Negro Please

Sunday Random Ten: Zero to Hero Edition

"Now what went down I don't believe it. I just know I can't conceive. I'm searching." - Roy Ayers, Searching

The Weekend: Friday was a home night to prepare for the rest of the weekend which featured me not in costume carting around ladies in full masquerade as a princess, a panda, a kissing booth and a two headed Dragon. I rocked my California Parking Systems shirt to have a non-costumed cover story ("I'm a valet. Can I take your keys and a tip?") and ended up going to two parties. One where some zombies got engaged and another where I danced it out. My girls like to party all the Daylight Savings Time.

This is important because as I was groggily going about my usual Sunday rituals, this morning there was...

Blogarazzi!: After breakfast, we made our way to Target in Burbank and as we're heading to check out, this occurs

Woman I don't recognize walking towards us: I feel like I'm seeing a rock star.

Me (rocking my "Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis" face) laughs nervously as she passes.

Woman: I read your blog.

I turn beet red and continue to laugh unintentionally.

Woman, passing by us again: You're on my myspace favorites. It says right there, "Negro Please!"

Now, okay, at this point I should be saying, "Really? That's so cool. Thanks for reading. Sorry I'm lame and don't know how to react to people in public" but instead of that reasoned response I just provide more uncontrollable laughter but at a louder volume and now with me sweating to add to the excellence of this exchange.

I check out and pull myself together still entirely too confused but as she exits...

Me: What's your name?

Woman: We're not friends or anything but I'm Teresa. You're one of my contacts on flickr. I'll send you a message.

Me: Nice to meet you, Teresa. Thanks for reading.

Teresa: You write well.

Me: Thanks so much.

Blogarazzi!

But now this makes me feel bad about this silly site that no longer gets any love and I feel worse because Teresa's on myspace and I'm not because I hate myspace so we had this awkward conversation in Target because Tom isn't my friend. Which brings us to...

Drop that Zero and Get with the Hero: Vox came out of beta this week and is now open to the public. It is myspace/livejournal for intelligent people who like pretty things and aren't trying to collect friends like trading cards or, hopefully, get spammed to death by internet marketers. It's made by the fine people at Six Apart who create these awesome blog tools like typepad and movable type and I'm spending all my free time playing over there. Negroplease.com is dead right now but negroplease.vox.com is alive and kicking. Sign up. Play around. Add me to your neighborhood. It's cold as ice!

Out of 444 songs played in the last week, we've got ourselves a

Sunday Random Ten

1. The Diff'rence - J Dilla aka Jay Dee
2. Crosses - Zero 7
3. Pack Up Remix (feat. Evidence & KRS One) - Lyrics Born
4. Anna Begins - Counting Crows
5. Secret - Maroon 5
6. I'm An Actor - Phoenix
7. I've Heard - Hot Karl
8. Get Away - 120 Days
9. Friends - De La Soul
10. Money Don't Make U Rich (featuring Strong Arm Steady) - Hi-Tek

The Pumpkin King

IMG_0420
Originally uploaded by lifeofthefemalemonk.

I'm still elsewhere but, you know, Happy Halloween! Are you doing anything particularly zombified this weekend, my groovy goulies?

Sunday Random Ten: Elsewhere Edition

"He said, 'I'm bad but not as bad as Eric Benét'" - Common, Faithful

Vox. Flickr. Last.fm.

On this very neglected space, out of 298 songs played in the last 7 days, we've got ourselves a

Sunday Random Ten

1. I Was A Lover - TV On the Radio
2. Together Someday - Hepcat
3. Fallout - The Futureheads
4. Press Pause - Danity Kane
5. E=MC² (featuring Common) - J Dilla
6. Slippin' - Aya
7. Transformer - Gnarls Barkley
8. Without You - Sasha Dobson
9. The End Is Near (featuring Black Spade) - Nicolay
10. The Perfect Crime #2 - The Decemberists

Sunday Random Ten: Meet me in Meat Space Edition

"Super fabulous the patterns have been uplifted" - Blackalicious, The Fabulous Ones

Hi, this is negro please and a blog used to live here.

The author isn't here right now. He'd much rather be in "meat space" visiting with people in the real world than hanging out here with the computer during his free time.

If you see him out and about, don't be scared. Say hello.

Even though he hasn't had a chance to write his The Wire Recap for last week's episode, he still plans to continue through the rest of the season, time willing. Last Sunday he made the very smart decision of going to see The Departed during what is normally recap writing time and he just hasn't gotten back those lost hours. The Departed was so worth it, though. Maybe, one day, he'll write about that as well.

The magic 8 ball says that's doubtful.

But, hey, why don't you check out 13 Nights of Halloween and The Initiation of Sarah and Buena Vista Games and twdc.com.

That's only the tip of the iceberg.

We've been busy.

Out of 176 songs (that aren't NPR podcasts) that I've listened to at home over the last 7 days, we've got ourselves a

Sunday Random Ten

1. Skit 1 - Dangerdoom
2. Right On - The Brand New Heavies
3. Do A Couple Of Things - James Pants
4. Boutique in Heaven - Justin Timberlake
5. Do Your Thing - Kashmere Stage Band
6. Bullys**t - Quasimoto
7. The Funky Side of Life (Featuring Malcolm Catto) - Sound Directions
8. Song For Lonely Giants - The Mountain Goats
9. Real N***a Roll Call (feat. Ice Cube) - Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz
10. Circus - Kelis

Other things: I've given up on Dexter. I'm liking Heroes more and more. The Nine was less interesting with it's second episode. Good, but not great TV. 30 Rock, on the other hand, was 22 minutes of hilarious heaven. "I'm from the federal government and I've come to inspect the chicken nuggets" will always be funny. Between Urge, eMusic and iTunes, I'm listening to way more new music on a weekly basis than I should be. Somehow, though, Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke keep bubbling up to to the top of the pack.

White boys are doing it for themselves.

09/06 Mixtape: Love Sounds Edition

"Seems that I was busy doing something close 2 nothing but different than the day before" Prince, Rasberry Beret

Nothing random about this group of 18 songs. I think it's the best monthly mix I've done all year. I only question one song's inclusion (You Are What You Love by Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins) and I think that the overall mood of this mix best describes how I felt all September and am feeling now.

I'm filled to the brim with love and possibility and just a smidge of loneliness and regret. And for the month of September 2006, I've got myself the

O9/06 Mixtape: Love Sounds Edition

1. Forever - Bing Ji Ling
2. I Got The - Labi Siffre
3. LoveStoned/I Think She Knows Interlude - Justin Timberlake
4. Wanna Love You Girl - Robin Thicke
5. Are You That Somebody - The Gossip
6. Love (featuring Pharoahe Monch) - J Dilla
7. Happy Soul - The Moon People
8. Find A Way - Smoosh
9. You Are What You Love - Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins
10. Made Up Lovesong #43 - Guillemots
11. Frankie And Annette - Casey Dienel
12. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man - Aretha Franklin
13. For The Love Of You - John Holt
14. I Love You - Under The Influence of Giants
15. I Was A Lover - TV On The Radio
16. Song for Lonely Giants - The Mountain Goats
17. Ain't No Sunshine - Kashmere Stage Band
18. Broken Levee Blues - DJ Shadow

Friday Hodgepodge

"White boys say my style is bitchin'" - Jay-Z, Poppin' Tags (featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike & Twista)

On Being Heathens...
My story is true. We arrived for Meditation at 8:01 am. Service begins at 8 am. We were told to hold up along with several other hopefuls. Agape accepts all except the tardy. I'll get more into the Divine Godhead sometime this weekend.

On Fall Television...
The only new new show I've picked up and really enjoyed is The Nine. I was thoroughly engaged the entire pilot episode. Studio 60 is off the tivo. Heroes is next on the chopping block. Dexter didn't impress. I tried Smith but quickly got bored (is it any different than the much more intriguing than FX's Thief or NBC's Heist from last season except with bigger name actors?). The only other new show I'm trying this fall is 30 Rock and I have high hopes for no good reason for that show. Tuesdays at 9 has 4 shows on that I want to watch now that House will be in that time slot when it returns at the end of the month. I've got to figure out some solutions about that problem. I miss Veronica Mars but I can't justify putting it ahead of The Unit, which is a new love, or Criminal Intent which is an old obsession. Although, if NBC is re-airing Intent on USA again this season, maybe I can. That still leaves House out in the cold, though. Grey's Anatomy in 4 short months has moved to #3 on my favorite shows list with only The Wire and Lost ahead of it.

On Being Hard At Work...
Yeah, not so much today. I woke up feeling yucky. I put in a half-day. I'm now here at home sitting in my PJs hoping that the 'Berry doesn't buzz and send me back to work to deal with fires. No fires on a funk-filled Friday, thanks. I've had 4 and a 1/2 long days this week already.

On these internets...
What site is your current obsession? From a pure "wow" design and "knows it's audience" perspective, I can't get enough of Turbo Nick.

This Week In...The Divine Godhead

"Letters from prison saying we need a better religion" - Hi-Tek, The Sun God (featuring Common)

Question of the day:

What does "Putting God First" mean?

Explanation: My father was baptized on Sunday and he said to me that he is "putting God first in all parts of his life." As I drove home, I kept trying to define what that means. It's not a phrase I would ever imagine myself using but it was also the same Sunday in which I and some friends tried to find some spirituality by visiting The Agape Center but we're such heathens we got denied at the door and ended up worshiping at the altar of syrup and deliciousness known as the Handlebar Cafe at Shutters on the Beach instead.

Rules: Only answer the question in the comments. This likely will lead to other posts about my own heretic's journey into Killing the Buddha but I'd rather not start here with a debate. Definitions only, please.

I look forward to your answers.

Conspicuous Consumption: One-Sentence Reviews

"Where you gonna hide?" - Talib Kweli, Where You Gonna Run (featuring Jean Grae)

Game Theory - It doesn't fit my current mood.

Little Miss Sunshine - Easily my favorite movie of the year.

Ultimate Avengers 2 - Anything with The Black Panther is the awesome.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Surprisingly fun even if Val Kilmer creeps me out constantly now.

Exodus into Unheard Rhythms - Quite possibly the best hip-hop album of the year not by Madlib or J Dilla

Right About Now - It's no Reflection Eternal but it's funky.

Return to Cookie Mountain - Afro-Hipsters Unite for this album!!

Alias Vol. 1, 2 and 3 - Anything with Lucas Cage is the awesome.

Batman: Under The Hood, Vol. 1 - I really like Judd Winick's comic writing and this really worked for me.

Get Lonely - The Mountain Goats got my attention at Revenge of The Book Eaters and keep it with this album.

Day of Vengeance - More Winick but this time I can't get with it because I tend to not like the mystical super books.

Food & Liquor - Ahhhh, fuck me, I hate the cover but really like the album.

Reina - Kinky still can't do a great studio album but this is 40 minutes of fun.

The Dutchess - the worst thing I have listened to this year.

The Very Best of Aretha Franklin: The 60s, The 70s - Hat Tip to Soul Sides for getting me on a big Queen of Soul kick this month.

The Science of Sleep - Michel Gondry really needs Charlie Kaufman to help form his stories as this is no Eternal Sunshine but it's fun and amusing and led directly into the weirdest night of my September.

Monday Random Ten: Pink for Fall Edition

"You need to smile a lil bit and frown a little less" - Oh No, Smile A Lil Bit feat. Posdnuos

Random Data

Reason for New Colors: Pink for October
Places I left comments today: here and here
# of promotions I've had in the last 6 weeks: 2
# of hours I now spend at work on most days: 11.3
# of sites (and people) I'm now ultimately responsibe for: too many to count
# of hours I spend on a weekly basis on the internet for fun now: less and less
# of hours I want to spend in front of a computer on the weekends now: 0
Things I would've linked to if I had done a hot links & gumbo post this week: this and this

It's Fall y'all so out of 41 songs in my iTunes with "Fall" in the title, we've got ourselves a

Monday Random Ten

1. Fall Back - Jean Grae
2. Fall Behind Me - The Donnas
3. When It Falls - Zero 7
4. A Ballad For the Fallen Soldier - Jay-Z
5. My Downfall (featuring DMC) - The Notorious B.I.G.
6. Fall Into You - Soulstice
7. Stumble & Fall - Razorlight
8. Fallin' Up - Black Eyed Peas
9. Fallen - Mya
10. Fall in Love - Slum Village

The Wire: Glitches in the System (404)

"Sometimes I'm goodie-goodie/Right now I'm naughty-naughty" - The Gossip, Are U That Somebody? (Aaliyah Cover)

Episode 41: Refugees
Written by Dennis Lehane
Directed by Jim McKay

"A good church man is always up in everybody's shit" - Deacon Melvin

"No one fucks with me now." - Marlo

"Are you in any way suggesting that the system has lost control?" - Board of Education rep.

Official: "No one wins. One side just loses more slowly." - Prez

Previously on: Marlo wants Bodie's corner. Bunny wants a meaningful job. Royce wants a case to go away. Omar wants some excitement in his life. Marimow wants Major Crimes to suck. Herc wants a promotion. Kima & Lester want the hell out of Major Crimes. Prez wants to forget his first week of school.

The cold open is all about Marlo and his power trip but we'll get to that later. I hadn't seen it last week but during the previously on and throughout this episode it became obvious, Rawls is trying to screw Burrell and the Mayor. While Burrell is too busy trying to dodge the shit storm coming down from Royce's office, Rawls has been moving his chess pieces so that his state's witness murder case doesn't get buried. He's moved Lester & Kima to Homicide and put Colonel Foerster into a position where he's forced to give Kima the case in a order that comes down straight from Burrell. Kima is green but she's great Po-Lice -- another McNulty -- and Rawls knows she's going to do something with a case that she has no business being on.

Hell, that's just what those Major Crimes detectives do, innit? In other Homicide news, Bunk & Lester are partnering on the Fruit murder and figure out that Lex is dead. Bunk gets busy drinking while Cool Lester Smooth wraps his head around the problem of known dead people but no dead bodies.

Meanwhile, it continues to be readily apparent that the kids are doing it for themselves. Sherrod continues to ditch school because he can't read and we learn that Shaquan needed over 200 stitches in her face while Laetitia will move from her group home to juvie which is only a minor downgrade in her life for the crime. Namond's still an ass, Donut's still stealing cars and Dukie continues to be the odd man out while Randy gets caught doing his candy hustle and has to dime out another kid. He also seems most affected by the classroom violence of the previous week.

Michael, however, is on everyone's radar. While his home life leaves much to be desired, he spends his time taking care of his little brother and avoiding the fatherly influence of Cutty, although he is softening. He spars with Cutty and joins him and Justin on a trip to the Fights but won't let Cutty get too close even refusing a ride all the way home. All this happens while Cutty sees a significant problem in the system as he takes Deacon's advice and gets a makeshift custodial job at Tilghman that is mostly about rounding up kids and getting them to go to school...for at least one day. Cutty can't seem to wrap his head around how screwed up things have gotten.

And Michael is still in the sights of Marlo who sees the kid as a possible corner boy. It's a power play. He sees Michael as a comer and could care less about the kid's future. Marlo only cares about his own juice. He spends all episode exerting his influence and power if only to prove to himself that it's still there. After a poker game, he taunts a Security Guard at a quick-mart and has him clipped for disrespect. He forces his package on Bodie. He refuses Prop Joe's reasonable offer to join the Co-Op because "No one's fucking with [him] now." Well, Prop Joe puts Marlo in Omar's path so now, he's officially been fucked with and Marlo, once again, overestimates his power while underestimating Omar's. That's not a good situation for him.

Other notes:

• Carcetti continues to impress the people of Baltimore which probably will end up with a Tony Gray win of the election (This is a baseless prediction. You folks that have seen the entire season already, please don't say shit in the comments about future episodes confirming or denying this. Thanks)
• Grace's last name is Sampson.
• Herc joins Major Crimes for no apparent reason.
• Bunny finds signs of hope in other parts of Tilghman that Prez obviously isn't privy.
• Ms. Daniels loses her place on Royce's ticket while Royce hustles his own card game to raise 75 grand of "off the books" dollars.
• Sydnor & Massey have to shut down the wire.
• Parallels: The poker games. Bunk telling Kima she needs soft eyes for a crime scene a la Prez getting told he needs soft eyes to be a good teacher.
• This is a complete set-up episode for things to come but I thought it was the weakest of the season even with knowing that. Nothing quite caught my attention as strongly as the previous weeks have.

Next week: Who knows? Herc gets surveillance up on Marlo; Marlo tries to set-up Omar and Kima's case makes waves.