Author Archives: M. Bradley

Love (As Seen Through My Eyes)

Posted on by under Love & Relationships

Wow! I never thought that I would be sitting down and writing about a topic as enigmatic as love. Especially, if I wasn’t writing poetry about love (that seems to come naturally to me, when I don’t have writer’s block, that is). But, a friend wanted me to express my thoughts on the subject, so here we go. I might post the poem I wrote that has the same title (I have to rewrite the end of it first).

Love is the biggest contradiction known to man. Before anybody gets their feathers ruffled up, let me explain. True love is probably one of the strongest forces know to man, while at the same time being one of the most fragile. Love can make you feel like you’re invincible, and turn around and instill a feeling of insignificance. Love is a chemical reaction to environmental stimuli, a learned response and an ingrained part of our psyche.

And love manifests itself in, what seems to be, a million different ways. Real quick, write down all the things and people that you can unequivocally say that you love. Now, I’m not talking about things you like to do. I’m talking about things and people that you can’t imagine your life without. These don’t have to be things or people that are still in your life today, all that matters is that the emotion existed towards them. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

After a few minutes, my list is16 items long. But that’s neither here nor there.

And all of us have been in love at least once in our lives. Some of us are lucky to still be with that person, some are not. Some people want to believe that love is the cause of some great pain. I have to disagree. Love, in it’s truest and most pure form, could never cause the kind of damage that it has been know to be blamed for. Heartache is more the result of people not being honest in their relationships.

The biggest thing I want everybody to remember is that you can’t give up on love. Just because you’ve had some problems in the past, that doesn’t mean there isn’t somebody out there for you to love. And don’t think you can live your life without love. Love is an essential part of having a healthy, happy life.

That’s all I got for right now. I’m having a hard time getting my words to come out in clear, concise sentences, so I’m gonna put myself on pause for right now. I’ll try to add more as I make sense out of what’s in my head.

Sources: Shaquille O’Neal, Celts close

Posted on by under News

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=5434969&top&i=BB13&w=2134815

The Science of Philematology

Posted on by under Love & Relationships

Listen up, students of love, today’s lesson is on philematology — the science of kissing. When was the last time you put serious thought into your kissing technique? High school? Instead of trying to master a new position from the Kama Sutra, remaster the first step of foreplay – the kiss.

Though most of us happily smooch our lovers, friends and family without second thought, when you give it some consideration, sticking your tongue into someone’s mouth – full of all those germs – doesn’t really seem like a natural way to express affection. And it isn’t a natural behavior, technically. Kissing – osculating, if you want to take this science thing seriously – is a learned action, not an instinctual one. In fact, there are still many cultures where kissing just doesn’t happen (joyless places, we can all agree).

So how did we kissing fools pick up the habit? Anthropology’s best guess is that kissing’s roots go back to a time long ago when mothers chewed their food and passed it by mouth to their young children. From there it became a sign of comfort or affection between mother and child, and later, in other relationships. Another popular – and more romantic – -theory is that kissing developed as a gesture symbolizing the union of souls. The Inuit, for example, believe the exhaled breath is part of the spirit, so rubbing noses (“Eskimo kisses”) is a way for your souls to mingle.

Like most human behavior, though, kissing can be explained by simple biology. Kissing, flirting, and of course, sex, are all related to pheromones. When you’re lip-to-lip, you’re close enough to subconsciously pick up on the hormone cocktail wafting off the scent glands on your partner’s cheeks. Women swoon for signals that the male has proper immunology to create a healthy child, while men pick up on signs of the woman’s fertility and strength. And all this time you thought you were just kissing because it felt good! Well, that’s part of the kissing equation, too. Our lips and tongues are packed with nerve endings, and the right stimulation increases your pulse and blood pressure, quickening the speed in which your brain starts pumping out the chemicals that make you feel all weak-kneed and googly-eyed.

But sometimes a kiss is just a kiss. There are all kinds of reasons for kissing, and not all of them have to do with sex. There’s the just-friends kiss, the good-bye kiss, the sympathy kiss, the kiss-and-make-up kiss, the good morning, sorry-I-haven’t-brushed-my-teeth kiss and millions more we haven’t even thought of. And that’s good. Since the average person spends two weeks of their life kissing, you’ve got plenty of time to try them all.

If you can’t kiss well, why should your lover believe you could do anything else? Here are a few techniques:

Begin with an Eskimo kiss: Make full body contact. Rub the side of your lover’s nose against your nose using small circles. Sound childish? Not according to Judith Jackson, author of Scentual Touch. She says, “The nose is lined with tissue very similar to the erectile tissue in sexual organs.”

Touch your lover’s face: Don’t feel his/her face like you’re blind. Rather gently place your fingertips on his/her chin or behind one ear. Don’t pull her towards you. Lean towards him/her until your lips meet.

Lock lips: Don’t try to impress him/her with your cultural understanding of the French by sticking your tongue in his/her mouth. Part your lips, and press your lips against his/her lips.

Get tongue-tied: Circle the tip of his/her tongue with yours. Kissing is a two way street. Let his/her tongue into your mouth as well.

Don’t swap too much spit: Consider the game over if he/she has to wipe his/her chin. Salivate over steak, not a woman/man.

A kiss isn’t just a kiss. Your kissing technique determines where else the night will lead.

Top Ten Greatest MC’s (Rappers) of All Time

Posted on by under General

Who’s the best rapper to ever bless a mic? This is one of those topics that seems to never be fully resolved. It always ends with everybody in the discussion agreeing to disagree. I have this argument with my friends all the time, like most hip-hop fans probably do. But MTV took this undying debate to a new level by compiling a list of the top ten rappers of all time. And it goes a little something like this:

10. LL Cool J

9. Eminem

8. Ice Cube

7. Big Daddy Kane

6. KRS-One

5. Nas

4. Rakim

3. The Notorious B.I.G.

2. 2Pac

1. Jay-Z

If you want to read the entire MTV article, you can find it at http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2006/emcees/

Now when I saw this, I was feeling their list for the most part, I personally feel like they fucked up the order in the Top 5 and a few of these guys don’t belong in the top 10 at all. So, I took some time and came up with my own list. But it’s kinda hard to narrow down all the talent in the industry to a mere 10 names. So, I decided to start with my honorable mentions, which include:

Ice Cube, Eric Sermon, KRS-One, Nelly, T.I., Ludacris, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Li’l Kim, Scarface, Method Man, MC Lyte, E-40 and Ghostface

Now, I know a lot of you are looking at some of those names and wondering what have I been smoking. But, in my eyes, each of these artists either helped to put their perspective hometowns on the map, showed that lyrical skills weren’t limited to a certain group of people or lasted through the “Golden Age” of Hip-Hop. That’s really saying something! But now it’s time to reveal my Top 10.

10. Queen Latifah – Everybody has to admit that she was holding it down for the ladies. The only reason she’s this low on my list is because I feel like she left the game while there was still plenty of work for her to do.

9. Big Daddy Kane – He’s a living legend. He showed us that it was cool to look good and know you look good. He also proved that’s it’s possible to have fun no matter what. If you ever got to see him perform, you know what I mean.

8. Common – Common is one of those “rewind that!” or “what did he say?” rappers. You really have to LISTEN to his music to catch what he’s saying. Common’s flow is so serious that he could make an entire album of acapella songs, and it would probaly be one of the hottest albums to come out. He also showed everybody that you don’t have to be from one of the coasts to make it the game. And he showed us that it’s okay to have your style, that people are all uniquely different and that we should embrace that.

7. LL Cool J – Uncle L is another one of those living legends. He’s just as hot today as when he burst on the scene in 1985. 1985! That’s 20+ years in the music business! This man has fans that weren’t even alive when he dropped his first album. That’s completely unheard of when it comes to today’s artists, but he has withstood the test of time and survived through the different trends and fads that came along.

6. Eminem – When he first came out, I swore that affirmative action had hit the music industry. But over time, he won me as a fan and made most people see beyond the white skin and blond hair. He’s lyrically gifted and he doesn’t have a problem saying whatever is on his mind. You gotta love that. Plus, I think he opened the door for a lot of young white kids who are fans of the music and dream of making music. Which is something that didn’t exist previously. We all remember the white rapper that came before him, right?

5. Nas – One of the great ones. Nas is one of those artists that you’ll be telling your kids and grandkids about. I think he makes that much of an impact. Who else could set the world on fire by threatening to make an album named “Nigga”? What other artist could pull it off without effectively ending their career? Nobdy but Mr. Jones, that’s why he is who he is. And he also helped the next man keep the game going after we lost 2 of the greatest that we’ll ever see.

4. Jay-Z – Numbers don’t lie. Almost every year since 1996, this dude dropped an album that you would swear were audio crack. Once people got a taste, they had to run out and get it. He’s more than just a great artist. He’s a shrewd businessman and a style icon. Hov wrote the book on getting your grown man swag on. “I don’t wear jerseys, I’m 30-plus. Give me a crisp pair of jeans and a button up.”

3. Rakim – How many rappers can you think of that could insult you without ever saying a curse word? There’s only one. He’s another one of those living legends. And he’s probably your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper.

2. The Notorious B.I.G. – Biggie accomplished in 2 albums what most artists can’t do over a lifetime. He made himself a legend by making sure that his music always related to the person listening. There isn’t a hip-hop fan alive who can’t recite at least one verse by Big. He was just that dynamic. This was kind of a hard one for me. I’m a big fan of this man’s and it was kind of diffucult to not just give him the #1 spot simply for that reason. He and the guy in the #1 spot share some of the same skills on the mic, but his body of work isn’t big enough to place him above…

1. 2Pac Shakur – Anybody who started life like Pac did must’ve been destined for greatness! Born in prison and the son of at least one Black Panther. He was the ultimate versatile MC, he could battle rap with anybody or hit the studio and drop a classic. He could rock the party with one song and the very next one could hush everybody and make them think. He’s another one who just about everybody is a fan of in some small way, and we all indentified with him on some level. This man’s talent was evident from the start, just read his book of poetry. Here we are, 10+ years after his untimely death, and he’s still dropping records!

Hopefully, while you’ve been reading this, you came up with your own list. Share it! I’d loved to know what you think. Tell me where you disagree with me and why. Peace and love.

10 Reasons Not Skimp On Sleep

Posted on by under Health

You may literally have to add it to your to-do list, but scheduling a good night’s sleep could be one of the smartest health priorities you set. It’s not just daytime drowsiness you risk when shortchanging yourself on your seven to eight hours. Possible health consequences of getting too little or poor sleep can involve the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. In addition to letting life get in the way of good sleep, between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder—insomnia or sleep apnea, say—that affects daily functioning and impinges on health. Consider the research:

1) Less may mean more. For people who sleep under seven hours a night, the fewer zzzz’s they get, the more obese they tend to be, according to a 2006 Institute of Medicine report. This may relate to the discovery that insufficient sleep appears to tip hunger hormones out of whack. Leptin, which suppresses appetite, is lowered; ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, gets a boost.

2) You’re more apt to make bad food choices. A study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people with obstructive sleep apnea or other severely disordered breathing while asleep ate a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat. Women were especially affected.

3) Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, its precursor, may become more likely. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night were 2.5 times more likely to be diabetic, while those with six hours or fewer were 1.7 times more likely.

4) The ticker is put at risk. A 2003 study found that heart attacks were 45 percent more likely in women who slept for five or fewer hours per night than in those who got more.

5) Blood pressure may increase. Obstructive sleep apnea, for example, has been associated with chronically elevated daytime blood pressure, and the more severe the disorder, the more significant the hypertension, suggests the 2006 IOM report. Obesity plays a role in both disorders, so losing weight can ease associated health risks.

6) Auto accidents rise. As stated in a 2007 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 20 percent of serious car crash injuries involve a sleepy driver—and that’s independent of alcohol use.

7) Balance is off. Older folks who have trouble getting to sleep, who wake up at night, or are drowsy during the day could be 2 to 4.5 times more likely to sustain a fall, found a 2007 study in the Journal of Gerontology.

8) You may be more prone to depression. Adults who chronically operate on fumes report more mental distress, depression, and alcohol use. Adolescents suffer, too: One survey of high school students found similarly high rates of these issues. Middle schoolers, too, report more symptoms of depression and lower self-esteem.

9) Kids may suffer more behavior problems. Research from an April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that children who are plagued by insomnia, short duration of sleeping, or disordered breathing with obesity, for example, are more likely to have behavioral issues like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

10) Death’s doorstep may be nearer. Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying—regardless of the cause—according to three large population-based studies published in the journals Sleep and the Archives of General Psychiatry.

United Arab Emirates to ban BlackBerry services, Saudi follows suit

Posted on by under News

http://www.apnews.com/ap/db_6720/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=FVYa9wFI&detailindex=1

Love (Revisited)

Posted on by under General

After reading through my notes, I came across a subject that I really wanted to touch on again. And since most of us just celebrated Valentine’s Day, I figured this was the best time to do so.

One year removed from discussing this very same topic, I’ve noticed that my views haven’t changed much. I still feel like love is the most enigmatic force on Earth. I still feel that love gets a bad rap in certain situations, but the major difference between my thinking now and then might be that I find myself craving that type of connection more now than ever before. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m developing feelings for a certain individual or if its something else. Some might think that its just my biological clock ticking (yes! Men have a biological clock, too) but I’m more than sure its not. I’m just reaching the age when I think that people should be settling down and starting a family. And if it was just a chemical reaction to parameters that have been “established” by society, I would’ve been married with kids by now and those that know my history know what kind of disaster that would be! I really believe that its a combination of the two. I’m at an age that beginning a family is the next great adventure in life and I think I might have found somebody that I would love to that with. But, what do I know, right?

Ladies, Love Yourself…

Posted on by under General

Someone will always be prettier. Someone will always be smarter.
Some of their houses will be bigger. Some will drive a better car.
Their children will do better in school.
And their husband will fix more things around the house.
So let it go, and love you and your circumstances.
Think about it!
The prettiest woman in the world can have hell in her heart.
And the most highly favored woman on your job may be unable to have children.
And the richest woman you know, she’s got the car, the house, the clothes, but she might be lonely.
The word says, “If I have not Love, I am nothing.”
So, again, love you. Love who you are.
Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say, “I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed!”
“Winners make things happen, losers let things happen.”

39 Tips to Feeling Fine in 2009

Posted on by under General

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your inner self is always happy. So, be happy on the outside too.

The Top Ten Greatest Rap/Hip-Hop Groups of All Time!

Posted on by under General

Last time, I posed the question “Who’s the best rapper to ever bless a mic?” I didn’t really get a whole lot of answers, but I feel like I sparked some interesting conversations. But now, I want to know who’s in your top ten when it comes to rap/hip-hop groups. Once again, MTV gave me a base to jump off. And it goes a little something like this:

10. UGK

9. The Fugees

8. Salt ‘N Pepa

7. EPMD

6. A Tribe Called Quest

5. Wu-Tang Clan

4. OutKast

3. Public Enemy

2. N.W.A.

1. Run-DMC

http://www.mtv.com/bands/h/hip_hop_week/2007/groups/

Just like MTV’s list of Greatest Rappers of All Time, I was feeling this one a bunch! And once again, I feel like they fucked up when it came to the Top 5. But, for the most part, they got the list right this time! I still got some honorable mentions, but not as many this time. So here we go:

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Dead Prez, UGK, EPMD, St. Lunatics, Goodie Mob, De La Soul, Three 6 Mafia, The Roots, The Sugarhill Gang, The Geto Boys and 2 Live Crew

I told you my list of honorable mentions was shorter this time! These groups get an honorable mention for pretty much the same reasons as on my list of greatest rappers. So let’s get to my top ten:

10. The Beastie Boys – These cats was wild as hell! They made great party music. But they kinda lost that fun spirit as they got older.

9. The Fugees – It was kinda hard for me to see this group near the bottom of MTV’s list and it was even harder for to place them this low on my own. But I have a reason. They broke extremely too fast! They dropped one mainstream album (there is another Fugees album that predates The Score, just don’t ask what the name of it is). But I’m a huge fan of their music and I love the way they blended different styles to make their own music. And this group also produced 2 huge stars in the music industry: Lauryn Hill (who also flamed out after one amazing album) and Wyclef Jean.

8. A Tribe Called Quest – Not too big of a fan of this group, but I respect the fact that definitely made good music. They also helped introduce the world to one of my favorite rappers, Busta Rhymes.

7. The Roots – The Roots make my list for the same reasons as The Fugees.

6. Salt ‘N Pepa – These ladies held it down! They were sexy as hell and knew how to handle themselves on the mic as well.

5. Wu Tang-Clan – How in the hell can 9 people be in one group, make sure everybody is featured and still make hot music? Ask the boys from Shaolin how they pulled it off. And just like The Fugees and The Roots, they introduced us to some major stars. (R.I.P. Ol’ Dirty Bastard)

4. Public Enemy – I’m not a really into political music, but Chuck D and the crew really held it down. They brought pressing issues to light in a way that was entertaining as well as informative. They would’ve been higher, but I had to punish them for unleashing Flavor Flav on the world.

3. N.W.A. – There are no words that can really describe the impact N.W.A. had on music. They came out at a time when the world needed to hear what they had to say. (R.I.P. Eazy E)

2. OutKast – I removed UGK & EPMD from my list for not being actual groups, just duos. That’s also the reason why another one of my favorites, 8Ball & MJG, didn’t make the cut. And the same fate almost befell Big Boi & Andre 3000. But I thought about the fact that they came out and really helped put not only Atlanta, but Southern rap music on the map. Big ups to them boys. I hope they drop another album soon.

1. Run-DMC – “I’m the King of Rock, there is none higher. Sucker MC’s should call me sire!” That line pretty much says it all. I own a leather blazer still because of them. You can even catch me rockin’ my Adidas with no shoe strings.

Hopefully, while you been reading this, you came up with your own list. Share it! I’d loved to know what you think. Tell me where you disagree with me and why. Peace and love.