Life Is Like A Movie....

I sometimes feel like lately with the unpredictable twists and turns this year. Life has been like a movie...you know how you have the main characters...the beginning, the dramatic climax, and then the happy ending. I feel like so year so far this is like the climax point right now...like I am at the point where now I have got to fight to get to the happy ending now. I am slowly trying to get there...I kind of realize there's a part of me...that really misses someone still. I do so badly...but I don't know if this is just a lingering of feeling vulnerable....or maybe its just the fact that I am starting to have a lot of clarity of everything....I guess realizing that I don't have to feel that upset waiting around. Let's see if the happy ending will occur soon

I shouldn't have to wait anymore...no! No more waiting...I have gotta get to the happy ending. Let's hope the next six months will have better results I hope. Stay tuned my beloved readers! Honey Brown Sugar will be back on the come up. I have got too many people around me who believe in me. Plus I am in the greatest city (NEW YORK) in the world. I cannot forget that right. No I cannot. I have got too much to look forward to and I am not going to give up at all. I have a lot to accomplish expect more on Honey Brown Sugar's world, news, more interesting fun topics. Its time to get back to discussing some more fun topics soon. =)

"Risk It" and Be Fearless forever

I wrote a poem called "Risk It" about six years ago and i love it cause now it means even more to me especially after everything happened with my late friend.  Last night I am kind of happy that I had a chance to meet with my friend Kaisa's other friends. It's almost like it was part of her plans someone said and I kind of feel that. One thing I read in my letter was how fearless she was as a teen and young woman. So that's something I am going to aspire to again and use as my mantra. I may even get it tattooed on me too besides my diamond too. 


I would say now Risk It and be fearless forever...life is short, precious, and no more of me just hiding and keeping back what I want to do anymore. One thing about her that really always kept me going was knowing I can take chances...if there's something you desire in your heart you should do it now. 
So I dedicate that to her...she taught me something powerful...risk it and be fearless forever. 


I am going to take a piece of you with me and be more brave, more fearless, and step it up with taking more risks. Also following my goals...continuing to follow my goals....I really do believe yeah she was in my life for a reason. A lot of my friends I am starting to realize that now that's why they're in my life now. All because they have been here through it all actually and so many reasons why. 


So to hear I will continue to "Risk It and Be Fearless Forever"

"David M" The Music Man Comes out with new single

David M- “Here Comes Your Life” Music Review

Written by: Chloe J Riccardo

David M reggae-pop songwriter and musician is coming out with a new album after his huge success with “Lest We Forget”. The independent artist has been in the music business for over twenty years but is looking for mainstream popular success in the United States.

As a production assistant for Black Enterprise magazine I had the pleasure of meeting and sitting down with the musician in the past.  I believe he has the success to achieve what he wants with his music. Some of his songs are pretty electic he’s open to various genres of music. He can incorporate reggae, gospel, and even dancehall all within his music.

He’s been around working with popular musicians such as Wyclef Jean, Beanie Man, and so many more just to name a few. His songs such as “Girls Night Out” are popular with the nightclub crowd and twenty-something generation.

Here Comes Your Life the updated version is guaranteed to have you dancing on your feet.

Visit David M’s website at http://www.davidmmusic.com and make sure you follow him on twitter and fan him on his facebook page. Look for him around your city soon.

It's so hard to say good-bye (R.I.P Kaisa Iniguez)

Kaisa enjoying a cupcake from a relative or friend  =) 

I woke up Monday July 2, 2012 right on time I guess because there was an urgent text message on my cell from my best friend, Marisa telling me that one of my high school/childhood friends had passed away from a very bad head on collision accident. I am deeply sadden because it is one thing to lose someone but to lose someone you haven't spoken to in such a long time. That's an even harder part to describe. This is someone I knew personally. I knew her from the first time I met her in high school. She was one of the first people I met actually aside from the other three or four ladies who would become part of my life.


I first met Kaisa Yelitza Iniguez when she was thirteen years old. She had lived near my apartment complex at Newport for about 3 years before I met her. The timing was really good because since I was starting a new journey. I was about to start high school and she would become someone who would sure enough be someone who would take me along for a ride.


Kaisa and I went to the same school, we actually lived in the same apartment building at one point for about 4 years we did. So we both did a lot of growing up together.She lived across the street originally from me. She arrived from Ecuador in 1998 with her mom and then we met two years later. I met her at the train station first and I walked over cause I didn't have many friends around my neighborhood. So she was a big part of my life actually. 


She and i we partied together a lot going over to our girlfriends house and listening to music having a good time. She really was like the opposite of me in some ways she was a fiery, fierce, fiesty Aries woman. She brought out a lot of good in me though. 


I will never forget the times we went joyriding in my mom's car, the times we walked home together from school or going to school on the bus. The times we went out clubbin' and how we would get all dolled up looking in the mirror putting on make up. Gossiping about boys and even exchanging shoes cause we both wore a size nine in shoes. 


One time that always stands out to me is probably when she went to school one morning and she was so cold. I ran upstairs and i went back to my apartment looking for a coat. I brought her down my brand new white Guess coat and she loved it. That was the best feeling in the world it made me realize that with that one moment you can always help a friend in need. 


I met one of my boyfriends actually thru her we did double dating and group dating sometimes too, we went shopping,we went to see the Exorcist when it was remastered and came out in 2000 and we were so young at the time because of the R rating we could not get inside the film so we she decided to ask an older woman to help us get in and of course we did. 


Our friendship wasn't picture perfect we fought too sometimes. That made our friendship strong though we knew each others strengths and weaknesses. We trusted each other and we tried to keep loyalty and trustworthiness apart of that. 


I met s many people through her who were friends and family members who became apart of my life for a moment but she definitely was there for me in return. I will miss her so much. It's hard to say good-bye to her. 


Her name was Kaisa Yelitza Iniguez-Jimbo and she was twenty-five years old. She passed away in a very tragic, dangerous car accident on July 1, 2012 in her birthplace Ecuador. She will be missed by so many loved ones and friends. I dedicate this blog entry to you. 

The last thing I want to share with my beloved readers that I said to her in a conversation. I was leaving to move to New York City actually and I just so happened ran into her mother who was outside relaxing outfront of our apartment complex. She was on the phone and saw I was upset so she called her daughter as well. The last thing I told her was "Good luck with everything" she had become recently engaged. She was no dummy either a math expert (she even tutored me sometimes to help out) in high school and college. She was a college graduate of Saint Peter's College and worked on her master's degree as well. She knew how to handle her business and most of all she was so sweet, she loved life, she was sensitive, real, honest, and funny too! She had a great laugh! She will be missed so much.


Rest in peace 
Kaisa Iniguez
(April 15, 1987 - July 1,2012)
                         
 Kaisa and I when we were 16 and 17 at Rockerfeller Center ringing in the Christmas holiday in New York, NY December 2003 

Where Kaisa was from her home  flag (Ecuador) =)

I know she's looking down watching all of us 

A Whole New Person

So my beloved readers....I have learned some valuable lessons within the last month in a half I think the most important so far that has affected me is learning that sometimes you have to shed the old person in order to become a new one and to continue to grow.
So for me changing my hairstyle was a big challenge cause I am so used to having creative control over it usually. So it was a bit liberating in some ways for me. Now comes the person within and then changing everything pretty much in order to become the woman I want to be.

I am taking a lot of physical risks now...before it was stepping out of my comfort zone and trying to meet new people....so on now it's physical...so you'll see a lot of new changes coming in the future for me this is about progress, spiritual growth, self-growth. I believe we as humans need to change ever so often it keeps us and reminds us what we need to work on in order to move forward. For me last year had a lot of dramatic changes...it almost left me sort of like well...where do we go from here.

Now I kind of see where things are heading...I am up for the challenge...it's going to take some adjusting for me. I know I can handle it...I am used to a lot of change.
Now the physical changes I am going to have to adjust to. I am doing this for me...I do feel grown now...I do feel a lot different though...when I look back 10 years ago or 15 years ago I was 16 or I was 10 years old. I am not the same little girl I was back then. I almost feel like the day I shed my hair...which was emotional believe me...it started out that way trust me.
However it made me also realize....wait a minute this can be a good thing! This can be a great thing! Just do it and see what happens Chloe....go for it.
Now I feel like a sense of new achievement almost...so we are almost there readers....I have shed also in my personal life....Handsomeness...is out of the picture so I am a free woman....(we weren't in a relationship)...but he had my heart though completely...It's hard to let that go for him cause I see a lot in him I admire and respect. I adore him completely....so for me it's like losing a friend....but at the same time...I have to look at him like...just my colleague, not someone I saw had potential. So a whole new person inside is emerging within me again...As far as he and I go...I believe right now is a good time for the both of us to focus on our own personal goals....discover whoever else is suited for us too, and you never know...things may be different in a 6 month to a year period again.
We'll see maybe they'll be someone new you all will have a chance to learn about in "Honey Brown Sugar's world". I love you all for reading my little blog...you guys keep me motivated as an aspiring journalist to keep on writing and getting fun interesting ideas to write about. xoxo....much love to you all reading. Always the best HBS

Many Phases of My Hair

The many changing phases of my hair : Chloe’s hair history  and  how women deal with it regularly

Written by: Chloe J. Riccardo

I recently cut my hair…short. Yes really short for the first time in my life ever my hair is really short. I have always had mid-length hair…my hair when I was a little girl was really long too. It was down to my shoulders when I was a little girl. I inherited that from my mom but it grows slow (I inherited that side from my dad, no offense dad). I went through a lot of phases with my hair. They say hair often reflects a time period, a new beginning, a fashion influence, the person’s personality, their career, and even economic-social status. In my twenty-five year journey thus far,  I have had cornrows, pigtails, ponytails, wigs, weaves, clip ons, buns, flip outs, curls(Shirley temple curls), twists (flat twists),  “the Brandy braids” I only wore for about two years from circa 1995 to 1997 I was nine I cut my hair lol (but I was a little girl being silly and not realizing what would come next)…before graduating over to a doobie(my hair wrapped which comes out into a pageboy). I have even had afropuffs and of course my bangs (my trademark since age 10). So my hair has seen it all much as much as I have. Now with my new look still in its beginning phase. I feel a sense of freedom now, a sense of now I am coming into my womanhood now.

I don’t feel like a little girl anymore, I feel like I am growing into a new person now…someone more willing to take some big risks and challenges ahead of her. I am willing to embrace who I am now even more. I always wanted to cut my hair but I was so worried once I cut it—what would be the outcome. Now I know…it’s really nothing to worry about as far as length. It will always grow back if you take care of it properly. I have learned about hair a lot especially growing up being able to go to hair salons. My mom, my two grandmothers, and even my great-grandmother always gave me a chance to go so hair salons for me. Or I would even go to a family friend or close friend to get my hair done also,  To me a beauty/ hair salon is not only a place of  beauty, peace, harmony, but also a place to reflect for a little girl, young lady, and grown women’s personal style, and who they are as well.

I often think about those days…when I had my hair in different ways and it makes me smile knowing I went from one phase to the next just as with my life. It’s not just  a spiritual  and soulful journey…it’s also a physical one too.

I believe for me hair has been important since I was born…the day I was born I had a full head of hair but I was also premature and my doctor’s couldn’t properly find a vein in my head…so they cut my hair off.  Now of course my parents were frantic and upset….but I think even at the moment….it’s like God knew…hair will be important to this child.

 As an adult of course it is…for a lot of reasons…one hair for women is different for men. They can easily get a cut put a clean shirt on and go about their day.

For women, it’s about maintenance, keeping it clean, making sure your scalp, the roots, the ends are properly taken care of every day. Then it is also about the upkeep…from morning to night…your hair changes. From the elements : humidity, rain, fog, snow, sleet, hail, sun (yes be careful with the sun sometimes it can lighten your hair a bit too), and thunderstorms, the environment you’re in on a regular basis. Even how you decide to sleep in it can also affect you. Also the bills from spending money on beauty products…can hurt your pocket too.

Next comes the competitiveness of keeping up with times…trying to look like the latest movie star, superstar songstress, television host, television personality,  model  or even author is not easy you literally are sacrificing your pocketbook to maintain an image.

It’s tough for women to keep up their hair and the look of it every day…now with my next and new look. I am willing to accept the unknown and the new journey ahead of me. I am excited…I know that my hair will thank me…if it could speak to say “Thanks for giving us a break…we needed it”. I also know in the business that I am in which is media and I am an aspiring journalist…hair in media and entertainment is crucial! You must have your hair put together whether you are in front of the camera or behind it...it’s important cause you don’t know who you’re going to meet.

I believe hair is important it really is a reflection of identity plus it is one of the things we first notice besides the face. It also is what people can remember us by too when talking about us…such as “Oh the blonde with the blue shirt” or “The brunette with purple top”, or “The Black girl with the long hair weaved down her back”, or “the girl with the pink and red striped hair” for some of us more risky than others. It’s about showing the world who we really are inside and also what we are about too.

I know hair is important to women…I have been around so many of them to know that now. One of my dear best friends has dyed her hair probably more than I can ever keep count since I have known her…her hair has changed about 10 times probably she’s been blonde, brunette, and a redhead…she’s gone super short, super long, and even curly too. So I have seen hair change vastly with women…even my own mother she’s had an afro, highlights, a perm, then no perm, long, curly, she’s worn wigs, buns, and she has had cornrows too. So for women and myself I know hair is important. It is about showing people the person you want to be inside, and also showing your style.

I believe that it’s a blessing to have hair, and to even get a chance to do something with it….that part was genius to who invented hair salons in the first place. I thank the man or woman for that idea. So I have to stay no matter short or long it is sometimes good to take a couple inches off on what’s on top of your head sometimes too. 


This photo taken 5/30/2012>>>

 

Photo taken on my 20th birthday 11/06/2006 

See how hair can change everything within 6 years lol!!!!

"Think Like A Man" The Movie

I cannot wait to see this film. You know I can vividly remember myself on a plane from cold, freezing, St.Louis, Missouri (my mama's side of the family is there) lol...I was heading back home from seeing an ex-boyfriend lol a few years ago...and reading this book. I thought the man really nailed it on the head on  the head how men and women should conduct themselves. Who knew three years later it would become a film. It reminds me that the person who gave it to me as a Christmas present wanted me to be more insightful and have more knowledge about men, their gender, the way they really think, and how they should treat women on a day to day basis. It's like a social bible I believe sometimes you get caught up in what you're doing and you forget the simple things on just how to treat each other and build a friendship too. 

I am so proud of the man who wrote "Act Like A Lady Think Like A Man" the book written by comedian, actor, television host of "Family Feud", entrepreneur, and now author, Steve Harvey. I loved the book and hope that for generations to come women and men will pick it up to read as well. 

The film I can tell has a great casts of new comers who are taking different fields moving into acting, and some familiar faces as well who are starring in leading roles too. Their is also a hit number one song with a hot video titled "Think Like  A Man" by two of my favorite artists, Jennifer Hudson and Ne-Yo. 

You cannot go wrong with this...The box offices are about to blow up!!!! Lol...congratulations to the cast, of course Steve Harvey, and the crew who wrote and produced the film. I will be there with my large popcorn, my iced tea, or slurpee and laughing out loud. I am very proud of him and the cast. 

Go take your friends, ladies get your besties together, and go see  "Think Like A Man"! Guaranteed to be another classic film for your movie lovers for spring time.