Good reads!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

The Soulful Art of AmW - Artist Interview


This week's Artist of the Week is the soulful, AmW of Estetika Exposure!! Check her out!!



AmW
"I've managed to shock myself."








2ND STREET: Tell us about you. Where are you from? Where are you now?
AmW : Born and raised in New England, artist AmW (born Alicia M. Walter) began her journey in Springfield Massachusetts. It was in 2001, at the age of 22, when Artist AmW gave her first try at being an artist. However, lacking the confidence she needed within herself, AmW walked away from her art. It wasn’t until 2011, with the support of her husband, family and small circle of close friends that she picked up a paint brush and was able to give her craft another try.
Now residing in Upstate New York, AmW started her business, Estetika Exposure: Art by AmW. The business name was inspired by one of her close friends. 

Estetika means ‘beautiful’ in the Indonesian language, as well as in the Latin language. Estetika Exposure: Art by AmW. “Exposing you to beautiful art, one canvas at a time. “


Dad's Leo Collage


2ND STREET: In one word, describe your art.
AmW: One word to describe my art would be, soulful.


2ND STREET: What inspires you?
AmW: For me inspiration comes from many places ranging from music, nature, conversation, certain scents, and even the works of other artists. I feel that I am in sync with nature and my surroundings. At times I can be inspired off of the environment that I am in. For example, my husband, Kareem, took me on a hike at Buttermilk Falls in New York. The crisp clean air, powdered blue sky with the rays of the sun reflecting on the waterfall along the trail, was absolutely amazing. Upon returning from our trip, I was inspired to paint and I did! When listening to music for inspiration, I don’t generally listen to mainstream music and actually prefer the music of upcoming artists such as the Soft Spoken Prophet in Massachusetts music group Zection 8 in MA-FL-PA, and even special music mixes by DJ Gains Bond in Connecticut.


2ND STREET: Who is your favorite artist living or passed on?
AmW: I’m not too familiar with the names of other artists, but I do admire the works of local artists in my hometown such as Marlon Seymour and Zeph Farmby. I also admire the works of artist, Dominic Brown of Mayluna.com in the Netherlands, Kenyan artist, Wangechi Mutu, Brazilian artist, Julian Gasllasch, and Cory Pane of Hartford Connecticut.


2ND STREET: Do you ever get “Artist’s block”? If so, how do you get over it?
AmW:  absolutely had periods of times where I haven’t been inspired to paint or create graphics. In my opinion, creativity cannot be rushed. I’ll step away for a few hours and even sometimes days or weeks until the inspiration comes to me. And when it does, it’s nothing less than amazing and such a blessing.


2ND STREET: How long does it take for you to complete a piece?

AmW: I generally do not time myself when I’m creating. I focus so much on the piece that I’m creating that time seems not to exist. However, most recently I did a painting for my father’s Christmas gift and that took about an hour. And the results would seem as if I spent days or weeks on it. I've managed to shock myself.


2ND STREET: Tell us about your current projects.
AmW: Thankfully, keeping busy has not been a problem for me thus far and I owe God all the thanks and praise for my success and the people He has placed in my life.
Currently, I am planning two art exhibits scheduled for April and March 2013. I am also working on a painting that is being donated to The Purple Society to be auctioned off in January 2013. The Purple Society is a cancer foundation supporting the youth and their families. I have other great things planned for 2013 that I can’t wait for the world to see, so stay tuned!


The Dance


2ND STREET: How can you be contacted?
AmW: 


Thursday, December 20, 2012

Who is Repunza?

Hello, all! I've decided to revamp this lovely blog and dedicate it to all things indie! Features will include "Artist of the Week". More features may follow as my brain thinks of them. 


This week's Artist of the Week, is a great friend and homegirl of mine as well as an incredible singer. Introducing, Repunza...







2ND STREET: Tell us about you. Where are you from? Where are you now

REPUNZA: I am a singer songwriter,an indie artist originally from Pine Bluff AR, currently been Living in Athens. GA going on 11 years!!



2ND STREET: In one word, describe your music.

REPUNZASoulful


2ND STREET:  Who’s your favorite artist living or passed on? What is it that you love about him/her?

REPUNZA: SADE...I love her smooth lyrics, and her delivery of song, and I have just always been captivated by her sound!


2ND STREET:  Tell us about your current project.

REPUNZA: I am currently working on a EP for 2013, it has been in the making for a while, I think my fans will see a lot of growth from me in this new project!!


2ND STREET:  What is your favorite song of your own?

REPUNZA"Suddenly I'm In Love"







2ND STREET: Do you have anything you’d like to say to your fans/supporters?

REPUNZA: I would just really Thank my fans from the bottom of my heart, because my fans are so loyal to me, even though I have not made it mainstream, they make me feel like I have already made it!! I am so grateful for them!! 



2ND STREET:  How can you be contacted?


REPUNZA: My personal email is: punnie3@yahoo.com 










To learn more about Repunza, check out her website: www.repunza.com
Check out Repunza on Reverbnation! www.reverbnation.com/repunza
Check out Repunza on youtube! www.youtube.com/repunza
Follow her on Twitter! https://twitter.com/Repunza


 

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Exquisite and FREE!!

Singer Chrisette Michele has released a new mixtape and I must say that it is awesome! This woman has an amazing vocal instrument and her talent shines brightly throughout this project. I give this project an enthusiastic 5 stars!


 Click here to download your copy today!!




Tuesday, October 30, 2012

My Review of The Bleeding Edge

My review of 

The Bleeding Edge

by The Revelations featuring Tre Williams












I first saw Tre Williams as an opening act for Calvin Richardson. I had no idea who he was or what he sang, so imagine my surprise when he walked out onto the stage and took the microphone. His voice coupled with the music of The Revelations was not only a pleasant surprise but a transforming moment. Actually, at that point, I could have not heard Calvin Richardson and would have not even have cared (I did stay and Calvin was excellent as well). So the first chance I got, I ran out and bought The Bleeding Edge. Let me tell you, it is the BOMB from beginning to end. It's one of those CDs you can just let play in its entirety without skipping a single song. Favs are "I Don't Want to Know", a cover of "Let's Straighten it Out" and "How Do I Tell Him". But truly, every song on the CD is great. If you are a lover of Old School Soul or Blues, you will love this CD. Don't sleep on The Revelations feat. Tre Williams.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Seducing Mr. Perfect

So, my lovely fifteen-year-old daughter, who's obsessed with Asian culture, convinced me to watch a Korean Romantic Comedy (with English subtitles), and I really enjoyed it. The story was cute, and hopeless romantics like me will love watching it. Plus, the star, Daniel Henney, is not bad on the eyes, either :) 
Check the movie out on YouTube:







Friday, October 19, 2012

1 Thing

Y'all I love, love , love this video and this song! But I especially love the video. Pay close attention to the scenes with the percussionists and even closer attention to the bongo players in the back. Then you will see why I love this video so much. :)
Well, that's my random post for today. Later!!







Wednesday, October 10, 2012

My review of My Name is Butterfly by Bernice McFadden

I love Ms. McFadden's work, so I thought I'd share my review of her novel, My Name is Butterfly. Check it out.











This story was so vividly told that I could feel the emotions of the characters. I could see Ghana surrounding me, smell its smells and hear the noises of both the city and the shrine. This was a gripping tale that took hold of me from the first sentence and would not let me go until I was finished reading. I will carry this story with me for the rest of my life--the good, the bad, and the triumph. Ms. McFadden is truly a master storyteller and I thank her for telling a story that needed to be told.







Thanks for visiting my blog!!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Keep the Faith

My theme song...


"Keep The Faith"
by Michael Jackson


If You Call Out Loud
Will It Get Inside
Through The Heart Of Your Surrender
To Your Alibis
And You Can Say The Words
Like You Understand
But The Power's In Believing
So Give Yourself A Chance
'Cause You Can
Climb The Highest Mountain
Swim The Deepest Sea, Hee
All You Need Is The Will To Want It
And Uhh, Little Self-Esteem
So Keep The Faith
Don't Let Nobody Turn You 'Round
You Gotta Know When It's Good To Go
To Get Your Dreams Up Off The Ground
Keep The Faith, Baby, Yea
Because It's Just
A Matter Of Time
Before Your Confidence Will Win Out
Believe In Yourself
No Matter What It's Gon' Take
You Can Be A Winner
But You Got To Keep The Faith
...Gon' Keep It Brother
You Got It
And When You Think Of Trust
Does It Lead You Home
To A Place That You Only Dream Of
When You're All Alone
And You Can Go By Feel
'Stead Of Circumstance
But The Power's In Beliving
So Give Yourself A Chance
I Know That You Can Sail Across The Water
Float Across The Sky, High
Any Road That You Take
Will Get You There
If You Only Try
So Keep The Faith, Ow
Don't Let Nobody Take You Down,Brother
Just Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
And Your Feet Flat On The Ground
Keep The Faith, Baby, Yea
Because It's Just A Matter Of Time
Before Your Confidence Will Win Out
I Told My Brother How To Do The Thing Right
Lift Up Your Head And Show The World You Got Pride
Go For What You Want
Don't Let 'Em Get In Your Way
You Can Be A Winner
But You Got To Keep The Faith
Gon' Keep It Brother
You Got It
I Know That Keepin' The Faith
Means Never Givin' Up On Love
But The Power That Love Has To Make It Right
Makes It Makes It Right
Keep The Faith
Don't Let Nobody Turn You 'Round Brother
You Got To KnowWhen It's Good To Go
To Get Your Dreams Up Off The Ground
Keep The Faith Baby, Yea
Because It's Just A Matter Of Time
Before Your Confidence Will Win Out
Better Stand Up And Act Like You Wanna Do Right
Don't Play The Fool For The Rest Of Your Life
Work On It Brother And You'll Make It Someday
Go For What You Want
And Don't Forget The Faith
Look At Yourself
And What You Doin' Right Now
Stand Back A Minute
Just To Check Yourself Out
Straighten Out Your Life
And How You're Livin' Each Day
Get Yourself Together
'Cause You Got To Keep The Faith
Uh, Uh, Uh
Don't Let Nobody Take You Down, Brother
Just Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
And Your Feet Flat On The Ground
Keep The Faith, Baby, Yea
Because It's Just A Matter Of Time
Before Your Confidence Will Win Out
Lift Up Your Mind
Before Your Mind Gets Blown
Some Things In Life
You Best Just Leave Them Alone
Go For What You Want
Don't Let It Get In Your Way
You Can Make It Happen
But Ya Got Ta Keep The Faith
Gon' Keep It Brother
You Got To Keep The Faith
Yeah Keep The Faith
Gon' Keep It Sister
You Got To Keep The Faith
Now, Now
I'll Show My Brotha
How To Do The Thing Right
Lift Up Your Head
And Show The World You Got Pride
Go For What You Want
Don't Let 'Em Get In Your Way
You Can Be A Winner
If You Keep The Faith
Straighten Out Yourself
And Get Your Mind On Track
Dust Off Your Butt
And Get Your Self-Respect Back
You've Known Me Long Enough
To Know That I Don't Play
Take It Like You Want It
But You Got To Keep The Faith Gon'
Don't Let Nobody Take You Down
Just Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
And Get Your Feet Back On The Ground
Keep The Faith, Baby, Yea
Because It's Just A Matter Of Time
Before Your Confidence Will Win Out
But Till That Day I Said You've Got To Keep The Faith!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Lights



I just thought that everyone should know that I love this song.





#randomness #music #thatisall

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Correction

I messed up. I really did. In my post about the ABC award, I failed to adequately thank my predecessor. I received my award from the awesome Lynn! Her blog is LynnLovesEditing. She also just happens to be my wonderful editor :). Please be sure to check her site out. Her posts are honest, transparent, and very entertaining. Oh, and they are also just as random as mine!

Here's a little about her (in her own words):





Hey there!  I’m Lynn.
I’m a recent college graduate, wife, and mother. I have a B.S. in Biology from the U of A – Pine Bluff, but my heart belongs to reading, writing, and editing. I’m passionate about written language and helping others present their stories and messages clearly and creatively.

As a result, I’ve been blessed to be a part of many projects, including editing for ongoing projects by Author Adrienne Thompson, such as Bluesday and Been So Long, and consultation during the research of Author Laura Parker Castoro’s Love on the Line. I have also edited technical pieces used for internship/professional school admissions and scientific presentations.

I love my family, friends, and life experiences! Expect a mixed bag of blogs for your entertainment and mine.

There you go! Oh and THANKS, Lynn!!!



Tuesday, May 8, 2012

En Vogue

I had the honor of attending an awesome En Vogue concert right in the comfort of my little town last week and it brought back memories of the awesome music of the 90s. Man, I miss that music--New Jack Swing in all its glory. So today's post is a list (of course) of my top ten 90s jams. Enjoy!


10. "Joy" by Blackstreet - I love and I mean I LOVE this song. It is sooooo beautiful!



9."Downtown" by SWV - Such nasty girls and such a crazy jam!



8. "That's The Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson - an easy, breezy, laid-back groove from Ms. Jackson.



7. "Anytime, Anyplace" by Janet Jackson - Speaking of Ms. Jackson. We already knew she could get nasty. I really love this song. I can remember playing it over and over again.




6. "Don't Go" by En Vogue - The funky divas at their finest...



5. "Don't Let Go" by En Vogue - this song makes you wish you could sing. These ladies throw down on this one!



4. "If You Love Me" by Brownstone - I had some serious repeat issues with this one. A true jam!



3. "Sending My Love" by Zhane - Killer and I mean killer jam!



2. "No Diggity" by Blackstreet - New Jack Swing defined!



""Falling" by Montell Jordan - A voice like butter laid over a track that's just sick!
Can is get any better?



There you have it. Gotta list? Feel free to share :)

http://adriennethompsonwrites.webs.com



Friday, May 4, 2012

Movie Memories...

So, the other day I was watching Coming to America on TV, I hadn't seen it in a while and I'd forgotten just how good it is, I laughed and I smiled an and it made me think of the movies that I truly love. Movies of the past. Movies that are the reason I love movies. So, you know me...I made a list of my top 5 favorite movies, Here goes!!

5. Love Jones - it's just a well-written love story. I could watch it over and over again and never get tired of it.



4. Harlem Nights - Gotta love that Sunshine :)




3. New Jack City - This movie introduced me to a world I knew nothing about and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. "Rock-a-bye, baby!"



2. Coming to America - Eddie Murphy plays about eleventy-seven roles in this movie...and he does it so well!! "Sexual Chocolate!!"




1. The Color Purple - Hands down, one of the best movies EVER! I went to the theater and saw this one at least 10 times, read the book at least 3 times, and bought the soundtrack. Who can forget lines like, "You told Harpo to beat me?"




That's it for me. What's on your list?



Thursday, May 3, 2012

And the winner is...

I am so honored to have been given the ABC award for Blog content. Now that I'm done grinning from ear to ear, I am charged with paying it forward. I must bestow this wonderful honor on five blogs that I think are awesome (that part's easy) and I have to list 26 things about me from A-Z (that part's not so easy). Anyway, here are the five I'm passing the torch to. Congrats!

My Life on Ink - When this awesome lady isn't bust building a publishing empire, she's pouring her heart out on the pages of her blog. She blogs about herself and her struggles with raw honesty and I love her!

The Mayne Man - As his blog states, he speaks "to the issues at hand with an ear to the soul of man". Oh, and did I mention that he's a phenomenal poet?

Ashley Barron - For all things Indie-publishing, this blog is a must read. Valuable information for the published and the soon to be published.

Ann Tran - She says that she's inspiring the world through social media. I love reading her blog and she definitely lives up to her claim. Inspiring, indeed.

New Beginnings - This blogger blogs about life, in general, She chronicles her journey as a mother and as a human being. She even has giveaways from time to time. I really enjoy reading this blog.



So there they are, my 5 winners! Congrats to them all. And now for the list. Here's me, from A to Z!





A - Anticipating great success!!
B - Blessed beyond words
C - Cautious, but fearless
D - Don't like liver
E - Ever striving to be better
F - Free!
G - Grateful for all things
H - Happy on purpose
I - Invincibly intelligent
J - Joyful!
K - Kind of different - but I like it!
L - Loud (I'm southern - who can blame me?)
M - Maternal to a fault!
N - Nosy (but I'm getting better)
O - Optimistic (pessimism sucks)
P - Proud mother of 3!
Q - Quiet when I need to be
R - Really tired right about now
S - Sleepy (see letter r)
T - Tired (oh yeah, I already said that)
U - Under 40 years old
V - Very proud of my grandson
W - Writer (and proud of it!)
X - Really> What starts with X? Ummmm Xenophobic? (I don't even know what that means)
Y - Young (at least in my mind)
Z - Zealous in my desire to succeed!

There you have it. I have worn my brain cells out. To those to whom I've passed the torch, don't forget to pick 5 award recipients and post your A-Z list. Until later...be blessed!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Tired...just tired

So, I guess by the title, you have by now surmised that I am tired. What am I tired of, you may ask. Well, here's a list. Maybe you'll find that you are tired of some of these things, too.




1. The price of gas. Tired, may not even be a strong enough word. Disgusted, maybe. I mean, if gas prices get any higher, I won't even be able to drive across the street!

2. Rude people. I don't like them. I don't like them at all. Seriously, would it kill you to hold a door open, or smile when you walk by me? Would it be too much for you to be cordial?

3. TV singing competitions. Come on, we all know these shows are not about singing, not are they about finding talent. Whoever can corner the market on tween votes is the winner.

4. Inconsiderate, selfish people. Oh, you know them. Everything is about them. Everything revolves around them and I can't stand them!

5. Reality TV. If I never see another advertisement for Atlanta's Real Mob Basketball Wives, it will be too soon. It's nothing more than an exploitative study in stupidity and I am tired of it!!


That's all for now!

Saturday, February 11, 2012

In honor of Valentine's Day

V-day is fast approaching, and in honor of all things love and lovely, here are my top ten favorite love songs! Enjoy!


10."Heaven Can Wait" by Michael Jackson


9. "Love Won't Let Me Wait" by Luther Vandross



8. "Love's Holiday" by Earth Wind and Fire



7. "For the Love of You" by The Isley Brothers




6. "Love No Limit" by Mary J. Blige




5. "Guess Who Loves You More" by Raheem Devaughn




4. "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker




3. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie




2. "Heaven" by Kem




1. "Cause I Love You" by Lenny Williams




Happy Valentine's Day!!!