As we finish up 2008 and look forward to 2009, this is the perfect time to review our lives and make changes that will propel us into the future we desire. This process includes dropping old baggage which amongst other things includes people.

There comes a point in life when one realizes who matters, who never did, who won't anymore and who always will. Don't worry about people from the past, there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

I know losing people you once thought will always be with you is hard. I know because I've been there, but they are gone because they were only meant to be with you for a season.

However, in all your interactions, remember to be kinder than necessary to people because the human heart is weak and as shown in the picture it needs to be handled with care because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle, even if it is not obvious to you at the time.

Have a great week!

The Get 'Em Girls Guide to the Power of Cuisine

This is the cookbook to get. This sassy girl’s cookbook was written by Shakara Bridgers, Jenience Isley, and Joan A. Davis. The ladies say that, The Get 'Em Girls Guide to the Power of Cuisine is full of the Perfect Recipes for Spicing Up Your Love Life. I personally tasted their red velvet cup cakes and I must say they are to die for. I don't normally eat frosting but I ate this one. This is more than a cookbook, it's an empowerment tool and these ladies may be up to something. This is what the ladies had to say....

"You know a Get 'Em Girl When you see one...
She has it together: a great job, nice friends, and plenty of style. She juggles a million things at once and is always on the go. But when it comes to love, not all Get 'Em Girls have it figured out.

While some may think it’s a cliche, maybe the way to a lover's heart is still through his stomach. But who has the time to be chained to a stove? Just like having an extra job skill can help you get hired, someone willing to put a little time and energy into a relationship definitely stands out in a crowded dating crowd.

The Get "Em Girls to the Power of Cuisine features over 120 easy and delicious recipes that reflect the authors' southern-girl-in-the-big-city upbringing and will complement every stage of a growing love relationship."

To find out more about the Get 'Em Girls Guides and Girl's Bite Out tour, visit www.getemgirls.com

Paul Gardener's Memorable Christmas Party

Entertainment attorney, Paul Gardener held a Christmas party at his office in Baltimore city recently. I used to attend his parties when he was working at Piper Rudnick and I know he knows how to throw a party but I hadn’t been to his parties in a while. However, once I got there, I was like Celine Dione, singing, "it’s all coming back to me now." There were many celebrities such as Angel Lola Luv, Douge Fresh, Busy Bee Starski and many others including an up and coming artist named Voice. Paul Gardner is on his way to the top in the entertainment industry. Below are some pictures of the event. Enjoy

First Clas Singles Part V - Final

We must purpose to make the most of our singleness by living in the present, neither the future nor the past. We must be all we can be and celebrate life now. We must be vibrant, alive and full of energy and stop wasting time. It is so easy for singles to fantasize, put all dreams on hold or see singleness as a second class status and think that living begins only when I'm married but Phil 4:11 states "I have learned to be content in whatever state I am." This should be the mindset of all singles.

When you are in a passionate relationship with God, he will carry you through every step, stage and facet of life. Don’t put off living. If you can buy a house, do it, if you can get an education, go for it, if you can change careers or even start a business, now is the time. It's easier now because you don’t have any encumbrances that come with marriage. There as many advantages to being single but we only focus on the advantages of marriage, which for many is only sanctified sex, but there are still 23hrs and 53 minutes left in a day.

What are the advantages of singleness? You have no strings attached. You can relocate and travel the world. This is the time to examine yourself and ask, what can I do while I am single to be the best me I can be. Don’t sacrifice your entire future for the pleasure of the moment by going with someone you know you are not compatible with just to not be single anymore, and don't sacrifice your present for the future either by not moving on with your life while waiting for Mr. or Miss. Right.

By Cheryl Martin
As preached at Set The Captives Free Church
Edited by Susan Majek

Let's Say Thanks To Our Troops In Iraq

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to asoldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to sendone!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there needto know we are behind them.This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way t o say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for othersto do. We can never say enough thank you's. Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

Price of Retaliation

People cheat, it’s a fact of life, but the way you respond can cost you as well. Two songs in recent memory that are based on this theme are Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood and Bust Your Windows by Jazmine Sullivan, so this theme is a universal one. However as these singers influence many people with the lyrics of their songs, they should have some social responsibility towards their listening audience. Songs have the power to influence people and if people go around singing these songs they may act out the words when similar situations arise in their lives.

Carries sings “I dug my key into the side of his Pretty little souped up four wheel drive. Carved my name into his leather seat. I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights. Slashed a hole in all four tires” Not to be outdone, Jazmine’s also sings “I bust the windows out your car. You know I did it 'cause I left my mark. Wrote my initials with the crowbar and then I drove off into the dark”

Not only have they committed crimes but these are obvious admissions of guilt as well. Not too smart! Though these songs are not true for these singers, I know some people might want to follow their words. Not that I’m advocating that anyone do any of these things, but if you do, do not incriminate yourself further by leaving your initials behind or singing about what you did. Also, while you commit the crime, be careful so that you are not hurt in the process of destroying property or when the person retaliates as you both engage in the vicious cycle of an eye for an eye.

I have been in situations where someone did me so wrong. I was hurt and very upset but as a christian I couldn’t do anything because God word states “vengence is mine” so I let go and let God handle the situation and oh my did he! By the time he was through with the people, I knew that nothing I could have done could compare to how he handled the situation. A word is enough to the wise…

Please Recycle!

We all know we only have one earth so we must do all we can to take care of it. One way of doing this is to recycle. Things such as paper, plastic, cans and bottles are especially good for recycling. If there is no recycling program where you live, work, or practise your faith, start one. We are the change agents of the world. If you want change, you must create it. You will find many recyling opportunities on the web.

Please recycle and live the world a better place for the generations coming after us.

A Word To The Wise: Short Cuts To The Top

The road to the top is a tedious one in any field. It is not for the faint hearted or weak minded. Many people take shortcuts such as sleeping or paying their way to the top. Using this method to achieve desirable ambitions is not new. It is very prevalent in almost every industry, culture or country and in the world at large.

However, I have seen that short cuts don't work. Even if you take it to get to some point quickly, you will be deficient in comparison what you would have learned if you had taken the old fashioned regular route.

Though, I must say that no one wants to do something the hard way when an easier option is available. However, in this kind of scenario which includes dangerous liasons with power brokers, one is at their mercy and that is the problem.

I have learned that I only want to be at GOD's mercy and NOT ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING'S. The heart of man can be wicked and if you are at their mercy they can do anything they want to you.

All in all, there's nothing like good old fashioned hard work to get to the top . If you built something gradually over time, when you get to the top you will be able to stay there which is sustainable success. If you get there via shortcuts the whole thing will crumble and you would have no idea about how to build it back up.

A word is enough to wise!

Consequences Of Making an Ex-loved One Jealous

Hi there,

Today I will address the subject of making a person jealous, specifically an ex-loved one. This could be a spouse, boy or girlfriend or even a “friend with benefits”. It seems in relationshipsthese days each person wants the other to know that they are replaceable. Beyonce's songs such as Irreplaceable or Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), attest to the popularity of this theme. People think it is cute to replace people in their lives. However in reality at what cost do people make others jealous? Sometimes at the cost of their loved one’s lives.

Jennifer Hudson’s sister paid the price with her mother and her young child’s lives. Her ex-boyfriend killed these people because he was jealous that she was receiving gifts from another man. I assume he was hot when he saw the gift and probably lashed out at her at least verbally and as a woman I believe the words in her response only added fuel to the fire. We must realize that when we are dealing with people, feelings rule so we must always choose our words carefully when speaking to people because we could be using our own actions and words to have someone kill those very dear to us. Though this is an extreme case, it is not the first and probably won't be the last time such an occurence has occured.

A milder case was when I watched in amazement as Tracy Edmunds let her relationship be displayed in the media. She split with Babyface, the man who put her on the entertainment map and started having a high profile affair with Eddie Murphy. Not that she should not have been with Eddie Murphy but she should respect herself, Babyface and her children enough to hide the affair from the media glare considering that both men are huge figures in entertainment and she has two young boys who have to go to school and could be made fun of by their peers too. I was not too surprised when on the Tyra Banks show, Babyface said though it didn’t bother him at first. However, when people started asking him how he felt about his wife dating Eddie Murphy, he started having second thoughts. I thought to myself, why would a woman with sense put the father of her children in such an awkward position? Then the drama that ensued from her “marriage” that didn’t go through with Eddie Murphy occurred and she looked silly. So was it really worth it?

I often watch people talk and act like there are no consequences to their actions. We all need to be kind to others and do all we can to not hurt other people's feelings because we could end up paying the price we didn’t anticipate.

Michelle Obama's Inaugural Dress

Have you heard talk about Michelle Obama's inauguration dress? Well as you know many established designers will do anything for publicity and now they are vying to dress the first-lady elect for the inauguaration. However, I totally don't agree with her choosing one of the dresses offered by these brand name designers.

To go with the Obama's "Change" theme, in my opinion Michelle should not go with a brand name designer. If not for her position they would never have paid her any attention. Just like her and her husband were a longshot at one point and put in the position by everyday people, she should select an unknown designer who is good and use this as an opportunity to launch the person's design career.

We all see that her husbands emerging cabinet is full of people who are part of the established Washington elite and we really can't blame him for that because he needs the best experienced hands to do that, but for something like the inaugural dress, this is the time to shine the light on an unknown.

Paying for Your Child’s College Education

In many cultures children are sent to college at the parent’s expense which isn’t too bad because it is government subsidized, but in America education is very expensive. I barely made it through college myself, working my way through, paying for some classes and sometimes my employer paid for it. Financial advisor, Tim Maher was on TV giving out advice on financing education recently. Below is what he said.

Parents should save enough for in state college tuition for their children. If the child wants to attend an Ivy League school without a scholarship or even an out of state university, then the child should pay for the difference.

Children should consider spending two years in a community college and then transfer to a university. This is cheaper and will lessen the overall cost of a university educaton and the child will still receive a degree from the university. Even Barak Obama spent 2 years at Occidental College before proceeding Columbia University and then to Harvard.

Parents should consider putting 50% of their savings into a fund like the Maryland Savings fund.

Also, parents should save to ensure that they don’t become a financial liability to their children, which is much worse than not paying for your child’s college education.



A word is enough for the wise...

Want To Be an Entertainer??

We all love singers. They are glamorous and in the lime light so what's not to love. We have notable females such as Beyonce, Madonna, Whitney, Mariah and for their noteworthy male counterparts we have Justin, T.I., Kanye, 50cent etc.

There's so many of them already and everyday all across the world more people want to be in the entertainment industry, making the industry fiercely competitive where only the tough survive. If you watched the Tyra Banks Show recently you watched how some parents were willing to have their underage children subjected to body enhancement surgery to become models and entertainers.

In reality many entertainers have had to sell their souls to become the superstar entertainer that they are. I am a songwriter, so I have witnessed many things happen that I don't participate in and that's probably one of the reasons I'm not a superstar songwriter yet.

If you are starting out in the business, I would recommend that you read two excellent books, Keeping The Faith by Faith Evans (Biggie Smalls wife) and Life With My Sister Madonna (by Madonna's brother). These are two excellent books that will give you insight into what really goes into the making of a star and the life of an established star. To be forwarned, is to be forarmed. Good luck!

A Poem: Jogbo

This is a poignant poem recited in the Yoruba movie, Agogô Eewo, which roughly translated into English means The Forbidden African Agogô bell, a percussion instrument made of metal and struck with a wooden striker.

The movie is by master movie maker, Tunde Kelani, who is known for the rich Yoruba culture he infuses into his movies and this one is no exception.

He actually out does himself in this movie. He is one of the few movie makers ensuring that our rich Yoruba culture is preserved. From the rich Yoruba history he showcases, to the eloquent poetic oratory of his characters, not to mention the beautiful scenery he films in, his films definitely put him in a league of his own.

The movie is based on a mythical place named Jogbo, but we all know Jogbo is just another name for the West African country of Nigeria, which has been ravaged by leaders who loot the coffers and collude with foreigners and multinational companies to rob their nation and fellow citizens blind, and stash their ill gotten gain abroad in the western world but in the end the pay for their sins.

The movie is translated into English, so if you don’t speak Yoruba and have the opportunity to watch the film, feel free to do so. You will definitely not be disappointed. The poem, pictures of Agogos and maps of Nigeria are included to make the poem come alive. Enjoy!

Jogbo

Olojumeji ashe ese odo - A two faced person will be successful at the river bank

Olojumeji ashe Kaduna - A two faced person will be successful in Kaduna ( A state in Northern Nigeria)

Bi eniyan oloju mejila - If a person doesn’t have twelve faces

Kole she ilu Jogbo - The person can’t be successful in Jobgo

Elenu meji ashe Ibadan - A person who speaks through both sides of their mouth will be successful in Ibadan ( A major city in Oyo state, Nigeria)

Elenu meji ashe Eko - A person who speaks through both sides of their mouth will be successful in Lagos ( The former capital of Nigeria , a major city and state in western Nigeria)

Bi eniyan oni enu mejidilogun – If a person doesn’t speak through both sides of their eighteen mouths

Ko le she ilu jogbo – The person can’t be successful in Jogbo

Olowo meji ashe ekiti – A double dealing person will be successful in Ekiti (A former city and now a state in western Nigeria)

Olowo meji ashe egba – A double dealing person will be successful in Egba (A city in Ogun state in western Nigeria)

Bi eniyan oni owo merin lelogun – If a person doesn’t deal in twenty four ways

Kole she ilu Jogbo – The person can’t be successful in Jogbo

Jogbo bi Orogbo – Jogbo like bitter kolanut

Jogbo re, bi Oro - This Jogbo, like the dreaded Oro Masquerade (A masquerade which doesn’t make public appearances unless something grave occurs and is a taboo to be seen by women)

Tunde Kelani

(Writer, cinematographer and producer)