Quick Thought

So I know I haven't blogged in awhile. I've totally lost interest. But maybe I'll start up again, and like I said before--make things more personal. But right now I have something really quick to say:

My three besties and myself are all going through issues with our past relationships. I notice that a common thread is that men seem to move on a lot quicker than we do, they give mixed signals, and they do the whole "I'm not going to call or text you back" thing. I feel like the first issue is just a matter of how men are socialized, while the second has to do with a lack of maturity in certain men (or should I say "boys" lol). But the third issue is one that for some reason really strikes a chord with me. If someone calls, texts, or facebook/aim messages you, have the decency to reply and just give a reason for you no longer wanting to talk, or whatever the case. I mean let's be real.....we know you aren't doing anything in your pathetic life and at least have the courtesy to reply after I took the time out in my busy schedule to hit you and ask how you were doing. I mean really.....

Love Can Wait: First Lesson

I've never been one to search for love. I've spent much of my teenage years and early 20s single. Neither happily or unhappily single. Just single. Just waiting for the right guy to come along, at the right time, the right place. Never actively searching. Just waiting.

I had a relationship with a guy that lasted way too long and was filled with heartache and pain. I realize now that that wasn't a true relationship at all. There was no commitment, no romance, no love. But being young and foolish I endured it thinking that the relationship would get better and grow. It didn't. It ended badly and subsequent events made the break-up even worse. However, the worst thing about the "relationship" was in the struggle to love someone else and give my all to him...I stopped loving myself. My life fell apart and I literally had no self-identity. Losing him made me feel like I lost my entire world. I realize now, that I had actually lost myself.

After that, I got my life back on track. Although I still felt lost and lonely, I was now focused on doing what was best for myself. I wanted to date and have a boyfriend, but I became so absorbed in myself that I became indifferent to the fact that I was single. That was a good thing. I achieved so much in a short period of time, merely by focusing on myself. Putting myself first. I became the number one priority--not him. It was my first lesson in my now personal maxim "love can wait."

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Okay. That is all.

I Lied....I'm Sorry

About a month ago I lied to you all. Said I was coming back. I got caught up in other things . But for real....for real.....starting TODAY. I will do at least 2 blog posts a day. I miss blogging. I've been keeping my eye out on my competition...not digging the pics, writing style, topics, etc. I gotta come back and give the fashion, gossip, music, and my two-cents. No more excuses. I've been gone too long....

Are you Ready for a Comeback?

So I previously claimed that I would restart this blog and then I totally forgot. Between school full-time and three jobs I wasn't able to do a single entry in the last three months. Starting TODAY I'm going to start doing posts again and try to do at least 2 or 3 a day (with at least one music post included in that). I might even change the background too to make a full revitalization of Panache-n-Posh....but I think I'll stick with the urban music/celebrity news/fashion format but also sprinkle in some personal posts and issues that I think are important. I know I've probably lost some daily readers but I hope to bring them back and also gain some new ones! Feel free to add me on facebook and follow me on Twitter too!

Get ready for my comeback.....

Ummm....Yeah......Sorry

So I have totally neglected this blog for the past month! I will be updated soon. I promise. New music, fashion, and celebrity gossip coming soon. I guess I'll be doing more personal updating as well since that was the initial point of this blog: a place for me to vent my frustrations and share my life with my friends and anyone else who cared to know.

Well this blog will be back in action soon.....

My Apologies

So I've been terrible about updating this blog lately. If any of you know me personally you're aware that I'm just doing this blog for fun and do a couple of posts here and there during my spare time. My posts will not be regular again until the end of August. Sorry about that. There's not a lot I can do. Keep up with gossip and such at my fav sites: ConcreteLoop, Necole Bitchie, and Love B. Scott. Keep up with me via Facebook (feel free to add me) and Twitter: lesliePhD. Sorry guys.

BET Awards

I was extremely disappointed with the BET Awards the other night. No dance tribute to Michael, the show was mostly just an R&B tribute show, they seemed unprepared, and Jamie Foxx and some of the presenters and performers were a hot mess most of the time. Ciara couldn't sing (she can't hold a note for nothin!), Beyonce came out in a strange wedding dress singing "Ave Maria" (why didn't she sing Michael's "Can't Help It" like she did the previous night at one of her shows?), I felt like we were in another year (Tevin Campbell, New Edition, Johnny Gill, Keith Sweat?).......I was totally confused! BET really should have let Chris Brown perform. This "tribute" for me was kind of embarrassing. BET really needs to get it together!
AND......the "Baby Boy" skit was HILARIOUS! Until Ving Rames came out.......he really didn't seem like he had it together (mentally). Did you see Keyshia Cole's face when he started cursing and actin crazy? And what don't black people understand about the word "live"? You can't get on there cursing and acting ignorant and what not! What was wrong with everyone? Like we ain't go no sense? Like many other people, I have a major problem with BET being representative of black people general. We can do so much better than the things that they air.

Also: My personal highlight of the evening was the "Skank Robbers: Sheneneh Jenkins and Wanda Reid" skit with Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx. I was going to post it here but Viacom has pulled the clips off YouTube. If that was a real movie I'd soooo go see it! LOL.

Usher's Got Milk? Ad

Hmmm. Peep Usher's Got Milk? Ad. Sorry the pic is kinda small. It says the following on the bottom:

“Let it flow. I pour my heart into my music. How do I stay in tune? With milk. The protein and nutrients in lowfat milk help me build muscle and stay fit. So eat right, exercise and grab a glass of ice-cold milk. Now that’s chill.”

Yeah. That was kinda lame. I've always been an Usher fan but he's definitely lost that "My Way"/"Confessions" swagger he used to have. And doesn't his face look kinda unattractive? He looks like his eyes are closed. Not cute.

Golden Brooks is Pregnant!

Golden Brooks who played Maya on the tv show "Girlfriends" is reportedly pregnant by her boyfriend DB Woodside (yeah I had to google him myself...he's an actor and used to be on the show "24"). They've been dating a year. Congratulations I guess!

Random: Did you know that Golden went to UC Berkeley and got a master's degree from Sarah Lawrence College? Yeah. Surprised me too.

My Apologies...

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been really busy with summer school and other business that I've totally neglected this blog. But I'll be posting some new celebrity gossip, photos, and music later probably tomorrow or Monday.

Obama Chia Pet

Man. Everyone is trying to make a buck off of our newest (and sexiest) President. Presenting the Obama Chia Pet! Available in two poses (smiling and not smiling). Just spread the seeds, water, and watch it grow! I remember when I was kid EVERY birthday my aunt would buy me a chia pet. I had so many terra cotta animals on the window sill in my room it looked like a damn zoo. I'm not really feeling these Obama ones. They don't even really look like him. And he looks ridiculous as a chia pet! I wonder if he can sue for these bogus image representations?

Playing in the Backyard

I haven't really been keeping up on news stories but I remember awhile ago Michelle Obama worked on the White House gardens with some kids. I finally looked at some of the pics and saw this one:Hahaha. Barack and Hillary talking in the backyard sitting at a picnic table! Looks like Hillary is just going on and on and Barack is just throwing in "yeahs" periodically. I wonder if they took turns on the slide afterwards...

Sexism: Part 2/LOL! Get a Life!

WOW.... look at what this fool just wrote back to me.

Obviously u have misinterpreted what I've said. However I stand by what i have said, I am not sexist nor misogynistic, but that's how you have just took it. I would've thought you as a lover of philosophy you would have understood what I was trying to say. But you are coming from a very emotional place.

There is nothing for me to be ashamed about. A woman will respect me, because I respect myself and because I am who I am not what I'm not. I have much respect for woman, but I do not respect all women for they are not worth respecting. As far as you're concerned you barely got to know me, because truth be told you wasn't hearing me. Instead you write this disrespectful letter and attack me for something you obviously don't understand.

I have alot of common sense but it you know anything all sense is not common. But obviously you need to do what alot of philosopher's do and ask Why. Use your objective reasoning and find out why I would say something like that instead of reacting subjectively. If I decide to have a real relationship with a black woman, she will have the wisdom that you obviously lack and 72% of single black women as well. A real woman would put up with the so called "crap" because she understand that what I tell her is not to dominate her but to create stability for our home and relationship. A real man wouldn't put up with the feminist contaminated mindset that you have and if he does he doesn't know his worth and is a Bitch. Don't ever send me a disrespectful letter AGAIN. Especially on Easter. How dare you! Either debate with me on a mature and civil matter or keep your opinions and views to yourself. Have a happy Easter Leslie

WOW! I can ignore the personal insults because dude is clearly a jackass. However, the sexism just runs rampant through this conversation...."she will have the wisdom that you obviously lack and 72% of single black women as well," I'm coming from a "very emotional place" and my personal favorite, "she understands that what I tell her is not to dominate her but to create stability for our home and relationship." ARE YOU SERIOUS? Then he starts off by saying that he's not sexist or misogynistic. Clearly you need a dictionary!

I will write my own personal thoughts about this incident in a couple of hours. I have a lot to say....

Sexism: Part 1

So for the first time in 5 years I am actively dating. That's right: I am taking boyfriend applications! I have high standards so of course many that have applied have been rejected rather swiftly. But I've tried to keep an open mind and give everyone an equal opportunity. I've come across many jerks in the process but this one takes the cake:

So this one guy in particular I was talking to on AIM frequently (I no longer give out my phone number--no use in wasting my minutes on these fools) and from the conversations I thought he was a tad sexist. I wasn't sure though, but it didn't matter. I just didn't feel like we were clicking so on to the next applicant. He started a blog and I decided to read his latest entry. Here are a few excerpts:

"We need to flat out tell these women that we expect certain things from them. We have to expect them to do more than suck and f*ck us. King Flex would say that you have to give a woman "chores" to do, which piggy backs on what this video is talking about."

"I'm saying that you should expect her to cook sometimes, do the laundry, and clean. Hell, Atleast let that chick clean after herself. This is why foreign women are so appealing because these values have been brained into her since she was a child. So fellas, have better standards and expectations."

WOW. Get the fuck outta here with that shit! I was livid, but decided to calm down and give a simple response:

"I think you're out of your mind. How could you EVER say something like that with an ounce of common sense? I thought you were more educated than that. You are sexist and misogynistic and you should be ashamed to be a "young black man" with views like that. Since you have no respect for women, how can women have any respect for you? "Men" who think like that want a woman to be inferior to them to make them seem more of a man.

Talking to you on AIM you seemed sexist but I wasn't sure. This just confirmed it for me. Word of advice: You seem like a really nice guy but your attitude needs to change. If you want to have a real relationship with an intelligent, beautiful, black female you need to re-evaluate what you're saying. A real woman is not going to put up with this crap."

But to be honest, I have a WHOLE lot more to say about this. I will write a post as soon as I'm done with this Ancient Philosophy Term Paper.

Death to the Word Swagger

Kiddie Activity

So everyone knows Leslie loves the kids! I have to babysit tomorrow and I think I'm going to do an activity with pasta since I have like 3 boxes of it in my cupboard. All you have to do is put some rubbing alcohol and some food coloring in a ziplock baggy, put the pasta in it and let it sit, then take it out to dry. Then the kids can take glue and stick it to construction paper. This will keep them mildly entertainment for ohhh.....all of 20 minutes.

Senseless...

I am totally angry and saddened right now. 32 Chicago Public Schools have gotten shot since September. This is really scary and senseless. To be honest, I'm angry. Why are these kids allowed to be on the streets? Why aren't the streets safe in the first place? Why is it that anyone can get a gun? Many of these kids are getting shot by adults not their peers. What threat is a 14 to 17 year old to you? And some of these kids are younger than that. I teach CPS students at a Saturday enrichment program and I've been told many stories about what they have to go through on a daily basis and the incidents they have witnessed. This one girl told me that she was an eyewitness to a shooting that took place right in front of her school. I can never imagine going to school and being afraid. Even the CTA buses aren't safe. An innocent girl was shot and killed, riding on the bus, minding her own damn business. What is going on? There has to be an answer.

Haha Check This Out!

This made my day. Kept me occupied for a good 5 minutes!
http://www.najle.com/idaft/

Check it Out!

Disappointment

For the past couple of weeks I have been planning the budget for this speaker, which I needed approved by my school's allocation committee. To my disappointment, it wasn't approved because it was extremely expensive. I'm just a tad annoyed that we can spend around $10,000 for 3 or 4 random speakers, instead of just investing $30,000 for a really well-known, influential and informative speaker. I was peeved and extremely angry last night with both the process and the decision. However, that anger has turned to motivation and I'm determined to get this man to speak at my school. The more I think about it--I need to use this process of anger turned into motivation to positively influence other parts of my life as well...