Here I’m Is!
Current mood: strong
Category: Life

Hey folks. Won't tarry here long, but it's been a while and I thought I owed it to our previously active dialogue to post a lil sumthin up in heah.

Going down to DC last week for my great-aunt's funeral was EXHAUSTING, but worth it. My big sis graciously allowed me to borrow a car for the 2 days I was in town and I literally logged 192 miles in about 36 hours...running back and forth between family residences, the church and the studio. You know Stef, couldn't let a trip home go by without logging in some creative time. New single, with one of my fave indie MCs Priest Da Nomad, coming on his next album. Also got to sit and build with one of my brothers that I haven't seen since before Singapore. Growing pains are not exclusively mine, I found, but we're building with bricks now. With bricks.

Been thinking quite a bit about what I'm trying to say these days. Where this artistic life fits amid all of the other things that bring me joy and cash. Still not sure where this journey is leading, but I can say for sure that I'm a lot freer and more proficient these days when I'm on the microphone. I feel it and I hear it, so that can't possibly be bad.

Stay tuned. I have no idea what the end destination will be, but I'm rollin'.

5:51 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Getting Out In Front of It
Current mood: vibrant
Category: Life

So here we are, at the start of another month, yet another chance to begin anew. And my lesson of the past few weeks has been that it's time to get my edge back. I may be growing soft in my old age.

Perhaps it's because I've been teaching more regularly over the past 5 years. That nurturing thing is great, but it definitely makes you more of an observer and reactor than a doer. Used to be a time when it was clear that a good deal of the hot shit in Philly happened behind me. I made a few phone calls, brought a crew of talented folks together, and we set about making jaws drop. I'm not feeling quite so potent right now. But I don't think this is a terminal condition.

For the second half of 2008, my mission is to freshen up my mojo. It's very evident that I can make BIG things happen when I set my mind to it. Now I need to get to more of those small victories first. And that will require that I tighten up my team. Folks are maturing and finding new interests, as is the way of the world. But there's far too much talent and desire in the people around me for me not to be able to spearhead some necessary oomph 'round these parts. That process has already begun with the new music I'm working on. Just you wait. And I've only begun to get funky.

8:49 PM - 4 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Facebook...ay chihuahua!
Current mood: awake
Category: Web, HTML, Tech

I have been lured over to the Dark Side...finally.

I had vowed not to sign up for nary another social networking site, as if I don't spend enough time online already. But dammitalltohell, my girls (namely one Joanna Reddick) went and coerced me into signing up for Facebook. Yikes!

Besides the fact that most of you MySpace people already have FB pages, it's weird getting used to the layout and gajillion mini-apps over there (but I do love my Baby Muppets - hehehe). And because I hate not learning how to work things, I am now sucked into HOURS more online, connecting with all of my fellow Penn alum and such.

It. Just. Ain't. Right.

So...this is my ONE announcement on the subject. Search for Stephanie Renee in Philadelphia and send me a friend request. I will not be digging for gold trying to find alla you peeps in yet another website. LOL

or you can try to access my page through this link:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=685985453

7:07 AM - 6 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Libra x 2
Current mood: adored
Category: Romance and Relationships

Friends and new-to-the-spot readers, I've got to tell you. There is nothing like having dual astrological energy in a relationship to make you laugh and cuss with regularity.

I am no star sign expert, despite what you may read by the folks who comment here consistently. But I have been a student of the esoteric sciences for almost as long as I've been reading. And I can tell you, from experience, that there is nothing quite as amusing, altruistic and frustrating as a dual Libra couple.

I should temper this statement by revealing that my situation is a bit stickier than most because of some other factors in our respective charts. Him: Libra sun, Taurus moon, Leo ascendant. All sass and flash, coupled with a hellified temper and ample cuddles and smooches. Me? Libra sun, Gemini moon, Taurus ascendant. Meaning sarcastic zingers aplenty, a quicksilver intuitive bent, and a brace-yourself-for-the-wrath mean streak if rubbed the wrong way. And thus, it's peaches and cream when we're in a good mood, and run for the hills if we're not.

I am thankful, though, that together we're very balanced. His fly by the seat of his pants attitude is a great equalizer to my itinerary and objective nature. My shake it off and try again optimism is sorely needed when his mane has been disheveled by uncaring others and he's on a Spanglish rant of nastiness. Our outing yesterday had all of the earmarks of an Abbott & Costello farce with our missed connections, rain delays and such. But we ended the day laughing, as usual, which makes it all make sense somehow. (And mind you, Mercury is currently retrograde, so it could have been SO much worse!)

Guess I just wanted to say how beautiful it is to enjoy life with the pot to my lid. And yes, I meant it that way. Because BELIEVE me when I tell you that if I wasn't around to keep a tight clamp on things when he's on a rampage, there would be blood shed in the Illadelph streets! Everything you've ever heard about Latino "passion" is true, for good and for evil! LMAO

Finding balance within one's self is nearly impossible. With us Librans, we know it takes two. Like a see-saw, weathering life's ups and downs as a synchronized team and enjoying the ride.

6:27 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

A Lil Too Black
Current mood: perturbed
Category: perturbed News and Politics

Wowsy wowsy woo woo!

Fam, I am tired of this pre-election madness. Really, horribly tired of it. Tired for all of the reasons that Michelle Obama expressed disappointment in America, for all of the justifiable incidences that caused Rev. Wright to begin his pulpit tirade (before the pursuant media gluttony and throwing of Que hooks). Just. Plain. Tired.

How long will it be sufficient for "blackness" to be social, economic and political cancer? The commentary (read: foolish rants) in the media over the past month are too tiresome to recount in detail. But this morning, I was officially OVER IT after reading that a West Virginia resident referred to Sen. Obama as "just too black."

Breathe, Stef, BREATHE!!!

This inanity causes me to voice so many questions in my already chock-full psyche. Obama is bi-racial, so perhaps if one of his parents were "mixed" further, he'd get the more universal Tiger Woods treatment? At one point does one become too black? Darker than paper bag? Faithful to a black wife? Middle name Hussein (but God forbid that Egypt, Saudi Arabia or any other country where such names are commonplace be considered BLACK)? Not enough Indian in one's family? Is it because he bowled a 37, but has a decent outside jumper?

WTF is too black?????????????

Tawk amungst yuhseffs on this one. I need an Aleve and a one-way ticket to somewhere lacking modern-day electronic communication, for a week of detox from this funky caca.

8:24 AM - 4 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Are We There Yet???
Current mood: angsty
Category: Life

Just popping in, peoples.

Am I the only one who is a whiny, irritable mess waiting for this week to be over??? I actually love the students at the school where I'm teaching. I just don't want to wake up at 5:30 every morning to be here.

Those of you who are still involved in the 9-to-5 (or something like that) life, God bless ya! After a decade of self-employment, I'm just not built that way anymore! Between the up-in-the-morning-and-dealing-with-other-people thang and the day-in-day-out routine, I'm climbing the walls right about now. Memorial Day is going to be a near-religious experience this year...just because a sista gets to sleep in, hallelujah! :-)

More news and updates when I've caught up on some sleep.

8:52 AM - 5 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

When Old Folks Need To Shush
Current mood: aggravated
Category: News and Politics

I will be the first one to tell you that I love my elders something serious. I lost the last of my 4 grandparents while I was still in college, and not a day goes by that I don't lament the absence of some ancestral wisdom just a short speed dial or ride away. My great-aunties in DC are a total joy, and we yuck it up on a regular basis. But there is something to be said for sitting at the feet of a grandparent and absorbing tall tales about the colorful characters in your lineage, or some hard-learned truisms about life and how best to live it.

That being said, I really need for Rev. Jeremiah Wright to go sit down somewhere and hush. Seriously. SOON!

I believe that the first time such a strong urge to put a muzzle on a grown folk was prompted in me was courtesy of the late C. Delores Tucker. Her endless, and often inane, verbal assaults on hiphop and gangsta rappers are legendary and truly tabloid-worthy. It wasn't just that she was trying to call the youngsters out on their crude lyrics and behaviors, which I would surely support. But people need to learn how to better put forth their aesthetic in such moments of media frenzy. A turban-wearing granny with a slim sense of rhythm is the LAST person who needs to be quoting Snoop or Tupac on the mic. Make your point without appropriating the art form, dig? Do not use the word in its definition, if you get my meaning. And surely refrain from claiming that the ordeal that you initiated has somehow caused irreparable harm to your domestic intimate affairs. Like I needed THAT image in my head.

And now, years later, here comes the Rev...calling press conferences and stretching his 15 minutes as far as they can take him.

It's always a tenuous position to criticize men of the church, yet I must. Despite their oft-good intentions, Jesse and Al are now the poster children for blowhard black men of the pulpit. And Jeremiah is clearly and efficiently working his way up the slippery rungs of the annoyance ladder to stand at their right hand.

It's not just that I'm an Obama supporter, who sometimes wishes in my deepest heart of hearts that he would soon string together a powerfully eloquent set of syllables that not only display his natural talent for oration, but would sufficiently convey to the conservative media and other naysayers that they need to unhook their talons from his testes. But it is hard enough to get voters to focus on the issues and candidates of the now without the sideshow trying to become center ring every 5 frikkin minutes. Clearly the sanctuary isn't well-lit, well-miced or well-attended enough to suffice Wright's sudden desire for national attention. Perhaps driving folks to distraction, and our nation to further destruction, is what he really wants.

I don't know, nor do I care to. But I sure as hell do wish that - in this instance - the old man would go back to being retired and find a nice new hobby to take up his time. Because this shuffleboard game he's playing with Obama's reputation and candidacy is getting very, VERY tired.

Somebody slip a mickey in his Ensure, would ya?

7:28 AM - 8 Comments - 7 Kudos - Add Comment

I Need an Alfred
Current mood: giggly
Category: Life

As I look forward to 2009, I may have to give serious consideration to building room in my budget for a butler.

I don't think I'd get as much enjoyment out of having a maid. I know plenty of buppies who have a pleasant newly-arrived immigrant come in and clean their condos once a week. And on days when my laundry and dishes are both piled high, I truly think I am in need of such services. But, for real, the mystique of a butler is much more agreeable to my schedule and my nature.

I think back to my first viewing of Batman Begins, noting how awesome it was that little traumatized Bruce Wayne had such a caring manservant to raise him into manhood AND do his chores! Albert was sharp: witty, well-spoken, gracious, could be trusted with huge secrets and even offered advice about how to achieve the ever-elusive work-life balance. All that, and keep my kitchen clean, with a plucky British accent? Sign me up!

Sarcasm notwithstanding, I am serious here. You try balancing a long-term teaching gig with 90-120 minute commutes, freelance production and show hosting duties, cooking, cleaning, Board responsibilities and still having energy for pleasures of the flesh! Bring on the butler, please. Bring on the butler!

9:07 PM - 7 Comments - 5 Kudos - Add Comment

As If To Prove My Point...
Current mood: focused
Category: Music

Just days after I share with you all that life has been taking a huge toll on many people in my circle (and some of you who decided to e me backchannel instead of posting a public comment here on the blog)...

I got an email this morning from the head of Jazz Syndicate Radio UK, which has hosted my ENHARMONIC show for the past year-and-a-half, to say that he's shutting it down. For a good while, if not permanently.

Life is asking us to FOCUS, fam. There are sooooo many distractions from the real meat of the thing (review that recent sorry azz Presidential "debate" for an inkling as to what I mean) that it is long overdue for many of us to consolidate and capitalize on the biggest, truest gifts we've got. Taking one small step back to move gajillions of steps forward.

Join me on that path, won't you?

7:21 AM - 9 Comments - 7 Kudos - Add Comment

Much
Current mood: adventurous
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

I've been watching the gradual attrition, knowing that my day in line was coming shortly thereafter. Friends here in MySpace and beyond, posting blogs or sending emails to confirm that they are taking a minor leave-of-absence from the social networking and such. Asking pardon for prolonged silences and physical disappearances because there is personal development afoot that needs to be done in private.

Yes, and amen.

I can never fall completely off of the map. Conscience, destiny, desire and vision won't allow me to clear my entire schedule. I'd be heard howling from my front porch or living room, longing for some assignment or obligation in need of my unique talents and services. But here, in the start of Spring--with sunshine, warmth and other earthly delights beckoning--I am also feeling the call to drop some of my regular duties and just go play.

So, if you don't see much of me here over the next few months, know that I am seeking out new inspiration and adventure that does NOT require a physical connection to this cybertechnology. The music will still spin, the photos and video will still be recorded and the writing will continue on some level, because that is who I am and what I do. But the schedule is likely to undergo some massive amputative surgery between now and September.

Sometimes, in order to save the thing, you have to get rid off the festering parts.

It's spring and I'm pruning my garden.

7:52 AM - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment