Inside Holidays: Wishing A Very Merry Christmas To My Readers - Spread The Christmas Spirit

My Christmas was wonderful. I was supposed to write this post before Christmas but Jamaica allowed me no time. So here I am write this post a month later. This is first and foremost the best Christmas I ever had for 1 reason: because I gave. I received a few presents, but there was nothing better than giving. Since I was going to be in Jamaica for Christmas, I bought presents for everybody at my dad's house. For my family back in Boston, my grandmother in a different part of Jamaica, and other friends and my bosses, I got nice Christmas cards for them. There were a few friends, including my best friends, that I got presents for. There were also wonderful dinners and Secret Santas.


Altogether my Christmas was spectacular, including me giving gifts. Awkwardly, this is the first Christmas without my father, yet it still happened to be one of the most amazing ones. I spent Christmas with my loved ones, including my friends that came from Boston to Jamaica to join me in the country's festivities. Below is a detailed description of what I got for my family, friends, and bosses.


Dinners & Secret Santa...
...For my Jumpstart team... 12/8
For the company I work for, another Team Leader and I decided to do Secret Santa and combine our two teams together. The party was fun! Even though the person who had me was at the party, he didn't give me a gift, and the person who I had wasn't there, but it was still cute. Everybody brought in food and I brought in some rum cake my mom baked for a party one of my student organizations had the night before. I could only stay for about 5 minutes, but eventually my Secret Santa got her gift and she loved it! It was actually 2 days ago (1/22/12) that she picked it up from the office and she was so excited because it was a gift that she was already familiar with since I always used hers, Chloé parfums.



...For the 107th Precinct 12/9
While interning for the detectives, we all became close and they treated me like one of them. They ended up inviting me to their Christmas party so I brought one of my best friends. It was definitely interesting lol. It was at a nice restaurant that had a dance floor and it was entertaining to see NYPD and their wives dance. Before going to Thanksgiving, I ended up giving them a card which the Lieutenant was stunned by, and even put it on their board where their daily announcements go.




...Barbie, Boryana, Nancy 12/14
My closest girls and I also decided to do a Secret Santa it was the best one I have ever had, even though I partly ruined it since I figured out who had who lol. We ate a nice place in Soho, forgot the name. It was so good that we're considering doing a "Secret Valentine"...!









 
 ...For Jumpstart's Team Leaders 12/15

The same company I work for ended up throwing a Secret Santa for the St. John's University Team Leaders. I end up having the one who I was assigned to a local preschool with. I also got her a Chloé parfum , and she ended up knowing I had her eventually.

Christmas Cards..

All aunts + uncles + Grandma + Grandpa

Since I wasn't going to be in America for Christmas, I wrote Christmas cards to all of my aunts + uncles and their families. I sent my Grandma in Jamaica a postcard way in advance so it can reach in time and my Grandpa in Buffalo a card also. I know personalized cards makes the heart smile. This I intend.

NYPD 

I gave my Lieutenant a Christmas card for the detective's office right before I left for Thanksgiving, and it turned out to be a hit -- not what I was expecting. He shared it with the office and posted it up on the announcements board. I felt the love.

Jumpstart

I had to give my 2 bosses Christmas cards too. Love those women. 

Gifts...

Mommy + Deon + Zaggy

The weekend before I went to Jamaica, I had to go to Boston to give my presents to my little brother, my little cousin, and my mom since I won't be spending Christmas with them at home. I got my mom some Hunter boots from Saks, and my brother and cousin some colognes and body washes from Hollister. Deon opened his gift 2 weeks early and I was pissed, but he liked them so it's okay. 

My aunt + 3 kids + 2 grandchildren + 1 daughter-in-law

Every Christmas my father usually sends barrels down to Jamaica to our family that lives at our house. This is his immediate family on his mom's side, including the leader of the household in his absence, my aunt. Since he isn't here anymore, of course the very-emotional/caring me absolutely had to spend my little, hard-working work-study money to buy each a gift. Lord knows I can't afford what my father afforded but I know he's looking down, smiling. Most importantly,  my familyaccepted these gifts with love. Everyone loved their gifts. The women got nice bath, body, and perfume sets. The men got colognes. The girls got make-up sets or toys. And the boys got toys. I also bought a Christmas ornament to lay on my dad's grave.

 
Nancy
Fancy Nancy got 2 gifts from me this year. One, because I had her for Secret Santa, and 2, because I had to get my best friend something for Christmas of course. Other than buying her a bowl for Secret Santa (as we all did), I got her a Chloé perfume for Christmas. She unknowingly picked out her own present while we were shopping.  I gave her options of what things might be best and she picked Chloé!






 
Bory
I had to give my other best friend something for Christmas of course, but she wasn't expecting it. Since we were both on campus, I told her I had an emergency and I need to see her now. After getting in the building she was at, I lit a red velvet cupcake I got for her at Crumbs, and walked towards her. She didn't see me, but I could see her and how worried she looked. She was anticipating my arrival. Wah lah! I said "Merry Christmas!" She turned around and gasped, shocked! But she really thought I had bad news and was still waiting for me to talk. After she realized it was all to surprise her, I let her enjoy her cupcake. :)

Mariah 

Bory & I decided to get something for our baby Mariah, we all were roommates together for our freshman year and ended up becoming the bestest of friends up until today. Mariah ended up having a baby with the love of her life and has a very happy family far away from us, so we thought of an idea. We made a video before Bory went to Bulgaria for Xmas, and I, Jamaica. Bory put it on her Facebook Christmas day, and she was so surprised! Definitely one of the best gifts I've ever gave because everything we said in that video was truly from the heart.

This is the first Christmas I gave so many gifts and I loved it. It's now an addiction as long as I have money. Never knew it felt so good. ^_^

The only thing I really wanted for Christmas was to end off my 1st semester as a junior right and to enjoy myself in Jamaica as a celebratory mark. Below is an NYPD lieutenant's evaluation of me for the semester, all "excellent",  one "good", and great remarks. Below that is a screenshot of an email I got from a professor of my favorite class, Theories of Crime. Words cannot explain how I delighted I was to get that email, and it was so unexpected. These are the things that make me happy. I don't need any material things, just love from family, great grades, and great results from hard work.

I'm wishing you all had a very Merry Christmas, my readers. This is my first Christmas without my father but his spirits are keeping me alive and happy, and I know this Christmas will be a great one with friends. I sent out gifts + cards to all my loved ones and nothing eases my heart more to know I tried my best to make them all happy. Unlike the most of you, my Christmas was sunny instead of snowy. Stay warm, drink lots of hot chocolate, and be merry with family and friends. We survived another Christmas. There's nothing more we could ask for.

Merry Christmas

Inside Adventures: Going To The Rachael Ray Show!

So my girls and I got tickets to go to the Rachael Ray show and we weren't expecting what was yet to come. Usually, when we go to a show, we always expect to see audience seats. This was not the case for Rachael Ray. In fact, we happened to get tickets for the best show of the year, something we wouldn't have known until arrival. This episode will not be filmed until after New Year's because it's Rachael Ray's top 10 recipes of the year that fans have chosen. It was amazing. We all got 3 or 4 different dished of food, appetizers, deserts, and drinks. They removed all of the audience seats and replaced them with table and chairs. The set was very busy off camera because there were about 20 different waiters/waitresses clearing our tables and replacing new items onto them.

Rachael Ray herself? Amazing. While the camera was off, she would walk around and interact with us, as well as make jokes. She stayed in the audience the whole time actually. What was very noticeable, and admirable, is that she's very hands-on with her own TV show. I've been to shows where everybody in the world does the work for the host besides the host himself/herself. Rachael Ray is the exact opposite. You can tell she has a strong impact around those who work with her.

Wonderful show. The tickets are free, just like any other TV show. However, the wait is long. I had to wait about 3 months for these. Your best bet is to apply for them now. Great show.

Inside Human Rights: The Progress Of The Feminist Movement

During one of my Theories of Crime classes at school, we were reviewing a section of a chapter about women and violence. I found the information that I read to be very interesting, and I'm here to share and also elaborate on my own views of this particular type of anomie.   

Rebellion occuring in women is now at an all-time high, and it is only getting higher. Although I am against violence, this post is not to bash the women that are committing crimes, but to take the time to investigate and find out why. The word "tomboy" is nothing new to us when referring to a boyish-type female. It can be the way a girl dresses, or the way she presents her attitude. Is this type of dressing or attitude some sort of vengeance? People often say that African-Americans started using the word nigga in order to retaliate and to take back the word themselves. It's evident that it worked. Is this same type of temerity and rebellion occurring with women? Are we becoming more of aggressors to prove ourselves? Let's practice a method from my favorite philosopher, Socrates. The Socratic method, readers. It is my favorite method of finding answers and coming to conclusions, and it challenges your thoughts while answering them. Ask more questions, receive more answers. Apart from math and science, there is never one right answer, so let's take the progression of the feminist movement into deeper thought.

The Socratic method is a form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas. It is a dialectical method, often involving an oppositional discussion in which the defense of one point of view is pitted against the defense of another; one participant may lead another to contradict him in some way, strengthening the inquirer's own point.

The fight to prove ourselves just as capable as men has been reflected from our every day duties with careers, right down to our participation in violence. Studies show that as the years go by, violence becomes more increasingly popular with females. The slope in this study has never altered and has always stayed consistent, in other words, more and more women are playing a part in violent crimes. Now, I am definitely not saying that women are committing crimes to prove that they are just as bad as men that are more expected to commit a crime. Rather, I am pointing out the fact that women -- are committing more and more crimes. Why? I believe that this observation in itself is showing the changes in time. Women are coming out of their shell, standing up for what they believe is right (or wrong). They are not to afraid to put up a fight and are becoming less bravado, and more brave, no? Brassiere? What brassiere? Fling the brassiere! DEATH TO THE BRASSIERE.

Feminism is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. The women that seek better, and struggle to prove ourselves just as apt as men are called feminists. We, as women, strive to become better than what the law or books (or sometimes men) say we are. Herein lies the struggle. What makes us so different from men? Our vaginas? Our breasts? Childbirth? Anything else? Nope. Statistics show that we are just as intellectually capable as men, and given the fact that we hold another human being in our own bodies for nine months, deal with sickness that comes with it, and still summon up the energy to push a baby out, I'd like to be the brave one to say we are by far more physically capable than a man. There is no difference between the two genders besides body parts & childbirth, and maybe some scientific genes if you'd like to get technical. Other than that, what's the gender inequality for? 

Women have been showing their concerns in protests and in fustian movements for years. These types of movements were obviously necessary because today we see changes have come, yet still there is inequality within the government when it comes to both sexes. Studies show that females, by law, get paid less than their male counterparts even if they hold the same position at the same job. Does this make any sense? I do not want to come off as one of those people that are an extreme pro-women activist, because I'm really more about equality. However, it is situations like these that cause women like me to go ten times harder in working and using my voice. This may come off as me being war-like, but it's me fighting to overcome a struggle that has existed since -- ever.

Together as women, I believe we are the most powerful. We are beautiful. We are smart. We show that we can maintain being a housewife, a caretaker, a lover, a child bearer, a mother, a student, and a boss, endless personalities, if you will, all at once; characteristics that weren't even expected of us centuries ago. In the words of Karrine Steffans, "By nature, women have a very high threshold for pain. We have to. We are the bearers of children, and that event alone can be excruciating beyond description. This is why we can take on so much, from having a career, to running a household, carrying children in our bodies for nearly a year, bearing and raising those children, and caring for our men in all the ways that they require. It's a lot." Susan B. Anthony (a Massachusetts native herself), amongst other prominent women activists, took the initiative to stand up for women's rights in times where slavery was barely abolished, Jews were forming a plethora of hegiras, and African-Americans were being hung and drained like a wet garment on a clothesline. Like so many of these suffering peoples, women showing violence is a sign of the time that times are changing for women. When will we be legally equal to our men? I believe, sooner than later. Although I do not condone violence, I am for any other way of overcoming our struggle to being equal with our fellow men. We have been proving ourselves over and over again, especially as of recent centuries, that we are capable of doing what men do. We raise our standards as the time goes by and we demand respect more and more. Let's continue this movement. Women of all color, sizes, shapes, backgrounds, unite. We are one.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method

Other posts related to women:

Inside Life: The Independent Woman

Inside Education: Celebrating Women's History Month

Inside Human Rights: Where Your Standards Should Be No Matter What Type Of Woman You Are

Inside Books: The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce, & Keep the Man You Want

Inside Adventures: Behind The Scenes Photo Shoot

What a fantastic day this was. I had another shoot with one of New York City's best Ryle "Slinky" Watson. Ashley Goldson was the make-up artist and Nancy Gonsalves was the stylist, both fantastic at what they do. It's always fun shooting with Slinky because the set is live. Video is below.

                                

After the shoot, we decided to have a celebratory dinner and drinks. If you all read my previous posts, you'd know Sugarcane is my favoriiiiite West Indian restaurant. Nancy & I took Ashley here for the first time but I'm not sure if we got her addicted as yet.

Sugarcane....

 

Turns out Sugarcane is basically right in front of Jay-Z's new basketball stadium for the Nets!

Inside Music: What Should Be On A Bad B*tch's Playlist RIGHT NOW And Why

Before we get into my choice of everyday music, know this. 

Let me address the term "bad bitch"... I am one. And I am sure that many of you ladies are that read my blog posts religiously and like them. A bad bitch is not dehumanizing ANYONE so please take that technical bullshit that way ---->>>>>>. A bad bitch can be a female that went to medical school at John Hopkins and graduated at the top of her class, the only thing that separates her from other females (female dogs) is that she bites. She's fierce, focused, and all about her work. She gets shit done and let's no one get in her way of success. She not only has pride about her work ethic but of her physical appearance too. The pulchritude she carries is inexorable, and that's what catches the males' (dogs) attention because she's a living bad-bitch, beauty that can roll with them (since society has cast females as the underdogs). **In my most excruciating down south accent yet** ---> A bad bitch ain't a underdog doe, she a female dog -- on the same level as a male dog except she makes peace signs with her legs (word to Wale). Only difference between the two dogs is what lies in between their legs. Nothing else. Bad bitches unite.

WHO?

WHY?

Rozay. Rozay's music motivates. I don't know WHAT it is but his lyrics along with his beats does something to me when it's time to get money, and good grades. 

Wale. His music is always respective of the female race, but he also makes it quite clear how evil women can become and how he's not the one to be messed with. Real dude. He also represents struggle.

Drake. He relates to every aspect of life in his music. From relationships to overcoming struggles, to blowing money, Drizzy is the artist I can relate to the most in the music industry.

Beyonce. Independence. #1. Takes care of her man. Loves unconditionally. Has her own to fall back on if ever, whenever. Boss. "All up in the kitchen in my heels, dinner time." Need I say more?

Kartel. No matter how vulgar Kartel's music can get, it's real. It's what happens everyday in our lives and he's just the one not afraid to boast it. As I've stated before, I love Vybz Kartel. I have no idea who Adidja Palmer is. That speaks for itself.

Meek Millz. Although he's relatively knew, he has captured my attention and hasn't lost it. It's been a long time since I've liked deep, hardcore rap like this, so Meek Millz is winning. He has an adaptation of Rick Ross's flow, so I love.

Rihanna. The island girl attracts me not because of her music predominantly, but because of her character. She is the perfect example of joie de vivre. She celebrates and possesses a carefree enjoyment of life and this is something that I bombastically proclaim all the time. This is reflected in her music which is where I come in with loving her music, it's because of who she is. I get that I look like her all the time so maybe our similarities go deeper than that, maybe that's why I love her?

Nicki Minaj. Nicki is bad. I don't know how to explain her but she is an archetype of our generation and innovation always wins. I am a big fan of lyrics, as you can tell by the aforementioned artists I have selected, and I am also a big fan of hypeness. Nicki has this, as well as talent, struggle, and an island background. She wins.

All of these artists share a lot of similarities, I just didn't want to write a whole paragraph for each. Just because we're females does not mean that we have to listen to Beyonce or Celine Dion all the time. We can be gangsta too. We can drive Maybachs and crunk up Ross' 9 Piece, top down, hair flowing in the wind. Boss. These are my favorite choices of music to listen to because all of them motivate me. I am very ambitious and when listening to these selected artists I feel ready to conquer the world. I aspire to be a boss and deep down I am one, I just haven't had a universal possession to claim yet. The aforementioned are all bosses in their own right. From my list, to yours.

Inside Adventures: The Nutcracker!

How do I explain the performance of The Nutcracker? Classic? Classic.

I've never actually got to sit down and enjoy ballet before. As a younger child, I used to dance many types of dances, but never went into depths with ballet, only being familiar with the prerequisites. If only I knew what I had been missing...I wish someone could have informed me. My girls & I: Nancy, Barbie, and Dai, enjoyed a fine Wednesday night at Lincoln Center watching the most beautiful show I have ever seen. The whole was done in silence, since it's ballet, and that added the profound beauty to the whole performance. This is a truly a must-watch show. It's one of those events you must put in your bucket list. This class is a mere matrix of the finer things in life. Pulchritude.

Inside other NYC adventures:

Inside Adventures: The 2011 Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting

http://www.mynameisbiancastar.com/2011/09/inside-fashion-nycs-fashions-night-out.html

Inside Adventures: Going To 'The Colbert Report' Show!

Inside Adventures: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (NYC)!

Inside Adventures: Radio City Christmas Spectacular W/ The Rockettes!

Inside Adventures: 9/11 Memorial Site

Inside Adventures: Going To "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon!"

Inside Adventures: Sister Act On Broadway!

Inside Adventures: Ice Skating At Rockefeller Center--Just Like The Movies!

Inside Adventures: Going To The Wendy Williams Show! How YOU doin'?

Inside Adventures: The 2011 Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting

It was a beautiful Wednesday night in New York City when my sister, Boryana, and I went out to go see the iconic Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center. This has always been an event I watched on TV while growing up in Boston, so it has always been a dream of mine to see it in person. Seeing that I have much experience with attending largely populated NYC events, I was already prepared for the masses of crowds I was going to face once getting off of the F train at Rockefeller. Police were already miserable. Justin Bieber fans were at an abundance. Commuters were annoyed. In the depth of it all though, Bory & I were just determined to get as close to the tree as possble, and we did. :)

Merry Christmas

Inside Adventures: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (NYC)!

My Bubeska & I went to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Times Square recently and had a blast! I totally was not expecting the museum to be that huge and to see so many celebrities. I enjoyed myself so much, and I think I will let the pictures do most of the talking rather than write a lot.

There were too many celebrities/famous people there so we only took pictures with our favorites. I was looking forward to seeing Beyonce but I was so sad when one of the workers told me she was on "tour" at another Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, probably the one in England. The waxes look SO real.

This is a must-go. Take your girls out there, you can Google Madame's website and buy your tickets online. It is also a very convenient spot because we were able to meet up with the rest of our girls later and eat out very close by. There's plenty of places for you to dine out or other tourist attractions you can visit also. There will be no wasting of money. You will enjoy yourself.

Bob Marley

Elton John

Madonna

Diddy & Biggie

Castro & ...?

Madame Tussaud herself!

Alicia! And Central Park behind her!

Rudy Giuliani & some other NY official. That's not Al Gore right? 

See if you can guess the rest!

Inside other NYC adventures:

Inside Adventures: The 2011 Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting

Inside Fashion: NYC's Fashion's Night Out @ Patricia Field

Inside Adventures: Going To 'The Colbert Report' Show!

Inside Adventures: Radio City Christmas Spectacular W/ The Rockettes!

Inside Adventures: 9/11 Memorial Site

Inside Adventures: Going To "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon!"

Inside Adventures: Sister Act On Broadway!