Monday Musings: New Black Panther Trailer

So I had a great weekend. And I will save those thoughts for a Tuesday Thoughts post, I think.

But what had my eyes wide open this weekend was the official trailer for the Black Panther movie. I wish I would've seen it on the big screen, but I think I saw it in those Twitter streets. At any rate, it is phenomenal. Have a look.



How GREAT is that? I may have to go to some special Wednesday showing of that. Not the weekend. You know EVERY black person on the entire planet is going to be up in there.

The sad part is that it's not out until 2018.

2018!

Ugh.

I thought it would at least be coming out around  Christmas this year. Why must we wait so long for it?

Oh well.

I immediately recognized the background music for the trailer. It's a song from Run the Jewels 3. I'm not a big fan of the whole Run the Jewels franchise, but I actually liked the third CD in the installment. And they have a video for that song in the Black Panther trailer.



I didn't notice before, but that video is an interesting piece of social commentary. Hmm.

I like that song.  But I like several songs on the CD, which for me, makes it a good CD.

My favorite song, though, is "Hey Kids"


Now I haven't been much of a fan of Run the Jewels. This is another group favored by guys, as there are not any "girl friendly" songs (whatever that means). I've also seen this type of rap referred to as stadium rap. I suppose it will sound good in a stadium with some crowd surfing going on. (That is not my thing. Nope). And frankly, after a few songs, it's time for me to switch over to some old school R&B. LOL.

I cannot WAIT for this Black Panther movie, though. I love sci-fi,and with a gang of black folk in it, well, that is a RARITY.

2018 will be here soon enough.

Wordless Wednesday: Kale Salad

Tent City Blues

So...

There has been an ongoing protest concerning the gentrification of my neighborhood.

And some of the protesters set up a "tent city" down at the local stadium, which is about half a mile from my house.

Of  course I took pictures while waiting at the stoplight. 

 

They were there for some two months.  But now it has been removed.

There were complaints of  it being an eyesore and  a health hazard. I don't know how much it accomplished. I saw them on the news a few time, but let's face it... $300 million is being put into that area.

And like I said, white folk are walking up and down my street "considering" houses.

So gentrification is HERE. Nothing much that could be done about it. If we as a people were financially savvy enough to buy up our own neighborhoods, then the problems would be solved. Alas, that isn't the case.

I think a lot of people are going to be priced out. The property taxes shot up, which I expected. I opened my notice, and all I could do was LAUGH.

They are going to have to do a bit more than raising my taxes by 800% to get rid of me. And it's still lower than it was before the recession, so... whatever. I will pay it and keep it moving.

A new family moved in behind and to the left of me. They did catch me on a fence issue. Cost me $2000 on a good lawyer to take care of something as simple as.... 3 feet of fence.

Hmm...

That felt horrible. It was like taking a fist full of money and setting it on fire. My next door neighbor is PISSED and he is fighting it. I don't see the reason for me fighting folk and going to court over a few feet of fence line. Nope.

So I can understand the protesters taking a stand. I don't think it will help much of anything. When $$$ is involved, those without it be damned.

I hope my neighbors can afford the change... and the ride.

And not have to leave their homes.

Friday Freestyles

Friday!

And it's Pay Day!!!

Which means the blinds of my mind are half closed. I learned a LONG time ago that no one should expect me to do much of anything on Pay Day. No sir, no ma'am!

And today is a lucky enough day... I have been passing back and forth corrections with my supervisor. The blinds of his mind seem to be shut, too.

"Lee, I didn't get those corrections for your protocol back," my supervisor said.
"Uh, yeah. I been finish. By the time you get back to your office [in the adjoining building], you will have it."
"I don't have time to check it. I will just pass it on to Dr. D. [our Director].

*ladylee stares... and closes the blinds of her mind ALL the way*

 LOL.

This has been a great week, seeing that I've had a 3 day workweek. Oh, to be able to work like that all the time. That would be such a joy. Someday!

I bought a fantastic salad today. I didn't have it for lunch. I had a burger and cucumber salad from the same place for lunch. I love this place's burger, because they put a ton of veggies on it (cucumbers, carrots, avocado, spinach, cabbage) and it's very light.

But I have never had their salad, tho. Since it's Pay Day, I thought I would SPLURGE. Spend that extra $8 and see what's up. If it's trash, I'd just throw it out.

But uh... this looks pretty good.

That looks good.

Here's a better picture. I placed a pen next to it so you can tell how HUGE it is.

My goodness... that sure looks good. I will NOT be throwing that away.

They have 3 other types of salads. I will be testing those out to. No more burgers for awhile!

Song of the Week/Food for Thought. I think it is a shame how much of the hip-hop music is soaked in drugs. This has been the growing case over the decades, where drug dealers brag about their endeavors.

However something different is happening in the past few years. Rappers are rapping about actually being ON drugs... like molly, percocets, and the like...

Ugh.

I am seeing this in videos now, whenever I am cruising around YouTube. And I saw one the other day that made me go... hmmm...

"Perfect Pints" by Mike Will Made It.



That is a visually stunning video. But I believe it is what drug induced hallucinations would look like.

Hmm. The lesson I learned here: do not take drugs that will make me hallucinate. No thank you.

I am a big fan of Mike-Will-Made-It as a producer, and of course, I love some Kendrick Lamar. I don't like Rae Sremmumd or Gucci Mane. And the song was so-so. It's not anything I would add to a playlist or even go back to listen to again even.

But that video, tho...

Awesome.

There's another "drug-induced" video that's actually a very good social commentary of the state of the drug culture at the moment.

Danny Brown "Ain't It Funny" (Warning: this video is a little disturbing. Don't say I didn't warn you).



Danny Brown is such an odd bird. My male friends like him. I can't get into him because his rapping voice is way too annoying (although him rapping in his normal voice is pretty good, but I understand he is trying to distinguish himself from others). However, he makes some good experimental rap music, and I liked his last CD Atrocity Exhibition. It was a thought provoking listen.

But this video... it symbolizes a cry for help, yet everyone views his cries as entertainment. And that is not a good thing.

And that made me think. Just say no.

(I think my song of the week discussion  was a partial food-for-thought piece!)

That is it for me. I MAY attend a workshop tomorrow, but I STRUGGLE with anything that occurs on a Friday night or a Saturday morning.  I have NO idea what to do about that. I may just have to start getting up on the weekend at the same time I get up on weekdays. And if I want to do something on Friday nights, I may have to change my work schedule. I don't know. I just know it bothers me.  And there is a good solution to the problem.

I am looking forward to having a good weekend anyway!

You do the same.

On Purpose.

Radiatore!

So...

I had a strange shaped pasta last month for the first time. It's called RADIATORE.

I purchased it at my local farmers market. I think I bought a pound of freshly made radiatore for $2.50.

That was some GOOD pasta. And it holds the sauce just right. I had it with tomato sauce, and I had it with pesto sauce. A little goes a long way.  I thought it would  go bad on me after 3 or 4 weeks in  the fridge, but it didn't.  I wish they would sell it in smaller amounts, though. I needed to make sure I ate it all before it went bad.

I am not a big fan of regular pasta, so let's just say that I have been on the look out for a sweet potato or butternut squash version. I've seen such veggie versions in other pasta types, but not this one.

So I wondered how hard it would be to make it myself. I looked around on YouTube for a tutorial. Here's something I came across:


Uh no. That's a bit too much going on. And unless I'm making pasta DAILY for a whole clan of people, it's just not going to happen.

Although this pasta machine looks pretty dope.



That is interesting. Still, we better be eating pasta all the time to get down with that.

I will just continue to be on the lookout for veggie radiatore.

That's simple enough to do...

And cheaper.