RIP Nate Dogg

Many of you know about my love of music by now. If you didn't know, now you know. This morning I awakened to the terrible news that one of hip hop's most distinct voices, unique G-Funk singer Nate Dogg is dead. Born, Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, Nate Dogg made his debut on The Chronic. Singing in what later become his trademark style, he was well-received by fans and critics alike, and would go on to sign with Death Row Records in 1993. Nate Dogg was also featured on Mista Grimm's "Indosmoke" with Warren G. Then in 1994 he produced his first hit single "Regulate" with Warren G. Nate Dogg was also featured in many Tupac releases, including his collaboration record Thug Life: Volume I. Then in 1998, after a tumultuous time at Death Row Records he released another album. The double album was titled G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2 and was followed up in late 2001 with Music & Me on Elektra Records. Music & Me peaked at number three on the Billboard hip-hop charts in 2001.

While his type of music may not be everyone's favorite, I think his legacy is worth recognition. I used to sneak and listen to their songs as a kid. Hip Hop wont be the same.


In his memory, below are a few of my favorite songs. WARNING: Many of these songs are NSFW!









RIParadise Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011). I send my deepest condolences to all affected by his passing.

Morning Inspiration

GREAT morning ladies and gents! Happy Hump Day!

I'm going to miss this view *tear*

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go. ~Dr. Seuss

Did I just quote Dr. Seuss on a blog aimed at Young Professionals? YES, yes I did. Shocked? Don't be. One Fish. Two Fish. Red Fish. Blue Fish. Moving on. Take a moment and ask yourself this: Do you have the courage to go where your spirit takes you?!  Be clear, your mind and your spirit are two different entities and you should not confuse the two. Your mind changes, your spirit does not. Your mind is intrigued by worldly materials and people, your spirit is not easily moved. Follow your spirit, it is there to lead you.

Have you ever considered how much bravery it takes to decide your own path? You will encounter cowards who were to afraid to follow their dreams so they have resolved to making sure no one else does.You will meet people whose purpose is to make you question your dreams. You will meet people who may be so headstrong that they try to get you to change your path. You must not allow such people to throw you off. I am not saying you should nix everyone who criticizes you but be weary of those who only have negative things to say. Allow me to put this advice in context because some of you need to be criticized. Some of you think everyone is out to get you. Some of you do not know how to recognize the value of criticism. Message. I dont want any of you walking around like your BM doesnt stink and all of your ideas will pan out to make you successful. Constructive criticism is healthy. Go back & read that last sentence again. This is where your circle of trust comes into play. Your circle should be comprised of realistic people who have your best interests in mind so you can trust them to give you their honest opinions. Your circle will save you from investing your time and energy on unreasonable ventures. Don't waste time conversing with people who can not offer constructive criticism. When you realize you are dealing with a negative person, do this:
Remain steadfast.
Hold your head high.
Defend your dreams!
Fight to go where you KNOW in your spirit you should be going!


Today's Song Choice: Faye Ann Lyons-Consider it Done

Randoms: RIP Nate Dogg. Check the story here.

Spread Love!!

Morning Inspiration

GREAT morning everyone!!

"If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, “I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me." -Ann Landers

If you haven't done so already, take the time to give thanks for the blessing of life today. Before I get started on my daily rant I want to warn you all. My brain is still filled with endorphins from my vacay and I can't stop smiling. Its so bad that even when I encounter things that would tick me off before I just *smile.* Nothing like getting a new assignment that will take an hour to complete when you're supposed to get off work in 12 minutes right? I digress. I know how I always promote positive thinking here and I do not want you all to let go of that. However, I also want you all to be realistic. I have learned that when you live realistically and expect things to go wrong it allows you to anticipate them and it softens the blow when things go wrong. Do not be mistaken, I am NOT telling you all to walk around expecting terrible things to happen to you because that is no way to live. What I want you all to understand is that bad things happen but you don't have to be devastated when they happen. Life is characterized by obstacles and as Young Professionals we must all become experts and overcoming them. I do not want you all to sit around believing life will always be "peachy" because it won't be. You can fake like it is if that makes you feel better. Look at all of life's unexpected twists and turns and say "I do not fear you. I will beat you!"

As one of my friends says, every day above ground is a good day! Enjoy your day!


Today's Song choice: Kes the Band-Wotless . Who knew I would love soca music artists so much?

Spread Love!

Morning Inspiration

GREAT morning all! Happy Monday! Did yah miss me?! I missed you all but I enjoyed my vacay. Bear with me as it has been a struggle to transition back to reality.

“Everything in life is connected somehow. You may have to dig deep to find it but its there. Everything is the same even though its different. Somehow everything connects back with your life. The faces in certain places may be different, but the situation is the same. Irony is a hidden factor that creeps around us in life, letting its presence felt only after it has left. Picture back to a year ago and the situation you were in. Look at how things are different yet somehow everything it still in someway cognate. Everything connects together to form the balance of life, to maintain structure. Change is and always will be inevitable, but everything is relative, and all the moments and times in your life will come back around again, you just might find yourself on the other side of the coin. Things are always changing, as fast as everything stays the same.” -Unknown

For many of you today is the beginning of an undoubtedly epic spring break. I encourage all of you to travel safely. For the rest of us, today is another work or school day. Regardless of your mindset right now, I encourage you to keep your mind open to the possibilities of change. I believe this is true for everyone regardless of what stage they are in life. Keeping your mind open will have a dramatic effect on how you process the hap'nins of your life. When the opportunity to try something new presents itself, take it! Let go of any fears you have about how people may judge you because you are the one who will miss out. People will always judge you, but you are the one who has to be strong enough to live the life you want to live anyway. Aside from engaging in activities that may cause you to lose your job, life & family I say take a leap of faith and live your life to the fullest! There is no reason you should live with regrets. If there is something you have always wanted to do (I really hope Carnival in Trinidad is one of them!) what the heck are you waiting for? Stop allowing other people to have more fun than you! Why should other people have all the fun? Stop living vicariously through other people! You have a life to live too and I think it is time you started acting like it. There are so many things you can do to enjoy life and I suggest you create a list of things you would like to do. Need an example? Here is my list:

Train for and finish a triathlon.
Climb a mountain.
Go whitewater rafting.
Go mountain biking.
Body surf (check!)
Learn to surf.
Adopt an animal from a shelter.
Bungee jump in South Africa or Costa Rica.
Snow board in Colorado.
Go on a tour of the Panama Canal Jungle
Zipline through the rainforest (or any area)

My list is continuing as I add more things after I complete one of them. Feel free to share yours.

Today's song choice: Machel Montano-Advantage...D stage is in front of us!

Just for laughs...check out this classic scene from Martin.




Pick up the pieces! Hustle Man has talent! *giggles*

All my love!

2011 Japanese Earthquake & Tsunami

Its no secret, even if you have been living under a a rock. 

On March 11, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Northeast Japan spawned a ferocious tsunami that's caused massive destruction; flattening whole cities, starting raging fires, and killing hundreds.

I felt terrible when I heard about the disasters in Japan. I was so busy enjoying my vacay that I completely disconnected from the world around me. YES I was having *that* much fun. I did not want to beat myself up too much about being oblivious to the disaster because I could not have done anything to change the scope of the tragedy. I could not have deployed planes to evacuate people. I could not have built a dam to stop the water. My heart immediately went out to the people of Japan and to one of my former colleagues who is currently living in the area.  


When my cab driver told my friends and I about the disaster my heart dropped. I read this "One oil refinery went up in flames about 40 miles outside Tokyo, 11 nuclear plants were shut down and a nuclear emergency was declared for one because its emergency cooling systems stopped working. Officials there say the situation is under control and there's no danger of fallout"  and then I saw this footage. You can view more raw footage here.  I did not have to see the footage because reading stories like the one below was a wake up call for me to step up and do something. 

The magnitude-8.9 earthquake triggered a tsunami that swept as far as 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) inland along the northern coast, killing 1,597 at the latest count and risking meltdowns at two nuclear reactors. More than 350,000 people are in emergency shelters. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Sunday the government would use 200 billion yen ($2.4 billion) of money left over from the budget for the fiscal year ending March 31 to start an extra spending package.

Celebs have been tweeting and Facebooking about how you can help and you may not have felt compelled to do so. To a certain extent I guess I can understand how one could think twice before offering help. After all, there haven't been any texting drives to help all the Young Professionals who pursued their education but have failed to secure jobs to pay back Aunt Sallie Mae and Uncle Sam.  Trust me, I know how it feels BUT that does not mean Japan needs you any less. Set aside your qualms with the world for a few moments and send positive vibes (in the form of money, prayers, etc) to the people affected by the quake and subsequent Tsunami in Japan. Consider this my personal plea for all Young Professionals to step up and support Japan during their time of need. It is no longer a question of whether they need it, the time is now to step up and contribute. 

How YOU can help: 

People residing in the US can just key in donate to Red Cross via mobile phone but if you're outside the country you can still help the victims thru donation using Apple iTunes. If you have credits in iTunes store you can visit the Red Cross donation page, wherein you can donate $5 up to $200.




NOTE: This post will be updated as I verify other reputable sources to donate. Feel free to share tips in the comments section. 

Just for Laughs! The Simpsons Comments about PhDs & Grad Students

Hey all,

Miss me yet? By the time this posts I will have my feet posted up on a beach sipping something frozen and delicious. I dont want you all to suffer too much in my absence so I scheduled this post to keep you entertained while I am away. Hope you all enjoy!

"Dont make fun of grad students they just made a terrible life choice" *giggles* thats not true but darn it if it didnt make me laugh!

Spread Love!

Morning Inspiration

Great morning everyone!! Happy "almost Friday"

Never stop. One stops as soon as something is about to happen. -Peter Brock

Last night as I was working on an assignment I have struggled with completing over a week I was on the verge of giving up. My computer had 2 minutes of battery life and I decided instead of charging it, I would call it a night. As soon as I decided that, I had a breakthrough. The instructions for completing the assignment made sense and I darted to retrieve my charger. After only 10 minutes I was able to make more significant progress on the project than I managed to make in an entire week. I started to wonder how many times I gave up too soon and I became determined not to allow myself to get so downtrodden again. I cannot allow myself to stop trying as long as I have Google.  There is always a way to make something happen as long as you are determined to find it. Don't poison your own growth by allowing yourself to give up when it seems like your situation is hopeless. When you feel like giving up, step outside of the situation for a few minutes and clear your head. Drink a glass of water. Take a walk outside. Listen to soothing music. You may choose to do all of the aforementioned simultaneously or one a time but you get the point. Don't ever stop. As long as you keep going, you are one step closer to winning. 




SN: My brain is already on vacation. Sadly, my body hasn't boarded a plane yet. 


Today's Song Choice: Bell Biv Divoe-Poison. 


Spread Love! 

Sharing is Caring: Extreme Couponing

TLC has a new show called "Extreme Couponing" which follows "extreme couponers" on their questions free stuff by using coupons. I must admit, I thought these kind of people were an urban myth. When I was younger, my aunt was a beginning couponer but her methods could not compare to what I saw last night watching this show. While I commend one of the men who took the initiative to donate his deals to a local food shelter, I am perplexed by the thought processes of these people. Take a look and see for yourself.






I will give you a second to wrap your head around it all. I admit it is tempting to start couponing now. Maybe I will find the time to start. I hesitate though because I worry about whether I would get addicted to the "high" of getting such good deals. Like the people featured I would run out of space and then start to infringe on the personal space of my family. I think when it gets to that point, it is time to take a step back and admit your selfishness. I understand that many of them started couponing out of necessity, but from where I'm sitting it appears to have become an addiction. I guess I am thinking more about how it affects other people. I saw them subjecting the tellers to scanning 1500 items in 3 different transactions and holding up and inconveniencing other customers. I just cannot relate. I can see why people would resort to using coupons to save money, but since when do two people with two dogs NEED 9 carts worth of stuff just for the sake of stock piling? What is this the arms race all over again? I think this is yet another example of the greed, overcompensation and entitlement Americans feel.

Your thoughts?

Dont be shy!

Dear M.A.R.C.H 1,

Dear M.A.R.C.H 1,

I know you read my Dear Black History Month post and I hope you did not think you were safe. While that post was an expression of my feelings about black history month, I do not want you to think your time wouldn't come. Your time is now. You may be asking yourself why I am writing to you. I think thats a great question. Lets begin with a short description of your name: M.A.R.C.H. Its an acronym for Month After the Recognition of Colored History. What is your significance? I was just about to get to that. March 1 (while it may be a birthday, the end of the Subway $5 footlong special, and the day your rent/mortgage payment is due, etc) is the day when the weight is lifted off of the shoulders of educators, students and retailers alike. Why? I'm so glad you asked!

I'll start by explaining what you mean to me. You represent the shadow my people are forced into every year. Why would I say something so preposterous? Since you have arrived, people will now either consciously or subconsciously start to behave as though Black History is out of the way. What is sad is many of these people are my own people. Unfortunately some of us have become content with having our history celebrated in merely 28 days. Teachers adopt the mentality that whatever wasn't covered last month, wont be covered. There is no time to squeeze that information into lesson plans, right? Lets face it. After February 28, no one will be formerly admonished for not acknowledging the contributions of African Americans to our country.

I do not want to downplay your historical significance since several events happened on this day. Those events range from the establishment of the Articles of Confederation in 1781 to Congress authorizing the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 to the establishment of the Peace Corps by John F. Kennedy in 1961 to the Watergate indictments in 1974. Unfortunately, there are also things that happen on this day that are not worth bragging about:

*Pictures of African American innovators are taken down.
*Black History commercials are removed from rotations.
*Daily lessons about how we have made a difference are removed from the curriculum.
*Facebook and Twitter philosophers cease using their status as a medium for quoting influential African Americans.

I'm sure you have seen teachers remove the posters, eliminate daily quotes and cut short their efforts to truly shine light on African Americans. You serve as justification for their actions. You may not see yourself like that but that is what you are. I would say I am sorry you have to bear this burden but I am not. Your burden is no heavier than the burden carried by Harriet Tubman when she took a personal stake in ensuring all runaway slaves in her camp safely reached the north. Your burden is no heavier than the burden carried by African slaves who risked their lives to become educated. Further, your burden is much lighter than the risks taken by the Quakers and Good Samaritans who taught the slaves to read and write. Your burden is no heavier than that of the African American shopper in an upscale store subjected to clearly racist behavior. Your burden perils in comparison to overtly racist ads. Your burden is no heavier than that of an African American male who still runs the risk of being mistaken for a criminal. Yes this still happens. With that said, your burden is not one of concern to me.

Since there are 30 other days in March, you may be asking yourself why I singled you out. You might even call me a hypocrite since my quotes for today's daily inspiration post were from Steve Jobs. I can understand how you feel. Nobody likes to be singled out. My answer is simple: It all happens on March 1. The process during which people make the cognizant decision to stop spotlighting African American does NOT take the entire month. I would go so far as to say it takes one day, your day. Just as people wake up on February 1 and think about ways to highlight black history, they wake up on March 1 and think its over. I imagine people saying to themselves "wow is March 1, black history month is over!" I do not imagine people saying "wow its March 21, black history month is really over!"

Now that I have released my feelings, its time to bring it back to the middle. I do not want you to think of this as a personal attack or anything of the sort. It is the exact opposite. I want you to take this as your queue to change. I want you to serve as a symbol of hope such that the history of all races is honored on an equal basis instead of being restricted to one month and then thrown away until the next year. I want you to speak to your sisters and brothers and encourage them to embrace the Afro American past, present and potential. The time is right now to do whats right. Serve to encourage people not to become complacent but to dispute sub-par black history displays. Do not be afraid to step outside of the box, you may make a few enemies but you will also make a difference.

Kind Regards,

Raine Gabrielle

Morning Inspiration

GREAT morning everyone! Happy Tuesday! Guess what today is? Its the first day of M.A.R.C.H! Whats March you asked? GREAT question! Its an acronym for Month After the Recognition of Colored History. What is the significance of M.A.R.C.H? Well I will tell you. March 1 (while it may be a birthday for some of you) is the day when the weight is lifted off of the shoulders of educators, students and retailers alike. Why? Thats a discussion for a post later today. NOW is the time for your daily dose of inspiration.

In the spirit of stepping outside of the box, today's inspirational words are brought to you via video by Steve Jobs. The speech is a few years old and was delivered at a Stanford Commencement Address. You won't be sorry for listening.


Here are a few quotes from the footage above:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards"

"The only way 2 be truly satisfied is to do what u believe is great work and the only way to do great work is to love what u do" 

"Your time is limited so dont waste it living someone else's life!" 

Spread Love!!