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Keep That %$^# In The House

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : May 30, 2012
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Just yesterday, I was in the gym minding my own business and stretching before my workout. As I lifted my head up from stretching…that’s when I saw it. It was one of the most shocking things I had ever seen….one of the ladies that works out at my gym in the morning speaks to me and says, “Hey Carlos!” You’re probably thinking, “What’s wrong with saying good morning?” Nothing at all…..but not with a head full of fluorescent pink, green and orange rollers! And this wasn’t a normal good morning…this was an I just had my coffee, climbed to the mountain top, and I’m oblivious to the disaster on top of my head kind of good morning. WTH?! I just don’t get it. Ladies, I know you work hard to stay glamorous (some more than others), but please leave something to the imagination. Especially when the removal of the imagination is not pleasing to the common eye. Going to the grocery store with bright rollers? Cool. Going to the mailbox with bright rollers? Acceptable. But going to the gym with them on? SMH….The line has to be drawn somewhere.

But that’s just one of the many recent sightings I’ve witnessed from people who should keep certain things in the house… and not in the street. And speaking of the streets, I spotted a puzzling sight in my apartment complex a couple of weeks ago. I was just unloading groceries out of my car when I see one of my neighbors walk past me with a black and red jacket on. The first warning sign was “Why do you have a jacket on in 80 degree weather?” But to make matters worse, there was some weird picture on the back of the jacket. As we crossed paths, I turned to look at the back of the jacket. To my surprise, smack dab in the middle of the jacket, were the numbers “666” surrounded by horns (insert blank stare). Hmmmmm….now that is a real WTH?! moment. Forget keeping it in the house. How about we just trash that one altogether???

Then there are the babies….yes, they are adorable and cute. But, one of my pet peeves is loud kids in a movie theater. Maybe it’s because I don’t have kids of my own yet, but I get really irritated when I pay $10.95 for a movie ticket and have to sit through a wailing soundtrack behind my head during 70% of the movie. WTH?! Not saying people shouldn’t bring their kids to the movies. Hey, babies deserve to see action packed movies too….but please keep them quiet, lol. And isn’t this the line you always hear from the parent: “I don’t know what’s wrong…they usually don’t act like this”. Right (SMH in disbelief)……you may just have to skip the opening weekend of the summer block buster and just make it a Blockbuster night. I’m just saying….

So what are your “keep that %$^& in the house” moments? What are those things you see, hear or feel that make your skin crawl? I’ve shared a few of mine and would love to hear yours. Feel free to leave your comments…..

Music Monday: Top 5 Music Videos Of All Time

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : May 28, 2012
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The evolution of music videos have really made an impact over the years. There’s nothing like watching a music video to a song you already like. Or if the video is extremely good, it will make you like the song even better. Today, at Peauxetic Expressions, I’ve decided to share some of my favorite music videos with you. All of these videos push the envelope of creativity, innovation, and trendsetting. There are so many videos that I love, but these are just a few that I can watch again and again. Hopefully these videos will make you reminisce on great times for this Memorial Day holiday. Feel free to submit your own list too!

Ok, so here’s my list of the 5 best music videos ever….in no particular order.

1. TLC: Waterfalls

“Waterfalls” is the song that really catapulted TLC’s career to superstar status. The song itself is already addictive, but the video makes you dive in even more.  TLC proved that they were more than just Crazy, Sexy and Cool. With complete story lines to accompany the songs verses, miraculously doing weird dancing on top of water, and transforming into see through blob figures, “Waterfalls” still packs the same punch now as it did in 1995. Who knew walking on water in midriff tops and baggy dresses could look so hot.

2. Missy Elliott: Sock It To Me

It’s safe to say that Missy Elliott is probably one of the best artists when it comes to music videos. Her visuals are always over the top and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a music clip from her that I didn’t enjoy. But the one that sticks out in my head the most is from her first CD, Supa Dupa Fly. The concept of “Sock It To Me” (which also features Da Brat and an appearance by Lil Kim) is set in a futuristic video game fantasy world where Missy, Da Brat and Lil Kim fight off their enemies on floating motorcycles, dodging fireballs the whole way through. This video seems to have absolutely nothing to do with the song….but who really cares when it looks this cool???

3. Michael Jackson: Remember The Time

Most people would probably say that “Thriller” is their favorite Michael Jackson video and it’s one of my favorites too. But the one that really stands out to me is “Remember the Time”. The video was released in 1992, from the hugely successful Dangerous CD. Everybody from Eddie Murphy to Magic Johnson was featured in the video too. The slick and polished looking pharaoh themed ambiance, complete with a vanishing whirlwind of sand spin from Michael Jackson, makes this video just as captivating today as it was during its original release. At almost 10 minutes long, this video is worth watching every second.

4. Busta Rhymes Featuring Janet Jackson: What’s It Gonna Be? 

Busta Rhymes always finds a way to deliver outlandish and quirky videos to accompany his high energy songs. And “What’s It Gonna Be?” is no exception. However, on this clip, his approach is more sleek and shiny than bold and gritty. Complete with rain drops in the shape of falling Busta Rhymes figures that land on Janet Jackson, this video is amazing. Not to mention the painted on leather suit Janet Jackson wears in the video. We also see Busta Rhymes change from human to metal armor clad water figure. One of the best Hip Hop videos ever made….hands down.

5. Korn: Freak On A Leash

I’m not a huge fan of Korn, but I must say, their “Freak On A Leash” video is one of the best ever made. The symbolism of the flying bullet and the slow motion shots was ahead of its time when the video was released in 1998. The song, which was lifted from their Follow The Leader CD, proves the group was leading the pack outstanding music videos. I love the mix of animation, slow motion and live performances here. They just don’t make music videos like this anymore. And it’s also good to see Korn is still together. See if you can spot the dinosaur cell phone featured in the video, lol. How times have changed….

SMH @ U and LMBO

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : May 25, 2012
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TTYL. GM. LOL. SMH. IDK.

No these aren’t random alphabets thrown together (although that’s what it feels like sometimes). You may not know what all of these acronyms stand for. But chances are you do. And you use them on a daily basis. But for those that may not know, let’s break down a few of these short hand communication tools:

SMH- Shaking My Head

GM- Good Morning

LOL- Laugh Out Loud

TTYL- Talk To You Later

IDK- I Don’t Know

Ok, so what does this have to do with anything? These are merely just forms of modern communication that we all understand and use. True, but how effective is this communication? And more importantly, how personable is it? Think about the last time you talked to one of your best friends or even someone you consider just an associate. Chances are, you didn’t actually “talk” to them. Skype and phone conversations are one thing,  but we often mean text messages or emails when we refer to talking. We text back and forth for hours and never pick up the phone. What’s up with that? Don’t get me wrong, I’m guilty of this too. But at what point do we realize we’re losing out on what really matters in other people’s lives due to technology?

Would you text someone your condolences for the loss of a loved one? No. To hear the words in a situation like that has much  more weight than an “I’m so sorry to hear that” text message. Or how about dating? Do you ever go out on a first date with someone you’ve never at least spoken on the phone with? No (at least let’s hope not). But once we get comfortable, we convey all of our feelings through our iPhones and Androids (I Luv U 2 and smiley faces). And for those that will say they use voice texts, guess what??? You’re still not having a conversation. You’re merely using your phone as a medium to give your fingers a break or practice safe driving while texting. I’m not saying that text and email don’t have their place. They are extremely convenient, but should never be used to replace authentic face to face (or telephone at the minimum) conversation.

We even have gone as far as using holograms to project images of ourselves and other people who are not really there! Sure, the look of it is amazing, but how much are we desensitizing ourselves to every day human emotions? Communication is a little bit like makeup on an already pretty woman. You may be scratching your head right now but I’m going somewhere with this. You have the woman who is already pretty and should be just using the makeup to enhance her natural beauty. Instead she uses it to define her beauty….and it consumes her. Aren’t we like that when it comes to modern communication? We gauge our status by the types of technological gadgets we have that can enhance the process of communication. When you really get down to it, that’s all it is. Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with being connected to technology. But when we become technology, then we have a problem. There are some things that never change. Human interaction is one of them. So instead of texting back and forth today, make an effort to actually put in a call to that friend or family member you haven’t “talked” to in a while.  You’ll be glad that you did.

BTW, U should leave ur comments while ur here! LOL

Finger Licking Good

Posted by :Peauxetic Expressions On : May 23, 2012
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Imagine going to your favorite fast food restaurant. You can’t wait to get there after work, school or football practice and enjoy your favorite combo. The number 1 with cheese, large fries and a large soda. You come there so much, they know you by name and you know how much you’re going to pay….down to the cent. The cashier says, “See you tomorrow!” And you know they’re exactly right because you’ll be there at the same time tomorrow evening. You get your food, sink your teeth into your burger and…..um, wait. Hmmm….something rubbery and fleshy here….A FINGER! That’s right….you told them to hold the tomatoes and mayo, and they gave you a finger instead. WTH?!!! This has got to be a joke, but it looks and tastes all too real to be a prank.

On May 11, 2012, this was exactly the case for Michigan teen Ryan Hart.  He bit down into his Arby’s roast beef sandwich and to hs surprise, found a finger in it. Well it technically wasn’t a whole finger. It was approximately one inch long and a quarter-inch thick. But who cares about the size??? The real question here is why was there any part of a human finger in his sandwich!? Again…WTH?!?! Apparently, one of the workers cut her finger on a meat slicer and fled her work area without the other employees noticing. Ok, cuts happen…and Neosporin heals cuts faster. But why in the world didn’t any of the other employees notice this??? Come on now, Arby’s I know you’re  making a come back, but nobody is (or should be) that busy where you don’t see a coworker with a bloody finger (or at least traces of the evidence)! SMH…

Thankfully, Ryan has had his blood tested and everything came back fine. But that could have turned out much worse than it did. To add an even more interesting twist, his mother, Jamie Vail,  is unsure on whether or not she’ll sue Arby’s. Unsure????? Jamie, did you not put on deodorant that day? What do you mean unsure???? Maybe she’s trying to practice turning the other cheek (or finger), but I doubt I could be that strong if that happened to my son. Hopefully she’s going to take action on this though, and she’s just saying she’s “unsure” because that’s what her lawyer told her to say.

Is it just me, or does this make you leery of any fast food places now??? accidents like this can happen, but I’d just feel much more comfortable cutting my own finger and then trying to prepare my own food afterwards…at home. But when you really think about it, isn’t that the case with most restaurants? We give them our money in exchange for food that we trust at least meets minimal health standards. And get this, that same Arby’s in Michigan is still in business! I would assume an event like that would shut anybody’s restaurant down, but no…Arby’s is still standing tall and promoting their “Delicious” roast beef sandwich.

So what do you think about this case? Should the employee who cut her finger be punished? Should the mother decide not to sue Arby’s? What would you do here and how much faith do you have in fast food service….or any restaurant for that matter? Bon appetit!