Hi,
Many NYC teens want to help out their city by volunteering just because or to gain volunteer credits for graduation. I found this resource that can help you volunteer, click here: teen community service
You never know how much light you can add to someone’s (or yours) life by giving to others!
Have a great day,
Jen
Want to channel your inner drummer? You can have your chance by attending a “Drumming Workshop” at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Marcy branch today, Wednesday, March 23rd from 3:30-4:30 PM.
Here’s the address:
617 Dekalb Ave. @ Nostrand Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11216
718.935.0032
Hey,
Add some new music to your life! There are some great album releases today.
Check them out by clicking on the artists’ name and you’ll be linked to their Twitter pages:
Chris Brown, “F.A.M.E.”
Jennifer Hudson, “I Remember Me”
source: startribune.com
Enjoy,
Jen
Hi There,
Spring is here! Let’s hope the snow is officially gone for now.
If you’re in New York City or another major city, you can welcome the season by visiting your local botanic gardens. In New York City, there is a botanic garden for each one of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island). The New York Botanical Gardens, located in the “Boogie Down” Bronx is the largest one in NYC. Many of them have free days or hours. In fact, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is free every Tuesday, so grab your girls or your boo and take time to enjoy the flowers.
Jen:)
Hey,
Today was a gorgeous day in New York City! I’m looking forward to spring. It was a craaazy winter season and we all deserve some warm weather, right? Spring is also a season for great music.
I’m really diggin’ the beat of “Look at Me Now” by Chris Brown, which also features Lil’ Wayne and Busta Rhymes. With over 20 years in the hip-hop game, Busta Rhymes flow is still ridiculous!! Anyway, it’s a great dance song. I looked up some videos on YouTube. There were lots of videos and this is my absolute fave. Check out this video with some of the best dance moves: Empire Kidz Dance crew video for song, Look at Me Now
Have a great weekend!
Peace,
Jen
Hey Out There!
Spring is around the corner, but that doesn’t mean that the cold/virus season has ended. Yesterday, I was in the bed, most of the day, unable to move. I woke up feeling dizzy and knew I needed to get some rest. I had been very busy lately and had not been getting enough sleep. I think my body was saying, “Slow down, girl. You’re doing too much.” So, I spent most of the day resting and was able to feel better by using some of the items below.
Here are some things you should have at home if a cold or illness sneaks up on you:
Nate Dogg thrived and survived his years at Suge Knight’s Death Row Records, but was unable to survive the strokes and other recent recent medical problems that he had. Nathaniel “Nate Dogg” Hale died yesterday at age 41.
If you’ve listened to songs by Warren G., Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ludacris, Tha Dogg Pound or Dr. Dre, you’ve heard Nate Dogg sing the hooks on their songs. He was one of the first in hip-hop to be known for singing hooks, which gave the 1990s West Coast rap its unique G-Funk sound. His voice represented the grit of the LA streets and the old-school R&B he listened to as a child in the LBC (Long Beach, CA). He left his imprint on this style of singing and it is still being duplicated in hip-hop today.
For more info on Nate Dogg’s career, read this article: MTV News article
The family and friends of the Nate Dogg are in our thoughts. You will be missed. . .
Jen
I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I hope you’ve enjoyed the blog so far. . .
Two weeks ago on the first day of Women’s History Month (March 1st), I started this blog to keep girls informed about teen events, music, fashion etc. I see this blog as a remix of the past (history facts) as well as, people “doin’ it big” right now, to help inspire you to live out your dreams. These stories will help give you the motivation to push ahead knowing that people in the past have had to overcome issues with gender, race, poverty or education and were still able to win. In a positive way, not the Charlie Sheen version. One example of this is Zora Neale Hurston. She decided as a young girl she was going to be a writer. Not only did she become a writer of short stories and the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, but she became a playwright, an anthropologist, a teacher and world traveler. Zora was a free spirit, who was not afraid to try new experiences and fulfill her curiosity. She was educated at Howard University and was one of the first Black graduates of Barnard College.
Learn more about Zora Neale Hurston, here: Zora Neale Hurston timeline.
Peace,
Jen
Happy Monday,
Hope you had a great weekend! We’ve found a way for you to give yourself and others gifts–at the same time.
If you shop in-store or online at the Gap, Banana Republic or Old Navy for its “Give & Get” promo, you’ll save 30% off what you buy AND 5% of your purchase benefits the following organizations (you can choose one):
Red Cross
Text “Red Cross” to 90999
Salvation Army
Text “Japan” or “Quake” to 80888
No need to wait for the November and December holiday seasons to give, you can give to the world now.
I was at Target today and people were in line waiting for the iPad 2 (smh). Apple definitely has many early adopters for iPads, iPods, Macbooks, etc. These are people who must buy new Apple products the first day they are released. The iPad has some cool features. I have to admit the images are beau-ti-ful. I’m just want to fork over $500 to purchase one. Don’t get me wrong, I love Apple. I’m typing on a MacBook now, but I’d rather spend money on other things (food, shelter, you know, the basics). I have been eyeballing some e-readers that are just as good. They give you a lot of storage space and you can have money left over to add some e-books to it.
Here are some great e-book you can get on the cheap:
Kindle
I gotta start with the e-reader that began the e-book craze before other bookstores or computer companies. The online bookseller, Amazon.com, first introduced the Kindle in 2007 and it quickly sold out. This e-reader vet may not have fancy color images, but it’s features still outshine others on the market. It can hold over 3,500 books, twice the storage of other readers. The Kindle makes it easy to read in the sun and there’s a dictionary to look-up words you don’t know. Plus, there’s a read-to-me option where a voice can read a book to you. When you turn off the Kindle, the battery can stay charged for more than one month. All these functions for $139.
Nook
This e-reader was created by the bookstore, Barnes & Noble. There is black-and-white version starting at $149 and a color version, Nook Color, which retails for $249. There is also a pre-owned version priced at $119. The Nook can store 1,500 books and the battery can lasts for 10 days without charging it. The iPad 2 has a battery that only lasts 10 hours. Plus, The Nook includes free e-books and you can surf the web for free using B&N’s Wi-Fi at any Barnes & Noble store.
Sony Reader
This is the lightest of all the e-readers. This also comes in a cool pink color, which is a contrast to the charcoal gray colored readers out there. The Sony Reader also has a quick page turning format that make you feel like you’re flipping through the pages of a book. It can be used with Macs or PCs and you can take notes, too. Plus, if you’re on your way to college, you can save 10% at the campus store. These devices are priced at $179.99.
These are just a few of my picks. You can find some readers above priced cheaper on walmart.com. There are many others to choose from with prices under $100, too. An e-reader can be great for those long bus or train rides. They can also be used for school work, too. It’s much better than carrying a ton of books around. And who knows, maybe you can do an e-version of the Oprah Book Club with your girls at school. Just an idea.
Have a great weekend,
Jen
P.S. Did you know your local library may have FREE e-books for you to download on on an e-reader? Check out the Brooklyn Public Library’s e-book collection: http://digitalbooks.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/0C683956-F911-4FB5-B53A-6871BF8FF51F/10/340/en/Default.htm
Double Dutch