Ramen Berry

Baptized in the Funk...

2009-07-08T00:47:00.000-04:00

I’m feeling sleepy and too lazy to blow-dry and straighten my freshly washed hair. So I decided to try to go to bed “early” tonight (early being midnight), and this song just randomly pops in my head for me to hum..

“So-oh-oh, So-oh-oh, So-oh-oh Funkdafied.” By Da’ Brat circa 1994.

What was I doing in 1994? Hmm..depending on what part of the year it was, I was either ending 4th grade or entering 5th grade. I had just gotten braces, which I would wear for about 3 years. I didn’t have a perm, and with my mother being Filipino with bone straight hair, she found my hair to be a challenge. And so I always wore it pulled back in a bushy ponytail..and I do mean bushy. I have a rather thick wad of hair on my head due to an abundant blessing of hair follicles.

When I think about ‘94 and being about 10 years old, it reminds me of how simplistic life was. I went to school, came home, was a cheerleader (that year only), read a LOT (and I do mean a LOT) of books. I mean life was good. I hadn’t hit puberty yet so that era of awkwardness hadn’t begun. Life seemed simple. Just basic and easy-going. And for the most part…stress free. I reminsice on those moments…of being a kid…of being curious…excited by growth…adapting to change.

As we get older, we gain more responsibilities. Life gets harder as we no longer depend on our parents to make decisions for us. But as I take a step back and look at the bigger picture, do we have to make things that complex? If we keep things funky…keep things real with ourselves…and simply just enjoy life for what it is today based on what we have today, would it remove the complexities of adulthood, of having major responsibilities, of having to decide for ourselves? Hmm….

“Open up, open up, and let the funk flow in…”

25 Years Old..and the Quarter Life Crisis

2009-07-06T09:53:00.001-04:00

One of my girls passed this along to me and it fit me perfectly. So I figured I should pass it along to you. Enjoy!

by Unknown Author....everything here doesn't apply to me, but I wanted to share.

It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are a lot of things about yourself that you didn't know and may or may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you do not realize is that they are realizing that too and are not really cold or catty or mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job. It is not even close to what you thought you would be doing or maybe you are looking for one and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and are scared.

You miss the comforts of college, of groups, of socializing with the same people on a constant basis. But then you realize that maybe they weren't so great after all.

You are beginning to understand yourself and what you want and do not want. Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging a bit more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and add things to your list of what is acceptable and what is not. You are insecure and then secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. You love someone but maybe love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you are not a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap and getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.

You worry about loans and money and the future and making a life for yourself and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

Truer Words Were Never Spoken

2009-06-22T11:14:00.001-04:00

Received this as a forward today from one of my friends. Definitely a great read. Check it out!

*Truer Words Were Never Spoken**

Most by Colin Powell

The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve…Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you.

Consider this: Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere.* * With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.

"A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses."

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and for the bad.

Note: Be not mistaken. This is applicable to family as well as friends. Yes...do love, appreciate and be thankful for your family, for they will always be your family no matter what. Just know that they are human first and though they are family to you, they may be a friend to someone else and will fit somewhere in the criteria above.

"In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our Friends." "Never make someone a priority when you are only an option for them." "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude."........................**Colin Powell*

Hustlin'

2009-06-22T02:05:00.005-04:00

I am letting my entrepreneurial spirit run free by finally moving forward with my plans to work independently as a marketing consultant - with my emphasis on digital/online marketing within music and entertainment as well as non-profit work. Eventually I plan on dabbling into PR as well. Until then, I have a great team of associates whom I will partner up with to execute projects for various clients. Big ups to my folks at Impakt Studios, StoopidFreshMind, Stilettos & Sounds, B.Myself and I, my Dopart Academy boys, and all of my friends who believe in me, even when I sometimes don't believe in myself.

If you don't hear from me or don't see me out in the streets partying it up like I used to, don't take it personal. My focus is here and things on the entrepreneurial side are moving forward. Current projects include digital marketing for Ruff Ryders and Omen, with work for Dopart Academy and Jean (pronounced jaughn) Dean Entertainment on my radar.

Wish me luck! I'll keep you posted on my progress :-)

Here's a throwback video for you...

Obsessed

2009-06-22T02:02:00.002-04:00

Not much to say other than I just like this song and can admit that I'm a M.C. fan.

Kanye "Stay In School" Concert

2009-05-20T10:29:00.006-04:00

For my Chicago folks...

I saw this posted today on the fan page for KanYeezy on the 'Book (that's the nickname for Facebook case you didn't know)...and I thought I'd pass it along.

The Kanye West Foundation (KWF), founded in 2007 by the late Dr. Donda West, was established to help combat the severe dropout problem plaguing America's communities. It is through the collaboration of community and corporate partnerships that the 2nd "Stay in School" Benefit Concert, taking place at the historic Chicago Theatre on Thursday, June 11th, was born. This is the first major event for the Kanye West Foundation since the 2007 passing of its founder Dr. Donda West, the mother of Kanye West. It is also the first concert Kanye has performed in the city of Chicago in over a year. The concert will be taped by Fuse, the national music network, and will air later this summer.

Benefit concert tickets go on sale Thursday, May 21st. Tickets start at $49.50 to $500 for the VIP Reception and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.

And since I will be heading to the Chi in a few days, I figure I'll play this KanYeezy vid. Enjoy!

HauteLook

2009-05-19T12:04:00.007-04:00

So we've been feeling the punch of this recession for some time now causing many of us to turn our spending habits into saving habits. For the fashion savvy, brand loving shoppinistas who have been hurt by the downward slope of the economy, fret no more. I discovered Hautelook from a colleague's post on Facebook and I must say, this is definitely a good look for those who want their high end or high fashion brands at an affordable price.

Hautelook brings you 36-72hr sales of some of the world's best brands...think of it as a sample sale online. And, if you refer a friend, you'll receive a $10 credit when they make their first purchase.

Click here to sign up and start saving.

American Black Film Festival

2009-05-19T11:12:00.005-04:00

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) is a 4-day retreat and international film market dedicated to strengthening the Black filmmaking community. They hold workshops for aspiring filmmakers providing them with resources, education, and career development. Usually held in Miami each year, this year's festival falls on June 24-27th.

If I can make it, I'm signing up for Robert Townsend's workshop "The Ultimate Pitch." Additional festival details can be found on the ABFF website.

Master Class with Robert Townsend: "The Ultimate Pitch"

Thursday, June 25, 9:00 am - 12 noon

Hear how to pitch story ideas: from concept to development through the various stages of rewrites, pitching to executives at studios and advice on how to close the deal with clarity, precision and confidence.

Precious

2009-05-19T09:26:00.007-04:00

I can not wait to see this movie!

Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, Gabourey Sidibe stars as Clareece "Precious" Jones, an overweight, illiterate Black teen in Harlem. Just as she's about to give birth to her second child, Jones is accepted into an alternative school where a teacher helps her find a new path in her life. Director Lee Daniels casted Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz to star in this movie which I think is going to be a must see.

More Than Just a Psychic Friend...

2009-05-14T00:16:00.002-04:00

Ladies. Did you ever want advice about men but didn't want to ask your best guy friend or your boyfriend directly? Well the folks over at StoopidFreshMind came up with THE solution to all your troubles. And they even got the help of a little psychic friend (see video below).

Yes...in all her greatness as seen in the video above...my homegirl N.Harlem as collected a man panel to answer any question you have always wanted answered about the male species. Visit MyHomeBoySaid and submit your questions.

New Growth

2009-04-24T13:15:00.005-04:00

"Girl, you're gonna grow this year. I feel it."

- me to one of my homegirls

This random statement I made while trying to be positive about a situation she was dealing led to a moment of laughter, followed by an "ah ha!" So for 2009 folks, we are all gonna grow. I feel it!

What does this mean?Baby steps. Many of us have set goals for ourselves, often lofty. And with the Internet making everything so accessible (Google, Blackberry, Twitter, etc), it's hard for some people to accept anything that's not gratified instantly. The easiest way to get from Point A to Point B is a straight line, right? But we all know life isn't easy. And sometimes you have to take detours. Be open to it. Be open to growth. I like to think of it as evolution. We start out as babies and have to learn and grow to become toddlers. And we continue to learn and grow as we get older and progress to adulthood. The same goes for achieving our goals. We're going to crawl before we walk. It's going to take some time. But stay focused and keep at it, and you'll grow.

I turned 25 last week. A year I'm embracing with open arms. To some who are turning this age, they see themselves as getting old. I see myself being reborn. Stay tuned to the new growth.

Can't Nobody Hold Me Down

2009-03-13T23:52:00.003-04:00

Don't push us, cuz we're close to the...eeedge. We're tryin not to lose our head...haha ha ha.

Watchin MTV hitlist and Puff Daddy's (super old right?) vid for can't nobody hold me down is playin. Notorious BIG in the intro. (may he continue to R.I.P.) And it dawns on me...Diddy has come a long way and stays current. From rebranding himself over and over again-- Puffy, P. Diddy, to just plain Diddy...Bad Boy, Sean Jean, Making the Band, Raisin in the Sun & acting, buying Enyce, Diddy TV on YouTube, and so on. We've witnessed the evolution of Diddy and his road to success.

What's the key? Evolution. Change. Adaptation. When you feel like things are getting old and your hitting a rut...make a change.

Diddy - New Music - More Music Videos

Sorry Blog. I've been a bad Mommy.

2009-03-13T23:44:00.000-04:00

I previously blogged about Twitter...which I am now addicted to. If you're not on it, join join join. Might take some getting used to and playing around with it's features (which are easy to learn). But I must say I am addicted to it. To which, I must apologize to my blog. Ramen Berry, i'm sorry. I've been cheating, with Twitter. I downloaded the app for the berry and I log on everyday, all day. And so I now I shall blog live from the berry itself. Stay tuned....

MIA

2009-03-10T10:09:00.004-04:00

yeah...i'm a little M.I.A. (missing in action) right now....eh, getting my focus together....visit my favorite friend blogs in the meantime....i'll email blast when i'm back on track

-YBF

in the meantime...check out this track by Santogold and Three 6 Mafia - Shuv It Remix. it's been playing in rotation on my ipod.

Follow Me, Follow Meeeee...on Twitter

2009-01-31T01:45:00.002-05:00

I first noticed Twitter during the presidential election, because it was mentioned several times just in relation to the Obama campaign. Then recently, I read about the popularity of it with marketers in a recent issue of Ad Age. But what sold me, was when one of my homeboys told me he was being followed by a popular, up & coming music artist.

Followed??? I always associate that with stalking, especially in the world of Facebook (we are all guilty of it). Feeding into my curiosity, I signed up to see exactly what this Twittering thing is all about. My homegirl N. Harlem said it best..."it's like Facebook status updates, minus the profiles." To some, you might not see the point when you have Facebook. But after playing around with it for the past week, I must say I've become addicted..AND, my Facebook usage has decreased (gasp!) Lol.

--PAUSE for a quick video break--

It's status updates all day long...which I just realized is the main thing I log into Facebook for, followed by looking at people's new photo albums. But by cleaning up the unnecessary clutter of applications, Twitter makes social networking simple and fun.

Key things to note about the site:

1. You can follow anyone, without their approval. And if someone follows you whom you don't know, you can block them. There's also a way to lock your profile, but I have yet to delve into all the privacy settings.

2. There are mobile apps available for the site...perfect for crackberry users like myself.

3. You can reply directly to people's status messages OR send them a message.

--There's definitely much more to get out of this site...I'll fill you in once I finish learning everything there is to know about Twitter. And with all networking, whether social or professional, you get out of it what you put into it.

So...follow me...and if not up to joining...you can still follow me through the Twitter app on the right side of the blog.

Bookmark These

2009-01-31T00:38:00.008-05:00

All My Faves

You've probably received this in a forward from 1 or 2 of your friends. (Thanks Brittni!) And if not, then here you go. Called the "Websites of Websites," www.Allmyfaves.com is essentially a site that provides you with all the popular sites you might use on a regular basis and groups them by category. Definitely bookmark worthy, All My Faves simplifies the search process. Click here to check it out.

43 Things

I came across this site on the aforementioned 'All My Faves' website. This site not only helps you list your goals, it also shows you people who are working towards completing the same goal and allows everyone to share their progress with one another. For example, I mentioned in a previous post that I would love learn how to play a guitar. On www.43Things.com, there are 11,684 people who currently have the same goal. Once you've

picked a goal (and you can pick more than one), the site takes you to the goal page where you can see other people who have completed the goal and hear their stories. They have posted how they achieved the goal, lessons & tips, as well as resources they found helpful. On the right hand side, the site tells you the average time frame for completing the goal (ex: learning to play a guitar averages 2 years). Definitely try this site out, even if it's just for a support group. Seeing others achieve similar goals and reading their stories can not only motivate you, but also help you see if you're goals are realistic and worth the effort.

The site was created by 7 friends, known for their lists, who refer to themselves as robots (see their group blog here). They came up with the concept in 2003 and by 2005 they not only launched 43 Things, but also 43 Places and 43 People (in that order). And if that's not enough, they also created "Should Do This", a site where you freely submit ideas of things people should do (ex: Someone should --- make a 4-day work week the standard).

Handbook 2009

2009-01-29T15:13:00.006-05:00

My homegirl Nadia passed this along at work today. If you haven't created any resolutions for 2009, then this could very well serve as your goals for this new year. Enjoy!

HANDBOOK 2009

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.

10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts over things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy

in the positive - the present moment.
13. Don't over do it. Stay within your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past.

That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum

that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Speed Babad

2009-01-27T23:56:00.002-05:00

I didn't know what to call this post so I stuck with the title of the commercial. Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" track will never be the same to me again. The song was not only popular in the US, but also worldwide and made it's way to the Philippines. And you know when a song is catchy, you often find advertisers using samples in their commercials. That doesn't just apply to the US. The video below is my FAVORITE commercial that I saw while I was in the Philippines last October. One of the things that was made so clear to me during my trip is that we really are one in the same. Meaning, even though we may have differences in money, culture, etc...we all have things in common -- WORLDWIDE. Going forward, let's focus on what we have in common, and not where we differ. Then maybe things could be a little more peaceful in the world.

Ice Box (acoustic) -- LOVES IT

2009-01-27T23:41:00.004-05:00

I have always wanted to learn how to play an acoustic guitar. But I figure, since I played the piano for about 8 years when I was younger, I should pick that back up first. I remember my scales and most of my chords, but I could use a serious refresher.

Anyhow, from time to time I look up acoustic videos on Youtube and recently came across Boyce Avenue. I'm diggin' their sound. Check 'em out.

VideoSurf

2009-01-27T01:31:00.006-05:00

I came across this new site called VideoSurf while watching the CW morning news the other day (they profiled it on one of their segments).

Enter any search term and it will pull all related videos from ALL the video sites (including YouTube, Google). At first glance, I brushed it off and decided to stick with YouTube. But then I started searching for an official Chaka Khan video and couldn't find one on Youtube worth posting. So I gave Videosurf a shot, and it provided me with a slew of videos from various sites including MTV. The site provides a link back to the original video provider (such as YouTube, MTV) where I was able to embed into my blog (see Chaka Khan post).

Anyways, check it out. Oh and here's a throwback video for you.

Michael Jackson - Who Is It? (I really want to buy all of MJ's videos on DVD)

Guest Bloggers

2009-01-26T23:12:00.004-05:00

I started this blog a year ago, and have enjoyed using this as a medium to express myself while hopefully inspiring others or showing that despite our differences, we can all relate. One thing I've learned is that as you grow, you change. And while I grow, I want this site to grow as well, which for me will include some revamping in the coming months. For now, I've decided to vary the content I provide on here while still sticking to the RamenBerry motto: "All you need to survive are Ramen Noodles and a Blackberry".

You will soon notice posts on this site that are not written by me (Ferdz). I am allowing a few of my closest RamenBerry followers to submit content to the site that remains relevant to the site's motto and purpose of inspiring/motivating you and stimulating your minds. I've received a lot of great feedback on my previous posts and want this site to be a medium for others to share their thoughts.

If you're interested in submitting a post, email me directly at Ferdz@ramenberry.com.

Stand Up and Black Up... Welcome to the....

2009-01-26T22:19:00.007-05:00

Remember the 60's when they used to say-POWER TO THE ORIGINAL MAN,

Ask a black about it now its been replaced by an invisible hand.

This generation isn't fightin for a cause, but mention the "white man's oppression" all you get is applause-- but wait---

It seems we want reparations for our slavery and separation, Hi-5's and congratulations

for a check to get a weave and the new Playstation.

What can a short term fixation achieve,

I'd rather get better books for our kids to read-or-

Invest so one day the hood we can leave-or-

have goals occur in reality instead of our dreams.

So, what is it when someone speaks of a dream or a fantasy?

Not dubs on a Bentley or an increase in your salary.

It's never having to worry about worrying,

never being depressed from your self-esteem flurrying.

What I'm gettin at is...we know you can dream big but your reality's crouchin,

The sky's the limit but you're afraid to look let alone climb up a mountain.

We all want to succeed but the Mouth of Failure is waitin to bite you...

too afraid to extend your arms out from the damage it might do!

I'd rather lose a few times than be a complete loser,

knowing I laid a path to success where I can choose my own future.

How can you wish to ascend to reach a peak,

when your grasp on the rope is weak?!

You know.......I think I finally understand...

you didn't plan to fail...you just failed to plan.

Welcome to the heart of the BLack Emotional Systematic Soul Destressed.......

----He Is Who Is

Chaka..Chaka Khan

2009-01-26T16:33:00.002-05:00

We tuned into BET J during work today and they were showing all the old classic Chaka Khan videos. And 2 things dawned on me...1) I can't recall ever seeing a Chaka Khan video before, and 2) my hair looks as wild as hers after I blowdry it.

And so for Halloweent this year, I will be Chaka Khan. Who wants to be Rufus?

Enjoy the video!

Chaka Khan - New Music - More Music Videos

Albert Rose Design

2009-01-26T15:41:00.006-05:00

When I think about where I want to be in 10 years professionally, I see 2 things clearly -- running my own marketing agency (which has been named and soon to be trademarked) while simultaneously teaching at a university (I'm thinking 1 or 2 classes a week).

While those are the long term goals, it requires doing things in my 20s to help me achieve the aforementioned in my 30s. While I try to learn as much as I can professionally by seeking career opportunities in marketing, I make it appoint to engage in marketing projects on the side which I can 1 - add to my portfolio, and 2- use as practice or gain experience that will prepare me for my future endeavor.

And so my dear lil' berries...I would like to introduce you to one of my first clients -- Albert Rose Design.

Based out of Chicago but accessbile on the web, Albert Rose Designs specializes in custom, handmade gemstone jewelry that is sure to highlight any woman's wardrobe. Each piece is one of a kind and made with the finest quality gemstones and glass beads. My job is to help them develop and execute a marketing plan that will help drive sales while making their name known.

So pass the word along to all your peeps and click here to view online or make a purchase.

Am I Sabotaging Myself?

2009-01-08T01:01:00.001-05:00

I'm a huge fan of A Belle in Brooklyn..a very popular blog. Belle writes for very well known magazine for black women...yes THAT magazine. If her blog was a movie, I'd be as faithful to it as I am to Sex and the City.

The other day she wrote a post about self esteem. And it really hit home. She mentions being shy but people thinking that she was stuck up. And I've experienced this myself because growing up I was shy, and I still have shy tendencies. But I thought about it further, and it makes me wonder, am I sabotaging myself?

In case you didn't know, I am a mixed child. Neither parent was born or raised in this country. They married in 83 and I was born in 84. I used to wonder what they saw in each other but the more I learned about where they came from, the more I saw the similarities.

I love my parents to death and in hindsight, I know that they did and still do everything in their power to help me succeed in life. But growing up in a America by non-Americans was not easy. I was raised by their customs which were often different from American norms but as a child or teenager, I hated this because I couldn't do "normal" things that my friends could. No staying out late for Friday night football/basketball games. No walking around the mall with my girls (though I changed all that when I got my license). At 13 I got in trouble for walking to Walgreens from my house. Mind you it was only a 5 min walk but they feared me crossing this one major intersection by myself and gettin hit by a truck or something. So I had to fight with them on these things that I should be able to do. And while I argued, my sister would later reap the benefit. I was always rebelling against their rules growing up (which is why I don't like authority or ppl telling me what to do).

In other words, I was sheltered and this made me really shy. It was hard to fit in when you can't do what everyone else gets to do. To this day I keep a very small circle of close friends (disregard the 700+ number of friends on FACEBOOK, they're not all close..lol). We didnt have cable so I drowned myself in books. I was a straight A student...that annoying kid that would set the curve in class. I participated in scholastic showdowns and geography bees each year. I didn't know what my identity was so I tried to just fit in. From being an oreo to wearin anything that said Hugo Boss, Fubu, or Fila. But folks used to just buddy up to me for answers on homework, and they would always tell me I wasn't really black cuz my dad was Haitian and not African American. I got made fun of for not having a perm to make my hair straight, so I got one and it caused the most damaged to my then extra long hair when it turns out I never needed them. (I stopped getting perms 3 years ago.) I had braces and acne and my mom wasn't black. But I was the oldest and my parents didn't understand any of this. They're peaceful ppl. Neither likes conflict and will abide by all rules. So I kind of never learned how to stand for myself (til my ex boyfriend...that's another post).

As a result, I "shyed" away from just being myself--I didnt really know who I was. And now that I'm older and know who I am, I still find myself getting shy and not opening up when I'm in situations where I feel like I don't fit in. I realize I do this at work. There are some groups where I find it easy to be me, but other groups, I just don't get that vibe that I fit in. And when I try to be me, I feel like they don't get me, so I shy away and bottle it all up. Happens when I'm trying to network and sometimes happens at work. Is this sabotaging my career???? And if so, what do I do?

Help Omen Move to NYC

2009-01-06T02:03:00.003-05:00

If you've been following my blog, then you've seen my previous posts regarding my hometown homie Omen -- he's dope..well his raps are. I could clown him all day on gmail status--but usually it's because he started it first...lol.

Omen's finishing up the album and the folks over at Impakt Studios (you know them for their work on Lupe Fiasco's Kick Push video) are finalizing his music videos. It's been awhile since I posted something on him ---actually I went for a good minute without posting anything so I take full blame.

So about Omen. He lives in Chicago. But NY is calling his name. Yep, I heard NY say it myself.
But if you move to NY, you gotta be able to pay the rent, even if it's for a little studio apartment in Harlem. So um, anyone know someone that's hiring? He's looking for something that's enjoyable, pays well and with reasonable hours so he can still pursue his music. He's a graduate of the University of Illinois (2005) where he got his Bachelor's degree in...um..English I think (or it might have been Creative Writing and Rhetoric) -- definitely one of those two.

I'll add more info later, but if you know of anything or have any suggestions (I suggested exec asst), email me (ferdz@ramenberry.com).

The Year of New Birth/Manifestation

2009-01-06T01:30:00.006-05:00

My best friend J put me onto this sermon from her pastor -- good ol' Pastor Pfleger over at St. Sabina Church in Chicago. While I have a DEEP spiritual relationship with God, I have a whole other take on religion (which is another topic in itself). But I'm always down to listen to a good sermon--it's all positive. So J went to church on NYE and told me that her pastor's sermon was off the chain. So I took a listen online (gotta love technology) and I must say, pastor was on point! Click here to listen.

For those who lack the effort to click above (shaking my head), I'll summarize.

2009 is the year of Resurrection, New Birth, Manifestation

-9 is the number of new birth --hence takes 9 months for babies to be born (work with me, we're not talking about preemies).
- He mentioned 2 scriptures that you should look up, John 11 (that's New Testament book of John chapter 11) and Isaiah 61:7 (that's Old Testament book of Isaiah chapter 61 verse 7)

So basically, 2008 was the year of preparation and 2009 is the year that everything you prepared for in '08 will manifest. And I can so see this because I've felt like all 2008 did was prepare me for something big. I definitely didn't feel like I accomplished anything because I still feel like a lot of things aren't complete, but I did feel like 2009 (the year I turn 25!) was going to be that year -- and I said this January 2008, way before pastor's sermon.

There are 3 things that must happen for this manifestation.

1- You must release yourself from your past and start looking forward. You went through things for a reason, but you are not those things. So don't let them hold you back.

2 - To receive the new life, YOU must remove the stones that are in your way. A baby must be cut from the umbilical cord to live outside the womb. Cut those things in your life that are blocking you from moving forward. These stones can be stones of anger, disappointment, discouragement, whining, self-doubt (I need to cut that one), fear, grudges, self-conflict, etc.

3- Expect God to come out. You have to listen for Him.
This is where Pastor kept making references to Lazurus (you know Lazurus, he was also raised from the dead). Point he made about Lazurus was that he was listening for God. "When you are expecting, you are listening." If you are to receive what's in store for you in 2009, then you MUST have the highest expectation for your life than you've ever had before. (man, I was just about to not expect anything...quickly changed that idea). Now you don't know when God is gonna do his thing, BUT you need to trust in Him and expect him to do his thing. And don't be lazy with it...prepare yourself.

Chuuuuuuurch!

So...what are you expecting this year???

Who Do You Know?

2009-01-05T11:50:00.004-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I literally had to drag myself out of bed this morning..simply because I didn't want to go to work. I need a change...asap. But the right change, not for more money doing something that will only pacify me. I WANT TO WORK ON DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING MARKETING CAMPAIGNS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, PREFERABLY IN MUSIC, MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT. So I responded to urgent/priority requests only today while I wrote several emails requesting for informal meetings...it's about who you know.

For those of you that don't know, my first introduction to New York was right before my 21st birthday in 2005. I was selected to attend the annual International Radio & Television Society Foundation's Minority Career Workshop (last year I actually spoke on a panel...remember, no matter how far you get, you always need to give back). Ever since then, I new I had to come back to NY. So the following year, I applied for their summer fellowship program and was accepted to attend right after graduation. Changed my life...and ever since, I have used that quote. I don't really like putting my energy behind something that's not going to change my life. Change is good -- see Obama.

The program was about 9 weeks with the first week being hell. 5 days of meeting, attending presentations at major media companies like HBO and bonding with my fellow IRTS fellows (that was a GREAT summer). I refuse to go back to Chicago after the program without a job lined up. And while I had my sights on working for MTV (could lead me to working in music + marketing), I went home that August with nothing lined up. But luckily, my informationals I had prior to go home worked out and I landed a job working on Nick@Nite/TV Land starting the Monday after Labor Day.

Now since then, things haven't gone as I had planned. I've turned down several job opportunities because they would've kept me stuck in the world of sales or pricing, and no where near the creative side. Yeah I would've been making more money but I would've hated my job. You don't want to keep moving up in something you don't want to do, it will only pigeonhole you into that field...so I believe. I'd rather chase my dreams and let the money follow.

The point of my story is that I learned when I bust my butt to get something, I can make it happen. But only when it's something I want. Which explains my current lackadaisical effort to make moves (see brevans1, people do learn from your big words...LOL). Do I really want to be a Black Corporate American? I mean, I've witnessed some things that don't align with my personal values..and that's what makes me question...is corporate America where I belong?

For now, all I can do is put forth effort to meet as many people who work in marketing or music, and hope for 6 degrees of separation to Russell Simmons, LA Reid, Diddy, Oprah, etc. Eventually something will present itself, right?

It's Moooo & Oink!

2008-12-16T12:13:00.006-05:00

(in response to "Look at those Low Rates" by StoopidFreshMind)

This commercial is classic, and reminds me of home. I never told people this, mainly because I never saw it, but I was in a commercial when I was 16. A bootleg one at that. My first job was for Dillon's Dental Services, across the street from Fuddruckers on 159th in Calumet City. There was only one dentist - Dr. Dillon. He had one assistant and 2 receptionists, including myself. Kelly and I both ran the front desk. She was a year older than me and are birthdays were 2 days apart. Anywho, one random day, the Dr. asks us to be in the commercial as background people. Two days later we were fake-talking and pretending to be assistants, as he pretended to clean teeth for a camera. We never saw the commercial. He never told us when it would be on TV, but it was a local spot. We feared getting roasted on at high school and spent most of our office time crackin jokes on the doc and that bootleg video. Not to mention all the other bootleg things we had to do. If anyone finds that commercial, let me know...would love to see it.

I miss fast food joints..and I don't mean McDonald's. REAL fast food joints like Kenny's ribs, J&J Fish or Sharks, and Harold's chicken. I miss candy stores like Greco on 154th & Cottage Grove (Lil' Buddy is that store still there?)...I could go for some Lemon Heads, Sour Patch Kids, and some chico sticks. I miss driving to malls like River Oaks and just walking around with my girls...not to shop..but to meet cute guys that went to public schools. (The pickings at MCHS were pretty slim -- all the cute guys were always taken). I miss grass and the smell of fresh air and the sound of crickets or birds chirping (real birds, not pigeons). Streets where normal cars are fly. And I miss tuning into 106 Jamz.

As you all know (or should know if you don't), StoopidFreshMind is a product of my homegirl N.Harlem. Whenever you're having a debbie downer type of day, check out her blog -- she'll crack you up. She wrote a post last week that just warmed my soul and made me pout -- I miss home. It's hard being away from your family, especially when it's a holiday. Luckily I'll be home 24th-29th to enjoy all the things that I miss. Check out her post and hit her back with your thoughts.

"Look at those Low Rates"

www.stoopidfreshmind.com

RB Editorial -- It's Okay to Jump

2008-12-16T01:12:00.005-05:00

"In life, there is no safety net...when did it stop being fun, and start being scary?"--Carrie Bradshaw.

I'm sitting in my living room watching a rerun of Sex & the City trying to think of what I want to write, or what my goal is for this new email newsletter thingy. The episode is about Carrie's experience with trapeze classes for a piece she's writing of which she correlates to relationships (duh..that's what she always writes about). Un-coincidentally, I went trapezing this year for my 24th birthday and it's one of the most freeing things I've ever done. Highly recommend it.

Trapezing with a safety net is still scary, but having that safety net there allowed me to just jump freely like "Woohoo" and not fear falling. But if you took away my harness and the safety net, would I have done it? Is that what happens to some of us after we graduate from college -- we go for what's safe?

I made it a point not to stay in Chicago or the midwest after graduation because it is my safety net. If all else fails, I can always go home (thank God for great parents). I'm a dreamer...I envision all of these goals and dreams I want to achieve, things I want to do, some are off-the-wall (cue debut Michael Jackson album), and some seem like a no-brainer. NY was where I wanted to be to achieve my career goals. I have a safety net, so why should I fear jumping when it's okay for me to fall? Exactly.

Not saying you have to up and relocate to achieve your goals. But if you have a good support system -- parents, friends, etc ..people who believe in you + faith in yourself -- then you have a safety net. Don't hold yourself back. Get yours. JUMP!

2009 -- I'm jumping...all year long.

What's Ramen without the Berry?

2008-12-15T15:50:00.005-05:00

--Public Service Announcement--

It's time for me to get a new blackberry...well actually a new battery. Ever since I came back from the Phil, my phone has been acting janky. I attempted to update my phone's software last night, but failed when I tried to back-up my phone's data to my laptop. As a result, I lost everything that was saved in my phone (all numbers, a gazillion memos, pics, emails, etc). I thought I died.

Luckily I had one back up saved on my laptop -- but from 2007. Thus any new number added in '08 has officially been lost. If you're on my blog email list, then you received an email from me this morning asking for your info. I may still have your number but I don't know if it's accurate so send it anyway (unless you want to end all communication, then you can keep it..lol).

Lesson Learned -- for all those with iPhones, blackberries, and pda devices, please please please take the time to back up your phone regularly.

Brooklyn Goes Hard

2008-12-15T14:25:00.002-05:00

Now Playing: Jay-Z- Brooklyn We Go Hard

I wouldn't mind moving to Brooklyn for a year...if only I could figure out some type of rented parking situation (I hate NYC street parking). In the 2 1/2 years I've been in NY, I've lived in Manhattan, the Bronx, and in Jersey on the flipside of the Hudson River that borders Manhattan. The biggest of all the NY boroughs, I can get to Brooklyn from Jerz in 20 mins when there's no traffic. But between this new Jay-Z song which I love (from the Notorious movie soundtrack) and my experiences in BK including a trip to Sea this weekend, I'm considering the thought of relocating...if only parking didn't suck so bad (and that Jersey has been treating me so well).

So what's the hype with Brooklyn? Well for me...it's got enough chic spots and culture to prevent me from traveling into the city (Manhattan) on a non-work day. From cute, up & coming (i.e. gentrification - where they tear down the hood, build these pricey condos, and make it super cute) sections like Williamsburg, to having pretty much every West Indian/Caribbean culture represented (Haitians stand up!), Brooklyn is just THAT borough...it gets the most love. Don't get it twisted, drive through the wrong spot and you might get robbed, stabbed or shot...but that's any major city in my opinion.

But for the out-of-towners who want to get a NY experience (especially those visiting for NYE), I highly recommend taking a trip across one of the Williamsburg, Manhattan, or Brooklyn bridges into BK. Visit the Brooklyn Art Museum (caught the Murakami exhibit there this summer --loved it), have dinner at Sea, or buy some reggae music along Flatbush, Utica, and Nostrand Aves. There's so much more to BK than what I've written, hence why I need to explore that borough more...so definitely check it out. And for those in NY who have never been to Sea Thai restaurant at 114 N. 6th Street in Williamsburg...please go. Very reasonably priced, great ambiance and excellent food.

I AM...

2008-11-19T22:44:00.000-05:00

(now playing: John Legend - Ordinary People)

Dear RamenBerry (and its readers),

I have neglected you. Yes, it's true. I allowed myself to be consumed by my day to day happenings for the past few months, overwhelmed by my dislike for the status quo, and focusing too much on what I didn't have or didn't like in my life (which is a lot). My problem...worrying too much about things not going the way I want. Most of these things are beyond my control. Like a new job...until the RIGHT door of opportunity opens...can't really do much but to keep on keepin' on. OR...take a 3 week vacation to the Philippines that changes your life.

And so I went for the 2nd option, and it was definitely a God send (with the help of mom). I traveled from October 16-November 3rd on what was the best vacation I've ever taken. The Philippines can be considered a 3rd world country. They definitely don't have all the luxuries that we have here. But I was the happiest I've been in a long time during the 3 weeks I spent there. The combination of not worrying about having enough money, not having to go to work, and just being able to CHILL every day....really gives you time to think things over. (So does riding in a van and passing huts that people live in, like wow...people really live like this). And with conditions being poorer than it is here in the states, I gained a new perspective on my life.

Simply put, I don't have anything that warrants complaining about. I live a good life. It's not always fair, and I don't have everything I want. I constantly have to prove myself and work harder because I am Black and I am a woman. I'm learning that some goals may take a little more time to achieve, but it is possible...I Am Obama (quoting J.Kwest..future blog post on this). I have big dreams and I believe in them, even the outlandish ones, because I've been blessed with a sound mind to envision these dreams. When I hung out with my cousins, the smallest things about my life fascinated them. From having a laptop, ipod, to knowing how to drive. To me it's no big deal. I always knew I would get my permit at 15 and license at 16 (per Illinois law). But something like learning how to drive doesn't really cross their minds. And as Americans, we are truly privileged, yet so many of us just complain day in and day out, about what we don't have, how unfair something is, etc. etc. When really what we need to recognize is what we do already have, and appreciate it.

I have cousins in the Philippines who have finished college and are now working abroad in places like Dubai or Brunei, doing jobs just like us...engineers, accounting, nursing, etc. My point is that we're all equal. Russell Simmons, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and all the other moguls that exist -- we're all equal. The only difference is our economic situations. So why should we look at ourselves any differently. If Oprah Winfrey can work her way up to having the most successful daytime talk show as a Black woman, or Will Smith can work his way up and become one of the top actors in Hollywood producing blockbusters, then what's stopping you from doing what you dream of doing?

You are.

Life is what you make it. I strive for my aspirations (and there are many). You come across a lot of haters and non-believers during the journey towards achieving your goals. But what sets apart those that make it from those that don't? Never giving up and always believing in yourself.

One of the greatest things I was able to do this year and in my lifetime happened on November 4th, 2008 (also dad's birthday). I voted Obama. And he won. And a reassuring sense of hope came over me. It's real. It can happen. Obama did it. I can do it to. I AM OBAMA.

Peep the new video from my hometown homeslice J.Kwest!!!

Now Playing...FOR FLOW.

2008-11-19T13:24:00.004-05:00

Get your tickets while you still can!

My hometown homeslice Stephen Smith and his amigos Kesav M. Wable and Randall Sawyer have teamed up as 25 to Life Productions to successfully produce an Off-Broadway play right here in NYC. YAY Stephen!!!

For Flow, written by Wable, follows Dee and Kane, two MC's from the Bronx in search of a way to climb out of the hard-knock lives they've been forced to lead. The story joins them on a street corner where they await the arrival of 'Flow', a record producer Dee claims to have met earlier that week in a club. Although each young man greets this opportunity with his own unique disposition, both are aware of how important this meeting is to their lives. While they grapple with strategies, appearances and each other's egos in preparation for the big meeting, their relationship begins to discover the existential dilemmas presented by the art of rapping and the social dilemmas presented by hip-hop as a cultural movement.

It's received great reviews! Definitely a must see.

(click here to read one)

Now playing at the Theater for the New City (located in Manhattan's East Village), For Flow runs through this Sunday, Nov 23rd. Tickets are only $18 and can be purchased online at http://www.25tolifeproductions.com/events.html or at the door. With a youthful cast and a strong production staff, this play will surely entertain you this weekend (cuz you know there's nothing on TV...LOL). More details below...

VENUE
Theater for the New City
OPENED
November 8, 2008
CLOSES
November 23, 2008
PERFORMANCES
Thu - Sat at 8pm; Sun at 3pm
TICKETS
$18646-621-7891Order tickets online
CAST
Brian D. Coats, Cherrye Davis, Devere Rogers, Vladimi Versailles
AUTHOR
Kesav M. Wable
DIRECTOR
Jonathan Solari
SETS
Jordan Wagenseller
LIGHTING
Jenny Beth Snyder
COSTUMES
Yung-I Chang
SOUND
Stephen L. Smith
PRODUCING COMPANY
25 to Life Productions, LLC

I AM (OBAMA)

2008-11-19T01:42:00.000-05:00

Divinity Student, Inspirational Hip Hop Artist

J.Kwest Debuts "I Am (Obama)" Music Video

Popularity of "I Am (Obama)" Expands with Video Posting

(CHICAGO) October 31, 2008– Premiering on his website Friday, inspirational hip-hop artist J.Kwest will release the music video is for the song "I Am (Obama)."

In this election year, the polls are showing that the popular vote is leaning towards Obama's ticket. The same could be said for J.Kwest, Chicago rap artist with a similar "change" agenda for the music industry. Both casual fans of hip hop and avid fans of J.Kwest have been supporting his latest effort of "I Am (Obama)" in staggering numbers. The song was first highlighted on AllHipHop.com and since has earned a massive following over the internet. The video adds bold imagery to a dynamic song, offering a stark contrast to the support offered by other hip hop artists. "I Am (Obama)" not only represents obvious support for Sen. Obama (Ill.), but also serves as a reminder of what America is and a Hope of what it may one day become. Visual accompaniment to "I Am (Obama)" was not only necessary but also a matter of time.

As a graduate student at the University of Chicago Divinity School, J.Kwest is also the creator and visionary for "PureMusic" – a genre that represents the synthesis of hip hop culture and traditional gospel music. His aim is to popularize positive rap music as a relevant voice of inspiration in his community and abroad. "I Am (Obama)" is only a part of the PureMusic vision.

J. Kwest is managed by Double Threat Entertainment. For more information, to schedule an interview, listen to samples or purchase his latest project Are and Be please contact Brandon Evans at (630)742-7980 or visit http://www.jkwest.com/ or www.myspace.com/jkwestmusic.

Young & Powerful 4 Obama T-Shirts Available Now!

2008-08-21T16:39:00.008-04:00

My homeboy Justin Tanner put me onto these fresh Barack tees. JT has a team down there in ATL spreading the word out for Obama. And I must say that not only am I a supporter, but I LOVE the design on this shirt. LOVES IT JT! Click here to visit the site and make a purchase online. Proceeds will be donated to the Obama campaign.

http://www.yp4obama.com/tshirts.html

HarlemLIVE

2008-08-20T15:24:00.006-04:00

I forgot to mention in my editorial that I worked on my first NY event which took place last week. Yet another reason for my crazed and dazed state of mind. For those of you who don't know, one of my career goals is to launch my own marketing & pr firm (the events portion will fall under pr).

I've been volunteering with HarlemLIVE -- an online youth publication where students ages 13-21 learn everything about journalism (writing, editing, producing) and publish their own stories online. Each summer HarlemLIVE sponsors a Summer Media Challenge where students compete in teams to produce the best stories (all of which are published online). At the end of every summer, they have an award ceremony honoring the program's students.

Click here to visit their site

This year, I helped to coordinate the festivities which was held on August 14th, 2008 at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. I obtained sponsorships from the NBA, Hershey's Chocolate, CoverGirl Cosmetics, the Paley Center for Media, and Harlem Lanes, just to name a few. All presented gift donations that were awarded as prizes to the students. They're a great organization, so if you're interested in volunteering, send me a note and I'll connect you with the right people.

I'll post pics up soon but just thought I'd share it with my RB folks. I'm in the works to register my company so I can finally be official and do the marketing/pr thing for real for real.

In the meantime, stay posted for upcoming events, and feel free to hit me up for your marketing/event planning needs.

Get your grind on!

If I Couldn't Fail, I would...

2008-08-20T15:13:00.002-04:00

I found the post below and found it relevant to my editorial about changing your thought process. Check it out.

Written on 8/14/2008 by Elizabeth Day, of edaycafe.com.

Beliefs are the most powerful force in the world. What we believe to be true about ourselves appears in our lives as our lives.

How do you visualize your world? Do you hold the belief that nothing good happens to you, that you will never win the prize? Our prosperity, or lack of it, reflects our thinking. Would you like to be on the receiving end of prosperity?

Then change your thinking and you’ll change your world! You will become what you think about most.

Erase and Replace

All of us talk to ourselves all the time. We are thinking machines that never shut down. The more you think about anything in a certain way the more you will believe that thatis how it really is. Become aware of what you are thinking. Make a list of your thoughts. Most people are unaware of just how many negative thoughts they think about themselves and the world around them. If you can’t be bothered making a list, have a friend say “negative” every time he or she hears negative self-talk. It will stop you in your tracks. You will be surprised how many negative thoughts you think in a day’s time.You need to be aware of everything you tell yourself about yourself.

Here are a few examples of negative self-talk:
I’m so clumsy
Just my luck
I never know what to say
I’m too shy
I don’t have talent
It’s just no use
Nobody likes me
I’m too poor
There’s just no way
I hate my job
I just can’t handle this

The human mind will do and believe anything you tell it if you tell it often enough and strongly enough! If you tell it the wrong things about yourself, it will accept and act upon it.

Programming

Our conditioning, from the day we were born, has created and reinforced most of what we believe about ourself. Right or wrong, true or false, the result of it is what we believe to be true. It all starts with programming.

I can’t - Your greatest foe. You say something negative about yourself and accept it.

I need to, I should - Your recognition of your need to change, but don’t.

I never, I no longer - You recognize the need to change and make the decision to do something about it.

When you replace a negative thought or action with I never or I no longer, your mind will eventually accept it. For instance, if you are a smoker, every time you light a cigarette say to yourself and out loud, I have no desire to smoke or I never smoke. Say it to yourself until your subconscious mind accepts its new directive and creates a new non-smoking version of you. You no longer smoke! That’s exactly what you told your subconscious mind; that’s exactly what it will do.

I am - The better you. The most effective thought pattern. It has been used the least and is needed the most. You are telling your subconscious mind, “This is the me I want you to create! I don’t smoke! I am living the life I choose, I do everything I need to do when I need to do it. Your past negative thought patterns are turned around. You are no longer thinking, “I can’t remember names” instead you are thinking “I have a great memory”. Which do you want your subconscious mind to accept?

This is how the brain works

Programming creates beliefs.
Beliefs create attitudes.
Attitudes create feelings.
Feelings determine actions.
Actions create results.

Start with the first step. Change your programming.What would you do if you had no chance of failing?

-Elizabeth

In My Absence...

2008-08-20T15:06:00.005-04:00

If I had to describe myself in one word, I'd choose 'RANDOM.' Well, that's been me lately.
I've posted about random subjects.
I say random things.
I have the most random thoughts.

So in my randomness, I tend to be aloof from time to time. It's really just me thinking to much about the future and how I'm going to get to my goals. Thus, visit these other sites during my periods of aloofness. I'm sure you'll enjoy the content.

A Belle in Brooklyn
StoopidFreshMind
Omen & Blaq
Lo's Manifesto

Terrence Howard, Michelle Williams & Solange Free Performance Tomorrow 8.21.08

2008-08-20T14:59:00.004-04:00

Oh, how I miss Summertime Chi. But summertime NY is pretty good too. Filled with a slew of free concerts, plus the city has loads of great food spots, if you can't be in Chicago for a summer, then you gotta be in NY. Wouldn't have it any other way.

So for all of my readers who live in the NY area, catch Terrence Howard, Michelle Williams, and Solange perform tomorrow evening at City Hall Park sponsored by J&R Electronics. All will be performing tracks from their upcoming releases. (Yes, Terrence 'Dee-Jay' Howard has a CD coming out...um, not sure how I feel about it yet but I am digging Solange's joints).

StoopidFresh Interviews Never Yet Contested (N.Y.C.)

2008-08-20T14:51:00.002-04:00

If you're looking for some audio/visual to coincide with the Q&A session I had with N.Y.C. aka Never Yet Contested, then peep the interview by the folks over at StoopidFreshMind. My homegirl N.Harlem sat down with N.Y.C. on the lawns of Columbia University here in NY. Check out the video to learn more about the aspiring Brooklyn rapper.

RB Editorial

2008-08-15T04:16:00.009-04:00

Bear with me...Life's starting to come back together.
---

I'm gonna take a moment to just talk to you on some real RamenBerry "ish" right now. Take from it as you want but hopefully this inspires or motivates someone.

--So the purpose of this website was...to motivate, inspire or simply just be some pseudo support group for those in their 20s trying to make it...and it still is. I don't like pessimism so I try to look for the bright side in everything...but on a serious note....this real world stuff definitely isn't easy. Well for me living in NY has forced me to do a lot of growing up in the last 2 years I've been here...things I know that are making me stronger and preparing me for something better. I can be a whiner, I can be a procrastinator at times (due to my perfectionist state of mind), and I'm used to getting my way. I'm also a go-getter, a motivator, and I like have fun. I'm flexible too. But I'm at this place right now where I've been so frustrated with the current status quo that I think I'm about to go ape sh*t. And from the convos I've had with some of my friends, seems like I'm not the only one. Sigh...well at least I'm not alone.

But damnit if I have to move one more time, I'm just gonna pack my bags and relocate to DC, ATL or back to the CHI (though I really have no plans on moving back to my comfort zone. I need it to remain as is..."the comfort zone where I can regroup"). Oh yeah, I'm moving this weekend. Again. For what is now the 5th time. However, I'm not going far..just to the 2 bedroom in my building upstairs. I currently live on the ground floor (not basement but first floor), and though I had no problems during the spring, summer is proving to be not so great for multiple reasons (I'll spare you). But moving upstairs means paying more money and possibly getting a roommate (sigh). I'm really enjoying the live by myself thing but you gotta do what you gotta do.

My actions (or lack there of) are a direct reflection of my mindset. And for the past few weeks, I've been a little...OFF. Mainly because my mind has been all over the place. From the apt to the job, so much seems out of my control, which leaves me feeling out of control. And so I panic, worry, dwell on things, overreact, and pretty much just get emotional. Why? Cuz I'm not in control. I started feeling unsafe in my apt, the new job I'm hoping to get was placed on hold. And there's nothing I can do about it (with the exception of moving upstairs into a safer space, yet now I have to pay more).

'Til one day, I engaged in a gmail convo with my buddy Damon. Who reminds me that I'm focusing on the wrong things, thus attracting more of the bad to myself. And it dawns on me. He's right. It's the Law of Attraction - for those of you who have seen or read the Secret, you know what I'm talking about. And for those who haven't, here's a spoiler. [Essentially what the book/dvd The Secret says is how every thought you have manifests itself. So if you focus on the negative things, it breeds more negative thoughts. I'm probably butchering this up a little, so if you want a copy of the DVD, email me]. Anyhow, I really took this to heart and started applying it. Really what my problem has been is my attitude...towards everything. I've been focusing on everything I hate, can't stand, wished I had but didn't, and so on. And this has been drowning me into a state of unhappiness with the status quo. So the thought process is starting to change. I've got a bigger apartment now..YAY! And God wouldn't bless me with anything I can't handle, so until I get a new gig or a roommate, looks like I'll be working some OT at Viacom. And though I get annoyed by boss/work a lot, he doesn't micromanage me (which I must say is a great thing). And well let's face it, with this economy, I'm just happy to be employed. I have it pretty good, so I'm focusing on the good instead of the bad. And by focusing and enjoying the good, the bad doesn't seem so bad. Hopefully, the good will just get better, but I'll keep you posted.

Up & Coming Twenty-Something N.Y.C. aka Never Yet Contested

2008-08-04T13:13:00.007-04:00

When it comes to making a name for yourself on the music scene, many artists have been taking the independent route. As is the case with our featured Up & Coming Twenty-Something – N.Y.C. aka Never Yet Contested. One look at the artist and you might suspect him to be the John Legend of the computer world rather than a musical lyricist…always calm, cool, and collected. However, the Brooklyn born and bred rapper is making a name for himself, combining his business sense with lyrical skills. Could he be the Mark Zuckerberg of the rap game?

N.Y.C. recently released his debut album “…In Retrospect”, and I had an opportunity to sit down with him over Sushi (fitting as he just toured Japan a few months ago) for an inside look. Read as he shares his grind story on succeeding through his BlackBerry with a little Ramen.

Ramen Berry: First, thanks for meeting with us and giving the readers the inside scoop. So Mr. N.Y.C., why are you yet to be contested?
N.Y.C. aka Never Yet Contested: Well I definitely want to represent my home N.Y.C./Brooklyn…but I didn’t want to just go by that. I wanted my name to also represent me as an artist and who I am. N.Y.C. is who I am artistically and gives leeway for me to express a lot of things both positive and negative. After brainstorming with a friend for a few acronyms, we came up with Never Yet Contested.

RB: Did you always want to be an artist? And why hip hop?
N.Y.C.: Well no, actually I got into it through writing. I had dealt with some things in college, and needed a constructive way to vent about everything, so I started writing.

RB: Hmm…what kind of things? What made you write?
N.Y.C.: Going through a relationship can be a difficult task, but I started having a little too much fun (wink wink) and it became a distraction. So I put my energies into writing. I found myself in these situations where writing just helped me stay constructive. Then one day I tried spoken word and brought my writings to the microphone. A lot of people liked it. This led to me performing spoken word more and eventually to a beat.

RB: What inspires your music now?
N.Y.C.: Family, friends, news, travels, pretty much everything around me. They all relate to who I am and fosters ideas.

RB: Sounds like you have a lot of support, which must be helpful. But how do you find time to work on your music while also working a corporate 9-5 gig?
N.Y.C.: Well you have to stay committed to your music after any amount of time you spend at work. It’s like working two jobs. Being an independent artist is an understatement because you’re more than that. You are your own PR, marketing, and production team. I get help from a few people, but it’s really a matter of multi-tasking. I work at a music related company which helps because it’s parallel to what I want to do musically. If you don’t have that luxury, then you have to be constructive of your time. I got to bed at 2-3am sometimes because I’m promoting my music. You have to make sacrifices to get ahead.

RB: Wow...well we can definitely see your hard work. Your album is on ITunes, CD Baby, MySpace, Rhapsody, Amazon, and I’m sure a slew of others. Being independent without label support must be costly. What affordable resources have you found that have helped you pursue your music?
N.Y.C.: The internet is the most resourceful tool because it’s free. It allows you to connect to people locally, nationally, and globally. But what’s more important is how you make use of this tool. Once you grasp it, you may not get some of the same responses as mainstream artists, but you can still make a name for yourself. I made sure to have a presence online anywhere music could be heard including YouTube, Fuzz.com, and Ipromote.com.

RB: What’s the biggest struggle or challenge of being an indie artist?
N.Y.C.: Well, it’s a slow uphill process. It’s hard, being that [without a label], you’re financially bound. You have to do everything yourself. Your product looks only as good as the money you put behind it. I’ve invested in myself, so I’m willing to take the losses to get gains in the long run.

RB: Speaking of “losses”, do you think Hip Hop is dead? Where do you see yourself fitting in?
N.Y.C.: No. Hip Hop never died. The “powers that be” have had an impact on what gets relayed to the media. Their influence has had an effect on hip hop as a culture. I think we’re in more of a transition phase. I based my album, “…In Retrospect”, somewhat on this transition. My music has influences from the 80s, the 90s and I’m applying it to now. I really want you [my listeners] to take it as what you want, relate to it and apply it to yourself.

RB: Tell us more about the album and the band you worked with.
N.Y.C.: It’s a conceptual album and I made sure that the overall theme was consistent throughout. I put diversity into the whole concept with an array of sounds from edgy songs to R&B and live music. I really wanted to be creative and uncompromising. The band I work with is Suburban Graffiti led by a talented emcee, Baldi. They bring all different types of styles to the table with such great energy to get you going at a writer’s level.

RB: Good stuff! So what’s up next?
N.Y.C.: I have been working on a lot of remix projects lately which should be out later this year. Working with the likes of The Flight Brothers (Hip Hop, Philly), Julia, (R&B, New Jersey) Baldi & Suburban Graffiti (Live Band, New Jersey) Ash (Producer, Connecticut) Nero Beats (Producer, Queens), not to mention an upcoming Video for the lead single off “… In Retrospect”, “I Can’t Take It” and a Japanese graphic novel that I will be featured in called “Curveball” coming soon. These are just some of the things I should be involved with.

CheapAssFood.com

2008-07-22T14:09:00.005-04:00

The name of this site just cracks me up alone -- Cheap Ass Food. LOL!(Thanks Lisa for the link :-) Check it out. The site gives you the low down on where you can get "cheapassfood" in NYC (especially when you're working with a small budget....stupid recession! GRRR!). Think of it as a colorful version of menupages. The Pink Tea Cup is it's current feature (see photo). I've heard of this spot before. You can get good southern cooking for the low low.

Just Say Hi...

2008-07-22T13:25:00.005-04:00

2 Claps for the hometown homeslice N. Harlem. I'm really proud of this girl. And when you're friends do great things, you have to applaud them. Last week sometime, I met up with her for a little Herald's Square shopping (more like browsing), followed by good burritos and margaritas at our favorite little hang out...Blockheads. I'm almost sure it had to have been a hot day (or maybe I'm hallucinating that because of how hot and humid today has been)...but we got tired of the shopping thing quickly. So as we were heading to Blockheads, N.Harlem spots Mitzi and Joan and almost has a moment of starstruckness.

NH: dude..I want to say something.
me: girl..gone..before they get away!

We speed up to catch them.

NH: I don't know what to say.
me: Just say hi, I'm {she said her real name} and I love your work.

N.H speeds up some more and stops them. They were very nice! I witnessed it all..and now I want to read Joan's book (When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost) and Mitzi's work (she wrote for Honey mag and has her own blog www.mitzimoments.blogspot.com). N.Harlem gave them her card (always keep your contact info on you).

WELL.....a week later (today), Mitzi emails her. N.H. sends over writing samples. And Mitzi loved them.

And this my berries, is a great example of networking. You don't need to be at a networking event to network. Everyday presents opportunity. You never know who you may meet or who they know. So, keep your business cards on you at all time, and just say Hi. You never know where a little smile and a hello may take you.

Omen Behind the Scenes

2008-07-21T10:36:00.005-04:00

Hi to all my berries out there. Hope all is fresh with you. A few weeks ago, I shared with you the debut viral video from my hometown homeslice Omen. And through my many talks with him online, he definitely embodies the Ramen Berry tag of "All you need to survive is Ramen Noodles and a Blackberry." So as he grinds towards achieving his goals, Ramen Berry's going to grind along with him.

Black Diamond Megaphone referred to him as "one of today's innovative rising stars." Check out the video below from BDM where they went behind the scenes with Omen for the video shoot of his 1st viral video entitled "Moving."

BDM iN Rotation featuring Omen from BLK Diamond Megaphone on Vimeo.

Feng Shui

2008-07-14T11:29:00.005-04:00

I love positivity (and creating positive energy all around me). Check out this article on the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui. It makes life sooo much better...along with chocolate chip cookie dough, a hilarious movie, and ice cream (not all together per se). Feng Shui focuses on how your living space reflects your life and the energy objects bring. So read up on it...and increase the positivity in your life. (Thanks Brittni for passing this along.)

10 Ways to Feng Shui Your Home
Try these simple ideas for rejuvenating your home — and your life!
By Amy Paturel

1. Open the Front Door
Energy flows through the front door. An open and inviting pathway allows positive energy to flow into your home, whereas energy can stagnate if the entryway is closed off. Want opportunity to come knocking? Place a red-flowering plant outside or put some red accent colors on or around your front door. Red attracts energy, fortune, and luck.

Click here to read the rest...

Jazmine Sullivan -- Love this song!

2008-07-05T15:25:00.002-04:00

Gotta love new artsts and new music. Though Jazmine Sullivan's been doing her thing for some time now (she help pen the lyrics for Christina Milian's "Say I"), the world will finally get to see her talent. Now signed to J Records, peep the video for Sullivan's "Need You Bad" featuring Missy Elliott. LOVES IT!

Got Omen???

2008-07-02T11:43:00.007-04:00

RamenBerry supports independent artists on the rise. My hometown homeslice 'Omen' debuted his video for "Moving" earlier this week. Check him out here...then visit his Myspace page to hear more. Omen, this is absolutely fresh man....loves it!

Omen "Moving" Music Video By Impakt Studio from Chris & Blaq on Vimeo.

I'm a Hustla, Baby! (Side Hustles for the Recession)

2008-07-01T00:24:00.038-04:00

Gas prices are steadily rising....but our salaries aren't. That freakin bites, man...just bites. Economists say we're in a recession, yet Bush appears to be in denial. Wake up, Mr. Bush..wake up. Regardless, it's time to fuel our own grinds.

One thing I've noticed about moguls, even the young ones, is that they branch out and become their own bosses ---calling the shots in their own businesses. Granted, it's not something that happens overnight...so you must have patience. I've been told that the best careers are ones that combine your passion and skills. A good way to do this is by turning your passion into profit. Many people have found side hustles as a way to make additional income without taking away from their 9-5 duties.

Below you will meet 6 Twenty-somethings and the side hustles they started to add a little extra income to their pockets. Hopefully they'll inspire you to take your passion and turn it into profit. If you have a side hustle that wasn't covered here, feel free to comment below or send your story to Ferdz@ramenberry.com.

#1 Make-Up Artist

Latoya De'Shaun discovered her side hustle during her senior year of college. Dealing with all the stresses of completing her undergraduate degree, De'Shaun found herself breaking out during her final year of undergrad. Dissatisfied with the recommendations from local make-up artists, De'Shaun decided to learn cosmetics on her own and determine which products were best for her skin through trial and error. Having been to Mary Kay parties since she was 12, De'Shaun found that their liquid foundation worked well with her skin. Also a fan of MAC, De'Shaun started trying out different eye shadows, blushes, and lip glosses to determine what worked best with her complexion. The result…a great response not only from her skin which cleared up, but also from family and peers. This led to De'Shaun applying make-up for proms and weddings. The positive feedback continued to grow along with her clientele.

In 2007, she applied to MAC and became a freelance make-up artist for the cosmetic giant. She would like to eventually take classes to help her transition from freelancer to professional. De'Shaun achieved her Bachelor’s degree in 2006 and will be attaining her Masters from Loyola University Chicago. Working as a freelance make-up artist proves to be a great side hustle as it provides De'Shaun with flexible hours to accommodate her school work. Startup costs??? – De'Shaun invested $500-600 (with a MAC discount of course) in products and brushes to get started. Her average profit is $600 with weddings being the most profitable events. To contact Latoya De'Shaun, visit her page at www.myspace.com/latoyadeshaun.

#2 Personal Training

Former athlete, Troy Pryor discovered his side hustle after suffering a serious sports injury playing football that resulted in two surgeries and being placed in a wheelchair. Pryor had great aspirations of playing college football but with no one to help get him back in athletic shape, he was forced to train himself. “I had to take physiology, anatomy, and other various kinesiology courses to obtain the knowledge I needed to transform a scrawny, one-good leg, limping kid into a 250lb. outside linebacker for the University of Illinios. I did not realize that all of the information I used to train myself, I retained and now use to help others get in amazing shape,” says Pryor.

Now a Strength/Conditioning Aide for the University of Illinois football program, Pryor has also achieved national certification as a personal trainer. He trains at Gold’s Gym in Champaign, IL where he serves as head trainer. Start-up costs include study material and test prep packages which can range from $400-$800. Depending on where he trains, Pryor has made anywhere from $50-$250/hour.

“I've used my body as a test dummy for many fitness goals and have obtained them all. Now I am the "Ultimate Performance Enhancer" for people that not only want to look good but also become great athletes. In two months, I will be a CSCS, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, which will qualify me to train professional athletes,” comments Pryor on his achievements. He will soon be training in Chicago this August, preparing for American Gladiators and signing an exclusive modeling contract with Stewart Talent Chicago. (Yes, he models too!)

#3 T-Shirt Designs

Brittni Shakir has always been creative with words. Clinae Estrada has always been creative with clothes. Together, Estrada and Shakir started REVEAL CLOTHING out of a frustration for a lack of stylish, inspirational clothing. Screen tees are very popular, however, they found most of them have meaningless designs or phrases. So, the two decided to create clothing with an inspirational message.

REVEAL CLOTHING debuted to the world on Feb 14, 2006 with an exclusive pink and red unisex Valentines Day shirt, "Jesus is my Valentine" that displayed a red heart with a cross going through it to substitute Cupid's arrow. (I happen to rock this on the regular).

Estrada and Shakir took pre-orders and printed a little more than 50 shirts, successfully sold on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus and surrounding community. With the profit from the first design and seed money from an investor, a few months later they printed up their next two shirts, "Filthy Rags" and "Luck vs. Favor 0-10" which they sold successfully sold out at a church conference.

Currently the REVEAL CLOTHING creators are revamping to produce more stylish designs as well as a new website that will best serve its customers. If anyone would like to request information about REVEAL they can send an email reveal.clothing@gmail.com.

#4 Invitations

My fellow MTV'er, Pabvon Carter, started her side hustle creating invitations. "I'm generally creative, and I love planning parties and events. I did the invitations for my 2006 New Years Party. Everyone loved it and I've been getting requests for parties, moves, etc. ever since," says Carter. Now almost 3 years later, Carter has successfully created invitations for weddings, baby showers, house-warmings, birthday parties…just to name a few. Carter invested about $500 to start her business and is working on establishing a consumer friendly site where you can order directly online. To get your Custom Invitations by P. Carter, contact pabvoncarter@hotmail.com.

#5 Web/Interactive Design

Having majored in graphic design, Keenan Echols started freelancing in 2004 while pursuing his undergraduate degree. Initially his work consisted of flyers, posters, business cards, and logos. Realizing that many businesses where gearing away from print and into web, he turned to web/interactive design. Echols currently works as a web designer for Dow Jones, but makes the perfect example of how one can create a side hustle out of their current career.

Starting as a freelancer was pretty much free for Echols as most of his clients came directly from word of mouth. “I started freelancing on the side because not only was it my major and now my profession, but it is a passion and hobby of mine as well to work on many different projects. The ability to express myself creatively through this artform makes all the hardwork worthwhile,” says Echols.

To view Keenan Echols’s portfolio, visit http://www.crickethollowgarden.com/ke/keenan.html. His greatest profit has been returning clients pleased by his expertise, such as http://www.vergerecords.org/ who have tapped his skills once again to transition their site to http://www.onerpm.com/. You can reach Keenan at keenan.echols@gmail.com for all your web design needs.

#6 Hair Stylist
(of course for the fellas, this would be Barber ;-)

Brittiny Clinton is a woman of many skills, one being hair styling. She began her side hustle about 3 months ago as another way to express herself creatively. “I do a lot of art and other creative things, and hair was another medium for me. I also started doing my own hair in efforts to save a little money myself. When I became confident in my talents, I began to offer services to others at prices that are lower than what they would pay for in a professional salon,” says Clinton on her side hustle.

Start-up costs are very minimal. Specializing in sew-ins, the needles and thread required are about $0.99 each. You might want to get a camera to take pictures for your portfolio as well. View samples of Clinton’s work on her Facebook album “Celebrittiny’s Beauty Boutique.”

I Want this BMW! It's Made from Cloth (WHOA!)

2008-06-13T15:11:00.010-04:00

An aspiring mogul has to dream, doesn't s/he? Well, dream on this. BMW's latest concept car is designed to be shape-shifting, by being covered in fabric. According to an article in WIRED magazine, "the GINA Light Visionary Model has a body of seamless fabric stretched over a movable metal frame that allows the driver to change its shape at will. The car -- which actually runs and drives -- is a styling design headed straight for the BMW Museum in Munich and so it will never see production."

Check out the pics. Pretty cool, huh?

I LIKE HER STYLE!!!

2008-06-09T20:59:00.000-04:00

Ever hear the saying, if you want to be rich, hang with the rich? Well, if you want to be a mogul, hang with them. And if you don't know any, then study them. One thing all moguls have is their own personal brand. It's partially contributed by their personal style. For example, when you think Trump, you get professional luxury style, which is very different from Diddy luxury. Though you may not be able to afford the designer threads just yet, you can study successful people for tips, then create your own personal brand. At least that's what this week's "Up & Coming Twenty Something" did.
I came across this week's "Up & Coming Twenty Something" in this month's issue of Essence (June 2008). Check out the "Work & Wealth" section for a snippet on Sylvia Kerali, a 27-year old communications coordinator in DC. Back in 2006, she launched her own blog "I Like Her Style" offering the latest in style and fashion trends...what celebs are wearing...and how we can recreate these celeb fab looks on the apsiring media mogul budget. Kerali can add me to her already long list of 5,000 weekly visitors (get 'em girl!). And how fab is it that the site generates Kerali $500 a month in additional income via ads sold on her site. Excuse me while I recreate this Beyonce look.

*Kerali also has a blog on honeymag.com. Pictures used in this post were taken from her style blog.

5 Hot Tips for Rappers on the Come Up (My YouTube Debut)

2008-06-08T13:46:00.001-04:00

I did a little video story for my hometown homeslice N.Harlem. The video debuted on her blog -- StoopidFreshMind -- back in March '08. (Check out 'On the Tube' to see videos by N. Harlem) Now that RamenBerry is all revamped and ready to go full throttle, I thought I'd post the video here (more videos to come). The clip below is for all the aspiring rappers out there -- the future Jay-Z's, Kanye West's, and T.I.'s of America -- featuring my 5 Hot Marketing tips to boost your career as an independent artist. Watch, read, and I hope you'll find it helpful.

After doing the video, I realized one tip that I forgot --possibly the most important tip yet --

Tip#0: Make Great Music
Take pride in your work. If you're music is great, people will listen. Be open to criticism. Just because your best friend says it's great, doesn't mean it's great. Find people who are knowledgeable of or work in the industry and get them to critique your stuff. Take the time to practice and perfect your craft. The more time you invest in it, the more you'll improve.

Tip #1: I’m not a businessman, I’m a BUSINESS..MAN
I couldn't think of a better quote than from one of my favorite music moguls, Jay-Z. You have to think of yourself as a business. Take the time out to plan --business plan, marketing plan, etc. It'll leave you with more control over your music and can help you get investors for your projects. If you take time to think about your music future, someone else may want to invest in it.

Tip #2: 2 Heads are better than 1
Put together a team of people to market your music, even if it’s just one close trustworthy homie. 2 Heads are always better than 1. You'll get more accomplished and can cover more ground. As an artist, you’re main focus is your music. Have someone on your team who is passionate about the business side. They can help manage the marketing and getting your music heard.

Tip #3: Find your niche..target hard…brand yourself and create the package.
Figure out who your target audience is. Is it college students, adults in their 30's? Who can relate to your music? Then, creating your marketing plan around them. Develop an image for yourself, not just in your appearance, but also have a consistent message in all of your marketing. It'll help people remember you better and connect with you.

Tip #4: Poke! Friend! Tag! …use social networks
Sites like Facebook and MySpace are a great way to get your music heard and build a fanbase. Advertising is going more and more digital nowadays, so use these platforms to your advantage. Create groups, fan pages and blog with those who support your music.

Tip #5: Remember..you’re a fan too. (Word of mouth)
I’m sure you have a favorite artist that you’re a fan of. How did you become their fan? How did they market themselves to you? Think about your niche audience and ask yourself what they really want? How do they want to be reached? Then do it. If they’re on facebook, facebook them. If they’re at the clubs, go clubbin'…but pass out a card or flyer about your music. Talk to them. Word of mouth goes a long way. If someone loves your music, they'll tell a friend, who'll tell a friend, and so on.

Up Next >> The Swag Report

The New RamenBerry

2008-06-07T00:59:00.009-04:00

Twenty-something. Yeah, it’s something alright. Filled with things that they never taught you in college. At least back then, you knew how many credit hours it would take to reach the end goal..i.e. graduation. But how many work hours will it take to get a promotion? It's like..you're "trained" to always strive for "graduation"...8th grade, high school, college. And there's always some layout of stuff you have to do before you get there. BUT what happens after you get your first job??? Then what? What's graduation now?

That's where the real world begins...And this blog. Welcome to Ramen Berry...a blog from me, a Twenty-Something aspiring mogul, to you, the future Trump's, Diddy's, and Oprah's of America. I've been told that I have this ability to motivate others to get off their ass and actually get what they want out of life. But I also like learning from other people and sharing what I'm experiencing in life (typically discussed on Gmail Chat, AIM, at Blockheads, or at some fun, chic, sexy NYC dining/lounging establishment).

This blog will share with you "Life Lessons Learned" for aspiring moguls, knowledge from the O.G.'s of the game, and Up & Coming (stories about twenty-somethings making moves). And I'll also throw in the Random...the just for the hell of it things that I encounter where I just run with some crazy, random idea I have and see where it takes me. Feel free to contribute. If you have a story, need advice, or want to be featured, email me at Ferdz@RamenBerry.com

It Just Changed My Life...

2008-05-06T16:41:00.011-04:00

My friends always crack up when I refer to something as having "changed my life." I use it to emphasize the impact and strength that some thing or event has on me, i.e. "lasting impression". One thing about moguls is that they leave a lasting impression. I'm all for those and that which leaves a lasting impression in my life. So I'm going to post them here, and hopefully they'll change your life too.

1. Yes Mr. President....STIMULATE ME!!!

I call it the Bush Check...the stimulus rebate check for $600 that those of you who filed taxes this year are getting this month. As much as I don't care for this guy, I must say that this has changed my life (for now). I can pay my credit card bill off and put the rest in my savings to pay for my gas the rest of the summer.

2. Blockheads (NYC)

What's better than $4 margaritas served with tacos and burritos any night of the week???

I dunno....when I find out, I'll tell you. Cuz it hasn't gotten better this. Random spurts of boredom or just wanting to be outside have led to many tipsy-fied moments with my homegirl N. Harlem.

So for those moments when work just sucks and you need a drink...visit Blockheads. Trust, it'll change your life (or get you a little nice). Favorite location is 50th between 8th & 9th Aves.

3. Mango (in gold & orange)
Well, those are the colors I painted the bedroom and living room in my apartment..Mango Gold and Mango Orange. I must say..it's changed my life. Makes me feel.....hmm I dunno...happy???

After google-ing apartment decorating ideas, I came across ApartmentTherapy.com, a blogsite about cool things people have done to their pads as well as tips on what you can do to yours. Add color people! Plus funky curtains, rugs, etc etc....trust, it'll make you feel a little....hmm...Free??? And for those of you on a low-cost budget, Ikea and Urban Outfitters are like my BFF's.

...AND WE'RE BACK FOLKS!!!

2008-05-06T15:06:00.015-04:00

For the twenty-something aspiring media mogul in NYC...All you need to survive is Ramen noodles and a BlackBerry.

Well, at least that was the intentions of this blog...to provide you with my little stories and tidbits to help you (and myself) along the way in a Carrie Bradshaw manner. FYI...I'm uber excited about this movie.

But tsk tsk Ferdz! How can you be helpful if you never update?!?!!?

Yes, shame on me. Some excuses???....hmm...well I did move into a new apartment circa March 2008 and before then had been apartment shopping (will elaborate in future blogpost). Then once I moved in, I've been all about decorating and feng shui-ing the new pad...AND trying to get a better guage at my so-called life. April 17 was the bday and I celebrated for the entire month. Which brings us to May...to you this probably reads as excuses excuses...and so it should. But lesson to be learned -- the one thing we aspiring media moguls (future Russells, Diddys, and Oprahs of America) need to learn is NO EXCUSES. Like really....no one cares about WHY it wasn't done...or how it didn't get done ...what matters is that it gets done.

No Excuses! If we all learned to live by this principal...maybe we'd just get more done. Hmm...or maybe if people stopped accepting others' excuses, then people would stop BS'ing (self-included). I mean...you say you will [insert bs promise here]...so stop making excuses...and like Nike...JUST DO IT!

Fuel for the Grind

2008-01-18T12:06:00.011-05:00

18 days into the new year...and I really shouldn't have any complaints. BUT...well..let me go back to what this year signifies first. 2008 is the year of "New Beginnings." According to my friends who go to church regularly (sometimes I feel I should do that more...but that's another blog) the number 8 in the Bible means new beginnings. And I believe you have to make these new things happen...because it's not just going to be handed to you.

I'm beyond fed up with the current status quo...I'm borderline losing my mind. This is where the BUT from the last paragraph applies. I have to do tedious tasks at work like making folders...again. This is one of those DUMB projects (my 5 year old cousin can do this) that remind me how much I need to make moves. Yes there are some principles to be learned in being an assistant, but you can only do this for so long (at least if you're like me with great aspirations). It's moments like this which frustrate me that Fuel the Grind.

In order to have a "New Beginning," you have to "CHANGE" something if you're going to start anew....or get rid of the old. And in case you didn't know...change comes from within. You can complain and complain all you want about how much you're sick of your job, wish your man/girl would change _____, etc etc. But change comes from within. So to all my girls (and guys) who are steadily trying to change their partner, mother, sister, brother, friend, etc., they have to want to change themselves. And for those who are tired of complaining about the things that URK them in life, CHANGE IT.

Ah..but soo much easier said than done, Ferdz. It's sooo easy to complain, because when you have to change something, that means you're ACTing on improving your situation. Ever hear the phrase, don't just talk about, be about it? How many of us really "be" or actually "act" on the things we say we're going to do?

Lesson learned...2008 is THAT year...the year of new beginnings...the year of change...which means it's not going to be easy. But if you act on it, hopefully you'll be blessed with a better situation. Let those things that you complain about be the Fuel for your Grind.

Real Citrus

2008-01-18T11:15:00.014-05:00

It's 1.17.08 (well, that's what it was when I was writing this). In exactly 3 months (04.17..hey hey), I'll be embarking on my 24th birthday. Sigh. I stand outside gate 407 at Port Authority awaiting the bus to Jersey City. Normally I ride the PATH train. But lazily, I chose the bus because it's just one street over from where I just had the freshest mani/pedi ever...Ivy Nails & Spa (43rd b/t 8th &9th). Try marble-esqe tiled mini feet tubs along soflty cushioned sofas with extra comfy back pillows. The WOW factor...feet bathed in rose petals with a slice of lemon (i.e. REAL CITRUS). Who does that?
Lesson learned...the little things go a long way and the good little things leave lasting impressions. Apply it...to your relationships, career, etc.