnek érzem magam egyes dolgoktól, amiket a húgom említ. Az éjszaka zajos sötétjébe merengve hideg és meleg találkozása forrt össze és langyos fuvallat töltött be mindent. Halk hangok és erős zajok szűrődtek az édes éjszakába. Lassú, lágy ölelés, halk szuszogás… Minden csendes lett, az emberek alszanak egymást karolva… A család egy olyan fogalom ami nekem már rég nem számít. Furcsa egy tény, hogy nem akarom, hogy közöm legyen hozzájuk.

Kérlek több drámát nem kérek.

Nagyon lent. A föld alatt.

i’ve decided to ignore all drama possible. no more acknowledging it, talking about it, whatever. if it happens, it happens, but i’ll be walking away. and already, life is much easier.

dance camp is over, which is sad… it was good to get back to dancing ballet. my whole “no drama” mantra makes next year sound a lot better. will still miss LDA but i think it’ll work out alright in the end… it always seems to. i showed sheila a song for my solo next year but i’m not sure she liked it. i have other songs i guess. besides, she probably has already chosen a few.

so cierra is in ontario for 9 more days, and i am dying of summer boredom. grrr. more movies with la rocque? i think so…

Preaaaach. And for the record, MJB looks A-mazing.

Mary J. Blige’s 2001 smash single, “Family Affair” spawned the B-side remix featuring Jadakiss & Fabolous. This rare version is a favorite amongst DJs.

————————————————————

Artist(s): Mary J. Blige feat. Jadakiss & Fabolous
Song Title: Family Affair Remix (CD Single)
Album Title: N/A

Producer(s): Dr. Dre

Label: MCA Records
Copyright: ©2001 MCA Records

“Mary J. Blige feat. Jadakiss & Fabolous” (CD Single)
Genres: R&B
Format: MP3 (320 KBPS / 41.1K)
Notes: For Promotional Use Only

DOWNLOAD FILE HERE: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8KQHRQVN

Mary J. Blige’s 2001 smash single, “Family Affair” spawned the B-side remix featuring Jadakiss & Fabolous. This rare version is a favorite amongst DJs.

————————————————————

Artist(s): Mary J. Blige feat. Jadakiss & Fabolous
Song Title: Family Affair Remix (CD Single)
Album Title: N/A

Producer(s): Dr. Dre

Label: MCA Records
Copyright: ©2001 MCA Records

“Mary J. Blige feat. Jadakiss & Fabolous” (CD Single)
Genres: R&B
Format: MP3 (320 KBPS / 41.1K)
Notes: For Promotional Use Only

DOWNLOAD FILE HERE: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8KQHRQVN

I am not positive that.

This is what I want.

A serious heart to heart talk over skype. That was all i need to make me the happiest woman alive at that moment.

You really are the best. Making me feel pretty at my most ugliest moments. 

You are truly, the best. My inspiration. My motivation. My one and only.

I love you (:

xoxo

Tyler Perry isn’t playing any games this time. He’s hit up the lovely, Mary J. Blige to tear up the big screen in “I Can Do Bad All By Myself”. The filmmaker has cast the No More Drama hitmaker opposite Oscar-nominee Taraji P. Henson in the movie adapted from one of his early plays. The movie is slated for a September 2009 release.
Source: Bossip

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Self-Help Author Sil Lai Abrams

A couple of nights ago at Howard University I got to listen to self-help author Sil Lai Abrams discussing  her new book, No More Drama. As you’ll learn from this clip, the woman has been through a lot but has managed to come out on top. Who would have ever thought that so much pain was hidden behind such a pretty face. And man let me tell you it’s a pretty one for sure.

I tend to think this women could have been talking about reforming the tax code and she still would have packed the house. Doubt what I say? Just look at these pictures

Sil Lai Abrams,Student Center Director Roberta Mcleod, and Staff

A man got shot at the theater for talking too much (it was only a matter of time), but what movie was he seeing is what I wanted to know!

Insert Drumroll Here….
It was the Pitt Flick!
I am sooo going to wait to see Benjamin Button when it comes out on DVD.  We’ve all had those STFU moments at the theater, but here’s what we all need in 2009 – tell’em MJB:

I chose this song simply because I feel like everyone goes through troubles and strife in our lives. We take things one day at a time and will overcome. Eventually, there will be NO MORE DRAMA. Although Mary’s live performances can be a little too over the top for me, I love Mary’s voice. She’s got so much soul and that is undeniable.

De Amerikaanse Mary J Blige geeft op 1 juni een concert in de Antwerpse Lotto Arena. Met hitsingles als “No More Drama”, “Family Affair”, “As” en de soulversie van U2’s “One” was de Queen of Hiphop Soul de afgelopen vijftien jaar niet weg te denken uit de hitlijsten.  Ze werd 26 keer genomineerd voor een Grammy Award, waarvan ze er acht verzilverde. De souldiva verkocht wereldwijd meer dan veertig miljoen albums.  Haar achtste studioalbum “Growing Pains” kwam eind 2007 uit. Ze werkte voor het album nauw samen met namen als Tricky, Jazze Pha, Stargate en Sean Garrett en liet R&B buddies Usher en Ludacris meezingen op enkele nummers. Tickets zijn verkrijgbaar via 070/345 345.

 by vivrant thang on what about your friends

Oooh it feels so good
When you let go of all the drama in your life
Now you’re free from all the pain
Free from all the game
Free from all the stress
So try for happiness

One of the first things I tell any man I meet is that I live a quiet, drama-free life. I work at a place that requires a security clearance and I return home to my quiet condo community, in a building with a lot of senior citizens that are probably in bed by 7pm. I let my hair down as often as possible, but I do not court any situations that would land me on Maury or Jerry.

For the most part, I surround myself with like-minded people. I truly believe you are known and influenced by the company you keep. However, there’s always that one friend….

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine sent me an e-mail informing me that she was about 2 months pregnant. Not many things shock me, but this one did.  I knew she had been seeing someone for about 6 months or so and she “loved him.” I also knew that she was ambivalent about kids for several reasons and never really saw herself as a mother. So of course I wanted all the details of how this happened and what she planned to do. I wasn’t at all expecting what I heard.

I won’t get into everything because well, there is just no need to put her on Front Street like that. But I must share some details to make my point. Essentially, she found out that baby daddy, who was well integrated into the family by this time, had several issues in his past (prison time, not so ex-wife, baby momma drama).

*An aside here, my first thought was how did she not know about all of this? Maybe I’m just an overly inquisitive chick, but there are certain questions I ask potentials that will tell me everything I need to know. Of course there are professional liars, but there are certain things that just won’t add up if you pay close attention and listen to that inner voice that’s whispering “This negro is shaddddyyy!” For instance,  If you’ve done a long prison stint, that’s a large hole in your life that’s unaccounted for. I’m gonna need to know exactly what you were doing with your life from age 19-30. Sorry.

Back to the details.

Finding all this out, coupled with his strong reaction to her being pregnant, made things go way south, as you can imagine. She’s also experiencing some issues with her pregnancy at this point and is supposed to be resting. However, she decides to go over there to get some things she left after he refused to bring them to her. He gives her all but one item, which he refuses to return. She decides she’s not leaving without that item and they start a tug-of-war over it. This tug-of-war leads to him hitting her in the face, putting her in a headlock, and finally them falling through the screen door. At this point, he calls the cops and she decides to leave, but as soon as his back was turned, not before grabbed that item!

As a friend, I had to go off on her and it was not pretty. One of the things I told her is that the drama in her life has got to stop. This isn’t the first time she’s had some crazy situation go down with some dude. What may or may not surprise you is that she is by all accounts educated and successful. She just has a history of bad choices in men. Only thing is now, it’s not just about her and what she wants. She was already proving to be an unfit mother by putting them both in that situation where things could have gone horribly wrong.

I hope she wasn’t just listening and really heard me.

You know as much as I like to say that I felt Mary’s music more when she was living the high and dramatic life, I certainly am glad she rose above all of that. I was fortunate to see her in concert in Jamaica this summer. To see her perform “No More Drama” live is like having your own cathartic experience. It was a month after “The Break-Up” and seeing Mary re-release those demons on that stage made me know that I too would be alright.

Now I just have to work on my girl….

Update 12/16: I just found out that the Negro had her served with a restraining order and they had to go to court. The judge laughed in his face and sent them on their way. Needless to say, I don’t think she’ll ever hear from him again…which is good and bad. Another fatherless daughter. However, sometimes no father is better than an f’d up one.