Musings in the Dark: January 2014

1/25/2014

Damn! Another One???

This will be brief.

Apparently, there’s another show on TV with a sistah heading the cast…as some man’s jump-off.  I’m not going to belabor the point, as you guys already know how I feel about this.  This network side-hoe trend that began with Scandal, continued with Deception (a show that was gratefully canceled after one limp-dick season), and is now manifesting with Being Mary Jane needs to die quick, fast and in a hurry.  It’s not cool.  And while I love the idea of sistahs starring in their own prime-time shows, I do not care for it coming at the expense of their integrity or sexuality.  This has got to stop, but until the ratings for shows like Scandal or BMJ (Deception suffered from a plethora of problems in addition to using Meagan Good as a Lure) drop into the negatives, it won’t. 

*sigh*


What is wrong with giving us a 2014 rendition of Clair Huxtable?  Or even better, how about giving us a sistah protagonist who’s happily single, living her life, and doing her thing without being encumbered with complicated relationship issues?  What in the hell is so difficult about that?  It is a life, a reality that a great many of us choose without an eyelash of regret.  I remember fondly a show called Living Single, and my two favorite characters were Maxine Shaw (played by Erika Alexander) and Regine Hunter (played by Kim Fields).  Max was the best-dressed attorney on TV, and her goal was moreso about mooching food off her bff Khadijah (Queen Latifah) than getting boo’ed up.  And Regine, a conceited social climber, wanted to get wifed by a wealthy man who could take care of her.  There was also Khadijah’s cousin Synclaire (Kim Coles), who was in a healthy relationship with Overton, the building super.  I don’t recall any of those fabulous women choosing to be a sideline hoe, and I do recall Living Single lasting several seasons.  Why can’t we have a show like this again?  

Suggested Reading:  Bougie, Flawed & Immoral

1/18/2014

All Hail the King

I don’t purchase music often.  Mainly it’s because 90% of the stuff on the radio is noise to my o’head ears.  Every now and then, a friend will recommend something and I’ll try it out, but this is not a normal occurrence.  I guess that’s how it is when you get older, but I don’t feel like I’m missing much.  I’ve never purchased an album without hearing a few singles, and with the way music is sold now, you really don’t have to purchase entire albums anymore.  That’s both a good thing and a bad thing, but I digress.

1/10/2014

When Love Becomes a Liability


Liability: a person or thing whose presence or behavior is likely to cause embarrassment or put one at a disadvantage. Source: Google.

Last year, I wrote a post called The Jump-Off, which was about the futility of being the other woman. In said post, I referenced the hit TV show Scandal, which at the time I didn’t watch because I didn’t like the idea of a sistah being a white man’s side dish. I didn't give a damn that he was the POTUS.

Fast forward eight months. After spending the holidays with my bff, who is a diehard Scandal fan, I’m now caught up on all 2.5 seasons of the show. I enjoyed everything not Olitz-related. In fact, I rolled my eyes and fast-forwarded through every "tender" scene they had together (which my bff thought was hilarious).

I don’t understand their relationship. I don’t believe their love. In fact, I need someone to explain to me just why he loves her and why she loves him. Clearly, they like fucking and Fitz clearly enjoys eating the chocolate, but good sex and bomb head do not a relationship make. He orders her about, stalks her, and obsesses over her…this is NOT love, people. Check the DSM-IV if you need confirmation. Fitz throws Olivia under the bus every chance he gets and she runs off like a kicked puppy to lick her wounds…until he does something to get her back. And to be honest with you…what he does isn’t worth much; it takes absolutely no effort on Fitz’s part to win Olivia back. “Earn me” indeed. She must not cost much.

1/01/2014

2013: A Year in Review

So this year was very eventful.  I finished my education and moved abroad to start a new life.  As far as my creative efforts go, I was not nearly as productive.  I guess that’s the name of the game: balance.  But I’m not upset about it.  Tainted was released in January, but due to a number of reasons, I decided to pull it.  It ended up being a good thing, because the book has been completely re-written, with new original artwork and a fantastic new cover.  I am so pleased with all of the new content.  It’s my plan to publish the novel in March 2014 and here’s hoping that things go very, very well this second time around.