BILLBOARD #lolcats

Want to know where I got the information from my last post at? That's right, Billboard.com. It's one of my favorite webistes on the web. I love music so I can go there and see which one of my favorite songs is charting, along with keep up with concerts, and watch neat music videos. One of their newest charts, is the social 50. It show's an artist's popularity based on their weekly addtions of friends/fans/followers along with artist page views and weekly song plays. The past few weeks it's been a toss up between Justin Bieber and Rihanna fighting for the top spot; however, right  now Justin Bieber reigns as queen (sorry beliebers) of the charts and Rihanna stays at number 2.

Another website I enjoy is LOLCATS.com I first started reading it as a joke, but some of the posts are surprisingly borderline funny. Every once and a while you'll find a good one like the one above. Plus hey, who doesn't like cats? LOL(cats).

What's their names?

Think you know who Audrey Graham, Onika Maraj, Kesha Sebert or Robyn Fenty is? Probably not. Those are the names of Drake, Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha and Rihanna. I found this pretty interesting. It makes me wonder why stars change their names in the first place. But i guess I could never imagine Rihanna going as Robyn or Cameron Jibril Thomaz (Wiz Khalifa) on an album. In the world of music, I guess a catchy name is as important as a catchy tune. Check out the link. http://www.billboard.com/#/features/125-pop-stars-real-names-1004078432.story

PS. Aubrey took a note from Robyn's rule book, seeing as Rihanna and Drake are the two megastars middle names. So I guess they didn't have a crazy name transformation like Onika's.

Not Minny Mouse.

Finally, some crazy chapters! The last two chapters have been centered around Minny working for Miss Celia. Gladly, there weren't any of those secondary plots that I hate in these chapters. It seems like just about every chapter with Minny has been full of suspense, she's not my favorite characters but her chapters are probably my favorites.

Minny continues to work for Miss Celia in peace with Mr. Johnny knowing about her, and Miss Celia being clueless. They continue their cooking lessons and Minny continues cleaning, but Miss Celia is getting on Minny's last nerve! One day, a package full of bottles comes adressed to Miss Celia, Miss Celia won't let Minny open it or look at it, and she takes it upstairs to one of the empty rooms. While Minny's cleaning, she peaks in the room and finds Miss Celia drinking the inevitable--liquor. When Miss Celia's gone Minny finds about 12 empty bottles and 12 of them still full. She comes to the conclusion that Miss Celia's a drunk, and that's what's wrong with her but she doesn't want to get in Miss Celia's business.

One afternoon, Minny's cooking away when Miss Celia decides to call her a friend. This irks Minny because she doesn't even want to be associated with white people. It makes Minny so hot that she brings up the bottles, and how she should tell Mr. Johnny. Miss Celia gets so upset that she fires Minny on the spot. Later when Minny's talking to Aibileen about it, Aibileen convices to tell Minny to try to get her job back. When Minny showed up to work on Monday, Miss Celia acted like nothing had happend, but she was acting very sick. Minny later walks into Miss Celia's room and finds Miss Celia in the bathroom with blood everywhere, and premature baby in the toilet. Miss Celia cries to minny that this is the fourth baby and that she couldn't tell Mr. Johnny because she didn't want him to think he couldn't do anything. Apparently, Miss Celia and Mr. Johnny got married because Miss Celia was pregnant but she had a miscarriage. She later tells Minny that the bottles she found were indian medicines that the doctor had given her, and that she hired many because she thought if she moved little and sat around the baby would be born. As Minny goes to call the doctor, Miss Celia goes out of consciousness. For a while I thought she was dead but the doctor showed up and she came back into consciousness. Minny told Miss Celia that Mr. Johnny knew about her but promised not to tell Mr. Johnny about the baby.

This was truly one of the saddest chapters in the book so far. I actually feel like i'm connected to the characters. When I though Miss Celia might die, I couldn't stop reading and hoped for the best. She's truly one of the nicest characters in the book. She sees Minny as her best friend and doesn't care about her color. Another important thing I found out in this chapter was that Minny actually likes telling her story to Miss Skeeter, but not for her, for her kids. She wants her kids to grow up and not be blamed for stealing silver because she's black.

LOST?

 The past two chapters have been through Aibileen's viewpoint. Aibileen's been busy with huge Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Also, Miss Leefolt's annoying mother came into town, though she didn't do much, she just pretty much got in the way. The awkward Miss Leefolt has a boyfriend so she hasn't been too focused on the book lately and her and Aibileen are still vouching for more maids to sign on.

Also During this chapter, A man named Medgar Everers (a Real life person http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medgar_Evers) who was the Field Secretary for the NAACP was shot infront of his home infront of his family by the KKK. This causes a great uproar in all the south between colored people. While Aibileen is at church during a prayer meeting for the incident, a young man gets up and yells at the deacon, saying he needs to take a stand, then he stormed out of the meeting.

Does this mean that he's going to kill people? I hope not. As much as I like this book, all these other little random side plots are starting to get annoying. I hope the book won't turn into LOST where most of the questions are unanswered. (Yes, I'm still mad about the finale). Anyways, the next chapter is titled Minny so hopefully i'll find out more about why Miss Celia won't tell her husband about Minny. I'll tell you when I find out!

Must Keep Blogging....

I've been slacking off in my blogging and I have to keep it up! Anyways, the last few chapters have been interesting! I'm starting the doubt a happy ending to this book, Too many hectic things have happend!

The last few chapters have focused on Aibileen and Miss Skeeter. Not much had happend besides Aibileen and Miss Skeeter working on the book until Miss Skeeter left her satchel at Hilly's house. Miss Skeeter rushed back over to Hilly's house but she thinks it is too late. Miss Skeeter had the story with all the interviews in her satchel along with notes about how bad Hilly was. Once Miss Skeeter arrived she knew it was too late but hillay said little of the book. Later Aibileen heard Hillay talking to Miss Leefolt about Miss Skeeter working with black people and that they we're going to report her.

As of right now, no one know's for sure if Hilly knows, but it seems pretty obvious. Regardless, Aibileen has continued to work on the book but Minny has quit. Hopefully they'll find out if it's true or not. I just want them to write the book and change all of Jackson, but the way things are going now Aibileen, Minny, and Miss Skeeter might all be in trouble soon.

Skets, Mins, Aibs.

Well, I haven't posted in a while but i've still been reading! The past three chapters have been slow but pretty interesting! There's just not that ending climax of Minny possibly getting shot, or Mae Mobley using Aibileen's bathroom or Miss Skeeter getting caught writing the book with Aibileen. However, the storyline runs on and on.
The past three chapters have focused mainly on Miss Skeeter. She finally starts to write her book and at first, Aibileen can't handle it and gives up but she later gives in. Instead of being questioned, Aibileen does it her own way. She writes down everything she'd like to say and Miss Skeeter types it. Come to find out, Aibileen is a very good writer who loves to read books; infact, she writes he prayers down instead of says them. Aibileen and Miss Skeeter have about 27 pages worth of stories when Miss Skeeter sends it off to New York. Shockingly, the editor liked it and wants to hear more but she needs about a dozen maids, and Aiblileen had already asked 37 maids and they came back with a big fat NO. However, later Minny gave in and decided to tell her story on a few conditions, Miss Skeeter had to sit on the opposite side of the room while doing the interview. Minny still isn't too easy with a white person being around.
I won't know what happens with Minny's interview until the next chapter but i'm excited. The chapters haven't been leaving big cliff hangers like the last ones but considering the last three chapters have all ben focused on Miss Skeeter I probably shouldn't expect them too. Anyways, I don't want to go to school tomorrow!!!!!!!! That is all.

Must Stop Reading........

I can not stop reading this book! I actuallly enjoy reading. I usually use the excuse that I don't have enough time to read and that's why I don't but now that I have an incentive to do it I cant stop! Okay, now on to the book. I'm on chapter 11 now, I told you I couldn't stop reading. Because I have 5 chapter's to cover i'm just going to give a little recap of what's happend.

After much  begging and pleading, Miss Skeeter convinces Aibileen to be in her book about working as a maid for a white family as long her name is kept confidental. Aibleen then tries to convice Minny to be in be the book also but Minny isn't buldging. In the last chapter that focused on Minny, the chapter concluded with Minny hiding in Miss Celia's bathroom hiding from Mister Johnny but it turned out to be the maintenance man. However, Minny finally does meet Mr. Johnny and he turns out to be a nice man. He's just as confused as Minny as to why Miss Celia doesn't want Mister Johnny to know about her.

Alot has happend the last 5 chapters but those are the most important thing! The next chapter has the heading "Miss Skeeter" so I wonder if they'll finally start writing the book This is going to be interesting!

Ms. New Booty

Whore Guidos.

I broke my cycle of blogging every chapter but the last five chapters have been AHH-mazing! Chapter 3 opened with Minny, who was recently unemployed,  searching for a new job. She finally finds one with a nice young woman (the woman Aibileen tried to set her up with) , good pay, and small hours but as with many things, it comes with a catch. You see, Minny was hired by a woman named Miss Celia who most of the ladies in town hate, because she married Hilly’s ex fiance or something. Miss Celia lives in her big ol’ mansion all by herself with her husband coming home only at night. Her house is a wreck, clothes everywhere, food everywhere, and dust EVERYWHERE. Miss Celia hires Minny without her husband knowing; at first Minny’s not okay with that but she needs all the money she can get so she takes to job anyway, on a promise that Miss Celia will tell her husband about Minny before christmas. Things are going fine until one day, Mr. Johnny (Miss Celia’s Husband) come’s home with Minny still there. Minny rushes into Miss Celia’s room, both of them in shock, chapter four closes with Minny hiding in the guest bathroom, crouched like a fool on top of a white lady’s toilet. Look at me. Look what it’s come to or Minny Jackson to make a damn living...(chapter four concludes).

Chapter five opens with Miss Skeeter. A tall, quirky woman who first made an appearance in chapter one asking Aibileen if she ever wanted to change things. This chapter dives right into the personal life of Miss Skeeter, formally known as Eugenia Phlean. Miss Skeeter grew up in Jackson under the care of Constantine, her maid. When Miss Skeeter goes off to college and returns, she comes home to no Constantine. Her mother claims Constantine quit and moved to chicago with her family. Miss Skeeter is distraught and can’t believe Constantine would jus take off and not say goodbye. Meanwhile, Miss Skeeter (an asprining journalist) receives a letter from a newspaper firm in New York, saying that although they do not hire journalists w/o five years of experience if she would get a job at her local newspaper firm and write them a letter of her dislikes about anything they would consider giving her a job. Miss Skeeter then finds a job writing in her local cleaning column; however, with her not knowing a thing about cleaning, she asks for Aiblileen’s help. At first, Aibileen is reluctant to help her but soon gives in. Knowing that Aibilieen knew Constantine very well, everyday Miss Skeeter will ask something about her. It is here where Miss Skeeter finds out the truth about Constantine. Constantine did not run away like Miss Skeeter’s mother had said so, instead she was fired. Although Constantine looked fully Black, her father was white and her mother was black and when Constantine had a daughter, she looked Yellow. One day Constantine’s daughter came to visit and on Miss Skeeter’s mother viewing of her, she later fired Constantine... but this is all we know so far. Upon Miss Skeeter’s return home, she receives a letter in the mail from the newspaper firm in New York saying her letter was too dull and wishing she would get deeper into things she disliked. Later in her room crying, she receives a knock on her door from her new maid. Then it hits her, she will write about black people working for white people, an idea Aibileen had given her when she told of her now dead son doing the same thing. What will happen to Miss Skeeter? Only pages will tell. 

In other news, Jersey Shore is on tonight. I’ve stopped reading so I can quickly write this blog in order to tune in. Is it sad that i’ve scarified valuable reading time for whore guidos? Maybe, but I don’t care. 

I found this interesting. Translation: I find myself interesting.

What's new in Jackson?

Chapter two opens with Aibileen mourning her long trek to work everday. Fortunatly, she only has to take one bus ride from the white neighborhood to the black neighborhood, unlike other maids. The bus is full of other maids all getting off work. There, Aibileen finds her best Friend Minny, A loud mouthed, sassy woman who's 17 years her junior. The only reason Aibileen hasn't been fired yet is because her employer, Mrs. Walters, is almost deaf and can't hear a thing.

Later, the inevitable happens. Minny is fired, but not for mouthing off like most would expect. Miss Hill (Mrs. Walter's daughter and Mrs. Leefolt's good friend) spreaded rumors about her stealing from her mother; Thus, Minny get's fired and no one else will hire her.

In the meantime, tensions rise as Aiblileen is built a "suprise"--her own bathroom seperate from the house. Mr. Leefolt wasn't all that happy about spending lots more money for one bathroom but both Ms. Leefolt and Miss Hilly were ecstatic. Aibileen know's exactly what's going on, but she just keeps her cool and keeps on moving.

So far, Aibilieen has just bottled up all her feelings about everything from her son dying to racism towards her by her own Ms. Leefolt. I have a feeling that in the near future she's just going to burst and it won't be pretty. One of the things I like most about the book is the format of the book, not only is it mostly slang, but even the sentences reflect how Aibileen would tell the story if it was told orally. Example " I'm the maid, she ain't gon win no friends talking to me"-- one of my favorite quotes lol. The next chapter has the heading of Minny. I'm guessing the next few chapters will be through Minny's pointe of view; This should be interesting.

BTW, the character "Hilly" is strinkingly resemblant of @gethillay----(twitter refrences on blogger... I think yes).  #gethillay.

The Help

The storyline opens in August of 1962 with Aibileen describing the birth of Mae Mobley Leefolt just two years earlier. Aibileen is an older black maid who's raising her 17th white child. With racism thriving in the sizzling 60's Aiblileen is surrounded by racism and prejudice in the deep south of Mississippi.  Although Aiblileen has shown nothing but respect and love for the children that she's raised, she is often looked down upon by the people that employ her.

With her son recently killed, Aibileen treats her newly born "white child" as her own. However, The Leefolt's (her employers) don't necessarily like that, especially miss Leefolt. Whenever Aibileen leaves Mae  Mobley just cries and cries awaiting her true caretaker to come back. Miss Leefolt doesn't do anything about her and just lets her cry, but get's mad when Aibileen comes to help, as Aiblileen's other employers had done.

Every week Miss Leefolt throws a huge tea party with all the neighborhood ladies and they talk about just about everything they know nothing about. Just about every time they have a party one of the discussions ends up being about black people but Aibileen just holds her head high and keeps moving, just doing what she has to do to get through the day.

I originally chose this book at random but so far it's turned out to be pretty enjoyable. It reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird but told through the eyes of Calpurnia. I have a feeling that as the story progresses, Mae Mobley will turn into a Scout-like Character and i'll be able to read about her growing up. Well, atleast i hope that happens.