Greene Light Photography: Mystery pictures #1

Greene Light Photography: Mystery pictures #1: "Here is a new feature for the site. I will post an abstract photo. You then follow the blog (if you aren't already following it) AND tell m..."

Adult fun.

These days, the only events that we go are things that for my daughter or place that we can take her. It was was great then to go out and have some adult fun last night, not in the pornographic sense, of course! Just fun with a group of adults where no-one brought their kids. We ALL love and adore our kids but sometimes we need a break.

In NYC, there are lots of places to hear great music performed but generally, when there is food, it is mediocre. Concurrently, there are amazing restaurants in the city but if they have entertainment, it is average at best. Last night, though, we were treated to BOTH at the Jazz Standard (www.jazzstandard.com). Let me start with the food.

If you've known me for more than five minutes, you know I love food. My meal last night satiated my palate and my hunger at the same time. At Jazz Standard, you have the benefit of the Blue Smoke (www.bluesmoke.com) menu, and that mean three letters: B-B-Q! I encourage you to try other things on their menu but don't leave with at least sampling some of their barbecue! It's amazing. I ordered the "Rhapsody in Cue" which should be renamed "kill one of everything in the barn and put it on a plate"! Some time during the night, my wife asked me how my meal was. My response was the I had reached "full" status 30 minutes ago! I could not stop eating! The chicken was apple and hickory smoked and you could taste the aroma in every juicy bite. The pulled pork melted in my mouth and was as tasty as I have ever experienced. I now want the sausage that was on my plate at EVERY meal that have even if it's a sundae! And that brings me to the ribs which were delightfully succulent and flavorful. I never finished the meal and when I had reached the brink of my food coma, the last uneaten rib sat on my plate, mocking me for not having a larger stomach. When I walked in and looked at the menu, I was sure that I was going to have the pecan pie for dessert. Let's just say that after the 'kill one of everything in the barn and put it on the plate' meal that I had, pecans were the FURTHEST thing from my mind! Now on to the music:

The performer that night was Somi. The minute she began to sing I was transported back to my childhood days when I used to listen to Miriam Makeba. Mama Africa, as she was known, had a way of conjuring up spirits deep within you when she sang and I felt just as moved listening to Somi. She masterfully blended jazz rhythms with melodic undertones from her native Uganda and music from that region. He voice was harmonic and earthy and refused to allow you to sit idly by. I found myself unconsciously rocking to the beat and noticed others doing the same. Her accompaniment was excellent as well, especially her pianist. And I was happy to report that I still don't know what the bass player's eyes look like which is a requirement for jazz bassists for me! LOL  Last night, she was recording a live album so if you purchase it, you should be able to her us cheering quite loudly at the end of every song!!

I had a great time last night. I definitely intend to return to the Jazz Standard, and without a doubt, to Blue Smoke to conquer Rhapsody in Cue, and intend to pick up Somi's live album when it comes out! You should too!

As always, these are my thoughts...what are yours?

Last of the rants....tired of being annoyed.

I really hate that I haven't posted in a while and my first one is a rant! LOL But it is. Sorry....

More stuff that bothers me.

Why do people wear T-shirts with sayings on them and then get mad when I read them. And it's not the age old "why-are-you-staring-at-my-chest" that is typical with women but it's dudes giving the stink eye when I'm trying to read the funny saying on their shirt. You can't have a sense of humor with your garment and be uptight at the same time! Pick one, you indecisive fool.

If you are on the train and panhandling AND you are carrying an instrument, you BETTER play that thing if you want any money from me! This is not community theatre. You don't need a prop for begging. Play that guitar or sell it and go buy a hamburger, you silly rabbit.

Which brings me to my next point: if you are going to ask for money, at least have the decency to come up with a schtick. Tell me a story that you lost your job, your dog is an addict, or you're a former child star whose parents stole your money (RIP Gary), something! "Can anyone spare some change" is not working for me these days. Since the market crashed, I need to be careful where I invest my money. Impress me.

Lastly, I'm still tired of the snow. Cut it out, God. We get it: you're in charge. All praises onto you.

These are my thoughts...what are yours?

The new industrialists

In today's economy, you have to make a dollar wherever you can. That manifests itself these days in the form of the "side hustle". Formerly known as cottage industries, having a secondary, home based source of income has become commonplace, all with the hope of it becoming the next great thing that will eliminate the need for an actual 9-5. This post is dedicated to those in my circle who are the new industrialists based in the NY area.

• So I HAVE to start with Greene Light Photography. Started by me, Hayden Greene, the company seeks to provide an unobtrusive approach to photography. The resulting photos are artistic and evoke memories. Reach Greene Light Photography at www.greenelightphoto.com or at (888) 505-8739. For inquiries email me at Hayden@greenelightphoto.com

• Hartlyn Kids is a company that will be putting out it's first set of children's books this summer. The company was created by Christine Mills and Aisha Greene and the books are multicultural in nature but more importantly, their authors are indigenous to the countries of the story. Their blog is www.cosmopolitankid.blogspot.com

• Something Blue is a graphic design company that churns out quality work on a consistent basis. Alec Turner has been in the graphic design business for as long as I have known him. He specializes in websites and party announcements. Check him out at www.alecturner.com

• Austin the Realtor operates out of Long Island, NY. He specializes in Queens and Long Island but he has listings all over the city. Reach Austin Williams at austin@austintherealtor.com or visit his website at www.austintherealtor.com

• Have you ever wanted to have one of those "ladies only" nights or do you have a bride that needs some "party favors" for her bachelorette party? Passion Parties is your resource and Anna Felix will take care of you with her wide assortment of ...err...ummmm...bedroom augmentations... Hit her up at annasplayfulpleasures@gmail.com or visit her website at www.annaspleasures.yourpassionconsultant.com

• Silpada is a unique line of jewelry with a focus on high quality silver. Just check the catalog out at www.mysilpada.com/theodora.stokely The pieces are beautiful and Lynn Stokely is your NYC contact. She can reached at (347) 512-4446 or email her at njsilverstar@yahoo.com

• Ok so this next one is not a side hustle but this guy is good at what he does and it's really difficult to find a good contractor. This guy is super professional and very fast. His name is Andrew and you can reach him at (917) 364-5441. Back to side hustles....

• Who doesn't love cake? (if you actually don't like cake, please stop reading this blog immediately. I don't think we can be friends) My friend Francine McIntyre is a cake genius! Want a cake that looks like your favorite team's baseball cap? She can do. Need an iPod cake? No problem. Check out her cakes on Facebook.

• Speaking of cakes, if you're in Jersey (NY's biggest outer borough) and need an amazing cake, you NEED to check out Julie Fleming's artistry with fondant!!! Her cakes constantly amaze me and she will even make a supporting cast to the cake! Check Julie out at flemingmsu@gmail.com

• We all love a good party. In fact, those are the only kind that I like. There is nothing worse than getting all gussied up to have a good time and then have the party be a bust. Wouldn't it be great to have a guarantee that the party is going to be jumpin'? Jamar Young and the UrbenPro Group offer just that guarantee! Whether it is an after work professional social or a full out jam in a club, all UrbenPro events leave you satisfied. Find Jamar at youngj@urbenpro.com or at 917-586-0730

Ok could keep going for a while but this post would be 4 pages long. Let me know if you use any of the businesses. I'd love to know that I helped out in some fashion. Also, if you have a hustle that you want me to know about, I'd be happy to add it to the next blog about entrepreneurs that I do.

Enjoy.

On my mind...

Fair warning: rant alert!

There are a couple of things on my mind and now I want them to be on yours.


Every morning I walk through the turnstile to get on the train and the little digital screen tells me over my ever-decreasing amount on my metro card. That's not my issue. It also informs me that it doesn't accept tokens. Really?!?!? First of all, the MTA hasn't sold a token since first Bush was in office. Secondly, there isn't even a place to put a bloody token anyway! It's been sealed up in most cases and doesn't exist in others! Why can't they get rid of this? It's stupid and is an example of the inefficiency of the MTA. It's a small thing but it irritates me. I know it's a straw but it's my camel's back dammit!


Can we come up with another name for when a women is spilling over the top of her jeans other than 'muffin tops'? I happen to love actual muffin tops but every time I tear the top off of my scrumptious pastry treat, I'm forced to visualize a women who clearly has no idea how ridiculous she looks. And just like that, my treat is ruined. Can we call 'volcano tops' instead. Same visual and no-one really has a warm place in their heart for volcanoes....


People who wear their jeans sagging shouldn't be allowed to own a belt. They don't deserve one because they're abusing them. When they're in HS, principals should issue an edict that requires the confiscation of them at the door like it was a weapon if they insist on wearing their pants near their kneecaps. The sagging pants syndrome came from prison and since these jackasses what to emulate those miscreants, then they shouldn't have belts either. They don't allow them in prison so they should feel right at home. Let's see how long those pants will stay up and how long this insipid practice persists


This is an oldie but whatever; it still makes me mad. Stop asking me whether that's an iPad I'm holding. By now they are commonplace on the trains and there are a bunch of other new tablets from other companies. There is even a NEW iPad! Go bother someone else with a newer toy and let me have peace for the one hour that I have to myself on the train!!!


Lastly, does everything that you buy for a child HAVE to make a sound or sing a song or light up or play a Mozart opera exert?!?! When I was growing up, I played in the box from my mother's Avon delivery and that thing only made noise when I turned it into a car and honked my imaginary horn at my mother who was trying to distribute her products! Did some of my toys make noise? Of course, but not EVERY ONE! It's too much. The house is beginning to sound like a bad music theatre class.


Alright, I'm done...for now. These are my thoughts...what are yours?

The Male Feminist

Yesterday the college where I work ran a sticker campaign with the slogan "This is what a feminist looks like". I proudly wore a sticker on my hat (where else would I put it?!?) all day. When I left campus I forgot that it was up there and I went to meeting for my fraternity. My brothers immediately questioned why I had the sticker. I didn't actually offer an explanation but, instead, defended my security in my manhood.
"yeah I'm wearing the sticker! Wanna make something of it?"
I thought nothin of it until a new Brother, Stephen, suggested I blog about it. At first, I didn't think there was anything to blog about but this morning I agreed with Stephen. There is an interesting dynamic there.


When men support women's causes it's under the pretense that it somehow weakens their gender to do so and therefor they have to state their dominant stature along with it. We see the "man enough to wear pink" type campaigns and it suggests that in order to support that cause, I have to REAFFIRM my gender binary. A more honest answer to the question as to why I was wearing the sticker would have been that "yes I am a feminist" and own the status. Instead I reminded my Brothers that I am still as much of a man as they are. It is as if being a feminist make me less of a man. I happen to believe that a) you can be a feminist and a man b) doing so doesn't weakness my stature in the realm of men and finally c) it makes me a stronger man for my wife and daughter. The truth of the matter is that stronger women make stronger men and make weaker men irrelevant.


So at the same time that I was proud to wear the sticker, I was not at the point to OUTWARDLY expound my belief. It just shows that we have a way to go.


These are my thoughts....what are yours.

Overcompensating or overcoming.

Last month, I participated in a workshop that looked at where we experience privilege and where we don't. It was geared to help those with the privilege to be allies for those without. The secondary goal was to show that there are different places that we float in and out group in power. The exercise entailed that I we write down all the categories where we are a part of the privilege subset (the part of society who doesn't have to think about how the can make themselves fit because everything is already geared towards them). On the other side of the paper, we were supposed to write the places where we were not part of the dominant group. When I finished, I had about 7 or 8 places of privilege and only two places where I wasn't. On my privilege side were things like being male, middle class, right handed, Christian, and able bodied. On the other side were two words: Black and Immigrant. It made me go hmmmmmm....like Arsenio Hall (if you don't know who that is then Black History Month was a waste!).


The exercise pointed out to me how much I had to be to overcome the fact that I was also an immigrant Black person. I keep adding categories to the privilege side of my paper everyday in an effort to bolster all the negatives that come with being part of the two subsets on the flip side of the paper. But am I overcoming or overcompensating? It's the popular question of whether we are now in a post racial society and being Black doesn't carry the need to overcome as it once did. I, personally, don't believe that we have. Some of you didn't know who Arsenio Hall was! I think that we're on our way but we are not in the Utopian society that people processed to now exist when Obama was elected, especially since that argument only considers two factions of the country. It leaves out everyone else.


I like where we're going as a nation but not where we're at because right now those two words on the paper trump everything I write on the other side in my world.


These are my thoughts...what are yours?

Just a picture

Chasing the snow away....