Sunday I went to Rock The Bells with the lovely ladies pictured above and ye old ball and chain. It was hot and it rained off and on in the late afternoon but I couldn’t have been in better company.

It has also come to my attention, that maybe I’m getting too old for Hip-Hop. I mean, I suppose in theory one can never be too old for at least the music aspect of it, but culturally? I think either Hip-Hop has outgrown me or vice-versa, but in any case - a break-up might be on the loom.

The show was good. Since I’m older than dirt, I didn’t even stay to see Nas or A Tribe Called Quest and frankly, I’m okay with that. Everyone else that I saw was really good, particularly Mos Def, Dead Prez and Ghostace Killah & Raekwon. Oh, and Dear Ghostface - I love you so much, let’s get married and have babies, okay?

Things I should not be doing during that time of the month. But before I get to said list, why is it called the “time of the month”? I mean, I was going to write menstrual cycle but that just seems… I don’t know. I just seems like not something you throw out on your blog all willy-nilly and on top of that, I try to keep my bodily functions to myself. But since I went there, here’s my list, go ahead - it is not at all embarrassing and will not make you feel uncomfortable like those commercials for tampons and feminine wash do.

Things I should not be doing during that time of the month
+ Working. I fully feel I should be excused from work and all work-related activities. I have no logic or purpose behind this, I just feel that way.
+ Talking. I am subject to overreact and/or yell at any given moment. So probably I’m thinking I should abstain from most forms of communication.
+ Eating the entire world. I couldn’t even begin to rationalize the amount of food I have stuffed in my gaping maw in the last 3 days. I astound myself sometimes.

Now that I typed that out, it doesn’t seem all that bad. Or at least that’s the lie I’m telling myself.

On Friday night, my husband and I gathered the troops and went to a weekly open mic event at Sankofa Bookstore (which, by the way now has a cafe in it run by a very handsome and kind friend of my husband so you should stop in and have a cup of coffee, something sweet or a sandwich). Afterward, we went to dinner with our mob and another friend of mine stopped by to join us for dessert.

While at dinner I had this thought about how some relationships require a good set of training wheels in that they are a bit shaky and apprehensive, and yet with others, you can take off your helmet and kind of ride freely with the wind in your hair and no worries. I love it when my friends fit seamlessly together, I don’t want to be cliche (but I’m going to), like pieces of a puzzle. I love it when they like one another, when they don’t require babysitting and when they’re self-confident in themselves.

I have a handful of friends who fit so perfectly into my life, it’s hard to imagine life on any level without them. That they are able to navigate amidst all of the insane social situations of my life makes me happy and proud that they are my friends. 

I am very tired. In fact, I almost sad forget the Sunday Share and went to bed - but I love you people too much for that. Enjoy the songs. Please show me you care by right-clicking and saving as.

Anna Nalick: Shine - I hope so much that Anna Nalick’s career is bigger than her hit single Breathe (2 A.M.). I imagine that as an artist, it must be so difficult to beat that one-hit wonder, VH1 special status and Nalick is so much better than that. Case in point.

Keri Hilson: Energy - Hilson is R&B’s it girl right now and I’m starting to believe that just maybe she deserves it.

The Dream: Livin’ A Lie feat. Rihanna - I don’t know who’s done more guest song appearances Lil’ Wayne or Rihanna. You can argue about her talent, but that girl has really found a niche and is clenching it with a vulcan death grip, I have to respect that.