Author: danithedreamgirl

It’s Time for a POPCORN Break!

Wake up, take a shower, pick out my clothes, get dressed (HURRY, HURRY), brush my teeth, run to the car, race to work, check my emails, go get breakfast, scarf breakfast down, sit in meetings, talk with customers, do some work at my desk, eat lunch fast (HURRY!!!)….PAUSE!  This is the moment in my day when I stop and think, “are you going to rush through every moment?”  My life went from being robotic to being non-stop!  I love what I do (writing, that is), but JEESH, sometimes I don’t get to enjoy my whole day because I move through it so quickly.

I feel like my friend, Shipwrecked on Fabulous Island, when she had to close her door just to enjoy an old Snickers bar.  Like, for real, I often think that I need just one extra hour to my night or just one whole day to do NOTHING.  Like today, I usually post an interview, featuring some celebrity or super cool individual, but I honestly just couldn’t.  I was so tired last night that I crashed and what was supposed to be a 30 minute nap, turned into a 3 hour vacation on my couch…that’s how tired I was!  All of this made me realize, I need to sloooooow it down and just chill.

I thought of all the good movies that are out that I haven’t had time to see yet.  So, you know what?!  This Dreamgirl is taking herself on a date to go see a movie!  I have SO many choices, I don’t know which to choose.   Let’s see…hmmm…Batman?  Savage? Bourne Legacy?  Ahhhh, just the thought of being at the movies with over-salted POPCORN (lots of butter of course) and a slurpy makes my insides tingle (by the way, I splurge on the kid’s meal that comes with a small popcorn, fruit snack and an extra dollar for the slurpy…I’m not going broke on this date buying $7.00 popcorn lol).

I spill all of this to you, only to say this…make sure, you are at least trying to enjoy some personal time.  When you work hard, you have to play hard also.  I know that not everyone is having the best week or some may be going through big life happenings, but even in those cases, remember…you only get one life on Earth (unless you’re reincarnated as an Olympic athlete like I will be), so enjoy it and try to be thankful.

Enjoy your weekend everybody!

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Naps, Kinks & Curls…Who Cares?!

So, in honor of the newest (ignorant) craze about our newest All-Around Gold Medalist, I’ve decided to address what seems to be a major issue within certain circles.  Let’s jump right into it!  Who the frap cares about hair THAT much to directly lash out against a 16 year old who made HISTORY?  It completely disgusts me to even think that people can, not only be so cruel, but they can be so superficial and disrespectful.

There seems to be a movement toward individuals going natural and less use of relaxers or other chemicals that could theoretically make them more “socially acceptable”.  Doesn’t that mean everyone can have different hair and do it as they please?  So, I dare ask the questions:  What does hair really represent?  Does it make you more acceptable to not rock the curls and/or naturalness?  Is there REALLY a need to be so hung up on titles of hair types?  I understand that this may be a sensitive subject for folks, but dang…image is not always everything when it’s at the expense of your sanity (or someone else’s).

NAPS: Now, this is a BIG thing for me to even be discussing.  I used to be the “ignorant” one who had no clue that “nappy” had a racial connotation (I still don’t and I still say it), BUT although I still say “nappy” I’m more aware of who I am saying it to for the sake of not hurting someone’s feelings (ugh).  For me, someone who is white, black, purple or green can have “nappy hair”…if you don’t do your hair, then hey, that’s what the heck it looks like!

TYPES: I just learned within the last couple of years that there were different hair types defined within a numbering system (3a, 4b, 4c, etc.).  I always used to just refer to types as, “curly” or “straight” or “tight curls” or “wavy” or “coarse”…you get the point.  I was educated on what hair type I have on Curly Nikki.  Honestly, I could care less…I just love my curls, who cares if you don’t.

GO OFF MOMENT: The point is, NOT everyone cares enough about hair to make a big stink about how others rock theirs!  Now, people can be a part of secret societies, forums or groups that only talk about hair, that is fine.  But, when there are certain individuals who take it a step further and ASSume that hair should DEFINE a person, that is when I get all out of sorts.  Here is this beautiful girl (not just a black girl, but a PRETTY GIRL) who worked her butt off to be able to compete on the United States Olympic Gymnastics team and the main thing that her “fellow people” choose to focus on is her hair?  Check out some of the HORRIBLE tweets that were put out about Gabby as she was still competing for her gold medals:

Why hasn’t anyone tried to fix Gabby Douglas’ hair?

Gabby Douglas gotta do something with this hair! These clips and this brown gel residue aint it.

Can Dominique Dawes fly to London to comb Gabby Douglass’ hair ???!!!!?!?!

I wanna do Gabby Douglas hair so bad. She makes me so sad.

Sometimes I wish there were a special device to rid the world of people who make comments like this (especially when they haven’t even mastered the English language)!  While they were busy tweeting and doing nothing short of being upset and jealous that their life is probably MISERABLE in comparison to Gabby’s, this young talent was wow-ing the rest of the world by being the FIRST African American female to win the gymnastics All-Around gold medal.  I’m here to say, “CONGRATS GABBY!”  Don’t let the world taint your view and don’t even think for one second that your hair defines you!  YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

WHEEEW! Glad I got that off my chest!  In honor of this inspiring young lady, enjoy the pics you freaking haters!

Saved the best for last for the haters!  BOOM!  When was the last time you were endorsed by a major brand?

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Jeremih-NEW MUSIC!!! Free Mixtape Download!

Check out the latest from Jeremih as he drops his brand new mixtape, Late Nights, on Datpiff.  Click on the link for your free download and as always, let me know what you think:

 
 

http://www.datpiff.com/Jeremih-Late-Nights-With-Jeremih-mixtape.379278.html

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The Lessons of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta

Well folks, did you learn anything THIS week?!?!  Of coooourse you didn’t!  Why?  Because that ish isn’t reaaal (hee hee)!  Regardless of the fakery, once again, I was able to snag some lessons that we could all learn from.  Check them out:

1.  If you name your kid “Stevie J,” #2 and #3 will more than likely define their path and they’ll look like this:

Aaaaaaand like this:

And bite you like THIS:

2.  If you got to therapy with your baby daddy and his side chic, you’ll have to watch him wipe sweat off of her nose.

3.  If your baby daddy’s side chic finds out he hasn’t been faithful to her either, your a$$ better bob and weave because she’s going to start swinging (something you should have done already)!

4.  If you do vagina exercises now, you will have that snapper in your 40’s that will cause a man to buy you diamonds after less than a month of dating (and all you have to buy him is a fake metal puzzle piece to carry around his neck)!

5.  Don’t ever be surprised when your ex drops a mixtape, has a release party, doesn’t invite you and instead brings his new jumpoff (after all, he did take his couches back when he moved out!).

6.  Being on a show called, “Love & Hip Hop” when you’re an R&B singer may offer some insight as to why you aren’t further along in your career (but we thank you for being such a great friend to everyone!).

7. Going to see a therapist that says, “WHAT THE HELLLL WAS THAT?!?!” or “Look at the bottom of your shoe…you’ve stepped in something again” may not be the best life choice lol.

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The foolery has us entertained if nothing else…who knows why I subject myself to this madness.  Oh, wait…I know why…because it makes my life look somewhat normal lol!

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B.B.M.: Grammar is YOUR Friend!

Welcome back for another installment of, Become a Blogger Mondays!  It’s amazing that you’ve found your site and are starting to pick which topics to blog about.  This is a very exciting time; trust me, I know!  However it’s always important to stick with the basics when it comes to writing.  A little grammar can go a long way *wink*…again, trust me…I know!

There are certain pet peeves I secretly contain within my mind and it is NOT easy turning the other way when I see poorly written posts (remember my interview with blogger, Jasmine the Brand?).  Ever go to a site that has the BEST design, great topics of discussion, great interviews, etc., but when you get into the “meat” of the post, you can barely comprehend it?  You feel my pain (I know you do!).  It’s like looking at a pretty car that’s all scratched up; you have to ask yourself, “why even bother buying that piece of crap?”  Well, that’s how I feel about improper grammar on blogs!  In this day and age, there is no reason for poorly written sentences, lack of punctuation, horrible spelling…you get the picture.  Look, we ALL make mistakes, but eventually you need to be proud of the work you put out to the world and bad grammar should NOT be a consistent mishap when writing.  So, rather than slap your hand with a ruler and take recess away from you offenders, I’m going to give you some pointers that have helped me in doing a pretty good job with proper grammar!

1.  Always, always, always PROOF your work before publishing it.

It only takes a few minutes to go back and re-read your post; it’s really not that bad.  I’m actually obsessed with going over my work before you lovely people get a chance to read it (maybe that’s the English major in me).

2.  Have a friend read your post for you.

I have the luxury of being able to send my work to a close friend (who is also a grammar Nazi…worse than me!) before I publish a post.  Another set of eyes can never hurt and they may also be able to catch things that you missed as a result of staring at the same screen for a long period of time.

3.  Always use spell check as a FINAL step.

I say “FINAL” because proofing is still the most effective way to catch major grammatical errors.  Spell check is just the easy way out!

4.  Make sure your computer is set up to highlight incorrect words, punctuation, fragments, etc.

This is self explanatory…just do it!

5.  Read more!

Most people might not think to do this, but reading more can actually help you in a lot of ways.  It will not only increase your vocabulary, but it will also provide repetition in reading proper sentence formations.  Of course, this all depends on what you choose to read, but you get what I’m trying to say.

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I hope you’ve learned something useful today!  Remember, it’s very important to pay attention to GRAMMAR!  Take pride in your work because there’s no quicker way to lose credibility than to sound like a 3rd grader through your writing.  If I see nothing but typos on a site, I won’t even finish reading the post.  I will automatically stop taking the blogger/writer seriously.

Come back next week for, Become a Blogger Mondays…not sure what I’m going to discuss yet, but that’s the beauty of having my own site!  I get to do what I want, BIATCH!  Did you catch me spell that cuss word wrong?  Good!  You’re learning already!  But, there are effective ways to use improper grammar after all…did I just confuse you?  GOOD!  Adios, Dreamers!

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Maia Campbell…Getting Back on Track!

If there is one thing we’ve all learned about life thus far, it’s that we don’t always get to control the pitfalls that are lurking on the road ahead.  Even the things that we can control, can sometimes prove to be a roller-coaster ride.  This is where our wisdom is born and our strength is heightened.  In the moments where we can learn from our mistakes, try again and grow from our past, is where WE are built.  So often, we not only get to see our peers travel on their journey through life, but we get to see those that are in the media spotlight as well.  A celebrity puts their life on display for us to observe, to have opinions on and to critique every detail, from what they wear, down to what they eat.  They put themselves on the line for praise and judgement alike, but what you don’t always get to see is their personal struggle to come back from the pitfalls that may have overtaken them.  I’ve been determined to have Maia Campbell join the Dreamworld, since she is someone who’s experienced life at its best and has overcome tragedy right in front of our very eyes.

At a young age, she became a familiar face to many, on and off the screen.  Maia played the role of “Tiffany” on the hit show, In the House, featuring LL Cool J.  She’s been featured in other projects such as: Poetic Justice, Thea, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Moesha, just to name a few.  Her success took a tragic turn when the world began to see her in a much different light.  Hidden from the big screen for years, tabloids and home footage began to quickly surface of Campbell, looking taken over by drugs and displaying irate behavior.  No one knew what had happened, but what we saw was heartbreaking.  Our young starlet was no longer young and it seemed her path had deviated from being a star.  Since then, she’s done a pretty good job staying out of the media and has taken major steps towards her recovery and improving her life.  Maia was gracious enough to share her story with me; take a look at what life has been like for her, how she got there and what she advises up-and-coming stars to be aware of:

First and foremost, how are YOU doing?

I have been doing great, working on a few projects and enjoying my family now more than ever.

Going back to when you were first introduced to the world and this industry, how hard was it for you to be discovered?

I actually loved acting and singing but never knew I would be famous. I was introduced to a lot of legends when I was young and worked with them and didn’t realize the seeds that were being sewn.  Breaking in to the industry wasn’t difficult for me when I look back on it.

There are so many people who fight hard to get noticed and make it on television and in movies, what was your motivation to keep going and sticking to your career goals?

The generation has changed DRASTICALLY. Talent is what used to be required now its like anyone can do television. It was important for me that young girls looked at me in a positive light. I never wanted to be seen throwing glasses, and food across a table.

How do you determine what roles are right for you?

I have a saying that I live by and that’s, “if it doesn’t feel right, then it’s not for you” so when I audition or roles are presented I always think about how the character will make me look. I am very selective!

So that others can see YOUR words, what do you think contributed to your hardships in the industry? Should other aspiring actors beware of anything specific on their journey to the top?

Not having REAL people around, and not realizing how blessed I truly was. I took so many things for granted. I would tell anyone make sure you know who you are and have a solid foundation because you can get so lost in the world of entertainment.

How did it make you feel when the world got to see you in the midst of your struggle? Did you feel violated?

It took for me to step back and see the person that had become so bad. I used to blame others, but there comes a point where you have to be responsible and accountable for YOUR actions. To me, that is where growth comes from because I was at a place in my life where that type of life is what I felt I deserved.

What new projects are you currently working on and what would be your dream role moving forward?

My dream role is to play Whitney Houston and I have a few awesome projects I am working on that I can’t speak on right now, but I think people will be so proud when they see the finished projects.

How can the fans show their support because we certainly miss you and have been cheering you on?

Make sure you follow me on Twitter (@MaiaCampbell);  the love that I receive daily, I couldn’t ask for more.  To see some people create accounts just to show me love, it means so much.

If you could go back in time and offer the “younger you” one piece of advice what would it be (based on what you now know about the industry)?

Enjoy being a kid, don’t rush to be an adult.

What is one funny/quirky thing about you that the fans may not know?

I am quite the little comedian and I am so sarcastic.  My friends and I just sit around imitating people on TV shows and movies and we laugh for hours.

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No matter what we may face in life, it’s never too late to pick yourself up and bounce back.  Thank you for visiting the Dreamworld!  I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about Maia Campbell’s journey…it’s sure to be a great lesson for us all!

(Remember him? He played “Austin” on In the House)

(Mari Marrow from How to Be a Player)

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Jay-Z’s Nephew, Mel Carter, feat. J. Dot- NEW MUSIC!

 

That’s right!  Jay-Z’s nephew, Mel Carter, is working his way to the forefront with his new track, Bad You Know, featuring J. Dot.  Currently reppin’ New Jersey and originally from Marcy (Brooklyn), he’s about to drop a much anticipated mixtape (on DatPiff), Popular Stranger, in September.  Want to know more about him?  Well, you’re just going to have to wait for my interview!

 
 
In the meantime, check out Mel Carter’s new video, Bad You Know:

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Been Wondering Where Miguel Has Been? – New Music!

He’s back with an upcoming new album, Kaleidoscope Dream, and is dropping new music for his fans around the world.  Check out the latest video for his hit track, Adorn!

The Dreamgirl supports great artists!!!  Click on the link/video below to view:

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What Can “Love & Hip Hop ATL” Teach YOU?!?!

The answer is simple…not a DAMN thing! Ok, ok, that was harsh, but seriously…this show CAN’T be real!  Of course, that’s because it’s NOT, but it does highlight some interesting things.  Check out what you can take away from this ratchet display of poor acting and fake plots:

1.  Don’t have babies unless you’re married or else you’ll end up like Mimi, chasing off a Spanish poodle who raps.

2.  If you’re going to pounce someone on the first date, don’t do it on national television like K. Michelle.

3.  Don’t trust anyone named Stevie J.

4.  If you date Benzino for a week, he will give you a key to his house and get you a huge meeting with one of the biggest label executives.

5.  Don’t hire your husband as your manager…if you do, you’re going to have to suffer through firing him!

6. If you date a rapper, he will leave you for his best friend and take his couches back when he moves out.

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Sorry for the temporary insanity in posting about this crap…trust that my next post will be uplifting and inspirational!  We all need a little jokey-joke time in our lives (lol)!

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