World Cup, Top Chef, Viva Africa!

Merry World Cup Friday everyone!

In case you didn't know, today is the first day of the World Cup hosted by South Africa, and yes I did make sure I watched kick off this morning! I'll be honest with you, I'm not the sports fan I used to be, and the sports fan that I used to be never really watched futbol. But this year is different. This year is special. This is the first time ever an African nation is hosting the World Cup. That's a pretty big deal, because if you hadn't noticed, Africa is the most marginalized and misunderstood continent--get that--continent in the world. So in the spirit of Their Eyes Were Watching Africa, I'm now a futbol fanatic! Adding to my African Nationalist excitement is the sweet realization that I will be in España during the tail end of the World Cup. I have a sneaking suspicion that there will be an endless supply of debauchery, Spaniards, and Me+3!  Allá donde fueres, haz lo que vieres!* VIVA AFRICA!

I feel it! this is my favorite picture.
pictures 'courtesy' of BBC

picture 'courtesy' of CBS
I would be more than flattered if enough people found my blog to make a stink about me stealing pictures.

As if that weren't enough, this month's issue of Vanity Fair would make a blind woman see, a sighted woman, such as myself, inappropriately whisper sweet nothings to the men on the cover while in the check out line at Whole Foods.

GOOOOOOOOL!

U.S.A.! Viva Africa!

Moving on. Wait, take one more good look at those pics. Now we're moving on.

It shouldn't surprise you that I'm a Top Chef fanatic. Wednesday marked the finale of the Top Chef Masters, and the final 3 contestants were Susur Lee, Rick Moonen, and Marcus Samuelsson.

I have personally been a fan of Marcus Samuelsson for years. He's an Ethiopian Chef with world class talent and recognition! Samuelsson is known for his ability to meld his Ethiopian heritage and Swedish upbringing to create his internationally fused cuisine. More importantly, he is painfully aware of the lack of dialogue of Africa within the culinary world, and has made it his mission to change that. Which is why I was so thrilled when he won, and now has the title of Top Chef, Master.  I couldn't prouder!

Marcus, you are Top Chef, Master!

And the fact that he is easy on the eyes doesn't hurt either.

It's been a good week for Africa. I'm ecstatic.

VIVA AFRICA!

*via wiki-quotes forgive me if the translation is off

M.I.B.A.- Missing in Blog Action

I know I've been incognegro lately, FOR SHAME!

But I've been super busy:

I had a time consuming (though non-challenging) project due at work last week

I had statistics tutoring

I had to drive my sister to freakin' Dulles Airport
[which is a solid hour plus away in bumble fuck Northern Va--and she's in Italy for two weeks, heifer!]

I HAD to watch the Grey's Anatomy 2 hours season finale 

[which was the most riveting and suspenseful 2 hours of TV I think I've ever seen OMG!]

I had to go to my cousin's college graduation
[yet another college grad in the fam, congrats Uche!] 

 

 I spent this past weekend in DC with Hillary and Alihah

[I know I'm supposed to be saving every penny I can for Spain & Morocco , but I couldn't spend another weekend indoors--I just couldn't!]

I spent waaaaay too much money. But it was totally worth it!

I HAD to put my cover letter and resume together for the perfect job(s) at the perfect place with the perfect contacts 

[fingers crossed & on my knees in prayer!]

and there was plenty of vacation planning, eating, boozing and laziness (not pictured) in between...

Its not just MY blog that I've been neglecting, I've barely I had time to keep up with my favorite bloggers or read that stack of health policy articles on my table and those unopened emails from the Kaiser Family Foundation.  Again, I ask myself how can I possibly be so busy when I don't have a house, a husband, or a crumb snatcher child to care for, and beg to know how the fuck I'm supposed to keep my life in order when I do, but I digress [as usual].

Soap Box Wednesday is coming up tomorrow and as usual I have no idea what it will be about. I love a challenge...

I've been slacking on the whole "read/rant" part of this blog, I'm hoping to get a health policy related post up before week's end--no promises though!

So that's where the hell I've been, sorry for the absence, but its bound to happen from time to time. What have y'all been up to lately? What are your plans for the summer?

And THAT is the NIGHT the LIGHTS Went Out in GEORGIA!

Now as you all know [and as indicated by my blog title], I like to rant about things that upset me. To me, ranting is my form of venting pent up frustrations, and regardless of how you may feel about it, it is sometimes necessary.  Ranting is not just a behavior that on more than one occasion, has gotten me into some trouble, it's part of who I am.

My mom is a ranter.  I remember many times as a child watching my mom verbally rip someone a new one [without a word of profanity, Linda is a lady!] with slight horror/embarrassment and slight pity for the target of her rage. But then as I got older, I really began to understand the necessity of her rants, as they were almost always directed at some poor FOOL who was trying to take her for her HARD EARNED money or they gave her attitude--note to world at large: DON'T DO THAT! In fact, I even began to enjoy watching such events, I would see that look in Linda's eyes, and know I was in for a show, lol. In the last few years, I've gotten to know both sides of my family very well--my mom's family in Georgia, my father's family in Nigeria-and guess what, those women rant too!! So, with ranting obviously a part of my genetic code, its no surprise that I have ALWAYS admired female television characters who were strong, independent, and unapologetic about speaking their minds--just like my mother--and as it turns out just like me. 

This weekend, the world lost a television icon of feminine grace, independence, and strength--Dixie Carter, probably best known as Julia Sugarbaker on Designing Women. Julia Sugarbaker was like no other woman on TV.  She could take any fool who dared to cross her down several notches with her chin held high, her razor sharp tongue, and her cutting wit and intelligence, all delivered in an impeccably dramatic cadence, wrapped in a lusciously smooth southern accent--and looked fly doing it! She was and still is one of my TV heroes [and I really don't do the whole celebrity icon thing at all, so this is serious!]The only other TV character who ranks par with Julia Sugarbaker status is Dr. Bailey on Grey's Anatomy, and I LOVE her too!

So in remembrance of one of the best ranters in television history and honorary ABW*, Julia Sugarbaker, and all my fellow lady ranters, this one is for YOU!

 *gone but never forgotten*

*honorary Angry Black Woman, aka Angry White Woman. Please see the Angry Black Woman's Guide to Life, A hilarious book--not intended for profound sociological insight into the challenges of being a black woman in the United States of Amerykah, so don't take it so seriously--if I wasn't offended, you shouldn't be either.