Don't Complain...Take Action!

Over the past few days I have read post after post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram filled with anger, sadness, frustration and despair surrounding the Trayvon Martin case and the Zimmerman verdict. The posts that resonated with me the most were the ones that encouraged or challenged us to take action. So I gave it some thought..."What immediate action could I take?" I realized that there is certainly a need for motivation, inspiration and encouragement during this sad time, so as a result, I have made both of my motivational eBooks, "Monday Morning Motivation" and "Momentum" free. Please download them (by clicking on the titles), read them and share them with someone who you know that needs a lift. 

Complaining is easy and it often leads to very little if any change or results. This week I encourage you to identify a way that you can take action that will make a difference, no matter how large or small.

My Summer of Music

Before the Jill Scott Concert

The best part of the concerts that I attended this summer was not so much the music as much as the time spent before and after the events with my concert companion. We made an event of each concert, so every one of them was so much more than just a show. We created our own little mini before and after parties to supplement all of them.

The first concert was more of a pre-summer kick off in May. We went to see the group Foreign Exchange which we didn’t really know about until my best friend made us aware of their unique style. Even though we weren’t very familiar with the group before we came to the show, we enjoyed it immensely and have been fans ever since. What made it so cool was that the concert was in somewhat of a non-traditional venue in Detroit, The Magic Stick. The downstairs is a bar/restaurant/bowling alley type deal and the upstairs is the space where they performed. It was spacious with an outdoor patio, a bar and plenty of open space to stand in front of a stage that wasn’t so far removed from the crowd and seating around the perimeter. The entire environment had that eclectic feel that I love with vintage furniture and cool artwork where the room has just as much if not more personality than the people in it.

At the Jill Scot Concert

The band really made it entertaining by making some of the music relevant to the city, even going as far as singing their own rendition of the slightly hot mess of a song that doesn’t truly represent the spirit of Detroit, yet has been made popular on You Tube, “It’s so cold in the D”. The rest of their music was a funky and enjoyable mixture of hip hop, neo soul and R&B which gave me and my hot date the opportunity to show off our ballroom dance skills. This gave it a feel of being more than just a concert by more like a comfortable gathering of great friends.

The next concert was Jill Scott’s Summer Block Party at DTE Energy Theater which also featured Anthony Hamilton, Mint Condition and DJ Jazzy Jeff. We got off to an early start for this concert stopping off in Royal Oak for a great deal that we got on sushi by purchasing a Groupon coupon in advance ($7 for $15 worth of food and drink. I love Groupon).

We ate much faster than we thought we would and ended up getting to the venue an hour early. Since we had time to kill we got drinks from the vodka bar, then we found our way into the Starlite Club which is a restaurant and bar that patrons can enjoy before and after each concert. This was a nice touch because it was much better than having to sit in the somewhat uncomfortable pavilion seating as we waited for the concert to start. The concert was amazing, but our little pre-party in the lounge was the best part. Even though we’d already had dinner we decided that we had more room to enjoy a flat bread pizza with fresh mozzarella and tomato which we savored as we popped a bottle of pinot grigio and enjoyed stimulating conversation. The juicy topics of conversation, pizza and wine coupled with the excitement and anticipation about the concert made for a very memorable experience.

The Lamb Chops at Mosaic

The final concert of the summer was a Wednesday Night Jazz Series Concert in Chene Park which featured Jonathan Butler and Maysa. These concerts are a great and affordable date for anyone that wants to do something different and romantic because the pavilion tickets are only $15 and the lawn seats are even cheaper. We preceded the concert with another Groupon at a restaurant in Greektown called Mosaic. We got $50 worth of food and drink for only $20! The atmosphere and ambiance of the restaurant was very sexy and we enjoyed tasty calamari, lamb chops and filet mignon. As always the conversation was great and we finished just in time to make it to the concert to enjoy the smooth sound of Maysa who was the opening act. When she was done singing we decided that we were tired so we slipped out of the concert early to kick of the after party at my loft.

At the Maysa Concert

This was the best part of the night in that we enjoyed great music (coming full circle by listening to Foreign Exchange), chocolate covered pineapples prepared by Yum Delish and another bottle of Pinot. Again, the conversation was the best part of it all and the perfect end to the night and a wonderful summer of music.

There’s just something special about the excitement of preparing for a concert. From picking out the right outfit, accessories and hairstyle to making plans for dinner before and drinks after…it is a joy that goes beyond the music.

Name Recognition Vs. Knowledge: Popularity and The Political Process

There are two subjects that I almost always shy away from debating…Religion and Politics. There is rarely a winner in such debates and the discussions are often fueled by fiery emotions.

Recently I attended a luncheon for an advisory board that I sit on where the topic of discussion became Detroit politics. I was the only Detroit resident in the room and I simply sat by quietly and took notes.

Sadly, it seemed that the rest of the non-Detroit residents were far more versed than I on the subject. This leads directly to the point of this blog…Do we tend to vote based on name recognition and popularity or the knowledge and experience of the candidates?

I’ve heard more than two people say that if Kwame Kilpatrick ran for Mayor again tomorrow..He would probably still win or at least get a ton of votes.

There are many factors that contribute to the success of campaigns that have little to do with the experience and knowledge of the candidate. These factors include the message, the money and the mindset.

The message is how the candidate and the press package and sell their product. It’s those things that they promise, their platform and what often determines their popularity.

Before we, the people, can even get the message, there must be money. Where there is more money, there is a better chance of that candidate not only making sure that their message is heard loud and clear, but I’m sure that campaigns who raise the most money have a direct correlation to candidates that win.

Even beyond the message and the money is the mindset of the people. The voters often lack the knowledge of not only the track record and experience of the candidates, but also the political process in general. We are finally beginning to get out and do what our ancestors fought and died to get the rights for, but we still have more work to do. We not must only make sure that we are educated but we must hold ourselves accountable for educating others.

These are just my thoughts….you take it from here.