I got a call today that I have been waiting almost three years for. Not a call back, didn't win some competition or the lottery. But a call from a friend. Alajiwan has been one of my closest friends for more than 11 years. We were middle and high school sweet hearts, he lived with my family for a period of time. I was there when he announced the coming of his son. He introduced me to my first fiance, tears, laughs, mistakes, love, growth. We have experienced it with one another at some point in time. I have always been so close to him even in our bad times. He knows some of my deepest secrets and Vice Vera. Besides this boys momma I am number one woman in his life. Give him my kidney if he asked for it.
Well I got a call from him, and its so important to me not only because I'm a million miles away but I haven't heard from him in three years. He literally disappeared off the face of the earth. I was afraid and worried sent emails to his friends and mother background checks you name it I was going to find him. Well just two days ago I posted a status, " I am looking for one of my best friends Alajiwan Tafoya if you know where to find him please let me know". I prayed and prayed but who ever thought God would answer so fast? Laji was pushed by angels into my mothers home and then the phone rang. The story of him missing is intense but he'll be picking me up from the AIRPORT!!!!!!! Stoked is not even the word of choice. Thank you Jesus.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
My Ebonics lesson just a taste!
Ebonics 101
Black speech, AAV (African American Vernacular), AAS (African American Speech), Black phonics
This dialect ranges in ages, region, and sex. Flavor is used to add a sense of urban culture to your voice this may be used by lowering tone, or adding a singing quality to the sound.
(the th in thin) and (the th of then) are often substituted for the d . The actual alternative phone used depends on the sound's position in a word.
Examples: dis, dat, dere, den, dem, dese
dem boys messin wit me
dese shoes is old
Realization of final ng morphemes with two syllables like -ing, e.g. tripping is pronounced as trippin.
Examples: Slippin, Ridin, Grindin, Gettin
She grindin real hard an tryna get some mo money
For younger speakers, /skr/ also occurs in words that other varieties of English have /str/ so that, for example, street is pronounced [skrit].
Examples: Skraight, Skrong, Skrap, Skrange
He so skrong
Double negatives. It's a phrase such as "haven't never" or "can't nobody."
Here, we will replace the word "any" with "no" creating a double negative of "ain't got no." "Can't nobody hold me down."
"Yo, I haven't never scored with a girl."
Common changes to small words: There are several small words in the English language that have been altered and inducted into the Ebonics language.
my = mah
got = gaht
alright = aight
fool = foo
out = ou
to = tah
because = cuz
going = goin'
what's = Wus
was = wuz
You all = Ya'll
ask, asked = aks, aksed
Often found Ebonics will pluralize an unnecessary word.
"Dis foo be dissin' mah moms!"
“look at all the da peoples”
Videos that may help.
THE WIRE:
MADEA:
Airplane:
Set it off:
News cast:
Resist:
Malibu’s most wanted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2MtRBR0aEw
Missing the Fam!
I miss my mom terribly, my dogs, my grammy and brother I miss my dad, My step dad and step mom. I miss my bff, I miss that special person who is currently in my life. Oh yes forgot to tell you about that. Before I left someone special entered my life from CO. He’s beautiful and I can’t wait to get home to him.
I miss my grandmas so much. It’s kind of hard talking to my parents and seeing my family then realizing that life still goes on without me hmmmm who would have thought. I’m a bit home sick but not terribly. I watch the news and here about updates with lack of jobs, natural disasters, and even lady gaga, and I worry.
2 ½ more months then I’m home it’ll be bitter sweet but I’m ready … well at least I think I am.
Working on the screen
Being a third year at WAAPA I have had such a privilege of getting to work in the screen acting class. It’s ridiculously weird seeing myself on screen. Today we were using multi-cameras for a scene with my partner and I. They scene had extremely high stakes a broken marriage and lack of a child. Meaning what ……. I had to sob, cry and carrying emotions that I normally can only relate to in real life. During the practice run last night I managed to shed some tears. It was ok but I didn’t feel the stakes were high enough. My partner wanted to use a Mamet approach called the as if approach.
It did manage to work for a bit but didn’t last for the remainder of the run. Walking in to the studio my professor was brilliant he used his own method of connecting and being real with the camera, in complete tears I managed to get thru the scene. I have to say its incredibly hard trying not to be theatrical I’M MUSICAL THEATER FOR CHRIST SAKE. My life revolves around fake scenarios of randomly breaking out into song. Well I’m really working on it, were told don’t act be you don’t act don’t act ugh! Ok the mask and costume comes off pushing through my emotions is cut now lights camera action!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Puppy Therapy
Ok so I must say I went to the most amazing place the other day a puppy shop. This puppy ship was nothing liked I had ever scene The pet shop did not have the puppies placed in cages only big enough to fit rabbits the puppies had an open cage setting with tons of room to play and run. There were ropes dangling from the ceiling so the little guys could dangle, grab, and pull. There at least 70 puppies in this setting and not one smell of poop.
You could hold each one and interact without getting special permission. All you had to do was put on a health shirt making sure germs weren’t spread making the puppies sick. The smell of puppy breath is the greatest smell to me ever I love it. I did get a bit sad because there was on little guy who looked just like my Tuxx. Little barks and growl filled the space it was the best therapy I have ever had. I love Perth’s puppy pet shop on Bueford street.
Explaining racism
Ever since I have come to Australia I have gotten so many questions about racism, being an African American in the U.S., and the word Nigga. Every where I go people want to know what’s it like, how does it work, when does it happen. To be honest I never thought it would be so hard to explain racism. People here don’t often use the “N” word thank God but I have heard whites say it a few times. But in a way I as an American feel responsible. From what I see they use it to quotes movies, of course American movies. I have never had it said personally to me, and let’s also thank God ion that one because I would have to cut somebody.
I have tried to be truthful and upfront about the ongoing battle of racism in America. Its really difficult to explain though. I bring up personal experiences and hypothetical situations but I don’t feel like I’m giving the subject justice. In a way I feel like people don’t think it’s a problem anymore and that it doesn’t exist. Which I hope everyone knows is not true. I feel awful for not getting people to understand it’s a huge issue and there is still unjust act being carried out in the states, the supposed land of the free and home of the brave.
Again the movies hold a huge responsibility for these thoughts. In fact my professor has asked me to hold an Ebonics class for some of the 2nd year musical theater students as a dialect choice. Looking at “The Wire” “Malibu’s Most Wanted” and “Airplane”. So no I didn’t refuse, I wanted to teach my class mates responsibly and let them know that Ebonics is a language that is very important to blacks in the states and shouldn’t only be taken as a way of comedy or for blacks to look ignorant.
I’m hoping people are understanding the point I hope I’m doing the right thing. I can’t help but to feel responsibility for these peoples frame of mind about the U.S. about racism and about blacks in America. A class mate said to me “ You know what I noticed when I was in the states, you’re a horrible racist jerk if you hate blacks, but Asians are free game for joking about”. He’s right why is that? Yet racism is racism it’s wrong it’s unjust and it’s anti-American, and yet it happens the most in America.
Voice Monologue
Every year third year actors are required to perform in front of a entire audience these things called voice monologue. The difference between a voice monologue and a real monologue is the vocal concept. You are asked to use any part if your voice that you feel is special, different, or pleasing to the ear. You can you dialects, singing, beat boxing, random glottling, and so forth.
I was asked by my professor Julia Moody to perform one of the monologues and my cast mates wanted me to do a variety of American dialects. Come opening night I felt like WAAPA got a real taste of what my talent entailed people laughed, cried, an held their sore stomachs from chuckling. My third year cast mates made a huge impact. The talent that filled that theater was amazing. This is a tradition that I hope will carry to my school.
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