Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Inspirational Quotes Series: Tony Robbins

Faith — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:40 +0000

Inspirational Quotes Series: Tony Robbins is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Where focus goes, energy flows. And if you don’t take the time to focus on what matters, then you’re living a life of someone else’s design.

~ Tony Robbins

Anthony Robbins is a well-known self-help guru. We must always ask what belief systems, ideologies and inner dialog we have with and how it manifests itself. If we’re caught up in superficial or distracting things how can we expect to focus on being great?

SuperBowl Media Watch

Faith — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:38 +0000

SuperBowl Media Watch is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

While all eyes are focused on Brady vs. Manning or whether Madonna’s Half Time performance will ~~suck~~ be memorable, I’m thinking about last year’s derogatory Pepsi ad that reinforced the castrating and loud stereotype of black women amongst other less than savory ads.

I don’t think it’s a matter of if there will be an offensive ad, but a matter of who is denigrated. IF NECESSARY WE MAY NEED TO RESPOND so, it’s better to be prepared than taken aback. This is where you come into play.

By the way, I’m looking forward to Madonna’s performance. One of the quarterbacks seems a wee bit more humble. I’ll let you guess – he’s the one not married to Giselle haha! Either way these are highly compensated athletes doing what they love, so they’re already winners regardless.

There’s no way I can catch every commercial (you can go to ad websites as well), so if you’re watching can you keep an eye out? We need to review what message about women companies are sending and if they benefit or harm us. We can’t complain if we are complicit in supporting them. Millions of people watch this game and we have every right to protect our image. Let’s be proactive. If you have any faves or cringe-worthy ads feel free to share in the Comment section. I’m sure many of you will be buzzing!! ***Update*** If you use social networking sites we’re using the hashtag #dontbuyit to keep track of our responses.

When Bloggers Become Bunny Boilers

Faith — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:41 +0000

When Bloggers Become Bunny Boilers is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Does any of this look familiar? The pivital scenes from Fatal Attraction where Alex threatens Dan and later on makes Rabbit Stew out of his daughter’s pet are memorable when watching from a distance. In a movie the heightened drama makes for an engaging plot. The real-life ramifications of dealing with an out of control interpersonal conflict are far more harrowing. Especially when it’s one-sided.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yht6nbQ_xNA

She’s not going to be ignored. If you won’t let her in your house and be her friend, she’s the type who will burn it to the ground with you in it. Forget the fact that self-determination means we get to choose who we interact with, because it’s all about her.

Using these video clips to make my point is somewhat sarcastic and while I don’t enjoy having to call out another blogger (again), I will not be shy about critically evaluating serious matters no matter how uncomfortable.

What Holding True To Values Looks Like

Being that it’s Black History Month I had other topics planned, but in what is surely a curious case of deja vu we find ourselves back at a previous conversation related to distinguishing the difference between black community (read that as black male-oriented thinking), protecting black women’s interests first and those who struggle with (read that as refuse to do so) fully embracing the necessary choices required.

When we look back at January 2012 we will see how the core values of self-determination, reciprocity and pushback against demands of one-sided support further aided the expansion of Black Women Empowerment (BWE) messaging to a national audience. It has also simultaneously weeded out more of the sycophants who have no concept of or concern for what any of this means.

Make no mistake, the heated conversations about supporting a third-rate, historically inaccurate movie were not about the movie in question (Red Tails), but what value black women assign to themselves and each other. That is the real argument, not about what black males or anyone else thinks. If you have been evaluating the ever-increasing denigration of black women and girls by the black male collective and the women who support their agenda of denigration you would not be at all surprised or confused by recent events.

This is why you have been strongly encouraged to save yourselves and stop self-sacrificing. This is why setting standards is so important. While some of us have moved on from discussing this full-time in our forums or left blogging for other ventures, the protection and implementation of these core values remain a priority.

It is black women who will ultimately decide their fate – whether to thrive, thwart, tread water, soar or die. My concern is for the quality of life of the younger generations, who are not in a position to protect themselves.

One of the pioneer BWE bloggers wrote a recent post restating what black women-centered support means. Other black women bloggers who don’t identify as BWE expressed similar concerns about the ramifications of supporting denigration. Clearly everyone doesn’t agree because a lot of black women did financially support a film that erased them, but that doesn’t justify obstructing the evaluation.

While I didn’t comment on any forum about this particular issue, I observed the usual willful ignorance and lack of critical thinking of many by their expressed confusion about and rejection of core tenets. This indicates people are paying lip service to concepts they don’t apply. Many have restated what BWE means numerous times but it’s all for naught when so many still talk about change, but won’t make any.

This is why I don’t advocate abandoning established terminology like BWE simply because other people have glommed onto it, don’t employ it, or seek to distort and destroy the message. Words have power and meaning.

Speaking of, the deja vu aspect I alluded to involves blogger Christelyn Karazin. She clearly disagreed with a recent discussion and turned it into a personal conflict. She continues hurling written vomit because she wants approval and respect from others that she’ll never earn. It was because of her behavior that I had to expose her as a BWE infiltrator and opportunist one year ago as discussed by Khadija in her Conversations post.

You need to understand the seriousness of having a Judas-type person in your midst when doing advocacy. It cannot be ignored. After I wrote BWE Swipe Crowns and Mediocrity posts in response to some MAJOR shadiness and obstructionism, I moved on. You have to set aside ego, feelings and distractions to stay focused on the big picture. Clearly she has not.

It’s so disappointing to experience people who lack values and the wishy-washy behavior of the majority spectators of BWE but it has been duly noted. When other people put their trust in strangers to use our platforms to help them it might be the difference between survival or perishing. This needs to be handled with due reverence. The stakes are too high.

If I was writing about recreational activities my experiences would be vastly different. Having personally experienced and witnessed biting opposition, verbal and physical attacks on women bloggers and other concerns, I can only give so much leeway to unreliable folks who will turn on you when they don’t get their way. Especially when others have more resources at their disposal. Especially when I notice how some people want to roll up in a limo to visit a homeless shelter. You know, the type who wants to be seen by certain people, but will drop you when someone better comes along.

I can’t make anyone do anything. I can’t heal emotional wounds. I don’t have the time or energy to coddle individuals who don’t provide or produce something of value, who only want to take. If you review those posts and compare it to recent events, you will see very little has changed. I knew it was time to seque out of BWE as the main focus at AOFB after that first incident. The lack of standards and discernment amongst the greater readership was galling. I won’t spend my time trying to rescue people who do nothing to save themselves.

After this latest example of betrayal by the BWE infiltrator, who exposed herself as such by first accusing others of singling her out, she repeated previous behavior in trashing other pioneering BWE bloggers in her forums just as she had the year before. Lest you think this conversation is only about this clearly troubled woman, I will remind you of the bottom line. If you were using true discernment you would have already anticipated the emergence of imposters and their subversion tactics. If you had standards you’d use them. Nobody would have to point out what is obvious.

Less than one year later the DBR BM utilized by the infiltrator to aid her appearance of legitimacy with NWNW went right back to their BW-bashing ways.

Thankfully, her latest histrionic tour has led her to publicly declare she’s not “part of the BWE movement” as loudly as she previously attached herself to it. I wrote this before she went on a rampage this past weekend naming me specifically in a recent blog post filled with more lies that continues to ignore her own foul behavior.

What prompted this latest round of Bunny Boiler Madness?

Aside from her insatiable ego and personal weaknesses, she has a book being released. The existence of mental instability and lack of discipline does not negate intellectual capacity or knowing right from wrong. She is a PR professional after all. Since apparently any attention whether it’s negative or positive is good, I’d like to set the record straight once and for all that Christelyn Karazin displays the same exact behavior of the numerous black male opponents of social justice activism that empowers black women.

The lying, willful manipulation, distortion of facts and most concerting – the constant cyber stalking, bullying and menacing behavior is what I’ve spent the majority of my time struggling against the entire life of this online forum. She does the same thing – which is why I knew to FLEE from her and end all contact.

Sociopaths lack morality. Sociopaths want control. Sociopaths lie.

She wanted to stir up more trouble and garner publicity, so she sent a flurry of bizarre emails to me and two other pioneering BWE bloggers trying to provoke a conflict. Then she wrote a blog post on her site attempting to make it look as if we were fighting with her.

Until this latest round of nonsense I hadn’t corresponded with Bunny Boiler since February 2011. She already revealed she can’t be trusted so I had long distanced myself. I have no emotional investment in what she does. I don’t hate her. I’m certainly not jealous of her. Those are such trite accusations indicative of an infantile mentality. She doesn’t register on my radar. At all. I have far more important goals and dreams to fulfill. If anyone reads AOFB it should be clear that we are focused on living a high quality life and making room for prosperity. I most certainly don’t have to focus on what other people have to achieve. If you’re scratching your head at how this bit o’ insanity occurred after so much time has passed, welcome to my world.

The greater question lies with part of the reading audience, black women who claim they want to thrive. How many failed to recognize they were voluntarily placing their heads in a noose by supporting Red Tails? How many subvert the basic premise of self-care and reciprocity? How many readers at that site were actively cheerleading Ms. Karazin’s descent off the cliff of credibility, trashing the BWE message and throwng away any semblence of decorum? I am so grateful my readers use common sense and have pulled me back from the ledge if they sensed I was headed there.

The “BWE Brand” is intact, but we’re not selling soap here. This was a vigorous shaking the tree of all the dead weight choking the roots. Ms. Karazin making public declarations of not being part of the BWE movement (as how she defined it) was necessary and welcome. As I stated a year ago, she was never part of it in the first place. Like the vengeful, petty person she is, she’d rather destroy any progress if she can’t have her name attached. It’s unfortunate she doesn’t trust in the Universe to provide and is unwilling to learn humility.

This latest incident confirms why it was wise to move away from solely focusing on “to be BWE or not” because it’s clear those who most need to have rejected it. If you didn’t take the right pill you will stay in the Matrix. This is about choosing life or choosing death. Most of you gleefully select death.

After what was a disturbing display of vitriol, Ms. Karazin pulled the entire post. Since she has a history of taking these public potshots and running, I made sure to do a screen capture of all the post links and comments for future reference. Call it “Crazy Insurance”.

I wish I could be confident that this will be the last time I’ll be subjected to her Bunny Boiler antics, but like roaches and rats she scurries away only to reappear with a vengeance later. Everything is about her and everyone’s out to get her, yet she’s the one holding onto grudges and keeps provoking these conflicts. I questioned how and whether to respond at all, but the deception and diviseness is too big to ignore. BWE messaging will not be derailed because of her scorched earth tactics.

Many of us who do this specific type of advocacy disagree on certain matters. We may only correspond with each other sporadically, if at all. We didn’t have prior relationships either. We’ve had a tacit understanding about how to conduct ourselves, which included keeping personal squabbles out of sight from the general audience. Mature people decide to prioritize the work instead of inserting personal agendas (or vendettas) and if there are enough shared values continue working together. Or we walk away. I do not want to ever have to address this again. In the meantime, I will remain unbowed in my quest to educate and connect with those women (and allies) who choose to be healthy, wealthy and whole.

Do You Enjoy Being A “Girl”?

Faith — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:25 +0000

Do You Enjoy Being A “Girl”? is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Reading Melina’s work on deploying womanly arts has truly transformed my life. My journey began with her blog, “The Art Of Being Feminine” and continues with her premium site “Feminissima“. To say it was an eye-opener is an understatement. Where some women may be offended (???), I see the promise of a return to what makes us unique and powerful. It takes confidence to rely on our instincts and not let societal pressures, external agendas or inner doubts override what we know to be inherently true about ourselves.

Black women in particular have been maligned or bought into a distorted outlook of themselves. We need to stop being martyrs and fulfill our destinies. Every woman as an individual has her own particular set of strengths she should become familiar with and utilize.

Patriarchy has it’s benefits and disadvantages – for both genders in fact. While women have successfully reshaped society to be more favorable from a political perspective, there has been a communication breakdown between men and women. People don’t understand their roles within personal relationships anymore. Women began to act like men in adopting some of the same traits that caused such an uproar to begin with. In turn men have been allowed to stop being the providers, protectors, problem-solvers and producers that give them their sense of purpose.

It’s time to reclaim W.O.M.A.N. Being a woman doesn’t automatically make you a damsel in distress any more than it does being a ball-buster. We must sometimes walk a fine line between outside expectations and inner perspectives in figuring out what where that balance lies.

This is still a patriarchal society. We can take comfort in knowing that instead of trying to wrest control from men we can instead return to shaping and influencing its direction and scope — and real men will gladly step forward to meet our needs. We can still achieve our goals and do so with a capable and willing partner or advocate working on our behalf. This is why we need to continue making patriarchy work for us instead of fighting to dismantle it.

Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should or have to. If it’s in a cat’s nature to kill things and bring them home do we want to declaw and entrap our furry friend? How much happier that cat is when it can roam free. It’s still domesticated afterall! If we don’t want to be trapped in a gilded cage (from exercising our “freedoms” that come back to bite us in the you know what) or denigrated — why do we insist on trying to push the unnatural roles on men to be more like women? If I wanted to be in a relationship with a woman I’d be a lesbian!

Now, I am of course talking about well-adjusted men who are fulfilling their duty (or willing to make necessary adjustments), not males who hide under women’s skirts, are jealous of or in pursuit of undermining them. Misogynists and man-children need not apply!

Tapping into or regaining your strength in character to be a lady with goals, a sense of purpose and deploying solid boundaries makes us reliable, emotionally stable and ultimately formidable. People with values will be drawn to us and coupling this with a sense of adventure has the makings for a remarkable life. Those women who have captured their essence are happier and ultimately lead more satisfactory lives than those who remain mired n controversy and denial.

We need to seriously examine what legacy we leave behind and whether we’re adding to society or draining precious resources. Let’s make a decision today to help create a better world by the time we depart this mortal coil.

What We Can Learn About Friendship From Jane Eyre

Faith — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:17 +0000

What We Can Learn About Friendship From Jane Eyre is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Good grief the Brontë sisters know how to write tales of wanting, loneliness and dra-a-a-ma. And triumph. Jane is orphaned, mistreated, cast off, mistreated some more, falls in love, mistreated some more, wanders the moors and nearly dies and then becomes an heiress! Rochester is a bit of a letch in my opinion – despite the 4^th quarter plot twist to redeem him which is what makes it such a compelling novel.

She didn’t compromise her values despite all sorts of pressure that would’ve broken most people, let alone a woman from that time. Indeed, Jane Eyre was ahead of her time with so many admirable qualities we can draw from as modern women. She wanted to define herself separate from societal captions but maintained compassion and character. She has endured many experiences similar to the Cinderella mythology. I don’t want to give away any more specifics of the book plot, but in case you’ve never read it you’re missing out.

Clocking in at 400+ pages its quite the juicy read – but not nearly as lengthy as Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”. The newest movie adaptation directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga was great and is now out on DVD! It was such a surprise to see Billy Elliot actor Jamie Bell all grown up. Michael Fassbender is poised to be the next A-list international star, so his appeal is evident playing such an iconic character.

Did you know a young Elizabeth Taylor played the first film version of Helen Burns? So the lesson on friendship was between Jane and herself but it was Helen’s influence which helped Jane develop a belief in a higher purpose beyond present circumstances that guided her. I thought the recurring visions of Helen was a nice touch reminding Jane she wasn’t entirely alone.

Isn’t it amazing how these messages of abundance permeate across so many different avenues? Helen’s speech about being spirits was one big YES for adopting this line of thinking and being. It really proves there is truly nothing new under the sun. We find our way towards certain things or not. And then it manifests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ae_E526TcE

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If you enjoyed this post you might enjoy: Channeling the Wisdom Found in Jane Austen

Prosperity Prayer For Full Option Living

Faith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:33 +0000

Prosperity Prayer For Full Option Living is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Think of it as a non-secular affirmation and replace with your own religious totem if necessary. When we shift our focus from the “problem” and instead think about the place where we want to be, we can work our way backwards so to speak. And then move ahead. Try it for a while. You can always go back to doing things the old way.

God is my source

And God has no limitations

With God, all things are possible

So I think big

I speak of what is possible

I give generously of time, talent and treasure

I choose a consciousness of prosperity

And I live in continuous flow

of giving and receiving

Each moment holds a gift

One to receive and one to give

I make a conscious decision each day

To celebrate the unlimited possibilities

present in every moment

And So It Is

In Case You Want SOTU Info

Faith — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:16:23 +0000

In Case You Want SOTU Info is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Extra post alert! Since I said we’d be covering more politically-oriented fare (even as the personal life-affirming choices we make may seem political to some), I wanted to remind any interested readers the first State of the Union address from President Obama in 2012 is scheduled to air tonight at 9PM EST.

This is an election year and it’s imperative to think and act strategically. As always we must use discernment when taking in messages. We can weigh whether our support yielded results and how certain relationships have benefited us.

The White House says it is taking post-SOTU questions. It’s our inherent right to exercise the freedom whether to cheer or jeer the carefully packaged speech. Of course people may alternately respond in the privacy of their own homes or engage via Facebook, Twitter, etc. There will also be a live online meetup on January 30 with the President using Google +. If you have something to say, this may be one of your best opportunities to be heard sans making a large contribution for access. The power of using technology and social media tools to connect must not be ignored.

We can hold elected officials accountable if necessary. We can also trust in our own initiative at building a great life, God and the Universe to align with our highest purpose. As we are well aware there are people who have positioned themselves in such a way, office holders always cater to their needs no matter who’s elected. Let us use our time, talent and treasure to create an abundant life that isn’t dependent on external circumstances.

Consider this your open thread….

Proving You Can Do It Too: A Reader Recaps Her Trip To Spain With VaughanTown

Faith — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:03 +0000

Proving You Can Do It Too: A Reader Recaps Her Trip To Spain With VaughanTown is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

Reader C.O. answered the call of travel and participated in the VaughanTown program. This is a two-week volunteer exchange pairing native English speakers from around the world with business professionals from Spain who want to improve their language skills.

In March 2011, I wrote the post Teach & Travel In Spain With VaughanTown and am so pleased a reader participated. I love reading about women who think expansively and take opportunities to meet new people – and yes, I’m ESPECIALLY pleased it was a sista! C.O. very graciously sent me some photos, which I’m sharing here.

She also had this to say:

“Hi, I just wanted to let you know that there is at least one reader out there who is taking your advice to heart. I read the post about VaughanTown back in March and decided to apply.”

She went on to give a few details about how much fun she had. CHEERS to you! Thanks for the feedback as well and allowing me to publish your note.

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Don’t miss out! You gotta be in it to win it! Here’s an opportunity to teach in Chile.

Progress Or Sabotage: Haywire and Underworld 4 Get Same Day Release

Faith — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:33 +0000

Progress Or Sabotage: Haywire and Underworld 4 Get Same Day Release is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

When I saw the trailer for Haywire, about a female assassin I immediately perked up. I found the original Underworld to be a fresh take on the vampire meme. Plus, I loved the gothic architecture in the background. When I discovered they filmed location shots in Budapest I’ve wanted to go to Hungary ever since. I wonder if action or science fiction movies with a woman as the lead protagonist will become the latest cool trend like paranormal romance novels are for book publishing. There’s clearly been ongoing interest by audiences for these types of stories.

There have been other films where women led the story like the Lara Croft and Resident Evil franchises. Hollywood even threw us black girls a bone with Sanaa Lathan starring in Alien v. Predator way back in 2004. While these films may have been profitable, Angelina Jolie and Milla Jovovich have hearty careers (esp. Jolie) they were made for the mental capacity of 12 year-olds.

And while Salt (originally written with Tom Cruise in mind which also starred Jolie) was a much meatier film I’m still waiting for one that has enough gravitas. I may have urged folks to see Colombiana, but a film about a woman seeking vengeance whose family were essentially criminals is not exactly the best message.

On the other hand one could argue most films in this genre are flawed. The difference is due to shifting demographics where women are getting more of these roles in a post-Ripley and Sarah Connor world, but like the Bond Villianesses they’re still envisioned by men. There have been a few great individual characters like Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones, but they didn’t travel far beyond a window-dressing fluke that ended with the Blaxploitation genre. I thought Trinity from the Matrix films most embodied a balanced combination of toughness, intelligence and vulnerability, but that was more than a decade ago. French film Nikita looms large twenty-two years after its release because of the depths of its character and unique perspective. So much so it has spawned two international tv series, one crappy American movie remake but remains second to none.

I have yet to find a more interesting character than Tina Turner’s portrayal of Auntie Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Well, except maybe Grace Jones in Conan The Destroyer. Talk about kicking some serious booty! Her athleticism made her stand out.

I haven’t even touched on the paradox of our promotion of violence, but far too many movies seem to take glee in showing women being victimized *cough* Girl With The Dragon Tattoo *cough*. I won’t watch the American remake of that film after inadvertently streaming Part One of the Swedish films. Because I hadn’t read about the plot, didn’t know the non-English title is actually Men Who Hate Women, I was completely unprepared and almost threw up when I discovered there was a rape scene. I was horrified and stopped watching. Eventually, I calmed down enough after I read the backstory on Stieg Larsson and his overall intended message for the Millennium trilogy. I went on to watch all three films and I guess I was more relieved there weren’t scenes as bad as that one, but it was more like surviving a war because it was so emotionally taxing. There has to be something that is serious but not as gut-wrenching.

This isn’t the 1980′s or ’90′s and the mindless car crashes, collisions and explosions have been done to death. It’s time to retire The Transformer series. The Comic Book franchises have filled a gap as late, with Marvel doing an excellent job with tying their heroes and showing preview scenes for upcoming movies. I really enjoyed X-Men: First Class and Thor but that was because of the interpersonal relationships and themes present. The filmmakers get a permanent black eye for diminishing the awesomeness of Storm AND for not casting black women – even as an extra. Someone had better start using their box office muscle where more than one-third of the entire paying audience is black in only supporting movies that recognize us, but that’s a whole other issue.

For the record, the success or failure of Red Tails (about black male fighter pilots) offers no value to me personally, nor will it assist black women professionally as we’ve been completely erased in that film as well. George Lucas dating a black woman has yet to translate in any significant front-end or back-end gains for us in his films or at his company to my knowledge, so let’s never assume (group) potential value in relationships until we see evidence of something that benefits more than one individual.

Since this genre is still male-dominated (like the industry and society at large) and the success of (still predominently white) women-led films across any genre is judged more harshly, the opening weekend box office becomes imperative. I’d hedge my bets in supporting these films for potential benefit based on our shared gender before counting on (black) male support. I’d LOVE to be proven wrong! Apparently, we’re still circling the crawling stage in crucial areas of development.

So after that long sidebar companion discussion we’re (almost) back to the topic at hand. Hollywood continually thwarts funding for women-centric films unless they’re horribly racially stereotypical (Precious, The Help, anything by Tyler Perry, other black male comedians in drag/fat suits who aren’t ~~Toilet Paper Productions~~ Perry), anti-woman ridicule disguised as a comedy (Bridesmaids, Bride Wars), offendingly paternalistic (“Third World” survival tales) or gratuitous in objectifying us. Or stories about us being raped, beaten and murdered.

So after ALL of that (I still left a few offenses on the table and the complicity of other women demeaning each other) what we’re left with is the ‘opportunity’ for failure when competing studios who collectively claim women can’t carry a film STILL – after this has been DEBUNKED numerous times – pit two women-starring films against each other. Of course neither film is directed or produced by women, but again we’re still circling the crawling stage in crucial areas of development.

Both films will lose key support by peeling away at audience numbers. Overall attendance is on a steady decline. Crappy movies and high ticket prices discourages legit ticket buyers. The studios insistence on delaying availability for streaming and pushing DVDs only encourages the piracy they complain so bitterly about.

I know I asked whether the ~~not~~ arbitrary decision to have these movies in direct competition signifies equal positioning and more opportunities. I think you can guess what my answer is. Still, Kate Beckinsale had nixed continued involvement in the series at one time (the third one was a prequel without her in it), so the studio is banking on perhaps one last hurrah with Awakening.

Haywire has cache because Steven Soderberg’s directing. Newcomer Gina Carano plays a black ops soldier who’s betrayed and the fact she has martial arts training makes the fight scenes look even better. The same can be said for the latest Nikita incarnation because what untrained actress could pull off a credible single-shot sword fight? It always annoys me male stunt fighters are still being substituted for women as if we can’t tell when they’re in drag.

At the end of the day I’d rather see a woman kicking you-know what over being a damsel in distress, but mental acumen and femininity rule. There are women Studio Heads but we’ve still got far to go. I think the curiosity factor is higher for Haywire. Women In Hollywood hails this as a potential gamechanger where a female athlete gets such a big opportunity for movie stardom. Perhaps, but no one ever overdubbed Ah-nuld like Soderbergh does to Carano. One step foward and you know the rest. If you plan to see either of these films drop a comment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFV0Uvzpz0o

Clooney & Davis Cover Entertainment Weekly: This Girl Dreams Of A Real-Life Courting

Faith — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:29 +0000

Clooney & Davis Cover Entertainment Weekly: This Girl Dreams Of A Real-Life Courting is a post from: Acts of Faith In Love & Life

My jaw hit the floor when I spotted George and Viola frolicking on the January 13th cover of EW. It was just so unexpected. They look like they’re having so much fun and it got me thinking about future possibilities. Apparently they’re friends!

While I’ve made no secret I abhor movies like “The Help” and the desperate black actresses who accepted such demeaning roles should be tarred and feathered, I am pleased as punch by that cover for it shows endless possibilities. The accompanying interview was very telling.

The Thinking Woman’s Heartthrob

Sure George Clooney is fully invested in what I sarcastically refer to as his ‘Three Girlfriends Per Year Plan‘. Since he has not remarried after divorcing well-over a decade prior, we’ve seen his babe-magnet appeal skyrocket along with his career.

I can’t ascertain whether he’s a man of quality (I’m not that invested), but I haven’t seen evidence of accountability from those women who choose a serial dater with an imposed dating shelf life. By all accounts he isn’t a jerk per se, but is a man who gets to enjoy the perks of female companionship without commitment. He might be anti-marriage but he doesn’t strike me as being anti-woman.

When Was The Last Time Viola Smiled On Camera?

Aside from this cover and maybe a quick flash in Eat, Pray, Love she has made a career out of portraying hard-working and long-suffering black women. You know: Mules.

Hence, I cannot support The Mammy Chronicles in the era of African-American First Lady, Michelle Obama. It’s awards season and because so many are invested in affirming stereotypes, she may very well clean up but I do believe Meryl Streep will get a third Oscar.

If there is such a thing as a silver-lining then Ms. Davis would use this time to secure an alliance personally and/or professionally with a powerful man like George Clooney. She’s a good actress who needs to be more expansive.

In the meantime this picture conveys a thousand unspoken scenarios….