Myisha Cherry

Just Chilling, people watching, and enjoying the hot hot hot sun before seeing “Inception”.

Played a group game of Taboo this weekend. Of course, my team won. 28-24. I love the game and what it does to people. Taboo always brings about laughter probably because of the pressure to guess, to use ones mind within a particular time frame, the buzzer threat that’s beside your ear, and the ability to make you feel unintelligent despite the many degrees you may have. Here’s a look into our game for an example of what I mean. Did I mention, my team won. (Go Team MyishaAkila)

THEM:
Brandi: He’s on a twenty dollar bill.
Meli: Jefferson.
Brandi: First name?
Meli: George Jefferson
Us: hahahah, No point!

US:
ME:A few weeks ago, I called the cops because of this guy as I layed on the couch
Akila: Peeping Tom.
Point!

THEM:
Brandi: Packed like…
Where anchovies come from
Meli: Huh…
(2 min later) Us: Time Up
Correct answer: Sardines
hahahah

US:
Me: You may receive an evite. You reply on facebook. What are you doing?
Akilah: R. …
Me: Ok continue
(2 min later) Time!
Correct Answer: RSVP

See yall for a rematch. BONG!

Fun—expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one’s body or mind.

Friendship-cooperative and supportive relationship between people, or animals; connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis.

Every weekend I hang out with the girls and I seem to come to a deeper understanding of what fun and friendship really means everytime.

Cuties

Gangstas

Pranked (thanks Franci. Not)

Pictured above is my 2010 summer school class full of 20 brilliant students. For 8 weeks (4 days a week), I challenged them to think critically and introduced them to some awesome theological, philosophical, political, and literary work. I hope it was as good for them as it was for me. They in turn, gave me plenty to think about and helped me to become a better teacher and person.

Today was final exams. I must admit, I will miss them. But I welcome 30 days of summer before the fall begins. And as I prepare for the fall, I give these guys the credit for keeping my brain active these summer days and for showing me that there still exist students sincerely concerned about hard work and education’s instrinsic rewards.

My good talented bud Paris, took some pictures of a group of us one day in the park when we didnt know it. Here are a couple of them of me doing what I hope I do best: talk and listen.

Every first Saturday something happens very special. Black people, white people, all people come to the Brooklyn Museum to explore inside and to Party Outside. There is a Sea of People there. The Music is Fun and Awesome. The crowd is cool and positive. The moment is beautiful yet unpretentious. The memory unforgettable. And your pockets very happy because it is FREE 99.

Went to Weeksville Garden Party this weekend again with my buds. Two great artists were in full effect: Soul Man, Cameron Corvett and Organic Roots Music Singer, Valerie June. They were simply awesome. Their music was pure and entertaining and they really connected with the crowd in a unique way. Plus, I won a bet that it would not rain and it didnt. I’m such a winner.

Sunday was a great day for Brooklyn. The OkayAfrica concert in prospect park which featured the Roots, Talib Kweli, Blitz the Ambassador and more was going on strong. Our bud Brandi (who was actually incognegro at the event) put us on to it, and we had a blast. Although it was a concert, we must admit, the music only served as background music. WE were too busy engaged in blanket talk as 8 of my buds talked, laughed, and played verbal games like :”2 truths and 1 lie” and “Never Ever”. I learned that its the simple things that are the most awesome. Yup!!!

I almost had a heart Attack when I saw Brooklyn Artist and International Model, Ibrahim Baaith, from Centric’s Model City. Hes a cutie, but I complimented him all on his art. He is a great visual artist. Check out these pics of his great art. Check out these pics for Eye Candy.

It was also good to bump into Brooklyn Emcee, Chenlo. He recently finished an international tour and will return back to it in October. Hes a talented guy and all around good person.

This is Sharae. We went to undergrad together. She lives in Harlem but seems to only be hanging out in Brooklyn these days. SMH! I guess Harlem really isn’t that awesome.

BTW: I followed him to the port-a-potty just to snap this picture.

The other day around the corner from my house I walked into a “Teenage Heat Wave Street Water” fight on Stuyvesant Ave. My and other adults first reaction was to complain. But then we thought for a second. We remembered when we were teenagers during the summer.

The summer was a time when water fights and battles of the sexes were the most entertaining thing to do in your neighborhood. I remember super soakers. The kids on Stuyvesant had buckets. I remember Travis and Marcus, my across the street male competition. To the girls on this Brooklyn street, every guy was the same: a water fight arch enemy.

I laughed, reminiscenced, took a few pictures and turned the corner. And I couldn’t help but envy and remember their fun.

On 4th of July, I decided to sleep the day away because it was 100’s of degrees and then headed out later for a nice rooftop BBQ in Brooklyn. It was a cool chill time. I met new buds, had some good veggie food, saw fireworks from queens and manhattan from our view, and just enjoyed life for a moment.

This weekend I headed to Weeksville’s Garden Party to see Cody Chestnut perform. His voice is so innocent yet strong and his band was amazing. He performed cuts from his new album, which really has some very very great songs on them. I cant wait to grab it. The garden party was also a great place to see friends and enjoy what this summer has to offer. Check out pics below.

Thank God it is Friday. This week has been pretty cool and full of rest for me. I made a few trips into Manhattan this week and thought I’ll share some artful and interesting things I’ve seen.

I remember the summer of my sophomore of High School. I went to the movies with my bestfriend and a few of our mentors to see the movie Sister Act. What intrigued me about the movie wasnt just whoppi’s wit, but a young actress whose voice moved me. Her name was Lauryn Hill. In my senior year her group and Her, named the fugees, would release The Score. It was a hiphop album I could get with. It wasnt filled with the thug life motif that was characteristic of the rap albums of the later half of the 90’s, rather it was a mix of MCing, a combination of soul, urban and caribbean utterances. It was fun, it was hypotizing, it was my kind of album.

In the summer of my sophomore year of College, Lauryn would release her solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I remember going to the Baltimore Harbor record store and reserving my copy. I was the envy of my summer job office when I walked back in after lunch with my copy of the CD. I listened to it for the rest of the day instead of answering phones like I was being paid to. That college Junior year, posters of Lauryn peppered my wall.  That next summer, a group of friends of mine would go and see her perform in Virginia. It was a concert I would never forget.

What I loved about Lauryn then, is what I still love about Lauryn now. Her voice heals me. It inspires me. It makes me fall in love with music and lyrics. Her words touch me. They are true, vulnerable, and challenging at the same time. Although she has been missing in action, I like others await for her return.  When I read the latest NPR article about her impact and return along with rare, new audio interviews with her, I got excited again. Not merely for the resurrection of an artist, but a satisfied hope that hearing her again will make me love listening to music again. That it will make me preorder CD’s again. More importantly it will make me remember where I was 10-15 years from now when a certain album, a certain star touched my life through music.

Audio: Lauryn Hill on Being a Rapper and A singer

Audio: Lauryn Hill on Creative Experience

Audio: Lauryn Hill on Bob Marley

Audio Documentary from All things Considered: The Many Voices of Lauryn Hill

I love going down to the meatpacking district. There are several reasons from food to highland park to the good ol’ apple store. But one of the things I love most is the art. Here’s another look at some of the art displayed on buildings throughout the district that I witnessed this past weekend.