sagaciously is...

Bakers Dozen c/o KB via ej.

ok, really there wasn't a whole lot of love this weekend - that just refers to both my weekend at Michael Baisden's events, my dating (or lack therof) situation, and one of my fave Raheem Devaughn songs (if you haven't yet, you must check out "The Love Experience"). Meanwhile...

1. thankYou's:: thanks everyone for voting for me in the dating game, and showing your support! I got so much positive feedback and I really appreciate it. HOWEVER, I wasn't feeling the bachelor, so I'm glad I didn't win.


2. theDatingGameResults:: Now, here's the cute part though - it seems the contest was rigged. I tried to stay in the top 3, then the top 5, just to see if I could get on the show. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the polls: some of the contestants shot up from 19 votes to 200+ votes, then when voting closed, dropped down to less that 100 votes. Shady biz...but the bonus was I got free VIP passes to the weekend's events.


3. theConcert:: which was my primary reason for staying in the top 3. Sol Factor, Algebra and Lina performed in the Omni Hotel Ballroom, in a relatively intimate environment (about 150-200 people). The venue was cool, the crowd (full of industry reps) was a little too cool, but the artists were good. Algebra & Sol Factor were the stand-outs of the night. Lina was cool, but a little too mellow for my tastes.


4. Sol Factor:: Sol Factor is a musically solid band, and I particularly liked Philip Muckle's energy. They had fun on stage, and that translates into good music. Their guest vocalist (whose name I didn't catch due to my collision with Navan) was tight as well - the sista can blow. But, I had to give my best performance props to...


5. Algebra:: Algebra was my stand-out of the night, period. I'll spare you the mathematical analogies (although her claim to be a simple solution is pretty accurate). Not only can she sing, but she's an artist with a clearly defined style (phrasing and delivery) that's uniquely hers. She doesn't remind you of ___ (insert latest neo-soul discovery name here). She makes good music, and she makes good music hers. And shawty, it don't hurt that she's from the south, giving her songs an earthy, down home, close to you feeling, that speaks to your heart. Now, she's not new to the music scene, as her live performance skills evidenced themselves when the crowd complained tht they couldn't hear her, she joked: "oh, y'all can't hear me? Ok, well see I want to make sure y'all can hear me well, so you see that space right there? (pointing to the sound booth & asks engineer to turn her mic up)"yeah, that's the sound man right there. If y'all still can't hear me, go get him!" Oh yeah, peep her music on Kedar Massenberg's new site, and definitely check out "You Do It For Me"


6. theNavan:: if you've ever had a Vibrator, you already know you use it to get right. Not only is the Vibrator no joke, but that Navan Cosmo is sumthin else too. Oh,get ya mind outta the gutter...you knew I was talking about drinks, right...?


7. theSeminar:: Love, Lust, Lies - Live. Touted as a live, uncensored version of the radio show, I fully expected some raw, jimmy-free, grown-folks talk about a subject close to my heart - dating in the African-American community, particularly for grown folks. What I learned: people, particularly single, older (30+) women will pay their good, heard-earned money to hear what they (should) already know - men have issues, and most women are too good for them, so they should pull their girdles up, make themselves happy, and never settle. Shyt, I should write a self-help, dating book...


8. theRevival:: Now, I would never imply that this was orchestrated, but a couple of audience members that spoke up, seemed to be plants (just like them ole skool revival meetings). Peaches (same hairstyle - horrors!) said: "I just want a honest man, with some integrity". Intellectual brotha added: "See the problem with women is they don't understand what it is to submit..." (aside: this kid also used the word Insternal, as opposed to an external factor). And, Proud-wifey concurred that women have to distinguish a love for family from a man who's a mama's boy, in trying to find a worthy man (right before stating "and that's how you get a Harry Winston"). Funny, how these happened to all be points on Mr. Baisden's agenda...or maybe I'm just an ungrateful, hateful skeptic.


9. andAfterThat:: revisited Harlem Bar. Music-B+, food-B-, ambiance-A ('cept for the lack of a dance floor, which I hope they expand and address soon)...and props to the bald, chocolatey brother I "seat-danced" with for vibing with me (neither of us left our chairs, but we danced to a Marvin Gaye house remix from across the room...lol).


10. theDate:: late-night first date with a cool brotha I met online, who was absotively not feeling me...oh well. My conclusion - online dating ain't for me. Actually, I think I'll chill on the dating front for a sec, period - it's not really all it's cracked up to be.


11. theLove:: one of my exes, who's about 9 gazillion miles away, actually saw my pic on the site, and told me I'm as beautiful now as I was when we dated 15 years ago - now that's peace.


12. theLust:: is for what Peaches touched on: character. Integrity. Honesty. And like Peaches, too many of us are out here like Diogenes (hearts clearly on our sleeve), searching for an honest man. Put that flame out, and stop looking...we're scaring them right the hell off....lol.


13. theLies:: profiting from the fairly obvious is actualy a public service, and not shameless self-promotion. Or I could just be ungratefully hating.

Again, thanks for voting for me, I do appreciate it. And the seminar wasn't a complete bust. It did reinforce something for me. I'm an extraordinary woman, and finding an extraordinary man should be difficult for me to do. I have uncommon tastes, so uncommonly challenged dating should be my expectation. I just wish it wasn't so damned hard. And unfun.

Oh, and Algebra is appearing at the Tabrnacle February 21st (tuesday nite) with Common, then again at the Fox on March 5th with Kem and Kindred. Support real music!