Wednesday, April 13, 2011

The Truth about Logos and Advertisements Ads

The presentations in the seminar were pretty interesting and many applied to my everyday life; yet, the one that stood out was “The Truth about Logos and Advertisement Ad’s” by Miguel. I could’ve chosen Tiffany’s conspiracy theory or even Derek’s self promotion because we do need to know the basis of our democracy and how to promote ourselves successfully to maintain in life but those are America’s mainstream concerns.
In this life that we live full of conspiracy’s and success from promoting ourselves correctly, we wear clothes. We have to think about how we are spending our money and cost saving mechanisms as little as wearing your jeans twice before spending money on laundry or buying pants of a slighter brand that has the same quality which saves your pockets in this economic recession.

I love clothes and believe in the quality of a shirt in lieu of the quantity of shirts I can buy for the same price as the one shirt. However, all decisions aren’t based on quality, it’s primarily the brand. Miguel’s star moment was when he compared the Columbia jacket to the North Face jacket and it was that moment that I had an epiphany. This might sound corny but I’m an unconscious shopper and although I’m conscious about the money that I’m spending outside of the mall, it escapes me during the time that I get rid of most my money. We are only paying for the labels that are on these products.

An idea that Miguel gave me was self loyalty in a fashion sense of course. If we wanted, we could buy that Columbia that is of equal quality and greater cost and have a seamstress sew on the North Face logo. This would be cost saving, you’ll be just as fashionable if you’re mental, and most of all no one has to know but you because you are loyal to yourself—unless you tell!

Miguel used himself to tell the story of what’s affordable and the brands that are just as good a quality as higher names. I actually consider him fashionable and to learn that he doesn’t pay what I assumed for his gear corroborates my idea of being loyal to one’s self—if he didn’t have to do this presentation then we wouldn’t have known; I would’ve still thought that he owned Prada shoes.

There were many discussions during the presentation but one that I would like to acknowledge was the option of purchasing a pair of Addidas or Pumas. Johnisha brought up a good point about gender shopping—Pumas are more of a feminine shoe and I see Addidas as unisex. Miguel was more inclined to purchase the Addidas because they are more appealing than Pumas. These two brands share the same style so one is more appealing than the other. The notions about the gender of the shoes and how they physically are appealing had nothing to do with logos or trickery from advertisers; thus, it doesn’t always take a trick from advertisers or the influence of a logo to make the right or wrong choices in purchasing a product.

Miguel’s presentation was short and straight to the point but understandable. Since we can all stand to be improved, I would have brought in a couple of products just to have the class determine which brand is real, or which of the same brand cost more or less etc. I also would’ve had a blind folded taste test for Cokes, Pepsi, Sierra Mist, and Sprite to see if consumers even know their product as they want to appear too. Maybe someone would’ve mistaken a cheap Sierra Mist for a rather expensive Sprite and not known the difference enough to keep wasting money on the more expensive drink!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Are you there Vodka? It's me, Chelsea--Book Review

Book: Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea

Author: Chelsea Handler
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Inc.
Released: 2008
No. of Pages:  295 for Hardcover
Retail Price: $16.00- paperback and $12.00 eBook
Miscellaneous: Chelsea is an actor and comedian. She has written other successful stories like “My Horizontal Life” which is basically about one night stands. The name of this book is very similar to Judy Blooms “Are you there God? It’s me, Margret.

I’m one of those writers who actually hate reading books. I probably don’t write as well as I think because I don’t like to read. I sit and read the newspaper only to pick up on their writing styles and every time I try to read the Bible, I find myself waking up when I didn’t even know that I was asleep. However, it was the title of the book that demanded my attention but I wasn’t immediately sucked in yet. I searched inside the book and saw how insipid “prepubescent boy” was thrown into the first paragraph of chapter one and it bothered me considering how ingenious the title was; she could’ve did better in describing a boy who’s penis only knows to stand up after a long dream of Spiderman saving the world before his mommy called him down for breakfast. Even still, the mentioning of a boy and puberty shouting Chelsea’s name and the fact that she was so delighted about a boy’s attention at such a young age wheeled me right on in.

The imagery that reads “After lifting up one of my earmuffs…I nervously attempted to release my wedgie…when wearing two mittens the size of car batteries” was a masterpiece since not only can you see this event, it also conveys her innocence as a 5th grader. This line had me snickering at work which is very unprofessional but anyone reading this particular literature of Chelsea Handler would tell their boss to “eff” off because it’s worth the laugh beyond a dull days work.

The extremities that Chelsea went through to explain her neglect of her homework and then to keep it going and act as if she really was playing a part as Goldie Hawn’s daughter in the also spurious Private Benjamin 2 were farfetched but brilliant. I mean, what happened to Bart Simpson’s “the dog ate my homework?”Teasing and bullying is a huge concern today and many parents of child victims that have committed suicide from being overwhelmed with the abuse only wish that there child was as inventive as the 5th grade Chelsea and would rather their child be dubiously dancing in Hair Spray 3 than committing suicide. Her lie about Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell just enticed my brain to know more about how she would handle such an intense situation. Would the other children find out and the bullying strengthens, will she actually try to jump out of her father’s ugly car and inflict pain on herself, what would happen?

   

    I understand Chelsea to be very entertaining but not horribly funny to the point that I can’t breathe or have to urinate on myself. She only gives me the snicker affect and thats only literature wise. See, I’ve never seen Handler on the big screen and from what I’ve read in the book reviews, she is much better on-screen and should stay there instead of story telling. One review read “I’ve decided that I enjoy watching Chelsea Handler much more than reading about her real life in books. I did like this book more than the first one, which was about her one night stands. I don’t want people I like to seem trashy, and thats how the first book made me feel. I still think she’s hilarious...I had one “one night stand”  and I did but didn’t understand her POV. You like Handler but you don't like where she is from. Maybe her up-brining and way of life made Chelsea this funny person that this reviewer enjoys only on screen and not while reading her life stories. Some of the stories in her book probably never happened or weren’t as dramatic as they appear to be without a little exaggeration. However, the reviewer turns around to say that she has been in a one night stand so in telling a story, this proves that your audience is attracted to real situations whether they like to look trashy or not. Does it take 2 one night stands to seem trashy or 1?

Before I checked the bestsellers list, I had never heard of Chelsea Handler. I’ve learned that she is not only an author and comedian; she’s also the host of her own show on E!talk, Chelsea Lately.  In addition, NBC announced that they may possibly produce a comedy series based on this book and reviews show that neither fans nor NBC network consumers are thrilled. Chelsea has her share of those that devour her humor and she also has a huge share of those that thinks she’s cornier than corn which might explain why the name of her book is very similar (being an understatement) to Judy Blooms “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret or is she so talented that she can back it up.

    One of my favorite quotes read  "At some point during almost every romantic comedy, the female lead suddenly trips and falls, stumbling helplessly over something ridiculous like a leaf, and then some Matthew McConaughey type either whips around the corner just in the nick of time to save her or is clumsily pulled down along with her. That event predictably leads to the magical moment of their first kiss. Please. I fall ALL the time. You know who comes and gets me? The bouncer." I thought that this was extremely funny and realistic. This kind of stuff only happens on TV or once in a lifetime. Most likely if you fall, you either pick yourself up or someone will hep you up and it will most likely be another female before a male nowadays because chivalry acts have gone extinct. Most time I fall from being intoxicated with vodka and my friends pick me up so this is oh so true. I haven’t really seen where Chelsea made a huge dent in history however; her honestly allows her to be an author that humorously lets all her skeletons out of the closet and the first author revealing that she has done drugs with her gynecologist.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Museum of African Art

Samburu Peoples, Kenya

The beaded earrings that the Samburu Tribe in Kenya wears are primarily ‘hawt.’ They are made from wire, beads, and buttons. Captivating my attention through their huge, colorful, and unique form, I further learned that these earrings had a symbolic reason to be worn. Unlike America, Kenya has fashionable materials that are used to “declare your cultural identity and social” class.


The Stylish Briefcase
Made Throughout Africa

The corporate world in Africa has gone silly! When America thinks of a briefcase, we think strictly business. Although Wall Street will make you money, doing business is as boring as sitting in your 10th grade social studies class. The reinvention of the briefcase was crafted with ousted soda cans, comic pages, and mass-produced grocery containers. Yes, the briefcase is stylish eye candy to the average employee of a U.S. government agency, private company etc., bored out of their minds during their 8 hour tour of duty, even though they may stereotype how serious you take your job!

Toy Sewing Machine and Toy Bicycle
Undetermined Peoples, South Africa

These toys are made with the simplest materials that cost almost nothing. The same plastic bag that you threw away, the wired bra or earrings that you no longer needed, and paint make these toys popular and available for tourist market. The materials that American toys are made with are much more complex unnecessary. The same child that will play with this bicyclist and sewing machine could almost make the toy their self.

The Stylish Briefcase, the huge cell phone, and wooden ladder are three familiar images in my additional selected artwork. The briefcase reminds me of the Greenberg & Bederman, LLP commercial. Although I don’t remember a briefcase physically being in the commercial, the seriousness of their theme just looks like they should be holding one. The huge cell phone reminds me of every competing cell phone company and iCarly. The cell phone in the museum is huge, it’s taller than I am and I’m 5”8”. Today’s use of a cell phone is a huge deal; especially amongst our generation and the upcoming generation. iCarly is a show within a show where technology is everything to these high school students who’ve created web show that unnecessarily crumbles every time some use of technology is unavailable.  The wooden ladder reminds me of the Geico infomercials because it shows a bunch of cavemen still struggling to adapt to today’s way of life.
This artwork gets borrowed back in forth when Sprint is comparing their touch screen cell phone to an ancient AT&T phone that’s still in stores today. They show how far we’ve come in technology and the use of media. The ‘art-ness’ of the images don’t change, it just makes it more and more interesting.



 
Anything that shows some symbolic meaning is art. It’s not the earrings made by the Samburu People that’s art, it’s the fact that they symbolize a social class without verbal communication. Africa has their own way of communicating without their standard word exchange; now that’s art. I look at go-go music that is only played in DC as art. That’s something that only the African American culture and younger generations understand. It’s not just an expression through song; it’s the dirty buckets and the tree branches that they used to bang the pain out on the buckets with that makes it art!

There were many books that can easily be purchased; however, I found that the Exhibition Dialogues would have been great in better interpreting the symbols behind the artwork that many se and fell but don’t understand such as myself. I’m not sure who gets to direct and act on what in the museum; however, I know that I contributed to the museum and there exhibits so I would assume that we, the people pay for these special exhibits. Although short films are great for some down time and learning during the museum visit, yet, they should have had something interactive. There were a lot of painting exhibitions and a small craft exercise that showed how deep some of the artwork was, using our own expressions would have been great, every half hour. I’m not sure what should have been in the gift shop because I enjoyed the many gadgets that they did sell. They sold little music toys that the African culture used during their ceremonies…they actually worked too!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Media That Matters: Story Telling-Field Trip #1

"The public doesn't connect to groups or institutions, they connect to people!" That's the 'duh' quote that finally captivated my interest after sitting for about 15 minutes. When  Katy Chevigny reiterated the quote from whoever told it to her, it was like 'duh,' this is so simple now.

When telling a story, people connect to real stories with other people. One example that Katy gave was a documentary that she produced called Pushing the Elephant (click to watch the trailer). It was about a lady named Rose Mapendo from Tutsi, Congo who was separated from one of her 10 children during a violent war. Her daughter was 5 years old when she had to leave Congo and relocate to Arizona, thinking that her daughter was dead. Almost a decade later, Rose and her daughter reunited to start a better life. If you look at the title, you would think that it's a documentary from a discovery channel about elephants but it's as simple as unity. You can't push an elephant alone but if you unite no matter what the circumstances, the elephant will move! This wasn't just a story, it was a intimate recount because Katy and her crew had to relive Congo refugees struggle, pain and emotions with them.

Stories have been told for decades in many ways but what matters is that what you are saying matters to your subject. While watching the video, it created an emotion of caring and sympathy, which is a sign of connecting with your subject. You always want a response from your subject.

Besides connecting with your subject and the positives about collaborative film making, there are some steps that I learned in producing great stories.

Below are some factors that we should consider in story telling.
Pre pitch Stage
-How do you want to represent the reality of the story that you are trying to tell.
- Cliche story telling isn't bad but try to use them as rules???
-What is the best approach to your subject?
- What is your subjects interest?

Ask Yourself
- What is the story I am seeing before me?
- Am I asking myself the hard questions and not the complex questions?
- What is my philosophy about the world and how it works?
- How does my philosophy tie into the story that I am trying to tell now?


My Trip to MTM with Sora


Sora on the train to Tenleytown Metro

The blue bus shuttle that Sora did not wait patiently for but I did!:)


Me, in the wrong registration line after riding pass the correct AU campus!


Cool Moe Sora...

Sora is getting his name written on a sticker since he didn't follow Hanff's directions for registration!


Katy Chevigny was the Key Note Speaker for the night.


Yes, I was a little bored so I started a photo shoot during the presentation.

Usually people get two thumbs up but it's cool!
Sora, paying attention...



I was utilizing a great feature in my HTC Evo smart phone and snapped the one and only, Professor Hanff!

I'm leaving now because it's getting late and I have to do this all over again tomorrow...thanks for the opportunity!




Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Lady with the corns and a Fool

O  nce upon a time, there was a selfish woman with deadly corns on her feet, they called her Bunions. There was her best friend who they called Sealy, she would always

share and give you her last. There was also a generous man named Beckham. Beckham used

to do a lot for Sealy, even Bunions and her friends; although they didn’t really need help.

Bunions had a good paying job working with her mom and always had an automobile. Her

best friend was not as fortunate as she had a job working for Bunions mom that paid too

little. Bunions mom paid Sealy $3 per hour and paid her daughter $8. One time Sealy had

a granola bar. She saved this granola bar all day because it would be her dinner. When it

was her dinner time, she opened the granola bar and in walked Bunions. Can I have half;

you can have some of my dinner when I cook. Sealy shared her half. When it was Bunions

dinner time, she did not tell Sealy and by the time she had realized that dinner should’ve

been served, it was all gone. That’s why they call Bunions selfish.

Another day, generous man saw how Sealy traveled to and from work in flip flops during the winter. By luck, Sealy walked down Beckham’s street. “Hey” Beckham shouted, “come on over here.”  Yes sir, Sealy replied nervously. “Now I see how you struggle up and down that hill every day, I’m going to take you to buy an automobile tomorrow.” Sealy was so excited. She ran all the way home. “Why are you glowing so much” asked Bunions as she made ouch faces while walking to sit in her chair. “No, what’s wrong with you?” replied Sealy. Sealy was puzzled because Bunions corns never hurt her before. “My automobile went dead on me. I had to walk 2 miles home.” Sealy began to snicker. “Well” Sealy said cautiously, “Beckham is taking me to buy an automobile tomorrow morning, you should come along—I’m sure he will buy you one too.”
The next morning, Bunions woke up and did not bother to wake Sealy; she just happened to wake up on her own. “Is Beckham outside?” Sealy asked as she peaked through the only bathroom door that was being occupied by the selfish woman with the corns. “Yep” Bunions answered as she shut the water off to exit the shower. “Ok, wait for me, I’m going to jump in and out and I will be down in a minute.”

While Sealy rushed in the shower, Bunions quickly threw her clothes on and left. All within 5 minutes of a shower and getting dressed, Beckham and Bunions were gone. Bunions came home with a pretty white Cadillac. That night, Sealy’s feet were hurting, when she looked down; she saw 2 big red corns breaking through the skin of her big toe. The next day, Sealy started off down the hill again to go to work, this time she was limping. Bunions drove right past her in her new, pretty white Cadillac.

Story of Choice: The tiger, the Brahman, and the jackal

This story was about a tiger that got himself caught in a trap. A Brahman walked by and saw the trapped tiger. He freed the tiger on the condition that the tiger wouldn’t eat him. Of course, the tiger swore that he wouldn’t eat the Brahman in order to be freed. When the tiger is freed, he wants to eat the Brahman and he pleads for his life. In order to save his life, he asks a tree, a buffalo, the road, and the jackal what they thought of the tiger’s decision to eat him. All except for the jackal replied that the Brahman was a fool while giving their own accounts of how they are treated. The jackal played as if he couldn’t interpret the Brahmans’ story, all the way back to the spot where the Brahman first freed the tiger. When the tiger saw how dumb the jackal was, he became immensely bent on getting the jackal to understand the story. The jackal got the tiger to act out the scenes, thus, leading back into the cage and locking back in there.

The story of the tiger, the Brahman, and the jackal is an Indian fairy tale that’s just an example of things that happen in everyday life; no good deed goes unpunished! The Brahman does a good deed by helping the tiger escape and then he is punished because the tiger who swore that he wouldn’t eat the Brahman now wants to eat the Brahman. He is then saved by a jackal that plays the hero until he decides to keep matters as they were. This story has become worldwide in various forms. In some cases, the animal trapped is a wolf, or a crocodile. I couldn’t find the time period of this story but it seems to be pretty ancient.

Three themes that I could apply to this story are:

1.     No good deed goes unpunished- again because the Brahman wanted to save the tiger who wanted to eat him. He was then saved and eaten by the jackal that tricked him. In the Lady with the Corn and the Fool, Sealy did a good deed by offering information that could’ve gained her a new car but Bunions stepped on her toes by leaving her so that she would be sure to get an automobile.
2.    If it looks like a pretty stupid idea, then it usually is! - A tiger who is a savage beast wants the Brahman to let him out. The holy man has no idea how he got there. His first thought was that the tiger would try to eat him but he lets him out anyway. Now he is surprised that his first thought is coming true. Of course, someone greedier and cleverer intervenes and enjoys the taste of the Brahman who played the fool. In my story, Bunions already showed Sealy how selfish she was when she ate half of her granola bar, knowing that she had no intentions on sharing dinner with Sealy. Sealy ‘cautiously’ told Bunions about Beckhams’ plan for her because she already experienced Bunions selfishness and Bunions did it again. Sealy played the fool because she knew the outcome.  When we get those butterfly feelings in life, it’s usually our bodies telling us to really thing about our decisions because it might not be the right thing to do!

Good Deeds


It was a hot and smoggy summer morning. The rooster’s crow was all wrong while the beaming sun reflected a fiery red smear on the walls of the master bedroom. The south must have known that it would be hell in 1527 -- the rooster crowed at 3:00am that morning. The fluttering of the ambulance and police lights gave a glow to the sun’s reflection that now drizzled onto the blood stained carpet. “10-4, come in” the officer said. “Ahh yes, we have a homicide here at 1527 Deed Sweet Lane—send the coroner team.” This was Augusta’s most gruesome crime yet. “It wasn’t enough that your daddy gone, you had to take my daddy and my momma too—you bitch” shouted 18 year old Bria Jenkins. As Bria continued to shout, the officers hauled 17 year old Alexis Jenkins off to a squad car and charged her with the murder of Uncle Brando and Aunt Karen Jenkins. “Boom, boom, boom,” Asa banged on the window of the squad car as it began to pull off and shouted “I’m going to get you out of this sis, you hear me, I got you.” As the speed of the squad car gained momentum, Alexis’ eyes began to swell with waterfalls of pain, frustration, and confusion about how her life went wrong. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back to reminisce about her more deep-rooted times.


“Daddy, I’m goanna look like someone’s grandma with this skirt on,” Lexi, you’re not going to look no older than your peers, you are wearing that skirt—it’s not a fashion show. Plus, the school rules are for you to wear skirts that are knee length but if you don’t like it then wear pants Julian exclaimed. “Fine, whatever,” Lexi answered in her winey voice “kiss Ari for me.” Hey Missy, you know you have to give me my kiss before you leave out this house. Julian kissed Lexi before she went anywhere; he wished he could have kissed his wife one last time. Lexi kissed her father; he tickled her a little to win back his cool points and sent her off to school. “I love you daddy,” Lexi shouted, I love you too and tell your brother to bring his basketball home so we can work on his weak dribble! (Singing) “God is a good God, he’s a great God he can do anything…ring, ring,” the phone ranged, interrupting Julian’s morning praise song. He answered, Jenkins residence. “Hey Julian its Karen, sorry to bother you so early in the morning and all that you are enduring but I just wanted to let you know that Brando isn’t doing so well. They’ve finally diagnosed him with PSC.” Wait, wait, wait a minute, Julian replied, what is PSC? “It’s a liver disease with no cure and at this point, the doctor said that the only way he would have a chance to make it is if he had a live donor.” Hmmm, well I’ve donated blood to Brando before, I’m sure that donating part of my liver wouldn’t be a problem, plus I was just reading some brochures that can help me understand the whole donor thing, I read that liver transplants are pretty safe. I wish Ari was at the top of her donor’s list but I know that God has a plan. “Ju” Karen calls out, “I know that you are pretty optimistic when it comes to these sicknesses but do you really want to do this? I mean, you have kids.” Karen, Brando and I grew up in the same house together; we are more like brothers than cousins. I would do anything to save his life and I would hope that he would do the same. You can’t call me and tell me that my brother is about to die and think that I’m going to sit and twirl my thumbs. Is it possible to have the transplant done here in Atlanta because I have Ari and all? I won’t be able to come to Augusta. “Let me get back to you on that. I will call you back this evening but I’m almost sure that it’s possible but I will give Brando the news; he’ll be ecstatic to hear this. Thanks Ju and I will talk to you later.”

Boom—the door slams. Dad, I’m home Asa shouted while chewing his gum erratically. “What’s up dude, stop bouncing that ball in the house and why are you chewing that gum like that… I see Lexi gave you the message.” Yes, but too bad it’s pouring down raining. Hey dad, how was Ari doing today, I want to go and see her tomorrow. “Uuummm, she was doing ok, just a little more fatigued than usual, starting to lose the hair in the back. We can go see her in the morning though. I have something that I need to talk to you and Lexi about.” Ah man, I don’t like the way that sounds. It’s nothing wrong is it because the last time you said that, you chopped up our hermit crab in the garbage disposer and the time before that, mom died.“No man,” Julian chuckled, it’s nothing like that but here is Lexi coming through the back door now so you won’t have anxiety trying to figure out what it is.”

Evening

 “Hey dad, they told me that I looked like Jackie Kennedy today, thanks!” Lexi said sarcastically. Ha, ha, ha—Asa and Julian laughed uncontrollably at the Jackie Kennedy joke. “Ewww dude, you’re slobbering” Julian shouted. I can’t help it; I couldn’t catch my breath because she really does look like a crispy fried Jackie Kennedy. “You kids are retarded. Sit down Lexi, I have to talk to you two about something.” Stoned face Lexi gingerly eased down in her seat. I’m scared, what is it dad? “Uncle Brando isn’t doing too well; he has an incurable liver disease.” The room fell silent as Lexi and Asa’s face filled with grief. So is he about to go, Lexi asked. “This is the thing; you know how your sister is on a donors list? Well, the only way to try to save Uncle Brando now is if a living person donates a portion of their liver. I’m going to be the person donating a piece of my liver.”  So your just goanna give a piece of your liver away, just like that, as if it was candy. What if something happens to you Asa angrily shouted---what’s going to happen with Ari and us? “Asa, you want your sister to live, right? Someone has to give away their kidney just like that for it to happen---Sighs--look; I wouldn’t put my life in jeopardy if it wasn’t safe. I need you and you need me. Brando needs a piece of me too and I just talked to Karen and she just confirmed that the transplant could be done here--I won’t be going anywhere. I read that this is completely safe and if you’re thinking about me dying, then STOP IT” he shouted. “Death of living donors is rare –about 5 to1%, you have to have faith.”

Visit with Arielle

Where’s my little mermaid, I can’t see yooouuu. “I’m right here,” answered Ari with such blissfulness. I have a surprise for you, are you ready? “Oh daddy, I know what it is, it’s Lexi and Asa isn’t it?” Yes and that’s not fair, how did you know that? “Lexi called me yesterday and told me…sorry.” Hey snagatooth, Asa joked. Hey limp limp, you still got that weak dribble. “Oh, you joanin huh.” Lexi leaned in towards Ari’s hospital bed to hug her younger sister who she hadn’t seen for two weeks. Lexi began to talk to Ari about how she felt as they high fived each other and played slide. Asa, Lexi, and Julian entertained Ari until the Atlanta Medical Center that reeked of doo-doo gave them the boot.

Surgery day
I’m going to go upstairs to see Ari while dad and Uncle Brando is in surgery, do you wanna to come? “Nah” Asa answered in a salty tone. “I’ll go with you” Bria interrupted. Ok, come on. Wait, let me tell Aunt Karen where we’re going---Aunt Karen, we are going upstairs to see Ari; we’ll be back in about twenty minutes.  Lexi and Bria went upstairs to visit Ari. When they returned an hour later, the surgery was successful and the two cousins were in the recovery room. So how long will my father have to stay here? “Oh Asa, it won’t be long, about a week at the most—I will take care of you guys until he recovers, don’t worry.” Aunt Karen hugged Asa (mmmmm) and kissed him on the forehead and said “your dad is a real hero!”

Days later

Help, help please--get the doctor Lexi dreadfully called out. Aunt Karen’s son Chase went to find Julian’s nurse immediately. Lexi desperately pushed the nurses’ button repeatedly until a bunch of doctors rushed in. I don’t know what’s wrong Lexi cried. Nurses and doctors were scrambling and running around everywhere. Julian laid motionless while Lexi and Chase watched in agony. Asa had no idea what was happening to his dad, he was upstairs visiting his 9 year old sister whose leukemia seemed to have gotten worse. Julian had went into cardiac arrest and by the time Asa arrived back downstairs to his father’s new home—the ICU, he was in a comma. Meanwhile, Uncle Brando was recovering just fine. His jaundice cleared up and he felt the difference in his health. No one bothered to tell him about cousin Ju’s condition because they didn’t want to worry him.

The next day

Man, this is bullshit Asa shouted, turning the heads of patients in the lobby of the hospital as the doctor turned and walked away with his life. I knew he shouldn’t have done it--5 out of 1% my ass. “Asa,” cried Lexi, “you are scaring me, and I’ve never heard you talk like that.” Asa dropped to his knees and began to sob lifelessly. Lexi dropped to her knees with him and they broke down together. “Whose goanna take care of us now, how are we goanna tell Ari” they cried. Bria and Chase were watching and sobbing as they watched the misfortune of their cousin’s life unfold. Aunt Karen bends down to pick them up. Chase grabbed Lexi just as Aunt Karen grabbed Asa and held him tight and just rocked him.

7 o’clock that evening

Ari, how are you doing sweetie? “Hi Aunt Karen, I’m tired. I wish my hair would grow back.” Oh it will sweetie, don’t you worry your pretty little face. Aunt Karen could barely feel her legs, and her heart felt like it was going to lunge out of her throat. Ari, Aunt Karen whispered, I have something to tell you. God called your daddy and he is in heaven now. “He is in heaven now? …ok…Wait; if he’s in heaven, then he’s not here right. He’s with mommy. But that means nobody is here with us.” No baby, I am here with you.  I am here, Uncle Brando, Chase, Asa, Lexi, and Bria. We are all here with you. “But I want my own daddy” cried Ari. “Why did God have to take my mommy AND my daddy?” Ari stressed. “That’s not fair!”  

2 Months later

Ma, I’m not having sex, Bria cried. “I don’t know and at this point I don’t care, I made you an appointment for a blood test and a pap smear so while you’re getting tampered with, we are going to see Ari so come up there when you are done and I want to see paperwork” Karen demanded. “And you are 18 now so if you and your healthy body don’t wanna abide by me and your dads rules than you know what to do!”

Lexi and Asa hastily walked down the hallway to see their sister who had now gone completely bald. Uuuhhmm, where is Ari? She was just in this room on Sunday, Lexi asked confusingly. “Let me check with the nurses at the desk---excuse me, I’m looking for Arielle Jenkins who was in room F-66.” Oh, and you are “Karen” she expressed politely. Ok, I called your house last night. Arielle didn’t do so well last night. Her vitals are low and she was vomiting blood on more than one occasion. She is in need for a donor now. We moved her to the Intensive Care Unit on the third floor, 5th wing. Only two of you can go in, the nurse explained. “Ok, excuse me, what happened when you called me. I mean, you have all the numbers in the world and you didn’t even leave a message---I just don’t understand” Ok, maam, interrupted nurse Oswald, I spoke to someone in your home. They said that Karen Jenkins or Brando Jenkins weren’t home. “Well, who did you speak with; I mean did they give you a name?” Karen argued as she began to move her hands to explain her point. Maam, I spoke Bri, Brianna. “Bria” Karen rudely interrupted, “you spoke to my stupid, inconsiderate daughter Bria— thanks maam.”

Cell conversation with Brando

Before going to the ICU, Karen called her husband Brando to update him on his niece Ari. “Baby, they moved Ari to the ICU. She is not doing so well. They called last night to tell us that she had been throwing up blood and something about her vitals but your daughter Bria never gave us the message. I think that you should come here. They only let 2 people visit in the ICU a day so I’m going to wait for you.” Ok, I’m on my way, man oh man!

Yah stay down here and wait for Bria, I’m going to the ICU and Brando is coming because she can only have 2 visitors a day. “Hold up, if anybody should be going in there it’s us, she don’t have nobody but us” Asa bickered. Believe me, I know and I’m not trying to take that away from you. She isn’t doing too well and we need to see how we can help so we need to talk to the doctors. I promise that we will bring you here tomorrow. Asa and Lexi smack their teeth and began to raise their eyebrows as if they were about to brawl. “Yeah, whatever, I wanna know what the doctors say” Asa demanded.  Ok, I’m just trying to look out for your best interest. When Bria comes, yah come to the waiting area on the third floor, 5th wing. Karen headed to the ICU.

Man, this is bullshit Asa expressed. “Well I heard Aunt Karen talkin’ to that nurse and Ari was throwing up blood and she needs a donor. They called and Bria didn’t tell Aunt Karen or Uncle Brando, she didn’t even tell us. All she care about is herself. I can’t stand that winch. I’m so mad that we even have to be in this situation.” Who you tellin?’ Asa began to shake his head in doubt, “I told dad not to do it.”


At the ICU

Lexi, Asa and Bria walked up to the ICU. Karen and Brando were done with their visit and now speaking with a doctor in the waiting area. Rude Bria walked up to her mother while the doctor was explaining Ari’s condition and said sarcastically, “here momma, here’s my paperwork and no, I don’t have Aids.” Brando turned and gave her the eye that sent her switching to a seat in the waiting area. Karen glanced at the document while the doctor babbled, since she saw something about Bria being sexually active. “So she is still at the top of the donors list but the chances are pretty slim for o-negative blood types” the doctor explained. I’m goanna kick Bria’s ass, she is sexually active, Karen thought as the doctor continued on. “I don’t see her living past 3 more days.” Oh my goodness, Brando exclaimed wearily. “Wait, they have to be o-negative right?” Yes maam answered the doctor. “My daughter who is sitting over there, she is o-negative. Can she do this?” Yes, if she allows us to do a physical, an EKG and a couple of x-rays then yes, that’s great.” Ok, when we can schedule this, Karen asked. “Actually, we want to step on it because as I said, she doesn’t have very long. We can do a physical examination now and I will schedule the x-ray room for within the next hour.” After the doctors finished running their tests on Bria to prepare her for the kidney transplant, they scheduled the transplant surgery for 6am the next morning,

Surgery day

Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins. “Hi how are you?” Brando asked. I’m great! My name is Doctor Glass, I and my team will be handling your niece and daughters surgery this morning. I just have some last minute requirements before we start the process. We have some paperwork that needs to be signed. The doctors began to prep Bria and her cousin Ari for a 3 hour kidney transplant procedure. As they began to wheel Bria to the operating room, she had flashbacks of her Uncle Julian’s death. “Wait, I don’t wanna do this.” Her father stood to the right of her bedside and her mother to the left. What do you mean you don’t want to it, her father asked irritably? “I mean I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to die like Uncle Ju, sheewww.” You are not going to die. Look, we are all she has. Her father saved my life, Brando cried. You are doing it. “No I am not,” Bria cried. She began to lift up. Doctor Glass heard the commotion and came out the blue double doors of the operating room and said “we will put you to sleep and you won’t feel a thing.” It’s not about not feeling it, it’s about the risk of dying and I’m not doing it. “Well your parents signed the paper” the doctor explained. They can’t sign any papers for me, I’m 18 years old. I don’t have to do this. The doctor looked at Karen and Brando and told them “she is right; you shouldn’t have signed the papers anyway.’

Later on that night, the atmosphere was extremely tense at 1527 Deed Sweet Lane. Chase had been out of town for two weeks and had no idea what was going on at home. Brando wasn’t talking to Bria or his wife. Asa and Lexi were stunned that Bria was so inconsiderate after their father died for saving her father’s life. Bria lounged in her bedroom with her music blasting out of her headphones with not a care in the world. There was no dinner that night. The phone call came in that little Ari was now with her mommy and daddy that once left her. At around 4am, 1527 turned into a massacre by Alexis Jenkins who left herself to go and stab Bria through her neck with the sharp metal stick from the fireplace. That wasn’t enough, she tiptoed to the master bedroom of Karen and Brando Jenkins and stabbed her uncle’s liver 9 times. Aunt Karen heard her husband groaning and saw the demon that governed Lexi’s body. She dialed 911 and that was it. Before Karen could say help, Lexi lunged towards her, stabbing Karen in the forehead.

No good deed goes unpunished!