Geeky Sleek Chic

College Student | Blogger | TV Addict WARNING: This blog may cause you to question your media consumption, wish you were a kid again, offer positive images, as well as elevate your music, television and film tastes. KEEP UP WITH ME * Currently Listening: Blackbear's "Do Re Mi" * Currently Watching: Bravo's "Imposters" * Currently Reading: Anna Todd's "After We Fell"

[geekysleekchic]

#BrokeCollegeStudentMeals: Pita PB&J

#BrokeCollegeStudentMeals: As college students we may not always have the necessary funds or time to make extravagant meals. Here’s a quick meal to help you get through breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Would you like me to make a fancy meal college-student-friendly? Send me a quick message, and I’ll try it out!

The Deets:

Total Time: 15 min tops! Serving Size: 1 Difficulty: Easy

What You Need:

(1) Pita Bread Strawberry halves (or other fruit of your choice) Penut Butter Jelly

Directions:

1. Pita Bread:

Cut the Pita Bread directly done the middle. This will split the Pita open evenly.

2. PB&J: Fill each of the Pita pockets with as much Peanut Butter and Jelly as you can take. After both pockets are filled, begin stuffing each of the pockets with the strawberry halves (or any other fruits). A handful of fruit for each pocket is a good amount. 

3. Done!

[geekysleekchic]

According to Deja...

...there's never enough new music:

I would say I have a problem. I have around 25 personal Spotify playlist (and I'm probably following around 100 Spotify-made playlist), Shazam is probably one of my most used apps, and I reached the limit of stations that I could create on my free Pandora account years ago. Thanks to YouTube, and the numerous tv shows dedicated to finding the “next big star”, there are a million new musicians popping up everyday. Here are a few of those artist who've I had my eyes on:

Cael Dadian: I fell in love with him at first listen. After listening to Saved and Pay It Back, i was hooked, and  I proceeded to listen to ALL of his music! Its quite hard to put the 18-year-old powerhouse in a box. He raps, he sings, and he produces all of his music. The production is nicely layered and he's definitely going to make it far (or at least I hope he does). I don't want to take all the credit for finding him though. SounCloud has an amazing algorithm, when it comes to music discovery. I found Cael while listening to their suggested Marc E. Bassy artist radio station. Check out his music below!

William Singe: The Voice (Australia) alum, William Singe, has been on my radar for months. I've been talking about him non-stop and now with his worldwide tour, he's finally getting the proper introduction. I can't wait until the day he pens a few of his own songs. For now, I'm content with the soulful renditions of classic and current hits. Check out his popular collaboration with Youtuber Alex Aiono, which by the way has been making waves via social media!

Jeremy Zucker: How could every song be so good? I've had my eyes on Jeremy for a few months. I came across him on the SwaggyTracks' SoundCloud page. I first heard his music around finals time, so it was easy for me to just let his music play in the background while I worked on final projects. I ended up going through every single song that he'd posted, and I had a new found appreciation for Zucker. I gave him a shoutout via Twitter, and his "like" solidified him a permanent spot on one of my many Spotify and SoundCloud playlists. Did I mention he’s doing all of this while attending college? He’s going to go places. Check out one of my favorite songs below!

If your looking to expand beyond radio hits here are a few recommendations!

1) Instead of listening to anything by Shawn Mendes listen to:     * “Open Book” by Jacob Whitesides     * “Ain’t Love Strange” by Stanaj

2) Instead of listening to anything by Justin Bieber listen to:    * “Anyway” by Huntar    * “Girls Like U” by Blackbear

3) Instead of listening to anything by Hailee Steinfeld listen to:   * “Come First” by Terror Jr   * “k i s s i n g” by Sophie Black

4) If you've listened to the whole “Starboy” album  by The Weeknd and need more listen to:    * “Frustrated” by R.LUM.R    * “My Blood” by AlunaGeorge, ZHU

5) If you’re in withdrawal due to Zayn’s lack of new music listen to:    * “Blindspot” by Huntar    * “Breath” by Pluto

6) If you miss the old Drake and hope he’ll come back on the new Drake album listen to:    * “Ain’t Love Strange” by Eli Sostre    * “Absurd” by Anfa Rose

BONUS) If you’re excited about the future of hip-hop because J. Cole, Drake, Kid Cudi and other talented emcees are all dropping albums this month listen to:    * “44 bars” by Logic   * “Too Easy” by Futuristic

[geekysleekchic]

#AlbumReview: ‘I Told You’

Artists: Tory Lanez Latest Release: I Told You (Album) | 1hr 19 min Discovery Source: Spotify’s ‘New Music Friday’

I’ve had my eyes on Tory Lanez since his mixtapes and official first release of “Say It” and I’m happy to say that his latest release didn’t disappoint. Anyone will be able to vibe to this album, if they give it a chance.

This album is cinematic. As I lay in my room typing away on my computer, I found myself, stopped in my tracks. I often had to turn up the volume, and replay a few of the skits to get the full affect of his story. 

Tory Lanez, the Canadian-born, American-raised artist was/ is somewhat of a mystery in the music industry. Does he rap? Does he sing? What is his “place.” Many people know of him -- maybe as the butt of that one Drake joke, or the one who re-purposed that one song and spewed out “Say It”-- but do they really know him? No matter how he’s been introduced to the world, his image is dramatically about to change with his latest album, I Told You. 

Source

The concept of skits as small anecdotes, is not a new idea. Tory’s execution, however is well used. His story starts in 2008, as a 16 year old Tory is kicked out of his home. Each skit after unfolds and little pieces of his life is revealed. The vibe of each song, is a bit calmer than what the preceding skits give off. I like to think that his music is the calm after his storm. 

“I had less than a dollar and a dream, and I was floating down Loners Blvd.” - Tory Lanez

This album is dramatically different from anything he’s released before -- including his mixtapes and singles. It’s mellow and calming, with more singing and a nice sprinkling of bars. A combination of high notes, hypnotic beats (rather than heavy drums, claps, etc.) makes his latest work more R&B than Hip-Hop. The “real” Tory shines through with this personal account, and fans are invited to ride alongside Lanez.

Overall, this album is raw and real. It’s a breath of fresh air, that the R&B/ Hip-Hop genre has needed for a while. I can tell that radio play, wasn’t on the mind of Lanez as he was producing this work. In my opinion that’s all that matters. If artists start letting their music speak for itself, then the fans, the press and the fame will eventually come. Last point, pettiness aside: a few of the tracks gave me an early Drake (i.e. Loners Blvd), Chris Brown (i.e. All The Girls) and even a Futrue vibe at times as Tory recounts his struggles, lost love and accomplishments. Listen to it, you won’t be disappointed.

[geekysleekchic]

The Get Down: This ain't Glee!

Photo Credit

No offense to Glee because that show was a masterpiece in its own right (although it did get a little rocky towards the end). Nonetheless, The Get Down is an incredible and poetic piece of art. This is no ordinary musical. In fact it’s destroying the stereotypes of 'typical’ musicals.

The look and feel, along with the tone of The Get Down can be attributed to a few of the creative minds that are attached to the show, including Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) and Nas. The aesthetic is spot on as the use of archival footage is seamlessly woven into the story to bring viewers into a 1977 Bronx neighborhood in near ruins, due to corrupt political figure heads. The focus on disco and the adolescent phases of hip hop is the missing beacon that brightens up the lives and serves as an escape for many of the characters, including, young Ezekiel and ambitious Mylene.

I love that this show is raw and real, but also manages to include experimental elements. For example, this show is almost fantastical, because of its its Kung Fu references and it’s extreme camera angles. The world that has been created sometimes feels like a myth or a world that doesn’t exist. The initial fantasy began to grow on me after a while, and I found myself unable to stop watching.

For a show like this -- which focuses largely on minority issues -- casting is extremely important, and it can make or break the show. In my opinion the casting for the Bronx in the 70s -- which was filled with mostly Black and Hispanic families -- is spot on. While watching, I was excited to see a few familiar faces, but also relieved to see new faces.

The emotion and expressive nature of simple phases and words that are pieced together to create poetry, makes the script stand out. I believe part of that word play and imagery stems from Nas, who is no stranger to crafting compelling stories using thoughtful wordplay. As an executive producer, he played a large part in writing for Ezekiel  and producing the music for the tv show. I like to think that those recaps at the beginning of each episode -- you know the ones with future Ezekiel rapping on stage -- was Nas’ idea, and if so, that makes his attachment to this project a necessity.

Photo Credit

The one aspect of this show that I can not forget to mention is the editing. Like most tv shows, each episode consisted of one main plot point and at least two other subplots. Unlike most tv shows, the story was laid out as if it was a continuous movie, often jumping right back into where the previous episode left off. Another beautiful editing technique that was employed was the display of climatic moments in the show. For example, Ezekiel could be rapping about some type of strife that he’s facing, while the viewer would see the intermingling of various conflicts buildup (with the use of quick cuts) and eventually watch them reach their bitter/happy ends slowly one-by-one. I just loved it! Every single second. 

The very last point that I have to spotlight, is the representation of the Queer community in the show. I absolutely loved how their story was strategically woven into the main plot, and ultimately became a significant turning point for Mylene and Deez. Jaden Smith, in my opinion was casted perfectly in the role of Deez, because of his known open-mindedness. That was needed in a moment like the one in the part 1 finale. Editing significantly shaped the imagery of this scene as well. I won’t give away too much, just know that this was one of the most memorable scenes in the show thus far.

I would say i watch a lot of television, and so as a consequence at times I found the show to be a bit predictable. This however does not take away from how invested I was in the story, the plot and the characters. I found myself laughing hysterically, crying and routing for each and every character. I'm sad to say that I have to wait until 2017 for the release of part 2, which consists of episodes 7-12. The 90 minute pilot, followed by the hour long episodes were not enough to feed my tv addiction.  

Still not convinced that this is one of the greatest shows on Netflix? Take a look at the sizzle below!

[ashleyeleigh]

Channing Dungey Named ABC Entertainment President, Replacing Paul Lee

Channing Dungey, EVP of drama at ABC, has been named Paul Lee's replacement at ABC. She's the first African-American woman to lead a major broadcast network. Dungey, who was instrumental in the development “Scandal,” “Criminal Minds,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Quantico,” “Army Wives” and “Once Upon A Time,” will now report directly to Ben Sherwood, president of Disney/ABC Television.

Just want to repeat that she’s the first black woman to lead a  major broadcast network in case y’all missed it!

[christel-thoughts]

^^^ not just first Black woman, but first Black person period.

This is so amazing.  

Channing Dungey graduated magna cum laude from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television in 1991 and is a founding member of the Step Up Women’s Network, a national nonprofit membership organization dedicated to strengthening community resources for women and girls.

[commandgoldfuckers]

"Open Casting" does not exist

In my screenwriting class this week, my instructor explained that if you do not signify a race or ethnicity, your character will be assumed to be white. There will be no clarification, no one will ask you to explain, the director and casting agent will create a whites-only casting call for auditions.

This obviously isn’t news. We know that the default for Hollywood is white even though mathematically, according to the demographics of California and the entire world, this is laughably illogical. 

I asked him how you signify that you want open casting in your script for any race or ethnicity because you want the best actor for the character.

He didn’t understand and started talking about words like “eurasian” in the descriptive lines following your character’s introduction.

I explained that I wasn’t asking about how to denote racial ambiguity (which is another favorite of Hollywood), rather an actual open casting call that wasn’t limited to white and white passing people.

He said he had never come across this.

Never, in his entire decade+ career, had he ever come across an open casting call. 

So when people say shit like, “oh well maybe they just got the best actor for the role!”, they deserve to have their faces slammed into the nearest available surface.

[geekysleekchic]

Hulu is the New...Netflix?

Let the battle begin: With the recent re-branding of Hulu (no Plus), it seems that Hulu is attempting to follow in the footsteps of a very popular contender, Netflix. Now, “What’s New on Hulu” articles are starting to pop up around the web, and tv-addicts everywhere who were once able to view their favorite programs for free, are freaking out about the forced payment options. Consumers, such as myself, who have been using Hulu’s free option since Hulu first started --largely without commercials or even the plus feature-- find it hard to justify dishing out $7.99 a month for content that has just been broadcasted a day or two before it makes an appearance online, and still includes commercials. The justification becomes even harder for people who also already have cable and satellite subscriptions. With services like Comcast’s Xfinity Video On Demand and DVR, Hulu’s business goals seem quit unrealistic, in my opinion. To further put a damper on the company’s approach, viewers can also go directly to the source to fulfill their cravings for missed programming. Many networks supply recently aired episodes of television programs, for FREE on their websites and apps. 

I  admit that Hulu is making strides to set themselves a part from the competition, and become somewhat desirable for consumers. They were smart in their pursuit to secure a partnership with Showtime earlier on. Although, half of the world -- or maybe it’s just us young adults and teens -- disregard Showtime altogether. Hulu took their pursuits a step further, by securing a new contract and expansion deal with Viacom. Viacom owns literally everything and the fate of what you watch lies in their hands (not really, but close enough), and this deal definitely makes a difference. The contract essentially will allow customers to binge watch past seasons and future seasons of tv shows that are broadcasted on Viacom owned entities (think Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, etc.). This is kind of a win for Hulu, since Netflix can’t seem to get a hold of some of the more popular shows that are in fact broadcasted on Viacom networks. 

Here’s my takeaway from all of this: If you miss a few episodes... so what. If you don’t get to binge right away...so what. Wait for it to get on Netflix and live life. You’ll be a couple months late, but you’re friends will understand. A few of the Hulu Originals are good, but are they worth $7.99/month (with commercials) or $11.99/month (without commercials)? I think not! Also, consider the free options. Choose wisely, happy watching! 

-GSC

[geekysleekchic]

#BrokeCollegeStudentMeals: Fish Tacos

#BrokeCollegeStudentMeals:

 As college students we may not always have the necessary funds or time to make extravagant meals. Here’s a quick meal to help you get through breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Would you like me to make a fancy meal college-student-friendly? Send me a quick message, and I’ll try it out!

The Deets:

Total Time: 30 min tops! Serving Size: 1  Difficulty: Easy

What You Need:

[2] Frozen Fish (I used Gorton’s Roasted Garlic & Italian Herb Frozen Fish) [1] Egg (Optional) Handful of Spinach (or Shredded Lettuce) Salsa Chipotle Ranch Dressing (Optional) Cheese

Directions:

1. Fish: Heat oven to 425°F, and place the frozen fish in a conventional oven for 19 minutes. (be sure to turn the fish over halfway through cooking)

2. Eggs: After the fish is finished cooking, began cooking the eggs. I decided to make an omelet, but scrambled eggs will work as well.           - For Omelet: Crack 1 egg in a bowl and whisk. Add whatever ingredients    you would like to include in and mix together. Once complete, pour mixture into a skillet. Make sure the skillet is on medium heat. Allow one side to cook for about 5 min. or until completely cooked. Once one side is cooked, flip the omelet, and allow the other side to cook. Fold two sides together once both sides are completely cooked.     

     - For Scrambled:  Crack 1 egg in a bowl and whisk. Add whatever ingredients you would like to include in and mix together. Once complete, pour mixture into a skillet. Make sure the skillet is on medium heat. As the eggs are cooking, scramble them. Cook until you are satisfied. 

3. Tortilla: Place your tortilla in a skillet (medium heat) for about 1 min. Flip the tortilla and allow the other side to heat up for about 1 min. 

4. Combine: Place the tortilla on a plate. Add the cooked contents and toppings to the tortilla (omelet, fish, spinach, cheese, salsa, chipotle ranch) and roll or fold the tortilla. 

5. Done!

[micdotcom]

Miley Cyrus used the racist term “mammy” at the VMAs 

The 2015 MTV Video Music Awards have thus far been full of especially racially-loaded, tense moments. But perhaps the most offensive moment came when host Miley Cyrus called Snoop Dog her “real mammy” on stage.

[geekysleekchic]

Why did she think that was okay to say on stage? Miley really needs to sit down and reflect on the person that she's become. I obviously don't know her personally, so I can not attest to how she was raised and brought up, but the shenanigans that was displayed on the VMA stage was unacceptable. She must remember that there are little girls everywhere who once looked up to her, and she has to continue to serve as a positive role model, even if she is trying to break the Disney mold. 

[goodstuffhappenedtoday]

[geekysleekchic]

goodstuffhappenedtoday:

How A Middle-School Principal Persuaded Students To Come To School

by David Kestenbaum

Shawn Rux took over as principal of MS 53, a New York City middle school, last year. At the time, 50 or 60 kids were absent every day. You could understand why they stayed away: The school was chaos.

Twenty-two teachers had quit, the entire office staff had quit, and hundreds of kids had been suspended. The school was given a grade of F from the city’s department of education.

“It was in a bad place,” Rux says.

Rux decided he needed to create incentives for kids to come to school. Incentives that were more obvious to middle-school kids than, “If you come to school you’ll be better off 20 years from now.”

He handed out raffle tickets to anyone who showed up to school on time. One of the prizes was an Xbox. And he threw in an element of randomness: The first kids in line when the doors opened might get 20 tickets.

It worked. Kids started showing up early. “It was … like, ‘Get out of my way, I’m trying to get into school,’ ” Rux says. “It was nice.” Rux also created his own currency. He called it Rux Bux. Teachers hand them out when kids are well behaved. They can be traded in for school supplies, or special lunches. A sixth-grader named Wander Rodriguez is trying to save up 5,000 Rux Bux — enough for a personal shopping spree with Rux.

The principal also stands outside school every morning, greeting the students as they show up. This recognition is another, subtler incentive to come to school. “I like this school,” Wander Rodriguez says. “They treat me like home, they treat me nice, they always give me stuff. … They always say ‘hi’ in the mornings.” The school went from an F to a C. Daily attendance went up to over 90 percent. Then the hurricane hit.

The school is in Far Rockaway, Queens — one of the areas hardest hit by the storm. Some kids’ homes were destroyed. One student who stayed at home through the storm told a teacher, “My apartment complex was in the middle of the ocean.” Rux’s car was destroyed. The first floor of his house was flooded. After the storm, after school started up again, Rux’s goal was to get attendance back to 90 percent. Every day, his staff texts him the attendance numbers. The day I visited last week, 89.2 percent of students attended school. Close, but not close enough for Rux.

The storm has been tough on everyone, he says. But that’s no excuse. Kids have to be in school.

[wise-barrel-maker]

[geekysleekchic]

While this casting decision was made way before Viola Davis’ recent Emmy Speech, the amount of uproar that surged from it is still very much important. The facts stated above shed light directly on the lack of diversity in Hollywood. While for most Producers making star-studded films is the way, it shouldn’t be the only factor when casting. There should be a mixed bag -- actors that are familiar, as well as a few new faces, or even old diverse faces. It is important for film patrons as well as the executives to realize and acknowledge that diversity is important. I once read somewhere that the media that is produced, rather intentionally or unintentionally, solidifies common images and ideas --including racial stereotypes and prejudices. Diversifying superheros is one major step, and I hope that it continues. 

Watch Viola Davis makes history as the first African American woman to win the Best Leading Actress for a Drama Series during the 67th Emmy Awards.

[hellothands]

[sexedplus]

[geekysleekchic]

Removing sex from advertising would destroy the business, and I mean destroy. It is absurd that sex has become the norm in everyday life, and it is even more disturbing that women are the central focus of these ads. Advertisers are selling false fantasies, and conditioning consumers to think that sex is the answer. An unintended result of this mindset for some breeds Rape Culture. According to Buzzfeed

“Rape culture” is a culture in which sexual violence is considered the norm — in which people aren’t taught not to rape, but are taught not to be raped. The term was first used by feminists in the 1970s but has become popular in recent years as more survivors share their stories.

My proposed solution to Rape Culture: stop objectifying both women and men, but especially women. Stop faulting the victims of rape and shedding light on the ones who have committed the crimes. We are all guilty of feeding into Rape Culture, although we may not want to. Being mindful of what you consume and support is the first step to becoming aware of the problem. 

[polyphonicbeauty]

[geekysleekchic]

Jaden Smith is no stranger to fame. Jaden’s latest MSFTS project, has him focused on a different type of message to spread to the world and its youth --the meaning of authenticity. Listen to Jaden Smith as he drops a few jewels on how he stays authentic. 

[geekysleekchic]

#BLTN: Dope (Movie Review)

Better Late Than Never Movie Reviews ~ My quick compilation of all the things that makes a movie great, or not so great. It could be old, it could be new, who cares, films are timeless. Good is good, bad is bad.

The Execs & Backers: Rick Famuyiwa (Writer/Director), Forest Whitaker (Producer), Pharrell Williams (Executive Producer), Sean Combs (Co-Executive Producer)

The Cast: Shameik Moore(Malcolm), Tony Revolori (Jib), Kiersey Clemons (Diggy)

The Release: June 19, 2015 (US); 107 minutes; Rated-R

The Story: The dramedy follows a young geek, Malcolm, and his crew, Diggy and Jib as they try to navigate through their senior year of high school in a tough neighborhood. Malcolm’s plans of attending Harvard gets derailed after he attends a party and gets involved with a local drug dealer and his crew.

The Moment I Fell In Love: Malcolm and the gang discovered the drugs, that’s when the real adventure began. I fell in love again after Malcolm successfully completed his adventure and his master plan was revealed to the audience. Not to mention the quotes that were infused in the film, about self discovery and authenticity

Quotes That Got Me: The moment when Malcolm went in to trade the Bitcoins and found out who he really was; The ending sequence when he revealed his college essay to the audience.

My Two Cents: I went with a group of iffy friends to see the movie who were not excited at all. I was determined to see this movie because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. I can’t speak to how authentic the story plot is, but do I believe it could somewhat happen? Well, yes. The story of a geek becoming cool is a classic one, but I believe this film did a fine job twisting it into a coming of age tale that every type of viewer could relate to. Entering the film into Sundance was one of the best decisions the makers of this film could’ve done, because of the early exposure the film received. Different types of audiences and demographics were reached earlier on, and they were able to see the film in its full form without prejudging it. Should You Watch It? Yes. Would I Buy It? Yes.

Rapid Fire -Things To Love: Many deep, quotable, and relatable moments; scenes that make you think beyond the surface; the genuine 90s feel and look of the film, as well as references to today’s pop culture (i.e. bitcoins, social media, etc); sex scenes weren’t sexed up or overly awkward; the film’s comedy was light and shouldn’t offend anyone; common stereotypes were exposed and struck down; the music; the cast was a mixture of both well known actors/actresses and unknown actors/actresses.

Movies That Give Similar Feels: ~ Class Act (1992) ~ House Party (1990)

[geekysleekchic]

#SpiceUpYourPlaylist

I don’t know about you but I’m always looking for new music. Finding new music  shouldn’t be a problem with shows like American Idol and services like YouTube who are constantly pumping out stars. Not everyone has time to sift through the talent, which leads to the artists fighting for our attention! I try my best to hunt down some of these great artists who aren’t getting the shine they deserve. Here’s a few songs and artists you should be listening to now. - GSC

1. Sunny Days by Janelle Kroll

2. Foundation by Years & Years

3. Grey L.A. by Blackbear

4. 100 (feat. Drake) by The Game

5. Extraordinary by Prince Royce