Traveling, Traveling + 3rd Blogiversary!!!

Greetings! Hope you're somewhere cool - trying to beat the heat. I'm chillin'. Just got back from Dallas. My team is conducting field research for a project and will be traveling for most of this month. Aside from Dallas, we've been to Chicago and Tampa. We'll be going to Phoenix and San Diego next week. I've been to San Diego before (a beautiful place) but I've never been to Phoenix. I'm not sure I'll be able to beat the heat in Phoenix (with 100+ degree temperatures - I can feel my skin burning now - LOL!) but I'll enjoy it as much as our schedule will allow. Though, I am grateful to have a job that affords the opportunities to travel, I must admit - traveling is very exhausting. I feel like I'm going to need a vacation just to recuperate from living out a suitcase these last few weeks. LOL! But it beats being stuck behind a computer in a cubicle everyday. Change of scenery is always a great thing.

And I'm happy to announce BuddahDesmond's Rapture is celebrating its 3rd anniversary this month! I can't believe I've been blogging this long. So much has changed in my life both personally and professionally. And I've written about a range of topics and issues and still have much more to discuss. In honor of this celebration, I'd like to highlight some of my favorite posts over the years. Feel free to take a gander at these and any other posts:

1. The P/H Factor - Phyllis Hyman: Tribute to a Sophisticated Lady
2. I Walked Away
3. 26 Y.O. + Still Learning
4. Politricking
5. H-A-P-P-Y
6. Current Loves (of Music That Is)
7. On Marriage
8. When Hate Kills
9. And Then The Music Slumped
10. Luther Is Love

Other sites to checkout:

1. Pictures and Frames Magazine (I have poetry and music reviews of Chante Moore's Love the Woman and Craig David's Trust Me.)
2. Encore Status (This is the blog for an up-and-coming online magazine of the same name devoted to giving mainstream-like exposure to underground artists, musicians, fashion designers, and filmmakers.)
3. Melange - the Encore Status Mixtape, Vol. 1 (Tired of Top 40 radio? Need something new and different? Then Melange may be right for you!)

Until next time.... Peace, Love, & Many Blessings!

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Now playing: Common - Southside (featuring Kanye West)
via FoxyTunes

The P/H Factor - Phyllis Hyman: Tribute to a Sophisticated Lady

Gonna make changes
Gonna make minds aware
Moving together
Willing to share
There's power in the masses
Collectively we can win

~Phyllis Hyman, "Gonna Make Changes", Somewhere In My Lifetime, 1978

I couldn't let this week end without paying tribute to one of my all-time favorite vocalists, the late, great Phyllis Hyman (July 6, 1949 - June 30, 1995). The music industry hasn't been the same since her untimely passing. If you are unfamiliar with her music - do yourself a favor and please check it out. It's a rarity even to this day that someone comes along as gifted and talented as Hyman was. The singer, songwriter, model, actress and businesswoman would've turned 59 this year.

The P/H Factor

The angel, with the resonant, rich, beautiful voice
The Goddess of Love
Commanding the stage like a Queen
Regal, striking, almost intimidating
Queen of the blues, pop, soul, jazz and gospel
A true Sophisticated Lady
In a class of her own
in fact, ahead of her time
Critically acclaimed yet unrecognized
A mind blowing woman with many talents
Who never achieved the stardom she truly deserved
Yet, she is a legend

Although you're no longer with us in the physical sense
Your spirit lives on in your music
Each time one your songs play
You are born again
We relive the joy and wonder in our memories of you
You touched us deeply
With your songs of love
About its many facets, the ups and downs, the joys and the pain
You took us there
We were with you each step of the way
With each note on the musical scale
You left us enraptured
Capturing us in your mesmerizing essence
You spoke to us and we could definitely relate
That's why we will never forget
You and the many gifts you gave to the world

Phyllis Hyman--the woman, the actress, the fashion model, the singer, the songwriter, the performer
You will always remain special
You will always have a place in our hearts
And a significant place in history
One of the world's most beautiful women
with one of the greatest vocal instruments
You are truly appreciated
You will forever go on
Phyllis, you were and still are loved

Phyllis Hyman's music at Amazon

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

~ BuddahDesmond

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Now playing: Phyllis Hyman - Complete Me
via FoxyTunes