Yasmin Shiraz

I just finished watching the documentary, Deliver Us From Evil which is about the 30-year pedophile history of Father Oliver O’Grady who molested, raped and abused countless children in California from the 70’s and onward. The documentary shows how the Catholic church moved Father O’Grady from place to place, still allowing him to be in charge of children who he then, molested, raped and abused. This Oscar-nominated film is a well-done, tearjerker. I applaud the filmmaker, Amy Berger, for her bravery in taking on such a topic as well as the subjects for sharing their stories.

Its nice that BET did a documentary on women in hip hop. I’ve been touring colleges for a decade lecturing and educating about hip hop culture and especially sexism as it relates to women in hip hop. I’m glad that someone finally did a documentary on it.

To have my Politics of Hip Hop Culture tour visit your campus, click here.

2183215949
Uploaded by yardie4lifever2. – Discover more webcam videos and video blogs.

This is what I’m watching this weekend. Will you join me? Check out the trailer below.

I’ve been going to the library about twice a week lately. I’ve been devouring books like that barbeque chicken pizza I love. But anyway, I like sharing good books. So, I finished Deliver Me From Evil by Mary Monroe. The ending caught me off guard and even the beginning had me wondering, “What in the world?” If you havent’ read it already, it’s worth the read.

New Tip For Writers: Keep a tablet on your nightstand in case you get a brilliant idea in the middle of the night. You’ll be able to just reach out and write it down. If you’re not prepared when that great idea comes, it could disappear from your memory! And that would be SAD!

Here’s Webisode 3 of 12 Steps To Recovery. Can this young man get a break and find a woman who he can really connect with? Let’s hope so!

Al Thompson is one funny dude. Check out this sketch he did on Playing Possum!

This is a movie that I just watched on Netflix and its so moving that I’m recommending every GREAT movie lover to check it out. This movie was a 2009 Official Sundance Film Festival selection but it moved and grabbed you in all the right places. Check out the trailer. And if you got Netflix, a closeby Blockbuster or whatever you use to see your movie, get this movie. You won’t regret it!

I’ve been filling my creative well lately and I decided to read Known To Evil by Walter Mosley. I enjoyed it. It was so interesting how realistic he painted the characters. His main character, Leonid and his wife were in an unhappy marriage. And though both of them were unhappy, they just sorta went through the motions. I think a lot of people can relate to that. The book was a mystery, but worth the read.

Tip for Writers: When I think about describing a place, I think about what it smells like, what it looks like and what it feels like. I want you to feel that you are there by just reading how I’ve described it. Next time you are in one of your favorite places, pull out a notepad and jot down what it looks, feels, and seems to you. See if you can nail it.

You know I’ve been wanting to see Takers since I first saw the trailer about three months ago or more. I love the casting, I just hope the storyline is tight. I’ll let you know if it is or isn’t. I’m in the theaters tomorrow on this one with my chicken cheesesteak in my lap! Holla.

Hey! I’ve been feeding my creativity lately. So, I’ve been reading, watching movies, and especially watching new webseries. As a creative person, I always have to feed my creativity–especially when its time to create! So, I like the book. Alex Cross is one of my favorite fictional characters. I liked Morgan Freeman playing him in the movies.

Tip for writers: Whenever you feel stuck or lacking motivation. Go to the library and check out a bunch a books. And read them. Nothing gets creativity moving like appreciating somebody elses!