Brandi Ray: Aspiring Writer

New projects

2010-03-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

It's good to be back ! I've been super busy and procrastinating. Been in class (and failing algebra). Working on two specs for a contest. I'm writing my own feature film and a full length play. Applying to NYU (dramatic writing) and the New School (literary studies). I'm also trying to attend a USC film program for the summer. And planning my move to NYC!

Peanut butter twix

2010-01-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm counting the days...next week I start college. Yikes! I have to take placement tests and register, I'll probably do it tomorrow. I could've done it today, but ya know how that goes.

And I'm almost 20. :sigh:

My super awesome grandma just made my day when she bought me a chocolate cookie + peanut butter twix. I never had these, but they look good!

Hey, I love twix anyway. Isn't twix a funny word?

Twix, twix, twix. It looks weird when it's typed.

Sitting at my computer listening to Mos Def's "History". Love him and Talib Kweli. :smiles:

I'm about to watch "Just Shoot Me!" in four minutes. I love that show.

Then I should proceed to do my essays and schedule for my classes. See ya later.

True words

2010-01-03T03:08:00.000-08:00

It's 2010... almost

2009-12-31T14:54:00.000-08:00

I can't believe 2009 will end in just a few hours. It feels like the year has gone by so fast...not that I'm complaining lol.

I'm so happy for the new year, basically because I know all the things that are in store for me are finally gonna happen.

I've had my ups and downs and grown so much this year, it's amazing to me.

I'm starting college in two weeks after a gap year.

I'm finally moving to New York after a year and a half of troubles. I'm studying at Parsons for the summer and transferring to The New School (hopefully).

I'm writing and hopefully will be able to doing some acting and directing.

Anything's possible at this point!!!

So I say to all my fellow bloggers, do whatever you want and keep chasing your dreams.

Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness

2009-12-09T02:27:00.000-08:00

Directed by Josh Hartnett, featuring appearances by Drake and more. Check it out.

Birthdays

2009-12-05T13:53:00.000-08:00

I went birthday shopping for my niece today.

She's turning 8 on the 11th.

I felt like a proud parent :).

I bought a journal and a card.

She's in Los Angeles, I'm in Detroit.

I can't wait to visit :D

This Makes Me lmao Really Hard

2009-12-04T18:46:00.001-08:00

Va$h and Cudi are freaking hilarious!

Lupe is the best

2009-12-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

Someone on the okayplayer board requested that Lupe Fiasco battle Jay Electronica. I'm a fan of both.

Lupe responded:

"Coexist,
the devils in the dealer, the poltergeist is in the poker chips,
Game changer, I practice Iron Swan Song, Tiger Palm & Cobra Fist,
Go by many slang name's and sobriquets,
Asking me how many lines is in my mind
is like asking how many fish can the ocean fit,
I set out to do the impossible like an open fist,
Achieve the unbelievable like throwing Open Pit,
The last line refers to flying saucers,
A rhyming Chaucer who came from District 9 but now he's flying over it,
Battle Jay Elect? Who has the foolhardy audacity to utter this?
I look at him like a high minded brother from another and when we finally encounter with dual flows overdosed on over-the-counter's its gone be like Mulder meets the Mothership, Friend Of The People, Fuck the government..."

Fuck wit him!!

Also...didn't go shopping today. Woke up late. Bleh.

Throwback: 2Pac and Jodeci

2009-12-03T23:58:00.000-08:00

I think this was my introduction to both 2Pac and Jodeci. I forgot they shot three different versions, because I had only remembered two (the concert and the party with thousands of naked women). I shouldn't have known about this song as I was only 6 or 7, but I loved it.

2 Pac f. Jodeci - How Do U Want It

Drool worthy: Drake

2009-12-03T20:52:00.001-08:00

God, I love this man. He's on the relaunch of Vibe mag (I knew they wouldn't close that).

I remember him as Jimmy Brooks. Yes I've been down that long.

Thank Me Later drops Feb 2010. Early birthday present for me.

X-Mas/B-Day wishlist

2009-12-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

Fashion/photography books

Jay-Z BP3 Tour tickets (March 14, a week after my bday)

Kid Cudi/Lady Gaga tickets (Jan 11 or Jan 12) "The Monster Ball's Tour"

Flip Video Camera

Nikon Fm10 35mm

iPod Touch

Wireless Apple mouse

Apple iPhone

Amazon Kindle

See I'm simple, right?

I'm trying to go to sleep early like last nite (my sleeping schedule was out of wack after being sick). I'm gonna get some shopping in tomorrow and maybe catch a movie - either "Everybody's Fine" or "Brothers", whichever one starts the earliest :)

As a Cassavetes stan and inspiring filmmaker, I'm watching "Opening Night" on Sundance with the lovely Gena Rowlands. I can't get enough of their work!

Maybe I'll stay up a little longer?

Anyway, I hope my readers have a safe night.

Peace :)

Playlist

2009-12-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking for new music.

I love indie, electronic neo-soul, hip hop, jazz, folk, and alternative.

I hate 97% of the mainstream.

Tell me, do you have any suggestions on artists you'd think I would like?

Proper Introduction

2009-12-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

Hello, I didn't properly introduce myself before, so here goes:

I was born on March 7, 1990. My legal name is Brandi Lynn Cryer. I've changed it a few times. This time I've settled on Brandi Marie Stevens. I chose Stevens after reading Chloe Sevigny's bio; it's her middle name & I adore her. I just started saying 'Brandi Stevens' and it sounded good. Sometimes I shorten it to B.D. Stevens, just to stand out. I bet you're wondering what the 'D' stands for right? That's why its creative!

My mom was gonna name me either Monica, Monique, or Brittany; I'm glad she didn't, although she could've been more creative with my name - not a made up name but something not too common. What I hate is that people can't seem to spell my name correctly; they always spell it BRANDY, even if it they're looking right at it!

And Lynn is her middle name; it's like she didn't even try!! lmao

I dislike using my legal last name, although it does stand out. I want nothing to do with the paternal side.

I was born and raised in Detroit. Feel sorry for me? So do I. I used to tell my mom that raising me in Detroit was equal to child abuse. Yeah I know, I was a drama queen. That's why I belong in movies!

I was the only child and most of the kids in my neighborhood only visited for a little bit (mostly their grandparents) and went home again. So I had to entertain myself. In comes writing poems, writing songs off the radio, singing, dancing, and pretending I was Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. There starts my creative education.

I was always reading Vogue or Rolling Stone magazine. I liked reading books, most of the time I'd finish a book in a couple of hours. I was the best reader in my elementary school, reading at an almost high school level. My grades were perfect, the teachers loved me. My mom was proud. Until...

I got to middle school. I started to hate school. It was so bad I had a panic attack on the first day. The first day! I knew I was in for trouble. The kids bullied me and the teachers didn't give a shit. My sixth grade social studies teacher even chastized me in front of the class for not attending church. I was eleven years old! She also called me out one day because I took my hair out of its ponytail. This is one reason I dislike public schools. Instead of doing her fucking job, she tells me about my hair.

I hated school so much, I don't even know how I passed. I guess I was quiet and I did do work, and my teachers thought I was doing more that I actually completed. I was just wanted to be at home writing, and playing music. I wanted to leave school early. If I had known what I know now, I probably would have. I was depressed every single day. If I became sick, I was very excited because I got to stay home. I was the only one who had guts to stick up to evil teachers and I was picked on for that.

High school just as bad. The teachers were worse than the kids. No one cared. The students are just there to fill in seats. I had problems with math, and instead of the teacher helping, he helped the kids that already knew the stuff. I failed all classes but one. I was trying to become emancipated but it was hard to find a job. I also tried to enroll in an alternative school and graduate early, but my mom wouldn't be bothered. And once again a teacher made fun of my thick, curly hair that I let roam all over my head. I guess he would've been able to teach if I had a perm or weave like the rest of the girls? (I was 15).

Movies have always been my escape, as well as writing. New York City, I've always known, was the place for me. You can be "weird", but still fit in. It doesn't matter what you look like, everyone's there for a reason. I just didn't realize it until recently that if I don't get there, I'll literally die. There's a billion opportunities in NYC, whereas in Detroit, the only options are doing hair, being a nurse, an engineer or working at McDonald's and being a teenage mom. I never knew how I would get to NYC until now.

I'm an awkward kid, always have been, always will be. I'm embracing it much more than I did before. And yes I said kid, because even though I'm almost 20, I haven't grown up yet. I'm getting a second childhood and putting adulthood off until I'm atleast 30.

I'm into art, fashion, photography, make-up and writing of course. I plan to be an actress, director, writer, photographer, and clothing designer.Maybe I'll also have a record label someday too!

I graduated from Cody High School last year and was accepted to FIT, But I couldn't go because my father promised to help me with tuition and then backed out of his promise - can't say I was surprised though. I deferred enrollment and then took a gap year. In Jan, I'm going to be studying at Henry Ford Community College and hopefully transfer to Goddard College, a progressive school in Vermont, where you take an 8 day residency each semester and then finish packets at your house and send them to your advisor. I will study creative writing. Shit. Get the hell out of here!

I'd like to go to Parsons Paris for the summer. My two favorite things = Paris and fashion for two months? Hell yeah!!!!

This is a blog where I share my thoughts and ideas and I'd hope you would do the same.

Follow me on my journey, won't you?

Grammy nominations

2009-12-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

So I didn't watch the "ceremony", but I logged onto yahoo this morning to check my email, and the article came up on the home page.

I can't say I'm surprised because the Grammys are about popularity/sales/how many times we can get so tired of a song we want to shoot ourselves and not the music itself.

Taylor Swift has eight; Maxwell, Kanye, and Black Eyed Peas with six; Lady Gaga with five; and Beyonce with 10. Ten nominations? WTF? How in hell did she get 10? Bob Dylan has 10 Grammys throughout a 50 year career. Prince has seven. And she was nominated for album of the year? Are we talking about the mess of I AM SASHA FIERCE? Really? The Academy thought Video Phone and Diva were hot? And Single Ladies is Song of the Year? They thought Single Ladies can be compared to We Are the World, "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and even "Fallin'"?

And does Maxwell only get six, four less than Beyonce and two less than Taylor? How is he compared to the Black Eyed Peas?

I won't ever understand.

Well at least my husband in head, Kid Cudi was nominated for three awards.

N.E.R.D + Rhea

2009-12-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

Okay so I'm a few months late. How the pluck did I not know about this and I love N.E.R.D to the fullest? (I almost went to the Glow in the Dark Tour, but that's another story.)

Anyway, they've added singer Rhea, who was an artist on Ryan Leslie's NextSelection; she was also one of NextSelection's bloggers. If you followed or watched her Twitter or Youtube, you know who I'm talking about. I remember "discovering" her music about four years ago. But she hadn't really blow up.

I'm really excited about this. I think its good for the guys to add a girl to mix it up a bit. They seem to have good energy (of course) and chemistry together. They opened up for Jay-Z on the BP3 Tour a few times, and I hope I get to see them when the tour comes to Detroit on March 14.

Some people have said they're trying to compete with the Black Eyed Peas. First of all, I hope not, because their music has become shittier after adding Fergie. They're just chanting and cheering; they don't even try anymore. It's like "what's one really great line we can come up with and say it 100 times? Maybe add a little hook."

Their writing is done in 2 minutes. So since N.E.R.D have always gone against the norm, let's hope they stay the same after adding Rhea. Their new album is Instant Gratification, release 2010.

Check out some of their performances.

Opening up for Jay-Z in Kentucky

Performing at Ohio State University

Interview at KUBE 93 [Part 1]

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

I love this song

2009-12-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

I've been so lazy that I haven't even looked for the video.

This is a return to the old Janet. I love it.

I'm gonna try to go to sleep early tonite. Here I go closing my eyes...

Good day

2009-12-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

As Ice Cube said it, today was a good day.

I haven't been this unbelievably happy in a long time.

I spent time with my mommy on her day off; it wasn't half bad. My grandma got us pizza. Obviously I'm a simple person, doesn't take much to make me happy :)

I finally mailed off my financial aid to Henry Ford; college in Jan.

Going shopping and to the movies on Friday, god willing if my mom gives me some money.

Going to a temp agency next week and I'll have a job in no time which = paycheck in no time. I can start saving up for my move to NYC.

P.S. if you like my blog make sure to follow and give feedback.

Random survey

2009-11-27T21:01:00.001-08:00

75 Questions You've Probably Never...

TAKE THIS SURVEY!

Take this survey

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
Face

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
Orange

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Huh?

4.Do you plan outfits?
Nope

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Sleepy

6. Whats the closest thing to you thats red?
DVD case

7. Do you say aim or a-i-m?
AIM

8. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
I was talking to Gabby Sidibe!

9. Did you meet anybody new today?
No

10. What are you craving right now?
Sleep and quiet

11. Do you floss?
Yes

12. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
Nasty!

13. When was the last time you talked on aim?
Tuesday

14. Are you emotional?
Very

15. Would you dance to the taco song?
The what?

16. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
Yeah

17. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Both

18. Do you like your hair?
Wish it was tamer

19. Do you like yourself?
Yes

20. Have you ever met a celebrity?
My brother :D

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
Yes

22. What are you listening to right now?
Seinfeld on my mom's tv/the sound of me typing

23. How many countries have you visited?
Just the u.s.

24. Are your parents strict?
Kinda

25. Would you go sky diving?
Yes

26. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
If he's paying:D

27. Would you throw potatoes at him?
LOL! no

28. Is there anything sparkly in the room you’re in?
NO

29. Have you ever been in a castle?
No

30. Do you rent movies often?
No I illegally download or turn to IFC

31. Who sits in behind you in your math class?
I don't have math class

32. Have you made a prank phone call?
Lots of times

33. Do you own a gun?
No

34. Can you count backwards from 74?
If I focus

35. Who are you going to be with tonight?
My sweet dreams

36. Brown or white eggs?
Brown!

37. Do you own something from Hot Topic?
No

38. Ever been on a train?
Yes

39. Ever been in love?
Yes

40. Do you have a cell-phone?
No

41. Are you too forgiving?
No

42. Do you use chap stick?
Yes

43. What is your best friend doing tomorrow?
Ask her

44. Can you use chop sticks?
Yes

45. Ever have cream puffs?
No

46. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
Yes, I was bored to tears!

47. What was the last question you asked?
"Can you sign this?" to my mom

48. What was the last CD you bought?
Jimi Hendrix greatest hits

49. Boys or girls?
Depends on what you're talking about:D

50. What is your bus number for school?
None

51. Is your hair curly?
Somewhat

52. Last time you cried?
Last Friday

53. Ever walked into a wall?
Lots of times

54. Do looks matter?
Somewhat

55. Have you ever bought anything from Pac Sun?
No

56. Have you ever slapped someone?
Definitely

57. Favorite time of the year?
Summer and fall

58. Favorite color?
Purple/gold/blue

59. Are you sarcastic?
I was born sarcastic

60. Do you have any tattoos?
None yet

61. The last person you held hands with?
Grandma

62. Do you sleep with the TV on?
No

63. Where was your default picture taken at?
In my room

64. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
Probably

65. Do you like your life right now?
No

66. How often do you talk on the phone?
Not much

67. What is your favorite animal?
Snake

68. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Floss

69. Do you have good vision?
Yes

70. Can you hula hoop?
Yes

71. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Maybe

72. Do you have a job?
No I'm looking

73. Can you handle the truth?
Most def.

74. What are you wearing?
Polo, sweats, slippers

75. Have you ever crawled through a window?
No

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THIS SURVEY!

MySpace Surveys

Happy Thanksgiving !!!!

2009-11-26T09:06:00.003-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you have a great day!

I'll be back to post tomorrow!

My first entry...

2009-11-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

Hello to those out in blogger-land. Allow me to introduce myself:

I'm Brandi.

I'm random; hence the name of the blog.

I will be sharing my thoughts, inspirations, ideas and more.

This blog is like no other; I am like no other person.

Have fun!!