5 Key Traits Of A Great Girlfriend December 8, 2008
I have a confession to make.
As a guy, playing the field can be a lot of fun. The unbalanced male-to-female ratio plays a huge role in such a mindset. But as maturity sets in, real men begin to realize that fooling around has its moments, but nothing can surpass the joys of being in a serious relationship.
Let me rephrase that…
Nothing can surpass being in a serious relationship with a great girlfriend. So I began to wonder…exactly what is it that makes someone a great girlfriend? Besides possessing the obvious attributes of being faithful and honest I’ve come up with the 5 Key Traits Of A Great Girlfriend.
#5- She’s Independent
This trait gets a tremendous amount of negative publicity from some single women. Apparently there’s a widespread misconception that most men don’t want an independent woman. That’s more off base than the time Jessica Simpson thought The Gap Band was an alternative to getting braces.
A real man appreciates when his girlfriend has her own personality and opinions, and can stand on her own both financially and emotionally. That’s a true turn-on, as the relationship begins to feel much more like an equal partnership.
(Note: Embrace your independence, but don’t use it as a badge of honor….that’s when it stops being a positive trait.)
#4- She’s Intelligent
Having someone that’s beautiful but dumb gets old pretty fast. That’s why it’s great to have a girlfriend that can meet you on an intellectual level. Her wit and intellect keep you on your toes, and deepens your attraction past the physical realm—making it another quality of a great girlfriend.
#3- She Allows You To Be A Man
This isn’t sexist at all. A great girlfriend understands that men and women are intrinsically different, and allows you to be who you are…a man. Which means she won’t force you to start using pink and lavender toilet paper, or sit through a “Desperate Housewives” marathon with her. A great girlfriend also doesn’t get bent out of shape if you try to do “guy things” like watch the game or occasionally hang out with your friends.
#2- She Loves You
On the surface, such a trait would seem like a given. But allow me to dig a little deeper beyond the surface. A great girlfriend loves her man…flaws and all. To her, it’s okay that he isn’t the best dresser; or that his jokes fall flatter than Arsenio Hall’s career. She just loves him for him, and takes the time to show him how much she appreciates him each day.
#1- She Makes You Strive To Better Yourself
This may be my favorite one of all. A great girlfriend inspires you to improve yourself without even saying anything. Just being around her makes you want to better yourself. Suddenly you begin to get your finances in order, you start treating people better, and you even clip your toenails on the regular. It’s all because of your great girlfriend. She just has that kind of effect on you.
The Fly Guy Moral: So there’s my list. If you’re current girlfriend possesses those traits, then I’d say you were in great shape. If she doesn’t…well, I’d suggest a little prayer is in order.
Why Will Smith Gets Shy During Love Scenes December 8, 2008
He’s tackled everything from angry aliens to rowdy robots with aplomb, but there’s one thing that still makesWill Smith uneasy: Love scenes.
“My grandmother was really firm about how men are supposed to treat women,” the actor said Friday at a press junket for his new dramaSeven Pounds. “So for me, my worst nightmare is for an actress to … feel like I’m taking this opportunity to get a little quickie feel – you know, some legal cheating going on!”
“I just need, specifically women, to feel comfortable around me,” he added. “I just don’t want to feel like I’m that dude.”
But when Smith’s shyness threatened to spill into his romantic moments with Seven Pounds costarRosario Dawson, his wife Jada had to step in.
“Jada said, ‘Listen, I know you’re uncomfortable, but you better not embarrass me,’ ” he said with a laugh. “She said, ‘When you do that love scene, you better show ‘em what you’re working with!’ “
Something else Smith is working on: Getting used to all the attention paid to his eleven-year marriage.
“I was with [rapper] Redman the other day [and] he said, ‘Man, listen. I’ve got this relationship that I’m trying to make work, but I’m telling you, if you and Jada don’t work, I’m done,’ ” Smith said.
“That so terrifies me that there are people’s lives that I can affect like that just with little stuff, not even having to do anything big,” he continued. “So I don’t want to break that … I might mess something up, and that sorta keeps me in a place where I’m really focused and paying attention, and I just don’t want to step wrongly.”
NENE FIRES BACK AGAINST EVICTION REPORTS December 8, 2008
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One day after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that NeNe Leakes and her husband of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” were evicted from their home, the reality show star claims the news has been greatly exaggerated.
“I am truly blessed to enjoy a wonderful life and lifestyle,” NeNe said in a statement released Wednesday. “We have indeed moved to another home, but we did so on our own free will. We live in an absolutely beautiful home and we are fortunate to be able to live in the place of our choice.”
AJC reported that NeNe and her husband, real estate investor Gregory Leakes, left the property in Duluth, GA in November — a month after an eviction notice was filed by Winwood Properties. Gregory was said to have been behind $6,240 in rent.
“Without wasting time on the details, the only thing I will say is that we were NOT evicted,” NeNe said in her statement. “Everybody knows that I like to be honest, real and upfront. If something was wrong, I would tell you!”
TONI BRAXTON RELEASES AUTISM PSA December 8, 2008
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Toni Braxton narrates a new public service announcement that urges parents to visit an autism Web site (autismspeaks.org) to learn about early warning signs of the developmental disorder.
“All of us – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers and family friends to children – must become familiar with the red flags for autism,” Braxton says. “The earlier children are diagnosed and early intervention begins, the better chance a child has of a brighter future.”
Braxton’s 5-year-old son Diezel appears with his mom in the PSA, as she points out that one in 150 children are now diagnosed with autism. Diezel was diagnosed at the age of three.
In other Braxton news, TMZ.com is reporting that the entertainer missed performing on the season finale of “Dancing With the Stars” because she underwent surgery to remove a lump in her breast.
“TMZ has learned Braxton discovered a lump in her breast before she was set to appear on ‘DWTS’ and was told she had to have it removed immediately,” the Web site reported Friday. “Rather than have the surgery right away, Braxton chose to wait until after she was eliminated from the show. Luckily, it turned out to be benign.”
Braxton was still recovering from the surgery when the finale took place in November.
Obama’s tux; Howard’s Globes; Blount’s blunts; Foxx pushes pit for First Dog; Snipes’ appeal; ‘Black & Sexy’ opens; Urban League tour December 8, 2008
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Breaking news… Barack Obama has chosen his inauguration tuxedo. WWD reports that the President-elect is going with Hart Schaffner Marx, a Chicago-based men’s suit company that has been in existence since 1883 and is one of the first American companies to have unionized workers. Obama has been wearing Hart Schaffner Marx suits throughout his campaign.
*Terrence Howard will join Elizabeth Banks and Rainn Wilson on Thursday (Dec. 11) to announce nominations for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The ceremony will take place Jan. 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, with a live NBC telecast airing at 8 p.m. (EST). Nominations will be announced in 25 categories and are part of the initial kick-off to the Hollywood awards season.
*Former NBA player Corie Blount was charged in Ohio Thursday with picking up a package containing eleven pounds of marijuana. Police say they followed him from the pickup location to his home, where they found and confiscated approximately an additional 18 pounds of marijuana, $29,500 in cash and three guns, reports TMZ.com. The 11-year NBA veteran was charged with felony drug possession and has since been released on bond.
*Jamie Foxx is weighing in on the national obsession with America’s soon-to-be First Dog. “(I’m) trying to pick out Barack Obama’s Christmas puppy right now, so we’re working hard on that,” he told the AP at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in New York last week. “I think I’m going to get him a pitbull, we just got to keep it street.” Foxx is also promoting the release of his third CD, “Intuition,” in stores Dec. 16. “I got the best of Timbaland, the best of Kanye (West), The-Dream, the best of Lil Wayne (and) the best of T.I.,” he said, naming the album’s top collaborators.
*TMZ.com is reporting that lawyers for Wesley Snipes are making a last ditch effort to void his three-year prison sentence on tax charges by stating how he “quietly and without any attempt to garner publicity” helped martial arts experts train flight crews post 9/11, training which “helped thwart the notorious ’shoe bomb’ attack by terrorist Richard Reid.” The actor’s legal team is also claiming improper jury instruction and lack of pretrial hearing as grounds to throw out the sentence.
*An official selection at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and the AFI Film Festival, “A Good Day to be Black and Sexy” is a between-the-sheets peek at black sexuality depicted through interconnected stories unfolding over a single day in Los Angeles. Each themed story is irreverent and unconventional, with sensual chapters entitled: “Reciprocity,” “Reprise,” “American Boyfriend,” “Her Man,” and “Tonight.” Directed by Dennis Dortch, the film is currently in theaters.
*The National Urban League Economic Empowerment Tour: The Path to Empowerment will stop tomorrow (Dec 9) at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta. NUL President and CEO Marc H. Morial along with business and civic leaders throughout Atlanta are inviting the community to attend the career and resource fair and town hall meeting. As the country battles tough economic conditions on both Main Street and Wall Street, come get valuable information on what you can do to survive this down turn on your street.
IT’S ‘THE END’ FOR BLACK EYED PEAS December 8, 2008
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The Black Eyed Peas are referring to their upcoming CD “The END” as more of a “music diary” than a conventional album.
Group leader will.i.am tells Billboard.com that “The END” stands for “The Energy Never Dies,” which describes his vision for a project that will be frequently updated throughout its designated cycle.
“It’s a diary … of music that at any given time, depending on the inspiration, you can add to it,” the artist/producer/songwriter explains. “When it comes out, there’ll be 12 songs on it, but the next day there could be 100 songs, 50 sketches, 1,000 blogs all (online) around ‘The END,’ so the energy really, truly never dies.
“I’m trying to break away from the concept of an album. What is an album when you put 12 songs on iTunes and people can pick at it like scabs? That’s not an album. There is no album anymore.”
Will.i.am says he and the other Peas have been working on “The END” throughout the year and that the follow-up to 2005’s “Monkey Business” is “almost” done. He describes the music as “a lot of dance stuff, real melodic, electronic, soulful. We call it, like, electric static funk, something like that.”
The group is plotting a tour for May or June, and will.i.am says group member Fergie has told him that “our show needs to be f*ckin’ ridiculous this time. We need to. put together a monster show.’ So I’m gonna hold her to that and we’re gonna follow her lead and really knock ‘em out.”
LIL WAYNE’S ‘GOT MONEY’ TO GET GRAMMY? December 8, 2008
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Sibling duo Play-N-Skillz are in the Grammy spotlight for the second year in a row.
Their production of Chamillionaire’s “Ridin’” earned them their first trophy in 2007 for best rap performance by duo or group. This year, their Lil Wayne single “Got Money,” featuring T-Pain, is nominated for best rap/sung collaboration.
Wayne’s CD, “Tha Carter III,” is also among the contenders for album of the year,” which puts Play-N-Skillz in position to pick up one of the most Grammy’s most prestigious trophies.
“This was a little bit more shocking than the last one,” Play tells Billboard.com. “I wasn’t as surprised for ‘Tha Carter III’ to be nominated for best rap album, but album of the year? That’s like the biggest accolade you can receive. Of course, for the song to be nominated itself was shocking. But, at the same time, it justifies all the hard work.”
The nomination is extra sweet for Play-N-Skillz because not only was the original version of “Got Money” lost after an engineer mistakenly erased it, but the track wasn’t even meant to appear on Lil Wayne’s album.
“After we remade the song, which is tough to do, we laid the chorus idea and gave it to Pitbull, but it didn’t make it to him in time,” says Play. “T-Pain ended up singing the chorus, he put it in Wayne’s hands, and the rest is history.”
The producers, who recently worked with Hurricane Chris, Yung Joc, Slim, Cassidy, Slim Thug and Lil Wayne’s upcoming project, are now preparing to release their own album.
Titled “Out the Box,” the set is slated to drop in summer 2009 via their independent label, G4 Recordz. Promotional single “Checking My Fresh” samples Jay-Z’s “Swagga Like Us” and was serviced to radio last. The first official single, “Angel Eyez,” featuring Akon, will be released in the coming weeks.
Talib Kweli, Bun B, Slim Thug, 112, Yung Joc, Tego Calderon, Pitbull and Maino have all contributed guest vocals. Play-N-Skillz will also release a mixtape in the next few months leading up to the album.
KEITH SWEAT CROONS FOR MCNUGGETS December 8, 2008
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To celebrate 25 years of McDonalds Chicken McNuggets, veteran R&B crooner Keith Sweat has dedicated a ballad to the menu item that can be heard on his Web site and on Facebook at the Nuggnuts page created as a portal for McNuggets fans.
“Celebrating 25 years of Chicken McNuggets at McDonald’s is a throwback to an era where music was fun and R&B ruled the airwaves,” Keith says. “I wrote my own special tribute that I think both McNuggets fans and music lovers will appreciate.”
From now through Dec. 19, Chicken McNuggets fans can join the official “McNuggets Lovers Club” on www.thesweathotel.com and post testimonials.
The biggest “McNuggets Lover “will receive the “McNuggets Mania” prize pack filled with Arch Cards and more.
D’ANGELO’S CAMP DENIES BAD BOY RUMORS December 8, 2008
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R&B singer D’Angelo is not signing with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records as current rumors suggest, the singer’s manager confirms to Allhiphop.com.
“While both gentlemen hold one another in the highest regard, the stories circulating in the press are totally false,” according to D’Angelo’s manager, Lindsay Guion.
D’Angelo remains signed to the RCA Music Group (J Records), Guion says. The label will release his highly-anticipated third album, which currently features guests Raphael Saadiq, Q-Tip and Roy Hargrove. Gnarls Barkley member Cee-Lo Green is expected to contribute as well.
The recently released single “I Found My Smile Again,” from the as-yet-untitled album due in 2009, is available exclusively on iTunes. [Scroll down to listen.]
D’Angelo – “I Found My Smile Again”
