Saturday, July 19, 2008

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

Friday, July 04, 2008

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 under-recognized,
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 of your songs plays, 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, and 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.


Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

© 2012 BuddahDesmond

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via FoxyTunes