A Dream(girl) Come True

Some people play fantasy football. I play fantasy casting. My spring game? The new Dreamgirls movie.

I'm also a BIG fan of American Idol. During Season 3 there was a Wild Card finalist that really caught my eye. After seeing Jennifer Hudson's performances of Circle of Life and Weekend in New England I was convinced that I'd seen the perfect Effie White. When I heard the Dreamgirls film was finally going into production my wheels started turning. Ms. Hudson has more than just a great voice. She is confident in her singing, unapologetic about her physicality (and pleasant to look at). While grand on stage, she is still a little rough around the edges which is a great complement to the ever "worldly" Beyonce Knowles who has been slated to be Deena for awhile.

During the American Idol 4 finale in May, I had a conversation with George Huff (who was quite gracious considering I was one of many crazy fans) about the movie and how I thought Jennifer would make a perfect Effie White. We exchanged several "fabulous, fierce, and over" comments and he mentioned that she was having a hard time getting someone to see her. A few months later I heard from a reputable source that Fantasia was going to be assuming the Effie White role. I was crushed.

But tonight? I stumbled across Broadway World's announcement...Jennifer Hudson would star in Dreamgirls as Effie. I'm still dancing around the living room.


For your amusement, here is my fantasy Dreamgirls Principal List:

Effie White.....Jennifer Hudson*
Deena Jones....Beyonce Knowles*
Lorrell Robinson....Fantasia Barrino
Michelle Morris(The Stepp Sister who competed at the Apollo who was seen at the end of Act I wearing the dress)...Anika Noni Rose

Curtis Taylor...Jesse L. Martin (I believe Jamie Foxx is actually cast in this role)
James "Thunder" Early...Jamie Foxx (I believe Eddie Murphy is actually cast in this role)
CC White...Usher (or Chester Gregory from Hairspray if Usher is unavailable)
Marty...Alton White (of the ever effervescent James Alexander for that matter)
* actually cast in the movie in the role

I guess I won't be getting Jennifer to star in my project. She is going to want big money after this movie.

Click here to listen to Jennifer Hudson.


While I'm thinking about fabulous singers in musicals, a big congratulations goes to my fellow Spelmanite Maia Wilson who is currently in a featured role in the Color Purple. I have heard from several people that she is a part of one of the best elements in the show. I knew she was a star in school. I feel lucky to have shared a stage with her.

My dream bumper sticker

My first impulse was to put this on my car. Then I remembered that I live in Jeb country. Maybe one of my blue state friends can purchase this bumper sticker.


george W bush - john F kerry -- Hmmmmm the only way you can be offended is if your mind is in the gutter.


http://dontblamemeivoted4kerry.com/

The best hour in reality TV history

For those of you who enjoyed 2 weeks of Marguerite "God Warrior" Perrin, listen to the Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy: The Remix.... "Dork-Sided!"

You can also bid on your very own God Warrior.

Thank you Fox, first American Idol, and now Trading Spouses. Someone needs an award.

I thought my haircut was bad

I ran across this picture of the Baltimore Hair Massacre (not to be confused with the Baltimore Email Massacre....never underestimate the power of 2).

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks died Monday night at the age of 92.

I saw her picutres and went surfing the internet for confirmation. Why did it take me a full five minutes to find a report of this American History Legend?


I'm not going there. It's alarming that's all.

Wilma

First of all:

Thank you Natalie for calling me Sunday night and making me get supplies. My radio came in handy when I was without power.

Secondly:

I'm completely over CNN. Their coverage was heavy on hysteria and light on facts. I guess it made for good entertainment.

Before and After

Little Shop Kim

Florida Kim

Enough Said.

August Wilson

August Wilson died Sunday from liver cancer.


NY Times Associated Press Article

What is there to say?

Race this weekend

Race has been on my mind all weekend. I'm sure my black friends will pull out the ADW textbooks and remind me that viewing the world through the lens of race is the norm for blacks in America and the dichotomy is something very few groups can identify with.

So Friday begins with a very subtle but mildly disturbing racial incident at work. The person who was on the receiving end of the prejudiced behavior probably didn't even realized it had gone on. I noticed it and I was PISSED. I try to believe the best in everyone but this person keeps showing ugly and evil on a regular basis. The very small thing on Friday turned sneaking suspicions into accepted reality.

Saturday, I experienced the positive side of racial divisions...pride. I went to celebrate a Spelman alum's new job. Reflecting on my own experiences at Spelman and the amount of resistance I experienced from faculty, staff, and fellow students over the choice to pursue a career in entertainment, I was truly happy to see another Spelman sister experiencing career success in entertainment.

Tonight, I got off the phone with one of my dearest friends in Atlanta. Her 21 year old son came home from prison today. I remember feeling such sadness when I learned that he was in jail. He is such a bright, respectful, caring, articulate, and likable kid it's so hard to believe he has become another statistic. As his mother struggles with finding the new place "mom" resides the life of her boy turned man, my militant mind can't help but imagine how his consequences would have been different if he hadn't been black.


What does any of this mean in the world? I'm still trying to figure it out. But I came across this piece in Salon that resonated with my whole entire weekend.

The wrath of Chipotle

I spent all day being Helen Homemaker. It's funny what a brand new coffee table will inspire you to do.

Since my coworker Jeff Lindberg was on my mind, I decided to have Chipotle. I made it halfway through my burrito bol and decided to leave the rest for dinner.

Hours later, my internal dinner bell rang and I rushed to the fridge to enjoy Chipotle Part II. Greed made the refigerator door to close on my paper bowl, causing my delicious feast to fall on my newly hand scrubbed kitchen floor. Ha!

That's what I get for being so catty yesterday.

I'm not that shallow

I just feel like posting because my previous entry is so shallow.

An update....Let's see.

Ugandaman is driving me nuts and I've officially turned into one of those women.

My mother and I had an awesome time in DC. Photos to follow shortly.

A former partner in crime, and the other half of the most meaningful relationship I've had with a man who is not my father, is getting married. At first I was upset, replaying events in my head. Finally, I mustered up the nerve to call and congratulate him.

The conversation resolved two very important things for me:

1. There was a reason we were such good friends. With the healing salve of time, I can place previous perceived injustices in a box and remember why he was my closest friend for several years.

2. My needs as a woman pushing 30 are quite different than my needs were at 23. As great as he is, if my friends introduced us now, I would never go after a relationship with him. I'm enough drama for two people, who needs to add an actor to the mix?

Well, maybe that's not entirely true. He is fine. However, right now I have my sights set on a banker, or a lawyer, or an accountant, or a contractor (I have a thing for tool belts), or someone who isn't determined to have a smoking career in entertainment. That's my schtick, and someone needs to buy the Dior and 7 jeans when I can't.

On a lighter note, I've lost 24 pounds and my hair is growing just fine.

hmmmm.......I wonder what the health curriculum covers in Uganda.....

Damn. Still shallow.

I am so upset

I went to get my hair done yesterday.

The stylist offered me a trim. I told her I had one less than a month ago. She responded that it was a little jagged up top, but everything else looked fine. She would just do a little at the crown. I agreed.

Silly Me. This woman cut an inch off all of my hair (which wasn't that long to begin with) stating that she didn't know what the last person did, but she thought it was uneven. Now I can't pull it back at all and the ends hit right where I sweat. I work outside. I go to dance class. She couldn't have given me a WORSE haircut.

I've never really been this up in arms over hair, becuase it will grow back, but this time I'm PISSED!

I guess that's what I get for going to the salon on the day when most salons don't operate.

...and now...I'm off to work to swat at my neck all day.

An Interesting Sunday

This morning my mother and I decided to play our Google game. We think of a person that we've lost touch with and we look for links about their current lives. During the course of the hunt, we start looking for different people and AIM a surprise link. Well, my mother won this morning with a link involving a former piano teacher of mine. (Smoking Gun items are always a tragedy. Click here for the Playbill Online article)

Some of you know the intense nature of the tri-state area performing arts scene for school-aged children. I had prayers, fortune cookies, and car seating all planned before the bi-weekly trip to Mrs. Ivanov's. A bad lesson was a catastrophe, and not because I was embarrassed or because I let myself down; this woman was scary. However, she was one of the best in the state. Her students went on to win many competitions, not just the one she ran. As a mediocre school student who is secretly (or not so secretly) very competitive, I wanted to be the best (during the hours that I didn't want to quit) and Mrs. Ivanov was the way to go. She pushed many students to be better pianists than they would've been otherwise. I don't know how much I can fault her for that. However, Carnegie Hall? Someone else’s student? That's a little much.

You can read other people's comments about the incident here.

After recovering from my hysterical laughter about the Ivanov/O'Lone incident, I prepared for my first day of soccer in 14 years. When I arrived there were women with ages ranging from 18 - 40. We scrimmaged. I defended aggressively. I kicked the ball down the field a few times. I fell. Twice. Then I left.

I think soccer will be interesting. It's completely different crowd than the entertainment group. They were fun and competitive, and I didn't feel huge either. These woman were sturdy and played hard (No Mom. "Sturdy" isn't my way of saying lesbian, although there were a few out on the field.). I walked away feeling excited about playing soccer. I also walked away extremely sore.

My sore aching muscles were just screaming for a trip to the hot tub. While I was there I ended getting into a discussion about politics. Most people in entertainment are usually liberal, and those who aren't keep it to themselves. I was quite alarmed to meet a group of people who were all pro-life. They assumed that I was too. I was ok with the assumption for about 5 minutes. Then I had to say something. The discussion became a ping-pong game between me and another guy. I knew I should've gotten out of the water as soon as he said his favorite channel is Fox News Network because the reporting is so fair.

Killer Katrina may have missed me, but there are still very scary things going on in Florida. Oh yeah, the guy is also a gun carrying member of the NRA.

I Love Macs!

Mac users with Tiger can follow this link to download Sudoku right on your desktop.

I will never do work on my computer again.

Wherever she lays her hat is her home....

Like most of America, I've had real estate on my brain for the past 12 months. Even though I have a place to live, I have real estate on my brain.

Yesterday, Julia and I were watching an episode of America's Open House. Most of the hour featured homes way beyond my means. I wondered how people afford to live in these homes. In some of the country’s more expensive cities $450k meant living in a shoebox. If the median income is around $42,000, how are people able to afford to live in any kind of house? How do I rise above living a modest existence and attain a piece of the American Dream for myself? (Stop buying Gucci Shoes would probably be a good place to start.)

Fast forward to this evening and an interesting conversation I had with one of my dearest friends. We were talking about getting out of graduate school with tons of debt and trying to figure out how to buy a house. During the course of the conversation, we talked about American Wages. I had no idea so many people made close to minimum wage. We then talked about how we perceive our material lives. How could it be possible to make more than 100k a year and not be able to provide a decent living for yourself, to not be able to buy a decent house?

I began to think about my meager existence, and I realized that meager is relative. I live like a pauper compared to an investment banker. However this year, 90% of Americans would have rather collected my paycheck than theirs. Was the plan to purchase, not to rent, upon leaving the tour? Sure, but in the Orlando market purchasing was a bigger risk than I was willing to take. However, my current financial situation is ok. I can pay my bills, I do not live paycheck to paycheck, and I have the freedom to buy designer handbags, while meeting my savings goals.

Will I be a millionaire by 30? Probably not. If I had made smarter choices, I would be on my way, however that fact is not on my list of major disappointments. Perhaps, knowing that my career would be in the performing arts from a very young age prepared me mentally for not having a big salary. I do worry about how I’m going to get my first house, but like most things I obsess about, I will figure out a way to make it happen. The first step? Remembering I will not be Philip Banks overnight. The second step? Turn off HGTV.