OS 34--NOT-OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING?

As the country tries to adjust to the new normal with this current crises, states and its leaders are faced to mandate a STAY AT HOME rule for everyone unless its necessary for food, gas and exercise.

BUT some are confusing the difference between social distancing and socializing from a far.

So what can we do?

Of course, the obvious is to stay at home, but its been seen that many are using social media to socialize.

Many are using Instagram/Facetime to video call family and friends. What is  interesting is to watch celebrities have convos with others and being a "fly on the net "watching them talk about random things.

If you are a gamer, then you have already trained you rmental to interact with others via gaming.

Socializing parties online using Zoom on your laptop/desktop can also be an alternative if one wants to still communicate for socialites.

But, if you have to go outside, please dsiatnce and cover up your nose, mouth, eyes, and your EGO.

STREAMING VIEWZ

During our quarantining, there is a new series from Tyler Perry called RUTHLESS  that is currently streaming on BET Plus.  This is a spinoff of his series OVAL, a prequel of a sex cult. Its lead character Ruth, kidnaps her child (that is seen in the first epsidoe of OVAL) and returns to the cult. 

This series definitely gives a Rev Jim Jones tease. Its cult leader  sees himself as a god who has sexual deviancies as his worshipers are at his beckoned call .

Whats so shocking about this series is that its something totally different from Tyeler Perrys brand. For some years now, he has dabbeld into R rated material ("For Colored Girls," "Acrimony,") but this series is BEYOND R: male frontal nudity, orgies, homosexuality and the occult.

We dont want to spoil anything, but there is one scene where a male cult assistant commands new male  cult member to investigate his lower extremities that will make you rewind to beleive what you saw! 

You will definitely will need a religious cleansing after watching this series LOL.

But, if youre into this type of content, dont expect any Madea type comedy here. Its definitely worth a peep. 

FASHIONEERZ

This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This week we feature, Jody Watley 

This week we feature singer/songwriter, Jody Watley. 

This beautiful sista was one of the fashion icons of the mid 1980s  and early 1990s. After leaving the soul trio Shalamar, she re-invented herslef when she debute dwith her platinum self titled album in 1987. But what stood her out was her knack for fashion: hooped earrngs, hooped dresses, bustiers and that long wavy hair.  But throughout her career, she managed to chenge up her look from long tuxedos with short wigs, and fur with knee high boots.She was also a phenomenal dancer  (she got her start on Soul Train in the 1970s) who was more of a natural mover as opposed to other R&B dance singers who depended on a choreographer.  She is very underrated reagrding being a fashion pioneer, but she definitely helped define the look for female pop glam.

As I was journeying through YOU TUBE I was in a Wilson Pickett type search. For you youngins who dont know who he is, he was a soul singer during the 1960s and 1970s whos big hits were "Land of a 1,000 Dances," "Mustang Sally," and "Dont Knock My Love" to name a few. As I was getting my soul stirred from watching his videos on YOUTUBE I found an odd one pairing him up with Welsh born singer Tom Jones (who can now be seen on "The Voice"). He is a blue eyed soul singer who also was at hsi peak during the 1960s and 1970s. There is a vid of both of them where Pickett sang a medley with Jones on the latter's variety special. Jones holds up quite well going toe to toe vocally with Pickett. 

To see for yourself go to 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcksrDIxiz

 tast

OS 33----OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

WHAT ABOUT INTIMACY?

As we are now mandated to be at home during this crises, the question of being intimate with our significant othersave defintely become an issue.

According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), it is not safe to have  sexual intimacy with someone who is a carrier of COVID (and mos def when they show symptoms). The disease can be found in saliva and feces so raw kissing and anal sex is definitely out of the question. The CDCD did report that the disease hasnt been discoivred in semen, but even with that, it is still a body fluid.

But what about intimacy?

With the six feet rule, we will have to be very creative with our bodiese staying with us during this quorantine.. Some of those ideas that comes to mind  are engaging stares with love talk,  doing a striptease in front of each other  or using Facetime or some other video calling apparatus to video call and do virtual peep shows if its a hook up on a dating site.

And those male-female couples who are healthy, the old fashioned way will definitely occur and many babies to follow if condoms arent used. 

But for single people, masterbation and using sex toys to stimulate body openings, self sex is likely the best option.

By the way, do you all remember the scene in the film, "Naked Gun" with Leslie Nielson and Priscilla Presley when they had on full body condoms when they were intimate? .

They way things are going, this may be the way we will have to do sexual initimacy with a significant other.

STREAMING VIEWZ

During your quarantining, there is a series that may be worth your while of checking out during your hibernation. It is called MONOGAMY. A webseries about four couples who volunteer to do an experiment where they couple swap. This is a surprisingly good series starring Brian White, Darius McCrary and Vanessa Simmons. In its second season, the series will definitely keep your interest with the content. Mix  THE MATRIX with WIFE SWAP a taste of THE BEST MAN and you have MONOGAMY,. Its on the Urban Movie Channel Stream Service.

FASHIONEERZ

This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This week we feature, Richard Roundtree

This handsome actor (who started out as a mdoel for Ebony Magazine )became a superstar overnight when he starred in the 1971 film, "Shaft." Not only did the film revoluntinize Hollywood images of the Black Man, Roundtree influenced male fashion with leather on leather whiel kicking butt and still being cool. His rugged good looks and masculine machisso influcenced others  men (black and white) across the globe  who tried to copy the fashion styles from that film including trenchcaots, turtleneck sweaters, and  snazzy leisure suits. And his struts outside the city scenes while theme music  from Isaac Hayes has been iconized for the annals of time. 

ARTIST SPOTZ

St Louis based rap artist NandoStL is the next big thing for the city--or at least he should be. There hasnt been much buzz for St Louis since Nelly and the Midwest Swing Era of the early 2000. Thus,  this upcoming artist, who  just released his EP, "Bamboo", a six song EP, hopefully reboots the STL rap scen.  his diversity as more as a trap rapper.

What differentiates NandoSTL from the other 21st century thugged out trap rappers is the instrumentation that is showcased on this EP. From violin solos,  acoustic guitar riffs, and soul piano licks to out of the box lyrical content, "Bamboo" is a solid project that should definitely get St Louis rap back in the throes of hip hop lineage.

The highlghted tracks are "Outside" (a previously released single), ""Elroy,"  and "What A Day"

For more info on NandoSTL and "Bamboo" go to www.nandostl.com

D

Recently, I was driving in the rain and in front of me was a driver driving an SUV whos back windshield wiper was wiping below the window. I was like WTF? I wonder if this just happened or they just wanted to be the first to have the first back shield wipers to not wipe the shield. LOL

OS 32: OUT ON THE TOWN (COVID EDITION)

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

Below are some entertainment and lesiurely things that can be done while under quarantined

1.Netflixing. As movie theaters will likely be taking a hit in this pandemic, streaming services will likely increase as people choose to watch movies or their favorite programs through  electronic devices. It can also be used if you are quarantined due to not just the Coronavirus but any flu like virus. 

2.Skyping or Video Instant Messaging. With our smart phones and laptops we can start video calling other family members and friends to have some type of interaction with people.

3.Gaming. Most millennials have gaming systems so it wont be that hard to get them to play their favorite video game.

4.Outside Activities . Use this time to bicycle or sitting in the backyard if you have a yard,  read a book, getting a good workout through jogging or makeshift gyms using public artifacts can be fun. 

5.Cooking At Home. With restaurants taking a hit with no dining a good alternative could be to go to a farmers market which is usually outside with a roof and pick out items to cook at home and enjoy each others company. Another idea is getting some fishing poles and fish some big mouth bass or catfish, scale them and cook them on the stove or in the oven.

6. Home swimming pools. If you have one in your backyard, or one you have to blow up, swimming and splashing in water can get your mind off of the stress of keeping safe. 

7.Start a online side business. As people are losing their jobs due to the pandemic, people are getting creative using their talents to make money online.  Peep shows, fitness training, cooking, etc. 

FASHIONEERZ

This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This week we feature, Pam Grier 

This week we feature the beautiful film icon, Pam Grier. She was the epitome of Black Girl Magic in the 1970s as she portrayed the Black Shero in classic films such as "Coffy," "Foxy Brown" and "Sheba Baby" to name a few.  Her fashions were campy and chic and downright sexy when she kicked The Man's butt in her flicks. And lets not forget her killer statuesque figure that was a fashion statement in itself!

D

   FIT TALEZ  

For this week's FIT TALEZ, its about how us gym rats need to do during this COVID 9 pandemic. Most public gyms are closed until further notice. So, during this down time, there are still ways to keep yourself fit. You can still workout at home or apartment building even if you  dont have weights. You can jog around the block or in place, or running up and down steps for cardio....and the old school locks---pushups, sit ups, burpees. . If you have a tree outside near you with a heavy branch you can do pullups.You can also get a small suitcase and fill it up with weighted items to do bicep curls. 

You can also go online to various trainers for routines. My fave is Damien Patrick (pictured above) He seems to be more of  the better trainers because he actually seems to care about how your routines should be instead of just doing the routines. You can locate him on You Tube.

Just a few things to keep gym rats occupied until the gyms open or IF they open.

OS 31: OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic as reported by the World Health Organization, let us remember that before this virus, there was the cold and flu virus as well as other trendy viruses that caused a stir such as SARS and H1N1. 

However, now that the virus has traveled to the U.S. and various cities, everyone is in a panic buying out all the hand sanitizers, face masks and disinfectant products for their relief of this health fright (dollar stores are definitely reaping the benefits).

Because of this pandemic, public events such as concerts and the NBA and schools are closing,  airplane flight travel  is being cancelled, people are self quarantining themselves at home and fists bumps are the prefence instead of shaking hands. 

We all know what should be done to protect yourself regards to the virus, but below are some alternate ways of enteratining yourself and others while we stay vigilant in this pandemic.....

1.Netflixing. As movie theaters will likely be taking a hit in this pandemic, streaming services will likely increase as people choose to watch movies or their favorite programs through  electronic devices. It can also be used if you are quarantined due to not just the Coronavirus but any flu like virus. 

2.Outside Activities . As the weather now is warming up, people are outside more. It seems as though outside activities may be more of a preference than inside activities  because of the virus living on surfaces. Use this time to go to the park, bicycling or sitting on a park bench and people watch or read a book. Maybe take a carriage ride through your downtown or  you and some friends taking one of those mobile bars pedaling along your city. Also, getting a good workout through jogging or makeshift gyms using public artifacts can be fun. 

3.Cooking At Home Instead of Going Out to Eat. Restaurants may take a hit as people may take precautions for dining inside so maybe a good alternative could be to go to a farmers market which is usually outside with a roof and pick out items to cook at home and enjoy each others company. Another idea is getting some fishing poles and fish some big mouth bass or catfish, scale them and cook them on the stove or in the oven.

AND

4.Water parks and swimming pools. Going to a spot where you can have water to splash your body can be excellent (If you have one in your backyrad, its even better!) Most of these public places are outside and can be a fun way of taking your mind off of things.

SAANG BITZ

As many may not know, the classic song, "Killing Me Softly" was written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel  and inspired and performed first by singer/songwriter Lori Leiberman in 1972. It is a great story song about someone telling your story and your relating to it with an emotional response. 

Below are three African American artists who recorded the song:

Roberta Flack 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw380nL67nE

The Fugees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-RBJNqdnoM

Al B Sure!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5fVywRELEc

TYPE IN YOUR CHOICE IN THE COMMENT BOX BELOW!

   FIT TALEZ  

For this week's FIT TALEZ, we talk about people who stare at people when they are working out. I have noticed during my travels to various gyms over the years, I have noticed on occasion when people stare at people while they are trying to workout. Now, mind you, at the gym, one cant help but to see people while at the gym. And also its nothing wrong with looking at someone as they are working out to check out their technique of using the equipment. But then you have the eye creepers who stare....and stare....and stare and when you catch them staring they look off getting clocked for doing something that is extremely rude.

This has happened to me many of times and at times I want to go up to the eye creep and say, "Is there something that you would like to say to me. If not, I would appreciate that you dont stare at me."

(This is the G rated version of my response. LOL)

My public service announcement is please do not gawk at people while they are working out. It makes people uncomfortable and if you look off after getting caught, then you know that your intentions werent genuine, but to be just a gym creep.

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