Daily Insight: New Year

I just came to the realization that no matter how many resolutions you promise to yourself, or how many people you say you’re going to cut off in the New Year, or how much your life is going to change when the clock strikes 12….it usually doesn’t. I just don’t understand why you would wait until January 1, 2011 to change what you think is wrong with your life. I’m sorry but no magical genie is going to appear at midnight an grant you some wishes. If you really want to make a change why not do it now???!?!

I’m not knocking resolutions or anything like that but I’ve lived through 23 New Years now and nothing apocalyptic has happened just yet. I’m just saying if you say you gonna stop talking to Ray Ray in the New Year, why you be with that man on December 31st talking about 5…4….3….2…a New Year’s kiss is never that imperative. If you say you’re going to look for a new job in 2011, why haven’t you put in your 2 weeks notice or updated your resume yet!?! You say you want a new hair style in 2011 yet you got that same old high bun clipside come that New Years Eve party.

I say this all to say that nothing is really going to change from Friday to Saturday except you need a new wall calendar. If you want to make a change do it now, no time like the present people.

-Becks

Daily Insigt: Merry Christmas

What can I say about this moment I am so happy and so full of life right now. Surrounded by family all my friends are in my heart egg nog is in my system Christmas tunes are blasting and there are enough presents under the tree to last a lifetime...I'm blessed :) Merry Christmas

-Becks

Daily Insight: Pot of Gold

My friends have been on point with the insights they have been sending me lately so I decided to share the wealth. Todays insight is by a good friend of mine we will refer to as Lisa Turtle. She is one of the most hilariously classic people I know and this insight will tell you why I say that! I mean this is the same chick that gave me a mustache in a snow globe for Christmas! You might not get the joke but I CRY every time I see it! Without further ado:


Tis’ the season for giving … but not too much giving! A wise man once said “He who has the gold, make the rules.” BUT an even WISER man once said, “SHE who has the gold, makes the rules!” And that pot of gold I am referring to is your “goodies”.

To some it might seem primitive to equate sex to gold but if you take a sec to think about it now-a-days it is used as a bargaining tool for buying, selling and trading purposes. As my friend would say “People over here selling it on the black market getting pennies on the dollar.”

The point being know your worth … know just how much gold you have in your pot. The more you give it away for free the less valuable it becomes. The single most sought after commodity for ALL men (straight men) must have some power, because all men want POWER!

Some of us may be more giving than others and that’s okay, just make sure you always have enough in your savings account so you don’t lose your self worth. AND others may not be giving at all, that’s ok too but REMEMBER scared money don’t make money so don’t just sit there and collect dust on it either.

With this being said let’s bring in the new year with a FRESH START, beginning with making proper edits on who you choose to let dip their hands in the pot. Be sure that person would be willing to share there most prized possession with you as well.

Xx
-Lisa Turtle

Daily Insight: Something Different by Smiddy

Todays daily insight is taken verbatim from a friend of mine. I have quoted her a few times before on here so we will continue to call her L. Smiddy. Warning she does write phonetically so if you see something spelled weird just imagine it with a crazy accent and that's how it's being said lol.

"As I walked in this morning...I SEEN a woman with a classic black turtle neck on (MY FAV!) EXCEPT hers has some ol gray ELBOW pads on the sleve!! I was like ohh Snizzap!!!

And I realized that "50 SAID GO HEAD AND SWITCH YA STYLE UP AND IF DEY HATE DEN LET EM HATE AND WATCH THE MONEY PILLLLE UPPP" LOL I say that to say....

Its never bad to throw some seasoning on a chicken, never bad to add sugar and milk to coffee...SO FEEL free to spice up ur STYLE or LIFE AS A WHOLE! Bc its Just mOE FUn!! AND LIKE MY MAN SAID... IF ANY1 hate, ledddumm hate AND WATCH THE MONEY PILLLEE UPP! Happy MONDAY! GO HARD! OVER AND OUT!"

-Smiddy

Daily Insight: Past Predicting The Future

A wise man once said “your guards up, our heart’s cold this might be the one but you will never know, you’re holding onto pain from so long ago, you gotta let it go, you gotta let it go, and I promise you’re gonna find love.” I feel as though everyone at some point is hurt like they never thought was gonna happen to them. And they just say eff it and throw up their hands to everything, only to protect themselves. But think about it what if every time something didn’t go as planned you just gave up?

What if Patrick Ewing quit the damn NBA when he missed that wide open finger roll for the win in the playoffs?! I know it’s hard to imagine, but the Knicks might have been a whole hell of a lot worse throughout the 90’s. What if you hold the door for someone, and their rude asses don’t say thanks?! Are you gonna slam the door on that little old lady that might be coming up behind you next time?? What if Mike would’ve said “oh hell naw this is for the birds,” when his Jheri Curl caught on fire at that Pepsi commercial?!? We probably wouldn’t have anything to dance to and no one of Usher, Chris Brown, Neyo ect to bite off of!

I know I’m going on a tangent, but I’m saying that to say that when things don’t go exactly how you planned them to you can’t write off everything and everyone else. All you’re doing is blocking what future blessings God may have in store for you.

I believe Teedra when she sings, and she ended this song with “a heart that's pure won't be denied, the kinda lovin' that'll rock ya, The kinda lovin' that'll keep ya, Hold ya for a lifetime.” I damn sure ain’t tryna miss that kinda loving so I won’t let the past get in the way of my future.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Wiggly Feeling

This topic is something that is quite near and dear to my heart. No ladies and gentlemen, not sarcasm, not my friends, not my family, but……..the damn WIGGLY feeling. Now I know some of you are reading this asking yourselves what is the wiggly feeling?? A friend of mine defined the wiggly feeling as that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you meet someone new you really begin to like. You get butterflies in your stomach when you’re around them, can’t stop giggling at something that’s not that damn funny, this person is all of a sudden hilllaDious (yes hilarious with a D, that same friend pointed out when you laugh at a mans jokes that you like they all of a sudden become Martin Lawrence and your jaw drops when you say hilarious) and you’re basically walking on sunshine. Welcome to the land of the wiggly feeling. I’ve felt it, you’ve felt I, your parents have felt it and everyone will at some point in their lives.

A wise man once said “I heat up and I, I can't come down, swear I'm spinnin, I'm on a merry-go-round, and I picked up a joy to my face, my heart beats faster than a regular pace, and I'm not sure of what it is, I asked my mother to help me with it, and she said ‘Daughter, you reached a jones - And that's real lovin, so carry on’” Now Tweet’s Momma might have called it a jones but we all know what she was referring to. My question is why don’t we all heed that advice? Why is it when that wiggly feeling creeps up on us, we shy away?

I know in the past that I have been kind of scared of the wiggly feeling. I’m not trying to trip and fall in love with a person that may not be what I need at that point in my life. Or I may not feel as though that person feels the same way. But at the end of the day I’m no Nostradamus I can’t see into the future, and last time I checked neither can you. How are you ever going to figure out what a wiggly feeling leads to if you don’t “carry on?”

Not everything is going to work out, and believe when it happens to you you avoid that wiggly feeling at all costs. But we don’t live in bubbles for a reason. These things are meant to be felt, and meant to be experienced. So next time you feel that wiggly feeling up, go ahead and drop that jaw to call someone hilaDious, you won’t regret it. After all that's pre loving so carry on :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Planting The Seeds

A good friend of mine and I were sitting around the pool soaking up the sun in Cabo San Lucas. We were talking our usual ish about relationships and what we were looking for at this point in our lives. She turned to me and said “When it comes to what I’m looking for in a mate, I’m a seed planter; I plant seeds and watch it grow.” It got me to ask the question to myself.

“Are you a seed planter Johnny Appleseed type, or are you more like Paul Bunyon in the hood looking to climb an already established tree?!” Now obviously I’m not talking evergreens literally here. For example are you the type to put a lot into a relationship or a person, and never really leave that person? Kinda dabble around here and there but you still watering that Charlie Brown ass Christmas tree. (If you’ve never seen a Charlie Brown Christmas tree please google it..it’s hilarious). You know you have it there so when you decide that this person has grown into what you’re looking for you set up shop under said tree.

Once upon a time I was all about planting the seed, finding a diamond in the rough, and molding said person into someone I could see myself with. These days, NOT SO DAMN MUCH. Not to say that I have a list of qualities that are set in stone like the 10 Commandments, but I honestly don’t have time to turn a hoodrat into a housewife.

I’m more or less looking to scale a full grown Seqouia, already established with some roots down. Some people like my friend are still willing to plant a couple of seedlings and see which one grows the fastest. So I challenge you to ask yourself are you a Johnny Appleseed type or are you not? Only tree I’m looking to plant is a money tree. As a wise man once said “I’m 23 with a money tree, growing faster now I just planted a hundred seeds.”

-Becks

Daily Insight: Memories

I'm literally sitting on a plane right now with some of my best friends, on our way to Cabo San Lucas Mexico. I'm not saying this to say haha I'm going to be tanning while y'all are freezing. More like these are the moments that turn into memories.

A wise man once said "The most fragile part of me nurses our strongest connection. You live in my memory.." Yes I know quite eloquent huh? The "Floacist" as she called herself from Floetry was speaking of a man in her life, but I believe this can apply to any aspect of your life.

I have memories going back to the Ninja Turtle water bottle that I turned brown by making iced tea straight in the water bottle when I was like 4. Or exactly where I was when the first plane hit the tower on 9-11-2001. To the feeling I felt when my heart was broken for the first time. And even my sisters elaborate stories about how I was adopted and she was an only child until I came along.

Now personally I remember everything the good and the bad, but their my memories. The memories I look back on to make me smile and laugh, and sometimes reflect and cry.

I say this to say only you can create the memories that will stay with you for a lifetime so make sure they count. I know I'm about to make some more memories as soon as this plane takes off :).

-Becks

Daily Insight: A Simple Call

We are living in a new age of socializing. People no longer take the time to use personal forms of communication, and it’s becoming more and more apparent everyday. I was at a concert the other day, and the host said “whose on Twitter, whose on FaceBook?!” I remember going to a concert and the host shouting out “whose from Queens, where’s Harlem at, Brooklynnnn” and I would be so waiting for them to shout out Long Island which they rarely did. I say this to make a point that new forms of communication and socializing are taking over our lives.

A wise man once said “all I wanna know is baby if what we had was good how come you don’t call me annnyyymorrreee?” That’s what I’m trying to figure out Alicia. Like when did getting a phone call from a guy become a rare treat like a friggin box of chocolates and text messages become the norm?

When did kids start to know more about bagging someone with emoticons than they do charming a girl in real life?! Nothing teaches people how to charm or skit as I like to call it then some good old fashioned face to face practice. Kids spend so much time behind a keyboard they forgot how to speak to people in real life. They talk in acronyms now too…no one want to hear you say LOL, laugh if something is really that damn funny.

Maybe I’m going on a tangent because I grew up in the infant stages of the internet. AIM was beyond popping, Black Planet was the be all end all, and I had a Nokia phone with a face plate. And I was wayyyy more interested in playing snake than sending text messages.

I’m not saying we should revert back to B.C. forms of communication. No one is saying we should send smoke signals, or carve on a stone tablet but let’s just try to remember that human interaction is necessary. Believe me you can’t skit your way through life from behind a keyboard.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Dickens

A wise man once said "it was the best of times, and it was the worse of times." Now I'm not literary savant or anything but I can related to what Dickens is saying here.

Every extremely high point in life is unfortunately coupled with a low point. The trick of it all is to never take the high points for granted and never think the low points will be around forever.

All you can do is thank the man upstairs for the good times and ask for some guidance like a map in the Mall of America when the bad times hit. And be thankful you have the capacity to experience both because they make you appreciate each one even more.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Laugh At Yourself

I’ve gotten into the habit of quoting my damn self in these last couple of posts and might as well keep it going! I often speak of my friends and family in high regard, because that is exactly what they deserve. There is one common thread I’ve noticed in all of the people I decide to keep myself surrounded with. No one takes themselves too damn seriously!

I said actually the other day “never take yourself too seriously, because if you don’t laugh at yourself someone else surely will.” Understand there is a time and a place always to be stern and professional, but 75% of the time is not that time!

If the things we did were not meant to be laughed at I highly doubt God would of gave us senses of humor and the ability to be flawed. So when you are running full speed for the Long Island Rail Road and your boob almost pops out in the middle of Penn Station what can you do?! Of course you can do a kick the man who was staring at you in the throat or you can adjust yourself mid stride and catch that damn train.

Next time you’re on the subway and you’re dress rips all the way down the zipper in the back you could get mad a go straight home. Or you can grab a couple of safety pins and your friend’s jacket which is clearly smedium throw it on and continue to sashay through your night.

And next time you’re laying on the beach getting your tan on and a seagull decides to use your leg as a toilet you can get pissed and unsuccessfully try to strangle said seagull. Or you can use your friends t-shirt to wipe up the poop and run your ass in the ocean.

These are all situations I can recall so well because either I or my friends have dealt with. And we got a damn good laugh out of it. Causes guess what if the person it happened to wasn’t laughing you best believes my ass was! :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Let The Dust Settle

Throughout my adolescent and early adult years it would be safe to say that I know how to have a good time. I don’t let too many opportunities to have a classic time pass me up, and my friends are the same way. This leads to a hectic social life of which can be exhausting at times.

When did Thursday turn into the new Friday and the unofficial start of the weekend??? Oh yea I remember…it was when I was in school and there was no class on Fridays…no responsibilities, no reason to wake up early, leaving all reason to WYLE Thursday out! But what was the excuse for the rest of the week?? This lounge pops on Mondays, this happy hour goes on Tuesdays, ahh duh Wasted Wednesdays! That was the narrative of my life…

But now that I am not in the collegiate atmosphere anymore you would think the script would change along with the scenery right?? WRONG! I live my life to the fullest and have no regrets (at least after a few cups of caffeine filled tea). But there comes a time when you just need to go ahead and sit down and let some dust settle on that ass. I’m not saying you need to go to into a social sleep coma like Rip Van Winkle and wake up 30 years later with you best years behind you. All I am saying is maybe not every party is meant to be attended, not every happy hour needs to be wyled out, and not every open bar needs to be taken full advantage of….Ok wait, I lied open bars ALWAYS need to be taken advantage of lol!

But you get the picture…so as the winter months are being forced upon us at a rapid pace by Jack Frost himself take this opportunity to let a bit of dust settle on that ass. And when you brush your shoulders off, it’ll make that triumphant return to the scene that much more triumphant

-Becks

Daily Insight: Pul-Pitting

A wise man once said “until we all without sin let’s stop the pul-pitting.” If you don’t get the metaphor maybe you should brush up on your Jay Z lyrics a bit. I feel as though we are all guilty of this in our own ways. Most of us I know for a fact ain’t no damn Judge Judy so what gives us the right to sit on our high horses and judge other people?? We don’t ….that’s the simple answer we don’t have that right.

Next time you see someone you might turn your nose up at or do something you don’t approve of why don’t you take a step into their shoes? No one is perfect and that is completely evident in everyday life. So what gives you the right to determine if the next person is anymore flawed than you?

It’s just something to think about next time you open your mouth to convey a judgmental thought…I know I’m not without sin and I ain’t pul-pitting.

-Becks

Daily Insight: I Need You

A wise man once said “I could be congresswoman…or a garbage woman..or Police officer… or a carpenter..I could be a doctor and a lawyer and a mother and a good girl…God what you've done to me kind of lover I could be…I could be a computer analyst, the Queen with the nappy hair raising her fist….or I could be much more and a myriad of this hot as the summer, sweet as the first kiss. And even though I can do all these things I need you..and even though I can do all these things we need you…”

Jilly from Philly speaks truth ladies and gentlemen. I feel as though way too often in this society people women especially have this “I can do bad all by myself” mentality. Yes we know that our accomplishments are our accomplishments, and we are damn proud of them. I would encourage everyone to be fiercely independent at all times. But there are those people in your life that you can put down the Queen Latifah U.N.I.T.Y. independency by the waist side and say you know what I need you.

People are way too quick to dismiss those that we truly need for fear of seeming weak. But you know what sometimes you just gotta get weak like SWV weak. And you don’t know whose day you can make with those three simple words.

So next time you are all on your “uh uhhhh I can do this by myself I don’t need you cause Beyonce told me I’m independent” take a step back and realize it’s not going to kill you to say you know what I need you.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Seasoned

Every now and again..well let me be more specific every 5 minutes or a thought pops into my mind that makes me chuckle to myself. And sometimes when I think it’s extra funny I’ll share it with whomever I am around. As my friends and I were driving down I95 on our way to homecoming a conversation we had caused a thought to pop into my head.

A wise man once said “they call me a young Phil Jackson in the hood cause I’m seasoned in the game.” Now for those of you who do not have your sarcasm decoder on hand Phil Jackson is the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, and has been since BC time. I am saying this to say that no matter what you do in life make sure that you have some type of experience.

If you are the type to bust into splits mid-air on a moving party bus make sure you have done such an act before…if not the result can get quite messy. If you are the type to check through your significant others phone while he or she is asleep at least make sure you know the code so you don’t lock the phone completely entering a wrong passcode 6 times. If you know you have to stare at an excel sheet and do vLookup’s all day for your job at least know a tutorial website you can go to when you forget how to do that joint. If you’re someone who constantly exaggerates the truth make sure you tell two people who might compare notes a similar story…otherwise that ven diagram can be looking a little shaky and you can look like a liar. If you have to miss work cause you can’t let your friends have all the fun on a popping ass weekend make sure you have a full fledged excuse on deck…in case you were wondering the “family emergency” line works everytime.
If you are the type to dip off all the time just make sure you have a way to get your ass home in the morning cause I ain't bringing you back. And if you have the cajones to borrow an entire bottle of Grey Goose from your table at the club make sure you play it off cool enough to not draw attention to the huge lump under your coat ;).

Not everyone is going to be an expert at everything…all I am saying is whatever you find yourself doing make sure they call you a young Phil Jackson in the hood.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Coming Home

I’m going to go ahead and defer from my normal daily insight to go off on a bit of a tangent today. As much of you very well know I am a 2009 graduate of the best school in the world…yes Howard University. And this weekend we as Howard grads and all other random people who want to feel included will travel back to the Mecca to participate in the tweakend known as Homecoming. Now for those of you who do not know what a tweakend is it is a weekend in which you party your life away with minimal sleep a lot of good people and a whole hell of a lot of memories.

This brings me to my wise man quote of the day. A wise man once said “do you think about me now and then….cause I’m coming home again.” No matter how far and wide you may travel after your tenure at good ol HU you can count on coming back to the Hilltop to reconvene with friends, talk some ish, and party like it’s 1999. Howard has allowed me to meet some of the greatest people and have some of the greatest times in my short 23 years. Will I be back every year? I damn sure hope not, that would just mean I may need to fall back from the party scene a bit. But best believe I’ll be in there with my Alumni shirt stomping all over the newly cut grass on the yard, trying to avoid DC parking authority, rooting on a football team we know won’t win, eating fried fish and mac and cheese, running up to people I saw no more than 2 weeks ago screaming “I love yous”, sleeping 4 to a bed, house party hopping, standing in that long ass line in front of the Diner at 4am, and singing at the top of my lungs “I’m soooo glad I went to Howard U!”

So when the tweakend comes around every October don’t be afraid to stampede the good old Avenue of Georgia and create some more memories. I don’t know about ya’ll but I’m coming home again!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Cuffing Season

A wise man once said “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” Now seeing that it’s not quite Christmas yet, I am using this quote as a meaning for the other most wonderful time of the year. Yes ladies and gentlemen summer is officially over and the temperatures are dropping, it's CUFFING SEASON! Now let me go ahead and put this is lamens terms for those of you who may not know what cuffing season is. When the temperature drops and people start going out less, out come the “boo radars” and people start looking for someone to settle down with for the winter.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking for someone to share those cold nights with under a blanket sipping hot chocolate watching a romantic comedy….ok wait I digress. But if you are looking to cuff anything like you’re the NYPD at the Puerto Rican day parade we might have a problem here. Don’t cuff someone just for the sake of having a warm body next to you. I say make each cuff count!

Don’t call up homeboy you stopped talking to 6 months ago when you found out about all his drama now because the temperature dropped a bit….don’t start sending Facebook messages more frequently to the girl with a possession problem because you want someone to make you hot chocolate…don’t send that man whose cell phone is off more than it is on a smoke signal cause you got a little lonely like Janet Jackson.

It’s going to be a long winter cause it’s cold as hell already in October. But don’t cuff something you don’t want to deal with come December just for the sake of cuffing. Make sure everything counts. I say pull out the long johns and thermal socks…it can still be the most wonderful time of the year even without a cuff joint.

-Becks

Daily Insight: DeLorean

A wise man once said “scared of the future while I hop in the DeLorean.” For those who might not have been obsessed with all things Michael J. Fox in the mid 1980’s a DeLorean is the car that Marty McFly used to go back to the future. Now Yeezy is obviously using this metaphor to talk his usual ish but it got me thinking a bit…

Why are people so scared to move onward and upward into the future. Just because you feel as though everything is all good right now doesn’t mean that it’s going to stay that way. I say embrace the future and all it has to bring.

If you felt like 2010 wasn’t your year guess what??! Time moves on and 2011 is right around the corner. If you feel as though the job market is still horrible..take a few temp jobs believe me it’ll make the future come a lot faster. If you’re feeling all of those libations you partook in the night before…go your ass to sleep when you wake up time will have passed and I promise you will feel better. If you feel as though some relationships you are keeping in your life are like a dark cloud over your head…keep it moving the future will be a whole lot brighter.

All I’m trying to say is that even though moving on and embracing things unknown can be scary at times it’s necessary and you will not regret it..I don’t know about ya’ll but I’ll hop my ass in that DeLorean real quick.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Let Loose

It’s Thursday the unofficial start of the weekend. Everyone makes their weekends and party times what they want to make it…some people OD, some people chill, and some people have a happy medium. I’m not going to go into which one of those people I am lol.

These days off and opportunities to let loose and have a damn good time come too few and far between for a few people. A wise man once said “how about you and all your morals and that outfit that you borrowed make the most out of tonight and worry about it all tomorrow..”

So many people are scared to go out and let go because of fear of what other people might think. I’m with Drake on this one WHO GIVES A DAMN. I’m not saying you should party 24/7 but when you do make it worth while.

Don't be afraid to stand on a couple couches in the club..hell worst that can happen is a bouncer tells you to get down! Don’t be afraid to stop that man mid sentence that has been telling you how pretty you are for the last 15 minutes and say are you gonna buy me a drink or what?? Don’t be afraid to mouth all the lyrics to “Big Momma Thang” when Kim comes blearing over those speakers…we all know you know all the words! Don’t be afraid to grab your ankles a bit if the feeling comes over you, unless of course you see some camera flashes you might wanna straighten up before you end up on Talk Of NY or something.

I say all of this to say when you have the opportunity to go out and let loose don’t be all stuck up about it. Cause you’re gonna be one of those people looking at everyone elses Facebook pictures like “damn I need to party like them.” :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Cross My Mind

Sitting here staring at an excel sheet all day my iPod becomes my saving grace. Listening to all my music I swear keeps me sane.

Music is one thing that has the unique ability to bring you back to a certain memory or feeling you once had. Everyone knows I'm a sucker for a good granola ass song...but before you call me all soft maybe you should take a second listen to some of them.

A wise man once said "I was just thinking about you, wondering what you doing I mean what you been up to. I know it's wrong feeling this strong let me take a second minute I will think this thing through. Remember all the moments for two, how we used to...oh yea..but the reality is..you were never good for me and I was never good for you. I just remember what we used to do..."

There are always going to be people that come into your life for a specific reason or season. And when that day comes when that person is no longer in your life it's going to suck. And of course you're gonna have those moments when you get that fuzzy feeling thinking about all the things you guys used to have and used to do...and music can usually evoke those memories. At least I know it does for me!

But the fact of the matter is that no matter how much that person crosses your mind they are no longer in your life for a reason..Jilly from Philly said it best. "you were never good for me and I was never good for you I just remember what we used to do.."

-Becks

Daily Insight: Lights Out

While browsing some of my favorite blogs which I tend to do every day or so I came across a great clip. It was a clip from the Oprah show. Now I of course like many of us think Oprah is quite the wise man and something specific she said in that clip reminded me of why. She was telling Serena Williams who happened to be doing her pedicure o_O yea I know but I didn't write the shows concept....but anyway she was giving her love advice. She said to the multi million dollar tennis star: "don't ever dim your light to walk with someone else.."

I feel like way too often we try to tone down who we are or how successful we are to appease other people around us. I don't know about y'all but I worked hard as hell for everything I've accomplished this far. And I wear it like a friggin girl scout badge.

Don't feel bad for no longer being able to relate to some friends because they're still hugging the block. Don't try to change to fit into a group you don't want to be in to begin with. Don't think you have to change yourself for a significant other..they should know what it is from jump. Don't think you can't have an opinion because you're young, or you're a minority, or you are a woman.

Believe me nothing in this world comes easy so when it does come there's no way in hell I'm hiding it...I bet Oprah never dimmed her light..and neither should you!

-Becks

Daily Insight: A Time For Everything

Normally I don't get too personal with my posts...but today this is something I wanted to do. My grandfather passed away a month ago and tomorrow we will have his memorial service. My Grams asked my sister and I to read some bible verses in his honor. I got Ecclesiastics 3:1-8...and I feel like it just sums everything up so well.

"For everything there is a appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw away stones and a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to rip and a time to sew. A time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace."

RIP Gramps :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Everything is Everything

It's really funny what can come up in conversation with drunken friends. My most recent funny experience was with my good friend Marcus. We were talking the usual shit that we talk...and as I often do when I'm feeling extra good thanks to a couple libations I asked the question I always ask "what is this life??"

Now of course its a rhetorical question I don't expect the person I'm asking to be Yoda or anything and have a real answer. When I thought about it a bit it dawned on me...

A wise man often says " mannnn everything is everything..." and that's exactly what it is! A simple way to look at life coming from a simple man. My Father of course probably is just conditioned to say this because he says it so often...but it really rings true to me. Why try to over analyze things you probably can't control anyway. Or try to understand everything...if we were supposed to live life that way I'm pretty sure i would have a 24/7 migraine from thinking too much.

I say all of this to say that no matter what happens guess what Everything will remain to be Everything....I know this cause I asked this question to myself many a drunken night :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: It's Up To You

A wise man once said "these are the moments that turn into memories.." We all have the capacity to make the best out of every situation that we are put in in our lives. It's up to you to make every moment into those unforgettable memories.

Next time you are out with your friends don't just drink and sit around for the sake of saying you went out on a Friday night. Do something exciting that will make you walking around all night buying expensive ass drinks talking to strangers worth while. Next time you are at a family event don't just sit there and look at your weird ass family and wish you had another one! Cause guess what there's no exchanges. Create a soul train line and let your 91 year old grandfather go down it (at least that's what my family did).

Next time you're approached by a guy that is kinda creepy don't just shoot them down, give them your friends phone number instead of yours. That's always good for a laugh! Next time you're stuck in traffic bored..listening to the radio, call into that bitch and make up a funny story. Believe me it will be one of the funniest things you will ever do!

All of these things I have done to make the moments into my life memories I will never forget. Everyone goes through the motions of a day just to get to the next one. But there is no rules saying that you can't make that day and everyone after it something you'll remember forever. It's up to you though...

-Becks

Daily Insight: Life is A Buffet

I was thinking about it yesterday and came up with the analogy that life is basically a buffet. Of course we all pay that one initial entrance fee, and then we can have whatever we want. The trick is to make sure you choose your courses wisely, and don't overfill your plate.

For example if you live your life with panties in a bunch all the time thinking everything is way more serious then it is...your may spend a little too much time in the steak/ carving section. No one is looking to spend their lives in a tux or prom dress, loosen up a bit you'll find it way more enjoyable.

If you spend most of your time in the chicken nuggets and french fries section you may be PEDDILY. Obviously I just made that word up but I mean by that being petty and childish. Everyone needs to grow up at one point and you should go ahead and start cause you're running a bit behind.

If you stay in the dessert section you may have your priorities a little backwards. I think that's pretty self explanatory.

I say this to say you can fill your plate up with whatever you damn well please because life will afford you many options. Choose wisely and don't overfill your plate...you know you can't do it all!

-Becks

Daily Insight: This Was A Wise Ass Man

I decided to switch it up a little bit today and just let you know what a wise man said and leave it at that. A wise man once said "Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forgive the ones who don't and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance take it. If it changes your life let it. Nobody said it would be easy they just promised it would be worth it."

-Becks

Daily Insight: Dear Summer

A wise man once said "Dear Summer I know you gonnna miss me..." we all know the rest. Sean Carter pretty much went in on this one we can all agree on that.

With the end of August in the very near future and that dreadful weekend coming up that indicates the end of the best 3 months of the year there's a question you have to ask yourself..

Did your ass do anything significant this summer?? Did you go to a couple of BBQ's that may or may not have gotten shot up? Did you chase the ice-cream man down once or twice? Did you get some melanin working for your pale ass? Did you have a summer fling? Did you refuse to go somewhere without AC? Did the back of your legs stick to a hot ass leather couch? Did you run through that sprinkler on them hot days? Did you have a summer fling? Did you sweat your hair out the same day you got it done? Did you hit some rooftop happy hours? Did you take a trip?

Everyone's summer experience is going to be different the trick is making each one a summer to remember! So hurry up you still got a few days left to do something significantly summer-ish!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Simple Pleasures

Life is about the simple pleasures like riding on the LIRR with the A/C not on a million..drinking a caramel frappacino....sitting across from a cutie...blasting good ass music from you iPhone which should've died hours ago but miraculously hasn't. Maybe these are just some of the little things that make me stop and say "damn life is good." I encourage everyone to seek out those things and make them known...

Whether it be having a guy buy you a drink at the club just because...and not harassing you for the rest of the night...or it be catching your favorite movie on BET instead of TBS cause everyone knows TBS changes curse words instead of just bleeping them out...or maybe reacpping a hilarious weekend with your friends...

No matter what the simple pleasures are they need to be recognized and taken for what they are...they're little daily reminders that life is damn good!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Forecast

A wise man once said "we used to use umbrellas to face the bad weather now we travel first class to change the forecast." Now I know were not all Jay Z with a private jet and all but this still rings true! As I was standing in line for the MegaBus this morning it started to drizzle on my fresh due...needless to say I was a bit irritated but none the less prepared. As I relayed this to my friend that has blessed us with her wisdom before she inspired me to relay this message:

The weather man may not always be right so you have to be prepared for anything. Mr.G might be taking about showers so you're walking around in rain boots all day in 90 degree weather...guess what you should have a pair of sandals as back up to let them dogs breathe. If Al Roker predicts hurricane 49 mph winds you damn well should make sure you have on some shorts under that skirt..don't want a good gust pulling a Marilyn Monroe on you. And if weather.com says it's gonna be a cool summer day and it ends up blazing Hip Hop and R&B outside you better be able to peel some layers off..

I say this to say you need to be prepared for any situation..depending on a chubby Black man on your news station telling you what to expect from Mother Nature is the blind leading the blind. Make sure you prepare yourself for everything because you don't want to be that one idiot wearing sandals in 56 degree weather!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Rearview Mirror

A wise man once said "there's a reason your rearview mirror is so much smaller than you windshield...it's because you're supposed to be looking forward not back.." This came from a sort of random source but it rings so true in so many situations!

When you run into that old boyfriend that just meant so much to you, and exchange numbers...you might glance into that rearview mirror, but where is that going to take you?? Newsflash ya'll ain't 17 anymore. When you come back home from college and you're not satisfied hugging the block...don't be surprised you shouldn't be you're looking into the windshield. When you look back on your younger pictures and have that "what the hell was I thinking" moment...you should know that you will never go back to that anyway.

The windshield represents the future and until a time machine is invented the past is something that will stay in the past. So go ahead and adjust that rearview mirror to be able to learn from the past but make sure you keep your eyes on the road.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Signs

Everyone comes across signs in their lives. I know everyone has seen the late 1980's African American staple The Color Purple. If you haven't you might be living under a rock, or you may not have a Dad that made you sit through the whole thing similar to mine. I say that to use a famous quote from the movie..."God is trying to tell you something." Everyone has had those moments where they get that gut feeling or maybe even recognize something but sometimes choose to ignore it. Those are the signs that can be quite valuable.

Whether it's when you pull up to the club, and everyone looks like they're 17. That's a sign you are too old to be on the scene..take that ass home and try again. It may be you running into someone from your past after not seeing them for 09239 years. That's a sign that maybe there was some kind of unfinished business. If you're always the only one drunk at the party, maybe just maybe it's not always that kind of party, take that as a sign that everything is not more fun drunk. If you're always asking people to follow you on twitter but no one responds. Guess what that might be a sign that you need to go ahead and chill out.

I say all of this to say that your life is filled with signs and they're not written in some kind of cryptic language. So the next time one of those signs drop kicks you in the face, take heed God may trying to be tell you something.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Come Up

A wise man by the name of Ricky Ross once said "my top back like JFK they wanna push my top back like JFK, so I JFK joined forces with the Kings and we ate all day." Mr.Ross pointed out a great thing here with that line...that thing is THE COME UP! Yes ladies and gentlemen he was ok before but once he joined forces with the Kings he was set.

Everyone has a come up! Whether its getting a nice little chunk of change from a settlement. Or it may be getting some call backs from those 9202919 applications you put in. Hell it may be Obama's healthcare plan letting you stay under your parents insurance until you're 25. Or it may just be all that time you busted your ass for something wasn't in vain.

The come up is not some urban legend. It happens to people all the time. The trick is to recognize that come up and embrace it. Mr.Opportunity is only going to knock he's not gonna kick the door down!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Patience

Wise men have said a lot of wise things about patience. Some said "Rome wasn't built in a day." Some men said "patience is a virtue..." and one more wise man said "be patient Roxanne I been waiting on you all my damn life." That last wise man was of course none other than my Father, talking to my Mother!

I say this to say that not everything and everyone in your life is exactly going to move at the pace that you would like. Job opportunities may not come along as fast as you want. The elusive Last Train To Paris Diddy album may seem as though it's never going to drop. That guy you met the other day might wait a couple of days to hit you up. The sun may not set fast enough for you cause it's blazing hip hop and R&B outside.

I say all of this to say, we can not control everything in our lives we are not the puppeteer here. And so when you feel like you don't want to wait anymore that nagging little emotion that we were taught so long ago will kick in. Let's face it all good things will come in time so as Jim Avery once said also "sit cho ass down and wait."

-Becks

Daily Insight: Switch It Up!

A wise man once said "variety is the spice of life." If there is no variety in your life you probably become quite predictable. We all know those people in our lives that no matter how much time passes, no matter what happens around them they will be doing the same things.

There's always those people you can count on to stay hugging the block no matter how old you guys get. There are always those people you can count on to always be in the club at every single party. There are always those people you can count on to say what everyone else is thinking no matter how out of control it is. There are always those people you can count on reliving those glory days of High School even if they graduated in 1994. And there are always those people you can count on to drop knowledge when you need it.

Everyone is going to be once of those once a blank always a blank people at one point in their lives. The trick is to be a different thing to different people. Remember variety is the spice of life and I don't know about you but I like mine quite spicy.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Daydreamer

A wise man once said "pardon me
I'm a daydreamer I keep my head in the clouds, life's still beautiful I'm a believer to hell with the bullshit baby make me smile....cause life should be an afterparty and love should be a sweet champagne.." Now of course I wouldn't be me if that quote wasn't from one of my new favorite songs. Teedra is pretty much a genius in my humble opinion.

Why live your life dreaming about all the things you want to do when you can be living that dream?!? You don't like your job? Dreaming of a new one?? Well quit that bitch! You don't want to go after the guy or girl of your dreams for fear of being rejected huh? Forget that! Go up to them and say "to hell with the bullshit baby make me smile." You dream of being around people who will accept you for who you are don't you? Why are you conforming to others dreams and not making it your reality??

In my opinion life is too short to sit around dreaming about the life that you want and not going after it and making it a reality. After all after the show it is the afterparty right?

-Becks

Daily Insight: Prayer Works

Now I've never been all religious or spiritual whichever you would like to call it in any of my blog posts, but I feel like I should just say this much: Prayer Works!

Now I don't know what you consider it but if you just have a little conversation with a higher power things tend to work out somehow by themselves. Never think that anything that is happening to you is in vain. Everything has a reason and a rhyme to it. And maybe if you stop wondering drop to your knees sometime I promise all your questions will be answered. :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Little Things

A wise man once said "everyone is too busy trying to accomplish one big thing...they fail to realize life is made up of the little things." If you live your life only focusing on one big goal you waste a lot of time that could of been spent enjoying the little joys life has to offer.

Don't spend your life trying to always be at the biggest party, when you could simply enjoy the company of the people around you chilling out. Don't spend your life trying to make the most money and look up one day and realize you have nothing you want to spend it on.

I say this to say do whatever it is that makes you happy but make sure you take the time to look around and enjoying what you're missing in the meantime.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Risk Taking

A wise man once said "“to love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.” Now when it comes to matters of life I consider myself pretty practical and cautious. But some things in life must be risked to gain reward.

Beyonce risked looking like a complete idiot wearing a snap between the legs leotard to be a trend setter for the Single Ladies video. You may have to risk a few plates at that summer BBQ to fit into that summer dress you bought last summer. My Mother risked calling into work to enjoy a 93 degree day (but she's the boss so who gonna check her). You may have to risk being the first one at a party grabbing your ankles to get the joint started.

There are many things we've all risked in our short life spans, and risk is inevitable. I will tell you something I will never risk though and that is my happiness :).

-Becks

Daily Insight: Chips Are Down

I'm not sure which wise man was the first to say it but some wise man once upon a time said "don't jump ship when the chips are down."

This couldn't be anymore true in many ways in life. When the Knicks started losing horribly guess what me and Spike Lee are still fans. When Rosa Parks got arrested there was someone there to bail that ass out.

When Kanye West started singing on 808's and Heartbreak we remained fans. When someone says something corny on twitter you don't unfollow them you just politely say ok that was corny. When your friends dress rips open on the subway you don't leave like you don't know them..you get a safety pin and pin that joint back on up.

In conclusion if everyone jumped ship when the chips were down we wouldn't have anything left to be loyal to....think about it next time the chips are down and help someone pick them joints back up.

-Becks

Daily Insight: No Limits

Now I've done some pretty hilarious, extreme, and sometimes down right stupid things in my day. A wise man once asked me "what is your limit?"

We all draw the line somewhere....some jobs you can tell you are studying abroad all summer so you can't start until September, and some you just outright can't. Some friends you can bring on the Wendy Williams show to embarass the hell out of, some friends would never speak to you again. Some people can wife on a 3 day cruise ship, that's just a limit for me. Some people can stage dive off a kitchen table at a house party, some people are better off just not. Some people can rekindle boyfriends and girlfriends from the 10th grade, that pushes the limit for some.

I say this to maybe get you thinking of your limits I know people whose limits are endless like those examples above and those people I like to call my friends :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Recognize a Good Day

Todays Daily Insight is another guest apperance by a good friend. The same good friend that wrote about the train and catching that joint. Let's just call her Smiddy.

"When each day is the same as the next, its because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day the sun rises." Enjoy you day and make it count people! It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting go for it!

Smiddy did a great job and inspired the hell out of me with this post but I'll go ahead and elaborate as only I can a bit. Don't complain that you're having a bad day because your hair ain't looking right, don't complain you're having a bad day cause you didn't get enough sleep, don't complain you're having a bad day cause the heel broke on your shoe, don't complain you're having a bad day cause your coworker is getting on your nerves, don't complain that all your dreams aren't coming true fast enough..

Because there are some people that don't have hair to complain about, that don't sleep at all, that don't have shoes, that don't have coworkers to complain about. And that dream that you have will come true one day, the fact that you have one is a head start. I'm saying like Smiddy said good things happen everyday when the sun rises on that ass!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Pours

A wise man once said "when it rains it pours" I'm not sure how old this saying is but this was one wise ass man.

With the summer time approaching or hello already here everyone is trying to rekindle that summer boo joint. If you get one biddie hitting you up I promise there's more to come.

If you lose your debit card on vacation (which I did) you're probably going to have 30 more problems with said card and not get it back till a week later.

If you were looking for a new job most likely all 692726 applications in they'll probably all hit you back at once..

if you deal with one hoodrat most likely every block hugger will be hitting you with the "ay to ma"....and if you give dub to one man or woman in the club be surprised when everytime Back that Thang Up comes on everyone is.looking for you.

I say all this to say just make sure you have an umbrella handy cause the monsoon is coming

-Becks

Daily Insight: Vacation

I know I know its been a while but I was on vacation! I was in good old Cashville, dipped to Orlando for a bit then took a cruise to the Bahamas...

The cruise inspired my insight today. Now I've been on about 4 cruises this one was by far the most popping as far as the people. The ship was built in 1990 and you could damn sure tell it was antiquated as hell. I've been on the extra luxurious ships and they were beautiful but dry as hell.

But I say that to say don't think that you need to be on the most luxurious cruise ships in life! A wise man once said I'd rather be poor and loved than rich and alone..poor ok maybe not but middle class I can live with everything that glitters ain't gold!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Calm Evening

A wise man once said "never satisfied with a nice calm evening" With my birthday coming up tomorrow I've come to realize this is so true.

I can say that being 22 or 23 in a couple hours that I have done anything I wanted to so far. I'm not saying everyone is the on the move type but don't sit around letting life pass you by.

Some things are meant to be wyled out....all I'm saying is do these things before you can't!

-Becks

Daily Insight: Time Capsule

This week is my birthday week and I'm turning the BIG 23 *insert sarcasm here*

Well it got me thinking what if we all were to bury a time capsule today to represent our lives what would your capsule have in it?!?! I know mine would have at least one cardigan, my beloved iPod, a concert stub or 2, a Mary J. and Jay Z cd, a picture of my family and my latest technology purchase (apparently I'm a techie), and a Howard Alum shirt

But if your capsule consists of your resume and business suit maybe you should cut back on the hours..if your capsule consists of your Facebook and Twitter friend count maybe you should spend less time socializing on the internet and have some real human interaction...if your capsule looks like someone buried it in 1982 you might want to shopping so much in Moms closet...if your capsule holds a bunch of VIP lists with your name on it you probably spent too much time in the club...

Everyone's capsule will be unique the question is what will yours say about present day you if you dig it up in 20 yeaars??

Daily Insight: Balance

A wise man once said "Im over they head like a bulimic on a seasaw" Nastradamus (yes the rapper not the 14th century fortune teller) made a hell of a point..or at least to me he did. Which leads me into my topic everything in life should have balance!

If you work 60 hour weeks you better be shaking your ass on the dance floor come Saturday night...if you do a hunnet (hundred) miles an hour down the expressway you better have a damn good PBA card....if you wear 6 inch stilletos everyday you better have a weekly set pedicure appointment.....if you always preaching about the black man's plight well than Minister Farrakhan you better know at least one Gucci song....if you date nothing but hoodrats you better have at least one Wall street side joint..if you wear nothing but vintage clothes someone's grandma wore you better at least have a blackberry to keep you in this decade...

If your seasaw becomes a little too heavy on the other side you always have plenty of people to even it out for you

-Becks

Daily Insight: Old Head

A wise man once said "you don't stop playing because you grow old....you grow old because you stop playing." I agree whole heartily with this quote! As I come up on my Jordan birthday (good ol 23) I don't feel a day over 21. Yea yea I know 23 ain't 53 but we all have to keep our spirit as we grown older.

I'm not saying be one of those old heads who doesnt dress their age but don't be a grandma that never goes out either. One day you won't be able to play like you used to! So kick off those ugly orthopedic shoes..pull your pants down from over your stomach...dust the cobwebs off that ass and go play a little

-Becks

Daily Insight: Fairytale

A wise man once said "eff a fairytale I'm just tryna have a decent reality." Now I don't know about yall but the older and more jaded we women get the more this statement seems like it deserves an amen!

It's sad cause we all want to be Belle from Beauty and The Beast and have a decent come up! Fell in love with what you thought was a beast and ends up being the bomb.com. Sadly many of these reggins remain beasts.

Or even Cinderellla to to the club one night and find your prince charming. Maybe even Arielle from Lil Mermaid fall in love with someone from the other side of the tracks!

I say all this to say even though Walt Disney isn't writing our lives we shouldn't give up on that fairytale just yet

-Becks

Daily Insight: The Train

Todays Daily Insight is a guest appearance by my good friend who will remain anonymous.

Living in the greatest suburb in the world (Long Island) and traveling to the greatest city in the world can be pretty funny at times. Speaking for myself and my anonymous friend we've both broke out into a full throttle sprint trying to catch the train. I'm pretty sure she almost missed it this morning which led to her insight:

"It ain't about wheddaa (whether) you ran to the train or not this mornin... THE QUESTION is.. DID YOU MAKE IT?!! No madda (matter) what stops you on your path to success I never want to hear you didn't make it cause that ass didn't run fast enough for the train."

Keep on running my friends you'll make it

-Becks

Daily Insight: Ross!

A wise man once said "just to let the top back and thank God for the day." I love this line by Rick Ross cause that's all I ever really want to do. Seeing as I don't exactly have a convertible I'll roll my windows down and thank God for the day.

I'm keeping it short and sweet today cause I'm too bust letting my top back and thanking God for the day :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Feel It

I'm having a pretty damn good day so I decided to get pretty granola today. This one isn't going to be dripping with too much sarcasm. But a wise man once said "the best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen or heard, they must be felt with the heart."

Now if you think a wise man was Hellen Keller you paid attention in 8th grade English! We often look to things that are tangible to satisfy us.

Don't look to that pair of $700 dollar stunner shades to change your outlook on life. Don't listen to Stop This World by Neyo and expect to fall in love. Don't watch a couple of uncut videos and expect to get a good reception when you pull one of those moves at the next club you go to. Don't listen to all the things this world is trying to tell you is wrong about you.

I say all this to say we all need to open up our hearts **Yolanda Adams voice** and feel what this life has to offer

-Becks

Daily Insight: Laugh Its Good For You

A wise man once said "laughter is the best medicene" Now I'm no Dr.Quinn medicene woman but I whole heartily agree! Nothing can make you feel better then a full throttle from the bottom of your gut tears rolling down your face laugh.

If you run for your train only to get your flip flop caught in the door and have only one shoe left...take that ass to the nail salon and buy some dollar 50 flip flops to get you through the day!

If you're brought on national television and embarassed by Wendy Williams you better be laughing when you get on TV!

If you go to the Dominicans and them biddies cut your bang mad short you better throw a head band on for a week and laugh!

If you're sleeping on the beach and a seagull decides to take a crap on your leg walk to the nearest bathroom and wash it off being grateful it wasn't your head..

If you get a call from a blocked number and answer saying "whose calling the jiddaq bliddocked" only to be blacked on by your Father on the other end of the phone c'Mon all you can do is laugh!

All these things have happened to me at one point or another and I've always laughed my way through...so I say that to say keep laughing my friends I promise its a lot better than high blood pressure medication lol

-Becks

Daily Insight: Do It Because You Can

Todays daily insight wasn't inspired by a quote or anything..rather some funny ass stuff I saw over the past couple of days.

With that being said do whatever the hell you want to because you still can. I saw a lady I wanna say a good 43 at least drop it low pick it back up and then proceed to put her leg on this mans shoulder last night all in kitten heels. If you can do that at 43 by all means DO IT.

I also witnessed Precious Mom (No really the actresses mother) belt out Midnight Train To Georgia and Mustang Sally in a subway last night. She obviously doesn't have to entertain people in a subway but she can so she does.

The nice young man Joel in the Levis store tried to sell me white pants yesterday...now that's not really my steeze but some people get away with and and you know why they do?? Because they damn sure can!

I say all this to say take those golden opportunities to do whatever the hell you want because one day you won't be able to...

-Becks

Daily Insight: Lifes Soundtrack

When I was a lad coming up I loved to buy CDs....my favorite type of CD to buy or should I say steal from my sister was a movie soundtrack. I've come to the realization everyone's life has a specific soundtrack.

Let me go ahead and break down what I mean by soundtrack to life. For example my lifes soundtrack is filled with a bunch of granola neosoul mid 90s R&B with little sprinkles of East Coast rap.

If your lifes soundtrack consists of Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka you might want to expand your horizons a bit maybe watch the Discovery channel or attend a museum.

If it consists of Buju Banton and anything off the new Passa Passa video you might want to stay out of Crown Heights and stop wearing fish net yellow and black wife beaters (yes those).

If your soundtrack is Stack Bundles and Dipset maybe you should stay away from dudes that always have cash yet no pay stubs to show.

If your soundtrack consists of nothing but love songs followed by breakup songs youre probably a sucker for love...hey nothing wrong with that...

And if your soundtrack consits of full throttle house music Cece Peneston style and Teena Marie you should probably hang out with people your age and stop stealing your parents albums.

I say all of this to say everyone's soundtrack is unique and that's the beauty of it make sure it stays that way

- Becks

Daily Insight:Yo Booty Might Be Bigger

A wise man I like to quote pretty often once said "yo booty might be bigger but I still can pull yo nigga but I don't want em naw I don't want em"

Now we all know Erykah was being pretty crass with this line but she makes a really good point! That point being don't rely on the things that you may have to keep you where you want to be.

Don't rely on your slick mouth to talk you out of everything cause someone might not be tryna hear it...don't rely on your resume with bomb experiences if you can't apply them....don't rely on your good looks to bag a biddie you gotta have some type of personality to keep people interested.....and don't rely on leggings to make your butt look bigger there's a glute machine for that...

I say all this to say stay on your p's and q's and don't rely on what got you somewhere to keep that ass there

-Becks

Daily Insight: What Would You Do

A wise man once said "what would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn't fail?" A lot of people don't live up to their potential because they are afraid if they take a chance they may fall flat on their faces.

Would you go go up and talk to the person you've been eyeing from across the room all night if you knew they wouldn't shoot you down? Would you go after the job you really want if you knew you would have enough money to live comfortably? Would you grab your ankles at a party if you knew you weren't gonna be the only one wyling out? Would you let go of the past if you knew there was a brighter future. Hell would you start a blog talking about random things if you knew at least someone was going to read it..

I have news for you guys no one can predict the outcome of things..hell I would've been played the lottery if I could. The thing is we're all going to fail at something in life the trick is to get up dust your ass off and try try again.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Breadcrumbs

I had a great conversation with some friends the other day and we came to a revelation...some things in life from your past you're gonna want to back track on!

Like Hansel and Gretel used bread crumbs to find their way back home....

Whether you're dating a biddie and it doesn't work out for whatever reason 9 times out of 10 you're gonna want to find your way back to that biddie...maybe that biddie makes you feel like a natural woman (Aretha Franklin voice)...or you have a memory that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside you often revisit....or you partied a little too much like it was 1999 and you need to find your way back to chill the hell out...

I say all of this to say remember when you find something you like make sure to sprinkle a few bread crumbs as you're leaving because I know there's always that one situation you want to find your way back to

-Becks

Daily Insight: Jalepenos

A wise man once said a man being a plaque in my room Lindsey gave me "life is not like a box of choclates more like jalepenos what you do today might burn your butt tomorrow"

Life is grand and life is a big ass playground! But while living your life to the fullest be sure to watch your steps...we've all made mistakes I am paying for one now....

You need to be able to take lessons when you trip and get that ass back up! Who knows those jalepenos may turn into Godiva chocolate

-Becks

Daily Insight: Baggage

A wise man once said "bag lady you gon' hurt your back dragging all them bags like that" Now I'm sure Erykah wasn't talking about a literal homeless woman dragging bags.

She was talking about people that carry around baggage that slows them down in the world. Wheter it be a Northface bookbag which means you need to stop messing with them hoodrats...or a dime bag maybe you need to pass the dutchie pon the left hand side and let it stay there for a while...or maybe a Gucci bag maybe you need to stop worrying so much about material things and wear something organic or something like that...maybe its a computer bag maybe you shouldn't spend your life on the internet..maybe its a 1984 patent leather vintage clutch maybe you need to stay your ass out of thrift stores...

I say this all to say let's all put our baggage down for a while your load will feel so much lighter and maybe your heart too

-Becks

Daily Insight: Unicorn

A unicorn is a mythical creature that may exist...a few people may have seen one...a few people don't believe in at all.

Unicorns are what you believe them to be! They can be anything from a decent looking lace front..... to a better male to female ratio at a HBCU...... to a man over the age of 30 with no kids..... to a Spanish girl that doesn't own any no pocket jeans

I say all of this to say unicorns can exist if you believe in them. If you want to find that mythical creature all you have to do is have faith and you never know you can find your unicorn even when you aren't looking

-Becks

Daily Insight: Life Is A Highway

A wise man once said "life is like a highway." Well thank you wise man but that can mean just about anything!

So me being the intellectual being that I am went ahead and elaborated on that. Life is like a highway and there are certain exits you can get off at. Being I am a Long Island girl my life is like the Southern State. A highway that has more curves than a plus size model...yet I still pull a Mario Andretti and speed!

I've been past many exits such as exit 36 Straight Path or as I like to refer to it HoodratVille...yes I've seen one too many people get off on that exit. Or you have exit 21 or Baldwin a nice middle class Black area an exit we all strive for. You could go all the way to the exit leading off of Long Island and into the city a place of opportunity a few weirdos but an always GUARNTEED adventure. There is also exit 37 good ol North Babylon my hometown an exit I left and am back on now most things stayed the same while I was away from this exit but it'll always be home.

I say all of this to say that no matter what exit you get off at they always have something waiting for you at the end of that exit ramp so choose wisely.

-Becks

Daily Insight: Conspiracy Theory

I've got news life isn't one big conspiracy theory so don't treat it as one..it's very simple actually life yo damn life!

God isn't going to have your Facebook pictures surveying them at the pearly gates...so if you want to wyle out and maybe grab yo ankles at that house party by all means do so! If you want to blast some Gucci on traffic by all means do so! No one is taking tabs

I say all of this to say pull your panties out of a bunch and let your hair down a bit..I promise no one is clocking you :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Stevie Said So

A wise man once said "tomorrow Robins will sing it really ain't no big thing but tomorrow Robins will sing." A wise man being Stevie Wonder of course (i know this song because we drove all the way to Nashville with this one tape).

But I say this to say that no matter what happens today tomorrow will be another day! If everyone pissed you off today tomorrow that will be history...if you had a hangover today you probably shouldn't drink for a while but you'll be fine tomorrow...if you get a call from a hoodrat claiming you talking to her man you should probably delete that biddies number but tomorrow when you block him hell get the point...if you hate your job..well you'll probably hate it tomorrow lol...:/

I say all of this to say when you DROP KICK the door closed on one day or one chapter in your life you can expect things to look up at bit the next day.. cause Stevie said you can always bet your ass that tomorrow Robins will sing

-Becks

Daily Insight: Been Around The World and Ay Ya Ya

A wise man once said "been around the world and ay ya ya I can't find my baby and i don't know and I don't know why why he's gone away" If you're the type that's been around the world looking for something that seems to not want to be found you're probably looking in all the wrong places..

Don't look for a mate on the BLIDDOCK (block for you slow ones) don't look for a job with your homeboys hookup on wall street.... don't look for the meaning of life in the club or at the bottom of a tequila bottle.... don't look for your bff on Black Planet ....and dont look for happiness from others you gotta look into yourself!

So as my man Jim Jones said keep yo head up and yo eyes open baby! You never know you could be like Chris Colombus in the hood looking for India and found America

-Becks :)

Daily Insight: You Changed

A group of wise men once said "you changed your not the girl that used to do thangs the way I like it its a damn shame you was on your way to the house money keys to the Range"

I say that to say: be your damn self in the beginning! If you always put the best and only you forward when meeting someone they can't ever say you changed!

The real you may be a bit hood, a bit corny, a bit spastic but its YOU..BE YOURSELF EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKEN...No one can love you if they don't know you...all of yall know me wheter you want to or not :)

-Becks

Daily Insight: Life Is Short

A wise man once said (not sure who the man is seeing as its an unknown quote)

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away" Unkown. Cherish the times we have here now with the ones we love life is too short to walk around not living to the fullest.

Whatever this consists of for you do it and do it often. We are all not promised to be here forever I love you guys so much be safe RIP Davon -Becks

Daily Insight: Do One Thing That Scares You

A wise man once told me (a wise man being a magnet my Mom got me) "do one thing everyday that scares you"

Now me being the scardy cat that we all know I am I really tried..I watched Saw 1 and 2 I started whipping to the city instead of being caught on the infamous 4am drunk train back to Long Island.

So I encourage that ass to do the same whether it be getting a real job and skitttng..... stop messing with these hoodrats ......drink some tequila .....wear leggings with a shirt that doesn't cover your ass hell even make an ass of yourself in public!

If you can stop being afraid there's no limit to what else you can do

-Becks

Daily Thought: Vices We All Have Em

A vice in my opinion is something or someone that may not be good for us but we indulge anyway.

Vices we all have them for the sake of am example my vices include let's say Cardigans (I can't stop buying full throttle Mr.Rogers neighborhood cardigans) some vices can be alcohol some can be being a professional student some can be loving hoodrats some may be always preaching about the black man plight some may ene always looking for love in all the wrong places....

The point I'm trying to make is accept your vices for what they are so that you can accept for what you are cause of you don't no one will -Becks

Daily Thought: Yo-Yo

Holding on to an old relationship is like playing with a Yo-Yo. That string attached too your finger is the love/familiarity you have with that person.

You might throw the Yo-Yo down and let it sleep for a little while...you might walk the dog..rock the cradle...go around the world..I say all of this to say these are things you do to PLAY WITH THAT BIDDIE (biddie for those that don't know is a joint, significant other).

There comes a day when you're gonna have to cut the string on that Yo-Yo and let that bitch roll on down the street! With that being said don't keep that string attached too long it may start to cut off the circulation to your heart...

-Becks