Web Pioneer Lynne d. Johnson from Afterellen.com

This is an excerpt from of an article on Afterellen.com. Lynne is quite an inspirational woman for those of us who aspire to make it in technology.

"It's difficult for me to imagine the web without Lynne," said black gay blogger J. Brotherlove of Lynne d. Johnson. He echoes the sentiment of many folks of all colors who have been movers and shakers online since the first website went online in 1991 ...

.... "When I think about black females on the web with technology, Lynne's name easily comes to mind," said Karsh, founder of the Black Weblog Awards and blackgayblogger.com. "She has masterfully been able to understand and bridge the gap between online and print media in a major way, from her work with Vibe magazine to her current work at FastCompany."

Extracted from Web Pioneer Lynne d. Johnson by Cheryl Coward. AfterEllen.com. April 29, 2008. http://www.afterellen.com/people/2008/4/lynnedjohnson

To read the full article click here.

Jenn & Dee's Vlog: Work Out 3.2

The ladies are back for another fabulous vlog. All I can say is watch away. For those who have a question about what snap for the kids means or where it comes from this one is definitely for you.

Video from AfterEllen.com

Enjoy! Ty

Platform One Triple Play

Today we are celebrating the author's african heritage. I'm toasting my maternal side of the family. These are the songs that are near and dear to my heart. Watch the blogmaster dance. Omangibheka olezontaba ongikhumbuza ulavi wami. Tshayimpululu. Tshovha Jogi

S'gibel Ivalaza


Womnyakazisa mayelele


Lezontaba (Luvi Wami)

MMalowe - An ode to a beautiful african woman

As I was writing the previous post a song kept playing in my head I finally decided to try and find the video on youtube. Best I could find was the bootleg version of the song (someone pointed a camera at the tv). Song is MMalowe by the late Jabu Khanyile. He sings about MMalowe who is beautiful beyond words, has whiter than white teeth, whose tread is lighter than air, umSuthu. We see MMalowe out and about doing her daily chores.

That's the beauty of an African.

Ethnic Beauty of the Week - Thatha Tshisa Thursday

Gracing us today is Azania Mosaka, a MetroFM radio personality. I used to listen to her when she hosted Route 326 (on from 3 to 6 get it?) with Glenzito. She was outspoken and not apologetic, kinda like Penny Lebyane whom I'll have to have on T3 one of these weeks. Azania has since moved upwards and onwards and now hosts Total Bliss which is from 9-12am. Unfortunately unless I'm pulling an all nighter, I never get to listen to this show.

Azania 101

From early on this 30-year-old (she was born on April 18, 1977 in Pimville, Soweto), Azania had to make her mark – as the last born of a then single mother, Azania had to overcome her natural shyness to standout. And standout she did: quickly discovering post-school that studying commerce was not where her talents lay, Azania earned a slot co-hosting a TV show called ‘The Joint’.
Her highly accomplished presenting skills, deep knowledge of music, film and more, and ability to thread her personality through the airwaves has seen Azania carve a rapid path upwards at Metro FM.
from MetroFM

In her spare time, she enjoys mosaic and recording in her studio at home, with her husband. A passionate music lover, her favourite artist is Sting, and she loves and appreciates all genres of music - other than heavy metal.
Her personal favourite SA musical popstars are Bongo Maffin's Tandiswa Mazwai and ex 101 group member Preston.
from News24

Jenn & Dee's Vlog: Work Out 3.1

Workout! Yeah baby. The show is annoying as hell, but I watch it anyway because like a good train wreck you can't look away. These ladies do their thing yet again. Dee, I have a crush on you ... just putting that out there.

Video from AfterEllen.com

Enjoy!

Ty

Jenn & Dee's Vlog: Dinah Shore

Here are the ladies yet again recapping Dinah Shore. Lots of random moments in it. Watch out for the last 2 minutes. Jenn and Cathy D have fabulous abs and Jenn dancing ... can we get an AMEN! AfterEllen vloggers that I have a madd crush on ... Dee and Cathy. Love Jenn too but Dee's dimples give her that edge.

Video from AfterEllen.com

Love em!

Ethnic Beauty of the Week - Thatha Tshisa Thursday

Maybe I've been slacking on posting. Just been one too many things on the plate. I'm thinking the posting schedule for the EBOTW will now be every Thursday on what I will call Thatha Tshisa Thursday. For the Ndebele challenged that just means hot in a way that the English language can never quite capture.

Today's lady is another South African artist, Zamajobe.
A few stats on her:

• Zama has always been inspired by arts and culture, which is yet another element that is evident in her musical expression as well as that of her way of life.
• Creativity is in every fibre of her being. Not only does Zama write her own songs, she has also spent a year doing Latin American dancing professionally and thrives on the entertainment industry as a whole with very ambitious plans and strong visions to venture out into different aspects of the industry over the next couple of years.
• Through participating in the SA Idols competition (2003) and making it to the Top 10, Zama’s ability to showcase her talent was also accompanied by a deeper experience of handling the media and being in the spotlight, a place where she is clearly going to evolve in for a very long time to come.
• Extracted from Zamajobe - Biography- http://www.zamajobe.co.za/
  

I love her music, it's mellow chill with your mate stuff. Her song Magic is my favorite due to it's laid back nature. It's taking it back to old South African R&B. I can honestly see myself on the dance floor with my lady doing some Chicago stepping to this song and we all know I can't dance.

Aging Gracefully .... NOT ... Happy Birthday to Me

A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday and it's been a fun ride of celebrations and stresses since.

Highlight of my weekend: my friend came up for the weekend making the birthday that much more special. We attended the Race Sex and Power conference and did I mention that she threw down in the kitchen. Fabulous! Friday night we went to a Poetry night that was part of the conference and I got to meet Gloria Bigelow and THE Stacyann Chin. I freakin love these women. In case you are wondering who they are, watch the U-People vlog postings that I have in this blog or go to U-People and watch Stacyann and Gloria. Stacyann is a renowned poet who tells it like it is. She is originally from Jamaica and is now based in Brooklyn. Getting a photo taken with her was awesome. Thanks K for the camera! I'll put the pics up sometime. Another mate came up as well so we had the 3 amigas at the conference. Dinner was after and we polished off a bottle of Makulu Chardonnay from South Africa. Well maybe I had half the bottle but that was one of the best chardonnays that I've ever had.

Day two of the conference I was scheduled to volunteer in the morning. Had a blast meeting attendees. Spent half the volunteer time complimenting the passers-by on their fab clothes, shoes, purses or jewelery. I had lunch with one of the presenters and K and had an interesting incident take place. I go to the john and the lady in there heads out. I get out of john and I swear half the kitchen staff was in the hallway. The manager finally points out that the men's john is on the other side not the one that I used. How do you respond to that? For those who don't know me personally, I do blur a few gender lines. Well maybe I outright erase a few. I don't think the staff there has ever encountered that many LGBT persons at any one time. Anyway it was a fabulous lunch.

The afternoon presentations were quite informative and at the end of the day, there was a reception. Met some interesting ladies and just had a good time all around. We even made time to do the cupid shuffle after a glass or two of wine. And I'm talking people were getting down doing the shuffle. After 10 the party moved to Stargaze in Andersonville.
I've gotta go on record and say thanks to K for an interesting weekend. You were right, you gotta do 25 right.

Much love,

Ty

My faith pt 1

My faith is an integral part of my life. For as long as I can remember I have had a relationship with God. At times it has been really strained and at times it's been smooth sailing. Throughout my life this relationship has been fostered by my participation in the United Methodist church.

Over the last couple of years, however, I have had to ask myself why I am involved with a church that seems bent on rejecting my participation based on one aspect of my being. The answer comes out in several forms, but to me it comes down to my hope to see us become a fully inclusive church and family tradition. I come from a long line of Methodists who have been pastors, and teachers in the church and I too would like my turn to serve the church in the same way that my predecessors have.

While my list of predecessors is very much like that of everyone else, the one slight difference is that I am an African, Southern African to be exact. My great great grand father served the missionaries. He helped out as a translator but never fully participated in the church due to the laws of the country at the time. My great grand father was educated by the missionaries and eventually joined the seminary at the urging of his father. He became a rev and served the church until his passing. My grandfather was also educated by the missionaries but never made it into seminary. He instead taught elementary education at the Methodist mission. He made it up the ranks and eventually became the headmaster of the school which is the equivalent of the American principal. My father was educated at the mission at the same school that his father and grand father had been educated at. He taught at the high school which is where he met my mother who was also a teacher there.

When it was my turn to step up to the plate, I joined laity, the first in several generations to take a step in the church away from the family congregation ( I was several time zones and and an ocean away). I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend a reconciling congregation. My pastor knows about my sexuality as I made a conscious decision to not hide it. He has also helped me to see why it is important to not only be out, but to also speak out. And that is why I am offering this small contribution as we head towards General Conference. It is my prayer that we as Methodists will live up to the expression of having "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors. " and that this year's General Conference will be a giant leap in that direction.

Ethnic Beauty of the Week

This week I'm starting a new feature on the blog, the ethnic beauty of the week. We kick it off with Nhlanhla Nciza (nee Mafu) of Mafikizolo. This woman is hot and can sing. Her CD has been on my mp3 player for a while and it is not leaving anytime soon. Maehlabela esithi zizophela inhlupheko ngizizwa ngivhumela naye. Nxa usuku belunzima, ngingaifaka leyongoma ngizwangcono maisiphelile.

The song Ulibambe makes me think of weddings. I can see folks doing amaSteps betshaya iBus Stop leCha Cha Cha. A wedding is not complete without the bridal party doing the steps and the aunts and uncles messing it all up by dancing as well though we do love the tipping that they do.

My top 3 songs on that CD are:

• Ulibambe
• Phela Inhlopheko
• Indoda Ayikhali

In less than a decade, Nhlanhla Nciza who is one of South Africa’s renowned female artists and award member of the group Mafikizolo has positioned herself in the world of music and entertainment as a true fashion icon that is classy, elegant, sassy, and stylish. Award winning musician, media personality, entrepreneur, and mother, Nhlanhla represents everything a woman can be; utilizes the high fashion elegance to empower and inspire other women. Extracted from Nhlanhla's website

The first video is Mahlalela. A woman that can make a doek look good has my vote any day.

In Mafikizolo she did her thing and the song Makhwapheni is the track that I'll never get tired of watching. Keep an eye out for her in the white tank in the second video.