My review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes .....

Ok so if anyone is familiar with this blog you know that I loved Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I could go on and on about it and watch it every single day without getting tired of it. It was just that amazing! So when word of a sequel started to spread, I got goosebumps. I couldn't wait to see what happened with Caesar. Well the time finally arrived. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes premiered today and it did not disappoint. Dawn starts off by showing you that the pilot's blood drop from Rise creates an epidemic. People are sick. People are dying. People are panicking. People are gone .... and that's just in the opening credits. This is beautifully done. It's a montage of sort.  They show how the disease has spread across the world using a blood trail. What was really cool was Barack Obama's little scene where he is telling citizens how to evacuate. I see you Barack!

So now it's 10 years later (only you do not know that straight off the back) and we are in the forest with Caesar and his ape community. Caesar has an ape wife, an ape son and his wife is preparing to give birth to another child. He is the leader of the community and they are thriving. They have a school where Maurice, the orangutan, is the teacher.  They have laws: 1. no ape shall kill another ape 2. Knowledge is power 3. Apes stand together. The apes are out hunting for food together when Caesar's son (who is hardheaded and does not listen) is suddenly attacked by a grizzly bear. That bear scared the ish out of me! I literally jumped in my seat. Totally NOT expected! But anyhoo the bear proves too much for Caesar so he calls for help. Old Blue Eyes aka Koba from Rise comes to the rescue. This scene introduces us to the concept that Koba and Caesar are friends. They have been through a lot since their days in Rise. Koba even shares with Caesar that since Caesar rescued him he will always be loyal to him.  Chile somebody should've told Caesar

 This is the time where we find out that it's been 10 years since the outbreak and 2 years since the apes have seen a human. They are presumed to all be gone. Until the day when two young apes are walking through the woods and stumble on a group of humans. In a panicked state, the stupid human ... who shall always be Alvarez from Oz to me ... open fires. I guess he never saw Rise. But anyhoo this leads to a shitload of apes coming to see what is going on. After analyzing the situation, Caesar bans the humans from the forest...telling them never to return. But we are all humans so you know what the humans do right? They return! Well the nice one does. Apparently the humans are running out of fuel and the dam that will supply energy for their village happens to be located in the woods where Caesar and his crew reside. So the one nice human goes back to the woods and begs Caesar for access to the dam. Caesar agrees seeing this as an opportunity for peace between apes and humans. Koba disagrees. He takes this as a sign that Caesar is weak especially after he discovers that the humans are planning to attack the apes if the one nice human does not return in 3 days. Koba then plots a plan to dethrone Caesar and attack the humans. After witnessing the bond that is taking place between the apes and humans, Koba shoots Caesar. He plants a human gun and hat leading Caesar's son to believe that Caesar was shot by humans. Kopa then burns down the apes homes and trees. He leads an ambush to the human's home and starts a war. There's lots of fighting, lots of shooting, lots of cray cray apes who really should be smarter than this .... but even smart people have dumb moments ... I guess. In the midst of all of this we find out that Caesar survived his attack. He takes the nice human and his family back to the place where he grew up at in Rise. He is eventually reunited with his family and friends. He also kills Kopa. The final scene sets us up for the next movie. The humans have contacted the military and they are coming to attack the apes. The nice human tries to warn Caesar so that he can run. However Caesar refuses. He tells the nice human to run and he does ... and Caesar and his ape crew await the military's arrival.  Whew ... glad I got all of that out. Now here are my thoughts:

1. I have never cheered for an ass whooping as hard as I cheered for Kopa's ass whooping. I mean I loved bruh man in the first film but he had it coming this film. Because Caesar was shot and recovering from surgery I was doubtful that he would be able to hand out the type of ass whooping that Kopa deserved. For 40 minutes all I kept mumbling was "Somebody need to kick Kopa's ass!"  Caesar did not disappoint. My soul was pleased. I havent yelled that loud since the Avengers kicked Loki's ass! Caesar went all HULK on Kopa and I was here for it.

2. Anger is a powerful tool. So is forgiveness. If anger is not checked it turns into bitterness and resent. It can boil over and turn into hatred. I feel bad for Kopa I really do. I felt bad for him in Rise. The humans did terrible things to him. However his anger was his downfall. Had he known the power of forgiveness and practiced it none of this would've happened. See forgiveness is not for the other person ... its for YOUR sanity. Instead of forgiving Kopa's anger lingered and turned him into the very thing that he despised ... an evil being! When he murdered Ash I was too through. I wish there was some way that Caesar could have saved him but oh well.

3. I love Rocket. I adore Maurice. But Caesar IS everything!!! Not only is Caesar smart ...he's also very wise. The things that come out of his mouth and the way he carries himself are just flat out amazing. I'm so happy that he did not die because I could not imagine this series without him.

4. Listen to your parents! Caesar's son was hardheaded. Lawd that child was hardheaded. He got it together in the end and even ended up saving Rocket and Maurice's life. The relationship between him and Caesar was typical. Sometimes we as children do not fully understand what our parents are trying to teach us until it is too late.

5. One theme that resonated throughout the entire film was loyalty. Kopa smiled in Caesar's face and called him brother but was the one working overtime to try to take him down. Isnt there always someone in your life just like that? Jealous of your glory ... but dont know your entire story? Want what you have and think they can do it better .... but when  given the opportunity they see all that glitters aint gold. Kopa wanted Caear's spot but he was too dumb to handle it. How many apes died while he was in charge? How much confusion, lost and mayhem occurred while he was in charge? Kopa was born to be a lieutenant and nothing else. He was not leader material. What kills me is how professed his loyalty to Caesar for 70 minutes and shot him afterwards. Shot him with no remorse. If Caesar had a Pinterest account he would've known to

5. Since the trailer came out all  I have heard were comments comparing the apes to African Americans. I WISH!  Shoot as an African American woman I was thinking...wouldn't it be great for our communities if we governed our self to the same laws that the apes had. 1. No ape will kill another ape. With black on black crime at an all time high how powerful could we be if WE stopped killing on another. 2. Knowledge is power. The apes had a school. They knew that without education they were nothing. 3. Apes support one another. Chile if we WERE like these apes in any sort or fashion we would be better off. IJS

Anyhoo my advice...go and see it! You wont be disappointed. My grade? A+

What happens when he works at Subway .....

I so could not wait to get home and write this blog. Before I write it let me tell you the back story.  I was on the phone with an associate who mentioned that she was talking to a new man. This man treated her good, he was nice and respectful and he took her out. BUT....yes there was a but and I waited patiently for it.  I could only imagine what the "dealbreaker" would be....was he a convict? Was he an abuser? Did he live with his mama? She eventually took me out of my misery and said "Girl I cannot talk to him because he works at Subway". Huh? Really? My response was well at least the brotha has a job. Seriously at least he is taking care of himself and not laying up on some woman's couch depending on her for everything or worse on the corner slanging or even worse knocking people over the head and taking their purse. Sure he cant buy you a Lexus or a Gucci or whatever the hell else you want but he's nice .... he TREATS YOU GOOD! Shouldnt that be taken into consideration?

Apparently nowadays no it shouldnt. I've met plenty of women like my associate and not enough women like myself. I've met women who only want a man who is capable and willing to "take care of them". They want a man who drives a nice car, wears nice clothes, can pay all of their bills with a 6 figure income and a generous hand. The problem with these types of women is that more than often, they have nothing to bring to the table. They are quick to turn their nose up at the man who works at Subway but bitch you're working at Burger King.  Money drives everything in their life and I hate to tell them but all of the money in the world wont make you happy. All of the money in the world wont make a person love you, respect you or cherish you.  I'd take the man who works at Subway and treats me right over the man who works at the law firm and is beating my ass on a daily basis, cheating or acting crazy. Personally I just dont think a job is a major factor like that. But like I said, there aren't a lot of women like me.

I work 8-3. I dont need a man to support me. See that's what I went to college for. Thats what I bust my ass for on a daily basis ....  TO SUPPORT MYSELF! Anything a man does for me is purely additional. Hell the way I see it if he works at Subway he should be able to hook a chick up with a sub. I love Subway! lol Thats just me though. I'm not picky like that. If you can offer a good conversation and treat me good without asking me for a damn thing, you're good with me.

I'm sure that this has been happening for a long time. I've always heard women talk about money but now that I am the mother to a son I pay more attention. My son is at the age where he likes girls and I see that when it comes to dating I'm starting to look at things from a male point of view more often. These type of women are the type of women that I want my son to stay away from! You dont need to be with anyone who 1. is not bringing anything to the table 2. is looking for you to support her because you're not her mom or dad or 3. someone who is merely looking at dollar signs. I want my son with someone who can stand on her on two feet (like his momma :) and is interested in my son for WHO he is and not WHAT he has or HOW much he makes.

So long story made short, my associate says she wont be talking to ole boy anymore. She is basically back at square one.......and someone who probably would've been a good fit for her is now out of the door...... out of the door because his job title just did not make the cut *shrugs* oh well. I'm hungry.  Subway anyone?

Happy Birthday Florida A&M University!!!!!!

On October 3rd 124 years ago Florida A&M University began. If you dont know, I truly love my alma mater.  Not only am I a Rattler but I am also someone who is very proud of my alma mater. In my mind and heart, WE truly are the BEST!

Believe it or not I grew up as a Wildcat. My father is a graduate of Bethune Cookman. Believe it or not when I was a senior in high school my dream was to attend Florida State University. I still remember when I got my acceptance letter. I was so happy. My father told me that I could attend Florida A&M or Bethune .... those were my only two options. His baby girl was going to a HBCU whether she wanted to or not. I know that may seem kind of harsh ... I remember shedding several tears about it BUT 11 years later I am thankful for my dad. Me attending Florida A&M University was one of the BEST things to ever happen to me.

Florida A&M is more than a school. Thats something that people who did not attend the university will never understand. Its more than a school. Its a way of life. Thats evident in the love, respect and devotion that its alumni have in it. Famu alumni are some of the best people that I've met since leaving Tallahassee. No matter where I've gone I've been in the midst of Rattlers. I remember driving down the street in Atlanta and a lady rolling down her window and saying GO RATTLERS. I remember attending a Buccaneer game and coming in contact with an "old" Rattler. We talked as if we had known each other for years.

Florida A&M has been a trailblazer for the past 124 years. The band, the different degree programs, the dedicated alumni......which Hbcu was the first to trend on twitter? Famu. Which band was selected to play in France? Famu's Marching 100. Which school was named the best HBCU in the US?  Famu.  I could go on and on and on with Famu's different accolades but you get the point.

There's a reason why the students and alumni love and cherish this university that sits on the highest of hills in Tallahassee. There's a reason why if you were to skim down the newsfeed on my facebook page you'd find Rattler alumni with Rattler themed avatars in celebration of the university's founding date. There's a reason why if you searched Famu on twitter you'd find 1000s of alumni confessing their love for the university. Simply put....its the best. Happy birthday to Florida A&M University!!!!! Thank you for all that you've done, are doing and will continue to do. We love you :)

Is the money really worth it? .... PWI's vs HBCU's

Last night I traveled to Tampa to cheer on my Florida A&M University Rattlers as they took on USF. The experience was one that left me with an angry, bitter feeling 24 hours later and also led me to question whether HBCU's should even bother playing against PWI's for pay.

This is not the first time that my beloved HBCU has played against a PWI. During the Randy Shannon era at the University of Miami we played the Hurricanes yearly. Despite what many people say about Randy I will always look at him with high regard. I mean seriously how many football coaches do you know who stress the importance of education? How many football coaches do you know who have graduated as many players as Shannon did? How many cared about the welfare of their players and coaching staff as much as Randy? Randy Shannon believed that HBCU's and their talented players were often overlooked by the Ncaa, NFL and media in general. He wanted to expose individuals who had no idea what an HBCU was to HBCU culture, bands, players and etc. It worked. The atmosphere at Sun Life Stadium when Miami and Famu played was one that could only be described in one word ... AWESOME. Yes Miami beat us every single time but I think that many Rattlers would agree that the energy was so positive and the environment so friendly that the lost never really hurt. Plus you would throw in the fact that our school made a ton of cash off of that one game. Randy always made sure that the Marching 100 were able to showcase what they were all about and the fans of UM enjoyed it. See ... it usually was a win-win situation for both parties.

That wasnt the case last night. From the moment that I entered Raymond James Stadium I didnt feel the same as I usually felt when we played Miami. The environment was different.  The workers were rude and the fans quite belligerent. There was a feeling of simply being uncomfortable and praying that the 100 would hurry up and play so that we could leave. The joyous dancing, clapping and singing that Famu alumni and students partake in was missing. Everyone just kind of sat there either watching our football team get murdered or texting on their phone. There was no genuine interest. The score at the end read 70-17.

I woke up this morning and wondered who was in charge at Famu. Who decided to put this game on the schedule? Who decided that we would play USF? And when they decided that we would play USF did they speak with USF to see WHY they wanted to play us to begin with OR were they simply focused on the big pay day at the end. All money is not GOOD money. We live in a country that believes that historical black colleges and universities are obsolete. They are useless, outdated and irrelevant. They should no longer exist. Not only do Americans who have no idea what an HBCU stands for or is feel this way but individuals within OUR own community also express such sentiments. When you're living in a place that has such a negative attitude towards HBCU's I wonder why someone would go and add fuel to the fire? All I heard last night and this morning was how Famu sucked. All I heard was chuckles last night and looks of pity. I feel as if that game not only set Famu as an institution back but HBCU's in general. Instead of showcasing Famu and exposing people to overlooked talent, the game only served to exploit the institution and further the notion that PWIs are better. As an athlete, student or band member, I would not have wanted to attend Famu after experiencing last night's game. I too would have been as ignorant as everyone else and believed that PWI's are white, so they ARE better.  This is what made this situation a winning situation...BUT only for USF. Metaphorically speaking Famu lost. HBCUs lost.  We got paid though. But in the end, was the money even really worth it?

Buccaneers vs Lions

Well unless you were under a rock OR maybe you just are not a football fan *gasp* you know that football season officially started last week. It was week 1 of NFL football and I was extra giddy because I was heading to Tampa to see my Buccaneers. No words can express how I feel whenever I see my Buccaneers. I'm a HUGE fan and am always all smiles when I know that I am going to Raymond James Stadium. Raymond James Stadium does not feel the same way about me tho :(

It never fails, every time I go to Raymond James something bad happens. This trip was no different. There was a huge accident in which 10+ people lost their lives on the main road leading from West Palm Beach to Tampa. We sat in traffic for a good 30 minutes before we were informed that the road would be closed for another 2 hours. It was time to insert plan B. I knew by going the other route that we would definitely miss out on tailgating but I didnt care ... just as long as we were there by kickoff I was good.

We werent. Even after going the long way to Tampa I was confident that we would make it. That was until we missed our exit and ended up in Pasco County. I've driven to Raymond James Stadium plenty of times and probably could drive there blind folded BUT on this particular day I miss my exit. That added another 20 minutes to the trip. Finally we get to the stadium and parking is gone. So another 5 minutes went into finding a parking spot. I guess good things come to those who are last because we ended up finding a FREE parking spot *booty pops* Gotta find the positives right?

By the time we actually made it IN the stadium it was the second quarter, the Bucs were losing and I was as excited as could be. We sat on the Lions side and I was amazed by how many Lions fans there were. Where did they come from? Did they drive down or do they reside in Tampa already?  I promise there were more Lions fans chanting than Tampa Bay fans. I was embarrassed. It got worse. In the 4th quarter Tampa Bay fans actually started boo'ing their own team. THEIR OWN TEAM!!!! What in the world. Now I will not sit on this blog and say that I was totally pleased with how Tampa played on Sunday because I wasnt. However I will NEVER boo MY Bucs...NEVER! That's MY team. What type of fan does that?

The "fans" also were yelling that the Bucs suck, Raheem(the coach) sucks and that THIS is why people dont buy tickets to see them. Really? First of all maybe I'm delusional but I never would say any of this...not about MY team. If they did really suck that is something that I would keep to myself. Even when my Bucs only won 3 games in an entire season I never uttered the words "they suck". What type of fans are these? I'm starting to think that Tampa Bay does not know the meaning of the word. Poor Bucs.

It wasnt all bad though. It was a perfect day for football. It was hot with a nice breeze. The 9/11 tribute was also very nice. I think I was in awe watching the military men parachute into the stadium. Days later I'm still looking at the picture and saying to myself "how awesome was that" . The late LeeRoy Selmon was represented well. When you didnt see light blue jerseys, you saw light orange ones bearing the infamous 63. I also got to see N. Suh and let me tell you this .... television does not do him justice. The dude is HUGE! I would be so scared to play against him. He looked like a giant while everyone else looked like midgets. That dude is the truth!

Despite two fights breaking out in the stands and my beloved Bucs losing, I still walked out of the stadium with a huge smile on my face. Something about Raymond James does that to me. If I would've been home I would've been highly upset about the lost. I would've been in a funky mood for the entire day but on that day I took the long walk back to my truck with the rest of the Buccaneers with a smile on my face and my head held high. I got to see my Buccaneers and even if we lost, seeing them made my day. Go BUCS!

What makes a GREAT mom

Yesterday I was talking to my son's teacher when she got a glossy look in her eyes, paused and said "Ms Johnson, I want you to know that you are a great mother. You are truly a role model for other young mothers. I am impressed and you should be very proud of yourself" It took me a minute to say anything and when I did all that could escape was a thank you. I've been told before that I am a great mom and every time someone says that it makes me choke up. I'm honored. Really I am.

I worry ALL of the time about my son. I worry if I'm doing everything right. I worry if I have done something wrong. I worry about what type of man he will grow up to be. I worry about if something that I said or didnt say, something that I did or didnt do will affect him later on in life. Child let me tell you, being a parent is a full time job and when you are trying to be a GOOD one its even harder. The fact that I do it all by myself makes being a mom one of the hardest jobs on this planet. My son is the most important person in my life. He has been that way since I found out that I was having a baby. I never wanted kids and its amazing that 9 months later this little person changed my mind and my life. All that I do, I do for him.

I had my son when I was 19 years old. You know, the age where you think you know everything but in retrospect how much do you really know? Being a mom or a parent in general does not come with a rule book. There are no "help" sections when you cant figure something out. Basically you have to wing it. That's all I've been doing for the past 10 years ... winging it. I've tried my best and given my all to be the type of mother that I would want. I've listened to my kid whenever he has something to say(which is always), I've put in my quality time with him, I've helped with homework and yada yada yada. I've sacrificed everything for that little boy and I've done it without ever wanting recognition for it. I've done it because hell HE IS MINE, I'm responsible for him and I love him. But I cant lie....on those rare moments when someone is looking and they comment on how great I am it makes me proud. For that brief moment all of the worrying goes away and I think to myself "Maybe I am doing this right" .... dont worry, 10 minutes later the worrying comes back lol.

What makes a great mom? I dont know. The criteria varies depending on the child. But I do know that I'm going to continue to do my very best and if you see something that you like let me know. Your encouragement will save me 10 minutes of worrying time and place a huge smile on my face :)

The things men do for an orgasm .... aka PEARLING

Here I was minding my own business when I came across a rather disturbing picture. Apparently men are inserting pearls within their penis to heighten the orgasm of their female and/or male partners. I dont know about you but one peek at the picture had my anal muscles tightening. This is just too much for me. I dont mean to be a Square Suzie but what happened to just doing "normal" things????? Can you not have fun being normal? I promise we are living in a time where people are just extreme with everything. Too many Lady Gaga's in the world and not enough Michelle Obamas. This ish is just crazy and if I ever meet a man with anything resembling this, he should lose my name and number pronto. The weird thing is that this practice is extremely popular within the prison system O_o How are they getting the pearls? *naive face* Within the system its called "speed bumping" I cant ..... I'm ending the post on that note. Look at the picture ... could you do it? O_o