FLY LADY DIary

"Live to Change Something Through ART..."

2009-11-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

One of the things I miss about Brooklyn is its amazing artists. Next Saturday (11/21/09), those who are lucky enough to be in the New York City area will be privy to witness 23 artists who were hand-picked by my homie RASU JILANI of COUP D'ETAT BROOKLYN" for the opening his "Live to Change Something Through Art" Exhibition at RESTORATION PLAZA. With this being nothing short of amazing,the show will include all of painting, photography, sculpture, video and installation by artists such as Molaundo Jones, Suhail Smith, Sam Wilson, Rob Fokused, Alice Mizrachi, Stephanie Land, Deka, SeeOne, One9, Alzo Slade, Ana Bravo, Berman Fenelus, Jen One, Reuben King, Amanda Diva, Nelson Rivas, Paul Deo, Robert Trujillo, Suncadm Bey, and my good friends Kwesi Abbensetts, Lichiban, Ibrahim, and Yang-Chi. If you don't find that exciting, you must not be breathing!

Thanks to RENAE BLUITT of CRUSH MEDIA, I've been able to take a more insightful look at this event, hence where I got the info for this blog... Thanks, RENAE! And now... *ahem* may I present to you some of their super-illified artwork!

(above left: LICHIBAN's "Superheros of Brooklyn", above right JENONE'S "Rasinskispike", right IBRAHIM's "untitled", below SUHAIL'S "Basquiat is King"... AMAAAAZING!!!!)

This is one of the things that makes me furious that I'm not in Brooklyn right now! The fact that I can't attend this show. Originally, I had planned to go, but I am slated to judge a UNIVERSITY DANCE COMPETITION at McMaster University... So I regrettfully won't be able to make it (though judging will be mad fun ;). I'm gonna miss this event, but I look forward to reading about on TWITTER and FACEBOOK...

RESPECT TO THE ARTISTS! and as they say... "Live to Change Something" (-Coup D'Etat Brooklyn)

LIBERATING STYLE Magazine featuring ME!

2009-11-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

Huge thanks to ANGELA CLAY and JOE YOUNG for this outstanding feature. Shouts also to Nathaniel Anderson my photographer for being so cool and professional working with me for the first time... Plus you're a hottie lol. And of course Sherlyn Torres my amazing makeup artist whom Ive graciously worked with for the second time, you never cease to amaze. And last but not least my Kuya Jodinand V. Aguillon (aka "Jodee") for providing me with the essential Pilipino threads and beads and to make me look extra extra glam lol -- lab u por-ebur... Big shouts out to Kapisanan Philippine Cultural Center for providing the space to prep this shoot on a Sunday. Thanks, Kevin and sorry for waking you! Lol

Nothing but love... Also featured in this issue is Lichiban an amazing friend and someone who Im honored to call my fellow artiste. She is astoundingly talented and she's made more than one appearance here on this blog... So y'all know I give her maddddd props lol... Anyhow enjoy this in-depth interview !!

Peace and Love

Fly Di

Day 1: the WILD-ROSE detox! lol

2009-11-05T18:26:00.000-08:00

No, it's not what you're thinking... I don't have to mix lemon and maple syrup in a bottle with cayenne pepper and drink it all day long. The WILD ROSE HERBAL D-TOX is a 12-day program whereby you take the tablets within the kit, along with 30 drops of this other stuff (blech!) and it's supposed to rid your body of the toxins you've taken in since your last cleanse (if you ever did one, that is). I kind of equate this to going to confession after years of sinning, and then saying your penance to relieve yourself of all those sins - it's the Catholic in me I guess - and the detox is kinda like your penance - which you say everyday by only eating specific foods (they give you a meal plan) and taking 2 of each tablet (there are 3 kinds) and the liquid with breakfast and dinner.

Today is DAY 1 for me, and it ain't so bad, except for the fact that I feel fatigued and slightly nauseus. I attended an orientation at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) about an upcoming exhibition, and I felt like I had smoked a joint or something - I started seeing stars. This is one of the side affects, which are noted alongside nausea, headache and other symptoms. It also states one might hafta go bafroom more than usual and I caught wind of that for sure with a grumbling tummy...

Other than feeling pissed I couldn't open a cup of jello-pudding snacks or a bag of chips, I feel aite... Which is really the whole point of me doing this - to become more disciplined with what I take into my body (you khow what I mean dammitt!)...

Anyhoo, more details as they arise.

TAH

TAH

(*PS: big shout out to GEETA KHANNA my homegirl who introduced this notion to me about a year ago. miss you bella!

i love halloween

2009-10-31T17:28:00.001-07:00

a girl can dream

2009-10-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

one day this will actually be true!... the power of visualization is A MUTHA!

Things that I am thankful for:

2009-10-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

My agent. My acting coach, Lewis. My older cousins. My bed. My new iPhone. My baby nephew Ayden. My sister Angela. My mother and my father. My father's music. The Internet. The ability to work and make money. Free healthcare. Kapisanan. The ability to finally realize what the crap is in my life, and the power to want to eliminate ALL of it.... The fact that you're reading this right now. My dance ability. My ability to see things before they actually happen. Facebook. My hair. Value Village. My life...

I was about ready to give up on the acting game, and the entertainment business in general. It's been getting difficult and the demons I my head weren't helping... I asked God, if I was really meant to be doing this, then give me a sign... And last night my acting agent Sandra Gillis (from Premier Artists) came to see my progress in my acting class... She had very encouraging words, and her being there alone is proof that I exist, and proof that I truly am meant to be doing this. (because it's rare to have an agent do that! That showed a true committment and investment in me...) She said I came a very long way, and so did my coach Lewis Baumander. I'm blessed to be working with the best in the business and Im thankful to God for that sign... Lol. He knows I needed it!

Thanks for reading!

-Di.

3.2 million of you!... pretty kewl.

2009-10-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

yes i know. i google myself, whatta narcissist! lol. but i have recently come to discover that i am a pretty popular search. with over 3 million results, i think that's pretty kewl!

now the pressure is on to create more dope shit! hahhahahahaaa... (*evil laugh*)

bye bye IRIE FOOD JOINT!

2009-10-06T20:01:00.000-07:00

anyone who knows me knows how much i used to loooove IRIE FOOD JOINT -- the place where i first learned how to waitress. it was there that i served many celebrities -- KELIS, LUDACRIS, WYCLEF JEAN, SPLIFF STAR, Olympic Gold Medalist DONOVAN BAILEY, Actor/Rapper MAESTRO FRESH WES, etc etc. back in the day (2003, 2004) this used to be THE SPOT! anyone who was anyone used to pass through there (NAOMI from ELEKTRIC RED used to frequent the place and i used to ask her how she got her VISA for the US -- hee hee). but owner CARL CASSELL is now closing its doors forever.

*TEAR!*

many of my friends out here who are doing their damn thing artistically have worked there. it's truly a legendary spot, and i'm gonna miss it, even though it fell off the past few years (just didn't have the same flava after Queen West became GENTRIFIED).

anyhow, SALUT! i still work for the owner at their other spot HARLEM so ain't no huge thang, but still, i'll miss IRIE.

peace!

-Di

finally about to get LAID...!

2009-10-01T19:43:00.000-07:00

thank goodness. it's been a while........ since i've talked to my good friend SHANNON BOODRAM author of her new book LAID! heh heh. had u there for a second, didn't i?!

well, as a sexual freak myself (who loves the DISCOURSE of sex, you pervs!) -- i've been fortunate enough to have parents who never sheltered me from the subject. so i precociously knew many things about sex from an early age. i've always loved the topic and have been fascinated by this wonderful thing of nature. i'm sure reading about it by a friend of mine will be even more fun... well sorta. heh.

here's the synopsis via BARNES & NOBLE

"In this hard-hitting anthology, journalist Shannon T. Boodram collects the compelling and personal firsthand accounts of young people dealing with sex in today’s world. Laid covers a range of important topics, from teens’ first times to STIs, abstinence to unplanned pregnancies. Boodram, an up-and-coming voice for her generation, engages teens and twentysomethings in honest dialogue and explores how they see and experience sex, how and why it shapes their beliefs, and what they have learned about themselves and their sexuality through their actions. Laid is a great conversation-starter, and doesn’t shy away from the personal topics. A great resource for young people, Laid invites teens and young adults to take a close-up look at sex and sexuality. Boodram’s chapters offer more than 40 personal narratives, from both female and male voices, with in-depth analyses, facts, and Q&As to further the discourse. Responsible and thought-provoking, Laid offers a range of honest perspectives on young adult sexuality in today’s easy access culture"

sounds sexy to me!

copies of LAID can be found at BARNES & NOBLE, CHAPTERS/INDIGO, AMAZON and BORDERS.

you should get LAID NOW!

bought my first art pieces!...

2009-09-20T08:47:00.001-07:00

the only thing funner than selling your artwork, is buying someone elses! yesterday at the OUTDOOR ART SHOW at TRINITY BELLWOODS PARK (WEST QUEEN WEST) i was lucky enough to meet another cool artist chick named JISUN CHUN... her work is silmilar to mine in her use of black, her neat and bold lines, and her use of geometry. needless to say, i was quite drawn.

i bought that piece (above)!

and she had other awesome work at hand... check it:

her work is very KANDINSKY

slash POLLOCK

slash NATIVE / INUIT ART

VERRRRRY fucking kewl!

she also hooked me up with this one! i was soooooo thrilled ...

my next acquisition of hers will be this one entitled "HYPE"...

i can't freaking wait! i want all her work, it's so dope...

If u wanna see more, go here.

SHE'S A BADASS!

Painting Process III | "Beza"

2009-09-08T22:20:00.001-07:00

She's one of my best friends - she has been for almost exactly 8 years. We met in Cutural Anthropology class at McGILL back in 2001 and we've been besties ever since. She actually introduced me to new deep soulful house music in 2002 and is GREATLY responsible for me wanting to learn to dance moves to go with this new beautiful and exciting music she introduced me to.

For her birthday this year I decided to draw her a portrait. Here's how the process went!

Complete as it was, the more I looked at it, the more I didn't think it looked like her. I started to get furious and even though the end result was satisfactory, the perfectionist in me wanted a better portrait. So I chose another reference...

And completed a whole 'nother drawing...

Always there for me, I couldn't have made it through these rough times without her! I couldn't be more proud to have her in my life as one of my very closest friends.

She currently works for as a producer for CBC National News Radio (our national broadcasting system). I'm so proud of her, it's ridiculous...

I love you BEZA! Happy birthday!!!!

dolo artist

2009-09-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

(random thoughts)

i've been doing a lot of thinking lately about all my simultaneous careers (art & dance) and as much as i love both of them i do ultimately hafta make a choice on which one i want to focus on more (common theme for my blog).

this year, after being out the dance game for 3 & 1/2 years, i was able to make a bit of a comeback - teaching 2 classes, getting called back for auditions and even booking gigs. but this wasn't easy and it still isn't. there are SO MANY POLITICS involved in the dance game -- there's a lot of fakeness, a lot of this to get that, as with any industry. as much as i LOVE DANCING and still don't feel as though i've gotten where i want to be with it -- and it's definitely proving a lot harder now that i'm 27 (yeah still young but feel much older than i was when i started). i often ask myself if i want to exert all that energy just to book a job, or have people *f___ w/ me, or get cast in something... i donno.

dance does not exist without others. one can never succeed as a dancer in solitude - much like life - we can't make it alone.

then there's art, however, where one can simply live alone in a cave, bang out some incredible gems and then expose them to the world... eventually becoming incredibly famous and valuable to society! -- right now this seems more appealing.

it's definitely been an easier ride for me as an artist as opposed to a dancer - with dance i've always met some resistance, even from the beginning. still, something in me reeeeeeeaaally wants to dance and show the world (but mainly myself) how incredible my dancing is and can be.

i donno we'll see... i'm not gonna give up one for the other. but it helps to dissect how i feel about 'em! thanks for listening ;)

my peeps between the sheets of CLAM MAGAZINE...

2009-08-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Nothing makes me prouder to see my peeps from BROOKLYN hit the pages of CLAM MAGAZINE which I picked up at my local INDIGO... Namely LICHIBAN, JELSEN JARGON, RAYE6, and KWESI ABENSETTS to name a few. Not only are they my friends, they are some of the most talented and inspiring individuals I am privileged to know. (i stole the below jpeg from JELSEN'S BLOG haha). This past issue as based on 'the world around you'and they were each asked a set of interesting and insightful questions... They were also featured among talented artists from France to Brazil. The format of CLAM is interesting, the entire magazine is of these artists answering these questions. It kinda got boring and redundant after a while reading the same questions answered over again... But I found some interesting ones, like that of music producer WAJEED (whose answers I agreed with most) and KEZIA JONES - whom I thought was funny and honest.

Also among my peeps were friends of friends including DIAMOND GIRL, THEOPHILOUS LONDON II, DJ RASHIDA and AMIR EBRAHIMI who photographed most of the BK artists. Overall, a DOPE mag. Pick one up to see what BK is all about...

And click on my peeps' logos to see their websites / blogs (WHOM I AVIDLY FOLLOW!).

NOTHING BUT LOVE from DI <3

xoxoxo

love u LiZ! happy birthday...

2009-08-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

... sorry i couldn't be there on ur special day love <3...

(look she wore my shirt as a skirt how ADORABLE!)

ur da best!

love Di

iLuv these earphones!

2009-08-25T05:49:00.000-07:00

i've gone thru many earphones in my day... but these are by far THE BEST! i feel like i'm inside the music. iLuv them so much i had 2 blog about em.... haha!

the sound quality is incredible... if ur on the lookout for some good, affordable headphones, pick these up fa sho! i've got the pink ones of course ;)

ONLY $6.99 @ WINNER'S!

-di

FLY LADY DIary: The 1 Year Anniversary!

2009-08-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a great year indeed (for this blog at least)! Half in NY and half here in Toronto. Half painting and half dancing. Lol here are some of the highlights of this past blogging year... My fave JPEGS at random! Enjoy.

the dating game :(

2009-08-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

Dating can be FUN but it can also be a nightmare at times! It's hard to find a good dude - someone u can just kick it with and not be worried about him trying to get in ur pants (BECAUSE THEY ALL DO!). I've recently expressed my disdain for dating on my FACEBOOK status - which at first I thought went unnoticed. Then I came home to all these notifications!

Read what heads had to say! (click in for a closer look)

That wasn't it - my inbox was also replete with messages from peeps telling me that there was hope and that was 'cute enough' lol to find a next man. There was one message in particular from a former co-worker New York (whose ID I will protect) that I wanted to share with all of you. Since most of my followers are female, I thought a lot of you could benefit from reading what she had to say (again, click in for a closer look):

MAKE THAT LIST LADIES! And keep me posted. I'll be sure to do the same :)

PS: I found another hilarious video via SUPERNEWS on CURRENT TV about TEXING UR WAY TO LOVE... soooooooooooooooo funny! and soooooooo true!

LOVE (is out there),

Di. xoxoxo

fuck twitter

2009-08-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

...whew! and i thought it was just ME. i thought i would google 'fuck twitter' just to see who felt the same i do -- and apparently there are 49 million other people who do! (or at least have written 'fuck twitter' somewhere in the web universe...) it's interesting to see the extent some people have gone to announce their disdain for such a useless piece of shit website - another reason for people to become disengaged and uncourteous to their fellow human being in the flesh - standing right in front of them.

the best 'fuck to twitter' BY FAR was this one that i found on FREEWILLIAMSBURG.COM an incredible animated account by CURRENT TV showing how freaking LAME-O this whole Twitter bullshit has gotten.

...THEY said it too! not just me. LOL

GET BACK TO THE REAL WORLD U MOFOS! fuck a twitter yo...

same shirt, new look

2009-08-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Model: Andrea Boston
Models: Hauke & Selena
Model: Kimaya McPherson
Model: Selena Ayala
Model: Hauke Gahrmann
Model: Selena Ayala
Model: Hauke Gahrmann
Model: Honey LaRochelle
Model: Michelle Salacan

Model: ME ! (fly lady di lol)

Last time I was in New York (beginning of June), I was fortunate enough to have helped put together a photoshoot for my GENERATION D-SHIRT LINE with my favorite people the SOLIVE ARTS movement (Kanako Haji, Alicia Boone & Tamika Brown), and our latest addition to the GEN D squad - a marketing genius by the name of Teresa "Tee" Walker (who has worked for Essence and In Style magazines to name a few) graciously styled the models to make sure they looked their best. I want to thank EVERYONE involved, including of course one of my FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHERS in NEW YORK, ms. LIZ ALLEN of EMA PHOTOGRAPHY - you da besst ma! The models are credited above.

buy one for only 10 bucks man u can't beat dat wid a baseball bat! lol

GENERATIOND.BIGCARTEL.COM

MY DAD'S ARTWORK

2009-08-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

I've stated in almost all my interviews that the reason I became an ARTIST is because of my DAD. Him being Mr. Weldon V. Reyes - a graduate of University of Santo Tomas in the Phillipines (one of the best schools in Asia) with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts.

When I was about 4 or 5 years old, I saw him paint these pieces and became so fascinated with painting altogether. I knew instantly that I would be a painter too - or at least strongly wanted to be. I would look at his paint set and his brushes and how he used them, mixed colours with water, etc. He was like a scientist or wizard and I would watch him for long amounts of time, or at least I remember.

Throughout my life he would teach me everything he knew, before I learned it in school - which is a huge reason why I aced all my art courses. I owe a lot to my pops for giving me the crazy art education that probably wasn't just taught - but also inherited.

We are about to go in on a COLLABO PROJECT me and him, but I thought I'd introduce y'all first!...

MAD PROPS TO YOU, DAD!

more to come........

-Di xoxo

(FYI: these were painted CIRCA 1986)

my new 'do

2009-08-06T13:33:00.001-07:00

ching chong chang! lol enjoy.

i'm in LOVE...

2009-08-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

his name is AYDEN and he was born last sunday august 2nd, 2009 at 4:30am. my older sister gave birth to him after many a tribulation - pumped full of every pain-killer imaginable including the epidural, she underwent an emergency c-section after 4-hours of pushing. alas, a miracle was born!... he weighs 7 pounds and 3 ounces and looks exactly like my sister did when she was born! (one hairy bastard! lol)

looking at him and watching him breathe, yawn, cry and wriggle around in my arms made me realize the importance of a lot of things... ladies, it's so important to be with a good man - one who will be committed to you when the going gets tough. sure the baby's cute as hell, but what happens when u have to change him at 4:30am and he cries ever hour and you don't know why?... it's also good to be married to the man first - it makes a huge difference as opposed to the man just being your baby's dad, or your boyfriend. it makes sense.

i just hope i find someone as committed and loving as my dad was to our family. sure being a father is tough shit, and it makes sense why most men run (cowards!), so, crazy props to the dads that stuck around when the going got tough... and not to mention the moms too! WARRIORS FOR LIFE!!!!!!......

i think that's all i hafta say for now... love u AYDEN! prepare urself for spoilage.

My Pilipino Obsession

2009-07-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

My KUYA (aka Pinoy bredren) Jodee Aguillon (known on YouTube as JODINAND) is responsible for my new YouTube addiction. Not only is he handsome and charming (or POGI as they say in Filipino), but he's fucking funny as all hell -- and I wonder if u need to be Pinoy to find him as hilarious as I do. Actually I don't think so, but see for urself anyways:

(everything u need to know about Pinoy stuff)

He always has me dying! His whole YouTube channel is gut-busting. He makes me proud to be FILIPINO (or even prouder).

SUBSCRIBE, PO! Love u JODEE!

parade

2009-07-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

trying my best to wanna
join the parade outside my window
but sometimes
it ain't that simple

that parade
a masquerade
this charade
a guessing game

a waiting game
for what's taking me so long
to figure this shit out

i see the dream plastered on a billboard
but why can't i sit still for the photoshoot
my silent mouth holds these thoughts
that recycle themselves as if thrown
into a blue bin
the hours pass into the months i look back upon
and wonder why i haven't scratched
half of my list off yet
is that demon really me
or a harbinger of truth
forcing me to retrace my steps
and look twice at what's ahead
maybe i haven't sacrificed enough yet
oh self-indulgent me
paying dues until my dying days
as someone once advised...
i donno maybe i'm just lazy
and complacent
but what's the rush
and why race anyways?

YAY! 81 Followers and I'M ON TV AGAIN!....

2009-07-17T01:58:00.001-07:00

what could be better than this? 6 months ago i was reeeeeeally questioning whether or not i was making the right decision pursuing dance again. that little devil on my left shoulder kept convincing me that i was too old, it was too late and that i should just give up.

6 months later, i book a dance gig.

life is really amazing. when you focus on being excellent at what you do, the universe comes and brings you some pretty awesome shit! honestly fyi: before this gig i hadn't booked a gig in 3 AND A HALF YEARS! (since Ashley Simpson's "L.O.V.E." video back in November 2005) it feels great to be back in the game, it really does.

LONG STORY SHORT... if ur in Canada, or in the States and have satellite and can somehow find CTV, check me out in the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA promo! i haven't seen it yet but i heard u can see me! lol yayyyy....

and to all 81 of my followers that are reading this, THANK YOU for choosing me bloggy! my wish is to keep you as entertained, inspired and informed as possible. love you!

<3 lady di