Kirk Franklin
“Smile”

I dedicate this song to recession,
depression and unemployment.
This song’s for you.

Today’s a new day, but there is no sunshine.
Nothing but clouds, and it’s dark in my heart
and it feels like a cold night.

Today’s a new day, but where are my blue skies.
Where is the love and the joy that you promised me
tell me it’s alright.

(I’ll be honest with you)
I almost gave up, but a power that I can’t explain,
fell from heaven like a shower now.
(When I think how much better I’m gonna be when this is over)

I smile, even though I hurt see I smile,
I know God is working so I smile,
Even though I’ve been here for a while
I smile, smile…
It’s so hard to look up when you’ve been down.
Sure would hate to see you give up now.
You look so much better when you smile, so smile.

Today’s a new day, but there is no sunshine.
Nothing but clouds, and it’s dark in my heart
and it feels like a cold night.
Today’s a new day, but tell me where are my blue skies,
where is the love and the joy that you promised me
tell me it’s – alright.
(the truth is)
I almost gave up, but a power that I can’t explain
fell from heaven like a shower now.

I smile, even though I’m hurt see I smile,
I know God is working so I smile,
Even though I’ve been here for a while
I smile, smile.
It’s so hard to look up when you’ve been down.
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile.

Smile… for me
Can you just smile… for me.
Smile… for me
Can you just smile… for me.

ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
(and while your waiting)
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
(and while your praying)
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
(look in the mirror)
ohohoh, you look so much better when you smile

I almost gave up, but a power that I can’t explain
fell from heaven like a shower now – right now.
I smile, even though I’m hurt see I smile,
I know God is working so I smile,
Even though I’ve been here for a while
I smile, smile..
it’s so hard to look up when you’ve been down.
Sure would hate to see you give up now.
You look so much better when you smile.
so smile.

ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you
ohohoh, you look so much better when you

smile…
I just want you to be happy..
I want you to have joy ’cause can’t nobody
take that away from you.
I see you.. SMILE!!

So how do you first find someone to build your Web site and how to do you make sure that you get what you want from the relationship? As hiring someone to build a Web site becomes more and more popular, here is every small business owners guide to making the decision wisely:

Get your act together!
Not understanding Web technology is no excuse these days for looking like a deer in the headlights when asked – “What are you looking for?” Not knowing what you want will usually lead to quotes that can’t help but be inaccurate, a lot of time (and possibly money) spent having your Web designer make mistakes so that you can tell them what you don’t want and eventually get to what you do want. Especially if you are working with a very limited budget you will want a clear plan for your site.

Be realistic and open about your budget
It is important that you know what you have to spend. If you are selling online and want to hire a reputable company, expect to spend between $1,200 and $5,000 for a Web site that can generate leads for you depending on whether you want a custom design. If you’re planning to sell online (excluding a simple PayPal sales) expect to spend from $5,000 to $20,000 to get a site set up. (Chanel’s note: I am NOT this expensive. My rates range from $350 to $1000!)

Get a Referral
Technology can be a murky business. I have heard both wonderful and horrible stories about business owners who hired a Web site developer from a simple online search. I strongly recommend asking people you trust for referrals.

Use The Horse for the Course
No we’re not talking about OTB, and there should be no “longshot” factor in your Web site construction project. There are different kinds of practitioners involved in building, marketing and maintaining a Web site and they all have different skillsets. It’s not hard to know who they are and what they do, and this is one thing you really should know… Do you just need a designer? Do you not need a designer at all? Do you need a programmer? Maybe you’ll be fine with an HTML coder who is usually less expensive than a programmer? Check out next week’s post for a description of Web site roles and players.

I know it can be hard to figure out what you want and a lot of times, the person you hire will help you do that. But you want to hire people with the right skillset to even be able to answer those questions for you. Please check out my online resume if you are interested in hiring me!

Source: 1

I’ve read many blogs about this and no one empathizes with her. Not even the males. I, for one, feel bad for her because she really has been quiet for a long time, while he bitched bitched bitched about her through songs and made monetary profit off slandering her for 2 years. As a man, that’s a bitch move. Men are supposed to protect women. Not purposely do harm. I didn’t know throwing things at a woman in the street after a man slanders her was the “cool” thing to do? And so what if she has an album coming out and etc. How come no one questioned Kanye’s motives for doing and saying the things he has about her in the past?

She’s finally speaking because she’s had enough of it and now everyone is telling her to shut the fuck up. If anything, people need to have a few words with HIM for being so scorned like a female after the break-up.

“Happy people are usually happy for other people.” – Cynthia Bailey, RHOA - Twitter

And of course, people have negative things to say about it. “Why did he make a song about her so soon and exploited her first cry to the world?” Wait. No one had a problem with Prince using the ultrasound of his baby’s heartbeat (which later died) for his song “Sex In The Summer”. No one had a problem with Stevie Wonder using his daughter Aisha’s cry when he did the song “Isn’t She Lovely”. But it’s considered “blasphemous” that Jay-Z used his own daughter’s cry for a song dedicated to her?

Sidenote: I remember when I purchased my first computer, my daughter was only 3 years old. I recorded her voice saying things like “Hi Mommy” and “Shutdown” and I used it for different sound effects the computer made when I selected certain operations.

I’m happy for Jay-Z and Beyonce. They’ve managed to avoid all of the scrutiny and negative energy to make their marriage work, and now bringing in a healthy baby girl into the world. I wish many more happiness and success to them!

Jay-Z’s new song “Glory” feat Blue Ivy Carter.

Jay-Z – Glory Lyrics
[Hook]
The most amazing feeling I feel
Words can’t describe the feeling, for real
Baby I paint the sky blue
My greatest creation was you, you: Glory

[Verse 1]
False alarms and false starts
All made better by the sound of your heart
All the pain of the last time
I prayed so hard it was the last time
Your mama said that you danced for her
Did you wiggle your hands for her?
Glory! Glory!
Glory! Sorry
Everything that I prayed for
God’s gift, I wish I woulda prayed more
God makes no mistakes, I made a few
Rough sledding here and there, but I made it through
I wreak havoc on the world
Get ready for part two
A younger, smarter, faster me
So a pinch of Hov, a whole glass of Bé

[Hook]

[Verse 2]
Your Grandpop died a nigga failure
Then he died of liver failure
Deep down he was a good man
Goddamn, I can’t deliver failure
Bad-ass lil Hov
Two years old, shopping on Savile Row
Wicked-ass lil B
Hard not to spoil you rotten, looking like little me
The most beautifulest thing in this world
Is daddy’s little girl
You don’t yet know what swag is but you was made in Paris
And Mama woke up the next day and shot her album package
Last time the miscarriage was so tragic
We was afraid you’d disappear, but nah, baby, you magic (voila)
So there you have it, shit happens
Just make sure the plane you on is bigger than your carry-on baggage
Everybody go through stuff
Life is a gift, love, open it up
You’re a child of destiny
You’re the child of my destiny
You’re my child with the child from Destiny’s Child
That’s a hell of a recipe
Glory! Glory!
Glory! Sorry

[Hook]

I used to adore Kim Kardashian. Her hair, her style, her pretty face. But now, she’s completely gone. It seems like she’s trying way too hard to keep her name in everyone’s mouth. Shame on me for falling for the bait as well.

As I was gathering my thoughts to type this, it dawned on me. She has NPD (narcissistic personality disorder).  Here are the details of the disorder:

¹Symptoms of this disorder include, but are not limited to:

• Reacts to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation
• May take advantage of others to reach his or her own goal
• Tend to exaggerate their own importance, achievements, and talents
• Imagines unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance
• Requires constant attention and positive reinforcement from others
• Easily becomes jealous
• Lacks empathy and disregards the feelings of others
• Obsessed with oneself
• Mainly pursues selfish goals
• Trouble keeping healthy relationships
• Are easily hurt and rejected
• Set unreal goals
• Want “the best” of everything
• Appear as tough-minded or unemotional

Narcissists also tend to be physically attractive on first impression, giving them advantages when first meeting people.

The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder may seem similar to traits associated with strong self-esteem and confidence, but this is not the case. Narcissists have such an elevated sense of self-worth that they value themselves as inherently better than others. Yet, they have a fragile self-esteem and cannot handle criticism, instead putting other people down in order to validate themselves. People with healthy self-confidence do not have the same need to put themselves on a pedestal or to belittle others.

Narcissists also tend to be physically attractive on first impression, giving them advantages when first meeting people.

The symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder may seem similar to traits associated with strong self-esteem and confidence, but this is not the case. Narcissists have such an elevated sense of self-worth that they value themselves as inherently better than others. Yet, they have a fragile self-esteem and cannot handle criticism, instead putting other people down in order to validate themselves. People with healthy self-confidence do not have the same need to put themselves on a pedestal or to belittle others. [/end quote]

Check that out! While I don’t know this woman personally, the impression I’ve gotten from her the past 4 years of reality television, interviews and her own blog posts, this matches her personality exactly. This is why an already gorgeous woman felt the need to “enhance” looks to “look better”. She reminds me of those women with 36DDs saying that their boobs are too small. Or anorexic people looking in the mirror believing they are fat.

While I believe most of this family has some deep embedded issues, I think Kim is the first one that needs help. And sever medication.

¹ - Source: Wikipedia.

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give
the right things a chance to catch you.

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself:
1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Source: 1

Indian Hair: If you’re looking for the best quality hair, you will need to make an investment. Virgin Indian Hair is the best grade of hair to purchase. The term “virgin” means unprocessed, chemical free. The hair is at the most natural state. It came straight off of an Indian donor’s scalp the way it is. Virgin Indian Hair can cost anywhere between $300-$750 (that’s for 2-3 bundles). The term “bundle” mean the bulk of hair, which is usually 4-6 ounces. 1 bundle is the equivalent to 1 pack of beauty supply store hair. 1 bundle (anywhere from 14 inches – 26 inches) cost between $125 – $250. Indian hair can also be dyed or bleached. Indian hair can be reused for at least 1 year. When your stylist sew it in, she needs to sew it without cutting the tracks, otherwise it will be hard to remove and reuse again.

1. Curly or “Spanish Wave”: This hair is naturally curly. It’s the “wet & go” look. The hair is very versatile and can be worn naturally curly or straightened with a flat iron. This grade of hair is the hardest to get bone straight.
2. Wavy or “Body Wave”. This hair is very wavy and light. It can be worn wavy, straightened with a flat iron or curled with a curling iron. This is best type of hair to get if you’re looking for something to give you many looks, without too much hassle.
3. Straight: This hair is straight with a subtle natural wave to it. The hair is very flat and suggested to be cut in layers for body. The only way you will get the supreme wavy look with this hair is if you braid it into 2 braids for 8 hours.

Packaged Hair: If you’re not ready to purchase Indian hair, you can purchase packaged hair from your local beauty supply store. Packaged hair can cost anywhere between $75 – $150 per pack. You cannot process this hair with dyes or bleaching and you can only use it once. The way the hair came, is the way you need to wear it. Unless it’s straight and you can curl it sometimes with a hot curler. The best packaged hair to get is Saga Gold or Saga Platinum.

Shampoo: John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Shampoo – Be gentle with the hair when you wash it. Do not wringe, pull or squeeze tightly. This prevents the hair from breaking away from the weft (that’s what cause the shedding). Wash and rinse 2 times.

Conditioner: John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Repairing Conditioner – Leave it in for 5-10 minutes then rinse out thoroughly.

Scalp Treatment: Squeeze Infusium 23 Leave-In conditioner into your roots so it can moisturize your scalp/real hair, and to prevent flakes/itching. Try not to let all of it get into your actual weave. Nothing bad will happen, but the less product you leave in the weave, the better the outcome.

Coloring/Bleaching: Bigen is the safest product to dye Virgin Indian Hair black. 3 bottles, leave the dye in for about 3-4 hours though. My weave is still silky, didn’t lose it’s texture, and it’s not tangled. It’s best to use because it has no ammonia or hydrogen peroxide. Bleaching the weave does the same exact thing as it does when you bleach your own hair: it strips the hair of it’s color and thickness. I would highly advise against bleaching, but if you must, purchase the lightest color weave possible so you wouldn’t have to bleach it as much.

Drying: The best way to dry your hair is by roller setting it and sitting underneath the dryer for at least 90 minutes. If you don’t feel like doing that, you can finger dry your hair with a blow dryer. Note: Do not use the comb attachment with the blow dryer because that adds stress to the hair by pulling it too hard, which can also loosen the weft, which can cause shedding and slipping tracks. The most laziest way (which is what I do most of the time) is towel dry your hair, and then putting it into 2  braids while it’s damp. This takes about a day for it to dry.

Day-to-Day care: The only product I would suggest to use is BioSilk Therapy. You drop a dime size into your palm and rub it through your hair twice a week. It gives that natural shine, without weighing down the hair with oil/grease. It also promotes a nice silky look if you are wearing your hair straight.

Curling or Flat Iron: The best curling iron to use to achieve the waterfall curls (ie: Kim Kardashian’s look here) is RED hot curler, 1inch. The best flat iron to achieve the straighten look is any flat iron that has a titanium plate (it will be a silver plate), that’s about 1 inch wide. The heat should be between 350° – 425°. Anything higher and it will burn the hair, or eventually cause irreparable heat damage.

Wrap: The best material to tie your hair down with is a silk scarf. The natural fiber of silk allows air flow, unlike synthetic fabric. Wrapping your hair in a non absorbent fabric like silk will eliminate dryness, thus reducing breakage.

Where do I get affordable Virgin Indian hair from? - This is the hardest question to answer. You have to shop around, Google reviews from the company you’re thinking about getting the hair from, and compare prices. Never buy the hair from someone that’s going to meet up with you at the gas station and then they take it out from their trunk. Because if something goes wrong, you will never be able to exchange the hair. The company that has rave reviews (and where I purchase my hair from) is Luxury Remy. When you call, ask for Jack and tell him that Chanel from kisschanel.com referred you to get your 10% discount: 404.783.9270.

How can I stop shedding? – There’s no way to stop shedding. Sometimes you get a bad batch of hair, or you used a product that was too strong for the hair. However, you can prevent shedding. Before purchasing, take a look at the hair you’re interested in. Play with it, swing it around, run your fingers through, brush it a few times, and investigate the weft. Some companies will glue the weft to ensure that strands off the hair will not slip out of the weft. Ask if they do this. Do not be afraid to ask questions and to ask them to take the hair out of the rubberband because remember, you’re technically spending your rent money on this! Most places, if the hair starts to shed within one month of sewing it in, they will do a full exchange. You have to take the hair out and bring it in to them though. Be sure to call and check on their exchange policy before purchasing.

This advice comes from years of experience, experimenting and a family of Jamaican hair stylists. Any questions, feel free to comment below and I will respond within 24 hours.

If you’re not in the Atlanta area and need to order hair, you can go to luxuriaremy.com to order your hair. Remember, mention Chanel from kisschanel.com to get your 10% discount!

Source: Ruminations

My little cousin been wearing glasses since she was 8 years old. When she got older, she opted for contacts, because the glasses get heavy and irritated her ears. But as her backup, she actually purchased cheap eyeglasses from Zenni Optical. They’re the #1 online eyeglasses store. They have glasses that start at just $6.95, and they’re stylish too! I wish I knew about Zenni when I wasted $350.