Regrets...

I'm usually one of those people who says things like "I have no regrets" or "Everything happens for a reason." Not only do I say these things often, I happen to agree with them most of the time. That is until times like the present occur for me. Have you ever thought that perhaps you should regret certain things? Maybe the reason that something is happening is because of an error on your behalf. That's how I feel at the moment.

My situation isn't worth elaborating on simply because the purpose of this post is so much greater. So many sayings (including those mentioned above) sound great in theory, but what happens when your reality causes you to question them? You know that "God wouldn't put you through something that you can't handle," but is that always enough to get you by while you're going through things that seem too difficult to bear?

Here's my advice:

Hold your head up high and don't be ashamed. Be kind to yourself.  If you have a hard time doing that, try some of these. Realize that regrets are to be expected, but not dwelled upon. If there is a person that can truly say that they have no regrets, then I pity them because they're a part of life. Mistakes are to be,both,  made and corrected. However, it's unfortunate when past mistakes affect present or future happenings. This particular notion is what triggered this post. What do you do when you've done something so bad that it has the potential to negatively affect opportunities that follow? That's a question that I'd like to know the answer to. I know that one shouldn't attempt to hide whatever mistake was made. Proceed with honesty and claim your destiny. That's all I can think of because I can't imagine something coming back to haunt you if you've already admitted to it. I've learned that being honest is so much easier. To be honest, I have regrets. We all do. If I could go back in time I'd change a few things, but since I can't I'll strive to make sure that decisions I make in the future won't be the cause for other regrets.

Are there any regrets that you'd like to share? I understand if you think this is a bit too personal and opt not to share, but feel free to leave any comments you may have below.

Thanks for reading,

Alexandria B.

WhatAlexWrites and more...

I wanted to title this post

 "2011 IS MY OUR YEAR!"

I wanted to rant about my plans for success and encourage you to do the same, but I opted not to. Instead I will share the new direction of the blog and let you know what to expect in upcoming months. For starters, I plan to write more than I have in the past. This is because I'll have more time to do so since I'm approaching the completion of my undergraduate degree. I also wanted to let you know that career moves are in motion for me so I am extremely exicted.I managed to get two internships this month (one for the Brownstone Blog and the other for a well known news station). I also hope to get a new job soon so stay tuned for updates. I am also becoming pretty savvy in terms of social media (for others that is) so I've been tasked with helping a young business man spread the word about his production company. This life I live is getting pretty intense professionally so things are looking up.

I've realized that a lot of the opportunities that I currently have are the results of a lot of hard work and energy put into being successful. Is there something that you'd like to accomplish this year? Have you begun taking the necessary steps toward accomplishing that goal? If not, I'd suggest that you do something to get the ball rolling. Remember to remain positive and if your ball is already in motion, please feel free to share details with me in the comment section. Lastly, is there something that you'd like to see covered on WhatAlexWrites? I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks for reading,

Alexandria B.

Target needs to get it together!

I went to my local Target this evening and had an interesting experience to say the least. Since it's December 14th, I made it my business to go purchase Tank's new album, Now or Never, and I was surprised to see that it was not on the shelves. I looked in the Rap and R&B section after noticing that the CD wasn't stocked with the new releases and it was not there either. The average consumer would have simply assumed that the CD was not in that particular store and left without it. Luckily, I'm not the typical consumer and I'm a Tank fan to the max so I decided to investigate the issue at hand.

I walked to the electronics department and the sales associate seemed eager to assist me. I politely asked, "Have you guys stocked your new releases yet?" And he replied "Yeah," so I followed up by asking him if they were done and he looked puzzled. I finally decided to stop beating around the bush and told him that Tank's CD was what I was looking for. He went to the back and promptly brought out a box and put it near the register. He hands me one Now or Never CD and turns to walk away. "Excuse me," I say. "I don't just want one. I want them on the shelf so other people can buy them too." He laughs, grabs a stack of the CDs and walks over to where the new releases are  showcased. To make a long story short, I got my Tank CD and I made sure that others in Carson, California have the opportunity to do the same.

I wonder why Ciara's new CD, Basic Instinct, was on display along with Nicki Minaj, Avant and others while Tank's was boxed up in the back. The purpose of this post is to show how tough it is for musicians to make a living these days. If their albums aren't being leaked, they're not being sold in stores properly. I've been a Tank fan since the eighth grade when I would stay up late to watch the "Maybe I Deserve" video so it's no surprise that a person like me would go out of the way to purchase his album. But what about other people? They probably differ. It's so simple to click "download" on a computer and obtain new music these days so artists are forced to find other ways to make money. It's just sad.

I previously wrote an article/blog about whether or not an artist's amount of twitter followers measure their success and this outing at Target reminded me of it. As a fan of good music, I vow to actually go out and purchase albums to ensure that artists that I love stay relevant. Are there any artists that you'd make a sales associate at Target go check the back for? If so, please share in the comment section.

Thanks for reading,

Alexandria B.

I'm so grateful...

Words cannot express my gratitude. Earlier today I was awarded the Larry McCormick Scholarship by the Black Journalists Association of Southern California. Not only did I get money that will enable me to finish my senior year with less financial stress, but I left more encouraged than ever before. As I sat at the scholarship banquet with my mother (who, might I add, was beyond proud) I began to reflect on my life.

I'm finally approaching my college graduation , but it has been a long, hard road. I have made my fair share of mistakes and I'm graduating way later than I had planned. All that aside, I manage to impress myself and others when I work diligently to achieve my goals. My list of goals is quite long, but my desires to eliminate some of my debt and make steps toward a career in journalism were met today and this excites me.

One of the most amazing parts about today was meeting the other students that were awarded scholarships as well. A majority of them attend prestigious universities and none of them were as "old" as I am. Instead of feeling inadequate, I appreciated the differences that existed and became more appreciative. Some of their schools provide them with greater resources and tools to succeed. Their schools more than likely disseminated information about the scholarships while students and faculty at my school had no clue that this opportunity existed. I was not there by chance. I was the only student from my school to apply and I was awarded a major scholarship. I'm so happy and proud of us all.

Another awesome moment that I'd like to share is the appearance of KTLA's, Michaela Pereira. Luckily, during the scholarship application process I was able to interview her along with a few other professional journalists but I never expected to meet her so soon. She came and spoke so kindly of me in reference to my quest for the interview and future in journalism. I was so happy and amazed that this woman that I watch on television each morning came to present my scholarship. I truly feel blessed.

The purpose of this post is not to brag or share photos from the event, but it is to inspire you to do what makes you happy. There are so many people that never accomplish their goals, and there are many others who never bother to set them. Do not be content with mediocrity. As far as I know, we only have one life so why waste it? Why complain all the time? Why hate your job when there is a way to find a new one? Why say that you "want to go back to school" when you can simply go enroll? It's important to want better for yourself but it's more important to do better for yourself.

With the new year approaching I'd like to give you a task. Instead of (or in addition to) setting a new year's resolution, write down three goals that you'd like to achieve in 2011. I've found that writing stuff down makes things a lot easier. Write these goals down and if they're not too personal, feel free to share them in the comment section or shoot me an email. I'd love to know how you plan to prosper.

If you're interested in seeing more photos and reading about the BJASC Scholarship Reception or the organization in general, click here.


Thanks for reading,

Alexandria B.

Do African Americans belong on prime-time television?

 

I am so tired of writing race-related blog posts, but the news of NBC cancelling Boris Kodjoe's show "Undercovers" has sparked yet another fuse. I'll be the first to admit that I have never watched the aforementioned television program, but I now wish I did. I personally don't have time to watch television because I work full-time and attend school in the evening. More than likely, you didn't tune in either. What's your excuse?

"Undercovers" was refreshing to hear about. The show, led by not one, but TWO African American actors, was a good look for African Americans as a whole. The actors played positive roles as undercover agents as opposed to the typical roles given to actors in this particular ethnic group. Regardless, people did not tune in. I can't blame the public relations staff at NBC either because the show initially had great buzz. I heard about it via the radio, internet and I'm sure it had plenty of television promotion. I wonder why people failed to tune in. Is it because African Americans don't belong on prime-time television?

I ask this question while considering many other television shows with African American casts that have been cancelled. For example, "The Game" which was picked up by BET so luckily it will live to see another day. Also, "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Girlfriends" are among the other shows that viewers no longer have the option to view on major networks. The shows usually get shifted to air on an inconvenient day (Friday evening) and then cancelled soon after. Is it the time that these shows air that make it nearly impossible for viewers to tune in or are we simply uninterested in seeing minorities on prime-time television? If it's not "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" or "The Basketball Wives," are we not amused? Would we rather watch Ray J find love or Lala and Carmelo Anthony get married? This is not to say that there is anything wrong with reality television, but has it become the major source for African American entertainment? Sitcoms are definitely not filled with people that look similar to me and I wonder why. Casts are rarely diverse and that seems to be suitable for many people. I read this article about the cancellation of "Undercovers" and what may have led to it. I think that the writer makes some great points. Production costs may have been too expensive for the show, but there is definitely more to it. What can networks do to get viewers to tune in to these shows? In the event that African American actors get an opportunity to lead another prime-time television show anytime soon, what do you think can be done to prevent such prompt cancellation?
Thanks for reading. Be sure to post your thoughts.

Alexandria B.

Wise Individuals Revolutionizing Everything

It's not often that I look at a person's clothing line and immediately want to purchase an item. I guess you can say that I'm one of those rare women that don't love to shop for clothing. Shoes? Now that's another story. Anyway, I came across this commercial that reminded me of myself so I just had to share.

I know that I'm one of many people that hate waking up early in the morning. My dream job is one that enables me to wake up late and work during the evening because I have no issue staying up late. Anyway, I've noticed that when I have a really cute outfit to wear or I wanna look pretty and put make-up on, it's much easier for me to get up in the morning. It's like I have much more energy when it's time to look cute. It's crazy how that works.

Below you'll be able to peep the commercial that I'm so eager to share. It's for W.I.R.E., a clothing line that does more than provide cute clothing. Many of the items that W.I.R.E. offers are both inspirational and stylish. I could see guys that I know wearing these shirts and I especially love the message that the company send to us consumers. Without further ado, here is the darn commercial!




Wasn't that an awesome commercial? In my opinion, a handsome guy with muscles and a pretty smile is the perfect way to market any product! LoL.. Seriously though, go to Get-Tapped-In.com to find out more about W.I.R.E. and click here to shop for their clothing.

The Four Types of Friends...

I've noticed that most of my blog posts are a bit serious in nature so now is the time that I write about something a little more fun. This past weekend I was home alone most of the time and when Sunday was coming to an end I thought to myself, "I need more friends." It's no surprise that it's much more difficult for females to become and remain friends than it is for males. It's a sad but obvious fact. The friends that I do have, I do not see that often. This could be because I'm not the most social of people and I'm content laying in my bed on a Friday night while doing nothing. In fact, napping is my favorite pastime. When there is an event that I'd like to attend, it's fairly simple for me to decide which friend I'd like to bring along because I've managed to categorize my small group of friends. Below you'll see my list of the four types of friends that one may have.

1. The Best Friend - A best friend is typically a person that you've known for many years. This person knows all about you and vice versa. The two of you have fun doing numerous things together. You would do anything for this person and they are like family. A person that has more than three "best friends" likely overuses the term or is extremely friendly.

2. The Multi-Purpose Friend - This friend is the friend that can go anywhere and likes to do anything with you. Whether at a restaurant or a concert, you and this friend are bound to have a good time. Multi-purpose friends are like the perfect pair of black pumps. They can be worn to work or the club. I'm not saying that you can wear your friends, but I'm sure you get my drift. These types of friends are fun to be around and the difference between them and a best friend is likely the amount of time that you've known them.

3. The Acquaintance - An acquaintance is the most common of all friend types. This person is nice and fun to be around, but you do not see them that often. You've either become acquainted through a mutual friend, school, or some other random activity. Acquaintances are the most likely to annoy you seeing as though they do not know you very well. It is best to hang out with acquaintances sporadically until the two of you know each other better. In some instances an acquaintance can become a multi-purpose friend.

4. The Socialite - Lastly, the socialite/ party-goer is the friend that is only useful at clubs or other high-energy social events. This person enjoys partying more than most people and unfortunately they're not good for much else. This type of friend does not typically engage themself in intellectual conversations and their knowledge doesn't extend beyond the club or the opposite sex. The advantage to this type of friend is that they ALWAYS know what fun events are happening.

Please remember that these are just my thoughts. There may be more types or perhaps fewer. Do you agree with what you see above? Is there something that my list is missing?