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Yay or Nay with Little Miss Brown: Shydel James

September 4, 2009

Fellas. It’s your turn.

Meet Shydel James. By day he’s an analyst at New Jersey Transit. By night, he’s an actor and a freelance writer.

Oh. And when he was 16, he was a student in my African-American History Class at Clifford Scott High School in East Orange, New Jersey. He was the class president. I was the class advisor. We go back like that.

Oh. And he’s been my personal assistant for three years, doing everything from calculating my expenses, additional reporting for my stories and faux-sitting Tog. (Faux-sitting means her ass better be already asleep when he gets there and I better have some snacks and cable television at the ready for him. And if she wakes up, oh well too bad. And no diaper changing. Ever. That’s faux-sitting.) And he doesn’t transcribe. Ever. Will just straight up say, um, no. not doing it when I tell him I need it done. Even though I pay him. What is that?!

Anyway. Del is a snazzy dresser. Even as a teenager. I liked the way he put things together but I’m curious about what Lil Miss Brown, (and all of you), will have to say about his style.

Herewith, Mr. James’ steelo this week. And Miss Brown’s thoughts. Enjoy.

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Posted in Fashion Friday: Yay or Nay? | 6 Comments »

Journalism 101: What NOT to Do

September 3, 2009

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Editors actually do read their email.

All of them.

Every single one.

Maybe not on the very day it comes into their mailbox. But they do read it.

I think one of the biggest strengths I can bring to you, my dear readers, is that I play both sides of the fence. I write. And I edit. I send out pitches. I accept pitches.

I’m a switch hitter. A bi-writer.

So I know what editors want.

And I know how they treat the communications we send them.

It starts with a subject heading.
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Posted in Journalism 101 | 24 Comments »

The next step

September 2, 2009

Y’all know how I feel when I get a big thick envelope in the mail! I just got one plopped into my lap!

It’s the copy edited version of the still untitled Frank Lucas memoir.

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been a crazed nutcase lately. Completely consumed by my edits.

I haven’t been eating or sleeping. Just writing, re-writing, editing, tweeting and tumbling.

Quite honestly I feel like I’m losing it.

I now understand why musicians hole up in studios for weeks on end when recording. And why painters cut off their ears.

Okay. I’m exaggerating. But Im definitely in a fever of some sort.

Family’s living on fast food and I’d be mortfified if any one saw my living room right now.

And now, I have this Frank Lucas book to read.

This is probably good for me to switch gears and focus on another project for a minute.

apologies to all my dear readers ahead of time for my random obsessive tweeting and social media-ing.

I’ll be back to normal, soon. I hope.

Posted in More Like Wrestling | 2 Comments »

A Day In The Life…

September 1, 2009

I’m doing more tumbling than blogging today.

A day of meetings and such in the big City.

And I’m also testing out how Tumblr works with Twitter/Wordpress/Facebook.

It sort of gives me a headache.

But it’s interesting to figure out at the same time.

Check me out today at http://aliyasking.tumblr.com/

And check out a day in my life.

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Posted in Randomness | 1 Comment »

I’ll Tumble 4 Ya

August 31, 2009

tumblr_logo

Months ago, I signed on, like the cyber-sheep that I am, for a Tumblr account. My net-guru N’Gai put me on to it. I created a page.

And then, like with myspace, Facebook and Twitter. I did nothing.

Forgot I had the account.

But so often, I have something to say that doesn’t fit in Twitter. But doesn’t deserve a full blog post.

Enter Tumblr–microblogging.

I like it. A lot.

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Posted in I'll Tumble 4 Ya | 2 Comments »

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