Vocal Expressions

January was a very pivotal month for me. It started off with a bang with Marshawn Evans' Reinvent ME Live video challenges. These challenges were very insightful as they forced me to take an introspective view of what I wanted my life and pupose to be for 2012. Resoundingly, I decided it will be my abundant year to set new goals both personally and professionally and achieve them. I'll post more about the Reinvent ME Live video challenges in the upcoming weeks.

This afternoon, I joined a crowd of folks in Chinatown in Washington, DC to watch the Chinese New Year Celebration parade. Although it was cold and chilly outside, everyone huddled and waited patiently to see the dragon dance, kung fu demonstrators, and the firecrackers. It was a great performance and one which I'll likely attend next year.

This evening I was the guest author on Seriously Sensual with hosts, Gabrielle Newsam and Nicole Brooks. I had a great time talking about my novel and what makes for a good novel. Here's the replay:

This day has great significance for us simply because of what Dr. King envisioned for us all which was captured in his infamous I Have A Dream speech. Interestingly, I just completed the 4 part Reinvent ME Live video challenge with Marshawn Evans today where she talked about realizing our dreams. She talked about 5 dream shifters that will help us to recognize that our dreams should not be delayed and that we should walk into our higher purpose: 1. Deciding it's time. 2. Defining your WHY. 3. Upgrading your strategy. 4. Connecting with a Mentor. 5. Make winning your lifestyle. With that being said, I leave this quote with you on this very special day: "Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that...

Wow! This movie was awesome (the English-language adaption of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson). A lot of my friends told me about it and I finally saw it on Friday. I loved the entire concept of solving this mystery and the way that the main characters (Rooney Mara - who played the computer hacker/girl with the dragon tattoo, Lisbeth Salander and Daniel Craig - who played the disgraced financial journalist, Mikael Blomkvist) went about conducting their research. It was nothing shy of genius. When I get some time I'll have to check out the original of the trilogy - I don't mind subtitles :) Anyway, see below the synopsis of the movie and if you haven't seen it, you should definitely go check it out (David Fincher's version). Synopsis Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her beloved uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is ...

Tonight, a very good friend of mine and I went to Centerstage to check out Gleam, a play based on the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God . It's been our yearly tradition for the past couple of years to see a play the beginning of each new year. And tonight was great since we both enjoy the works of Zora Neale Hurston. The actors were awesome, some of whom were making their debut at Centerstage but had done extensive work in television and in the movies. We thoroughly enjoyed the play and encourage others to see it too before it ends its run on February 5, 2012. Two thumbs up!! The synopsis of the play which is directed by Marion McClinton and the cast of characters are detailed below. Synopsis : At 16, Janie faces a marriage of convenience and a life of quiet drudgery. Instead, she embarks on a journey that brings successes and losses enough for several lifetimes—a passage to fulfillment so singular that it manages to speak for all of our dreams. This soaring saga brings to life t...

Greetings! I want to take this time to wish everyone a wonderful and successful New Year. As I sat home and made reflections of the year past, I was thankful for the people who came into my life and expanded my creative circle. I was also thankful for the many experiences that I enjoyed as an author. I learned from the ground up that promoting and marketing my book, Gotta Let It Go , which was published in December 2010, was not an easy task. However, I was eager to learn as I participated in the following activities throughout the year: • Two Talk Books Blogtalk Radio Interview, March 12, 2011 – This was my very first blogtalk radio interview and the host, Starla Faye, made me feel very welcome and gave me some good exposure. • Interview with Patrick Tandy, Maryland State Bar Association, April 28, 2011 – This was my very first print interview which appeared in the May 2011 issue of the Bar Bulletin. • Taste N Books Event, May 15, 2011 – This was my very first event as a published aut...