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Anita Baker concert in Newark starts 2 hours late, a total letdown; Babyface says he was asked not to perform

2023-05-11T16:18:00.005-04:00

Hey ya'll!! It's been awhile since I've posted on here. But I need to talk about this Anita Baker concert that took place on Wednesday night.

Note to self: never attend another one of her concerts, ever.

So my mom and I attended the Anita Baker concert in Newark, New Jersey on Wednesday. I bought the tix back in January to surprise her for Mother's Day.

The concert started over two hours late, there were technical difficulties, and Babyface did not perform as he was scheduled to.

Let me break this hot mess down:

Doors opened at 6 p.m. and the concert was supposed to kick off at 7 p.m.

Everyone waited for OVER TWO hours, but not in our seats. Everyone waited in the lobby... mostly everyone was standing up! Isn't this a fire hazard? Luckily nothing crazy happened with all the crowds standing around and waiting.

Thank you🎉 Playoff Season means Delays & Cancellations 2 Arena Concerts. NHL/Awesome Hockey playoffs, took away, Live Nation's Production/Tech, load-in. BUT, we did it, ANYway. withOUT a video wall Cause, our Sold Out Concerts'r About Me & My Band & My Fans❤️ #AnitaBaker https://t.co/vFMYODOpjd
— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) May 11, 2023

Lines for food and drinks were super long. I waited for specialty drinks for about 20 minutes in line. When my mom and I finally got to the front, I overheard the guy infront of me tell the bartender: looks like ya'll need some help. The bartender said they were understaffed.

Specialty drinks had names of Anita Baker songs.
The Caught up in the Rapture drink was delicious.

Once the concert that was supposed to start at 7 p.m. finally kicked off around 9:30, then the technical difficulties followed. Anita's voice was good overall but there was screeching sounds in the mic at times and her video wall had tech issues as well.

By the time the concert finally started, my energy was already sucked dry from having to wait so long. I was highly annoyed but still trying to make the best of things since it's a Mother's Day treat for my mom.

Anita Baker apologized for the 2 hour delay and asked if Live Nation apologized to us 🙄 #Newark #PrudentialCenter pic.twitter.com/0vJqowodW0
— Lanette Espy (@NJLaLa) May 11, 2023

We wanted to leave and get drinks from a restaurant to kill the time while waiting, but we were told if we leave, we won't be able to come back in.

Babyface posted a statement to his social media pages saying he was asked not to perform.

I am truly sorry to my fans who have been waiting for us to hit the stage this evening at @PruCenter. I was asked not to perform in order to give Ms. Baker her space and time to perform her show in its entirety. My band and I are extremely saddened we didn't get to perform for…
— Babyface (@babyface) May 11, 2023

I asked security what was going on with the wait and they seemed just as confused and lost as the rest of us. One woman that works at Prudential Center said all she knows is that Anita was there.

So, was Babyface running late? Did technical difficulties cut into him performing? Who knows. I heard his performance was supposed to be an hour long. But, the show started over two hours late. While we waited in the lobby, we could hear the band inside doing mic checks as the show was supposed to be starting.

I'm not really sure what went down with Babyface, but the crowd booed when we were told the news that he wouldn't be performing anymore.

Towards the end of the concert, many people started leaving as they thought Anita was wrapping up. But she did an encore with three additional songs and ended the concert with one of her top songs "Angel." This is my favorite song of hers. So I tried to enjoy myself while she sang this last song.

Overall the concert was just so-so with all the problems. I wish I didn't buy the tickets and I personally wouldn't pay to see her in concert again.

So now I'm looking to get a refund for all the inconvenience we had to go through.

Prudential Center, Ticketmaster, Live Nation, Anita Baker, Babyface ... I'm not sure who is to blame for the hot mess of a night, but I'm pointing a finger at all parties involved. The way things were handled were very unprofessional and unfortunately, the fans had to suffer because of it.

My mom still enjoyed her night and had a really good time. So that's all that matters.

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I tested positive for COVID. Here's what it feels like and my symptoms day by day

2022-05-15T09:52:00.002-04:00

I first want to state the intensity of coronavirus symptoms can vary depending on the case. The way I experienced COVID doesn't mean this is how the next person who tested positive experiences the illness. This is only my documented experience of how I felt while infected with the virus. I'm sharing because I think it's helpful to know more about COVID and that includes learning what different people go through while infected. You never know how your own personal experience can help someone else.
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Key points:

Diary of my COVID symptoms
When testing positive with COVID, what do you do next?
Notes from my doctor visit after follow-up testing
Helpful links

I woke up on Thursday, May 5 mostly fine. My throat felt a little weird the day before but nothing crazy. I showered, ate, took some DayQuil, walked my dog that afternoon and enjoyed the sunny weather. When I got back home, I plopped on the couch, opened my laptop and started my work shift. This is the usual normal stuff during my work week nowadays.

Out of nowhere, I got really cold. I thought the breeze coming through the window was a bit much, so I closed the window. Still cold, so I grabbed a sweater. As I continued to work, I started noticing that I felt cold but my forehead and the rest of my body was burning up.

I knew something wasn't right.

I came in contact with someone on Saturday, April 30, who tested for strep throat. So when my throat started feeling a little funny, I thought I had that. When I got the chills, I thought I had the flu or some sort of cold. I didn't know what it was.

At-home COVID test kit

I took one of the home COVID tests on Thursday, May 5, to see if it's possibly COVID and the test came out negative. I was relieved but still unsure about these results. I went into the doctor's office the next day on Friday to take a PCR COVID test and I also took a strep test. My strep test came back negative. I had to wait until the next day for my PCR test results.

On Sunday, May 8, on Mother's Day, I checked my email and the results were in.

Abnormal? Detected?

What the hell does that even mean? It's sounding like I have this thing. Am I reading these tests results right? Me?!

Yup, abnormal and detected means a positive COVID test. I have COVID.

All types of thoughts ran through my head. I immediately thought the very worse and my mind went to the darkest place. This virus is very unpredictable. Thinking of the unknown of how it would treat my body and will I suffer from any long-term effects? Will I have breathing problems now? Will I die? So many questions. It's scary.

To be completely transparent: I'm a 37-year old woman. I don't have any other prior health issues other than being considered overweight, but I am healthy. I'm not as physically active like I used to be (I'm going to do better at his). I am fully vaccinated. I received both shots of Pfizer last year. However, I am not boosted. I'm planning to get my first booster shot sometime this summer. I am somewhat social and I'm around different people on weekends, but I'm still somewhat careful. I'm not going to the club or to parties, but I do travel, I go out to events once in awhile, I dine out, go to the movies, etc. I still wear my mask out, sometimes I even double mask where I know there will be large crowds or on public transportation.

I thought it's crazy I get COVID now but not last year when I only had one shot but still attended a wedding and went to Vegas. How does the virus manage to get me now? This shit sucks.

While in isolation, I started a diary of notes of how I was feeling everyday going back to the first day of when I got that little tickle feeling in my throat. Here is a rundown of my notes while sick with COVID:

Diary of my COVID symptoms

Saturday, April 30 - Contact with potential spreader

Wednesday, May 4 - This is when my symptoms first appeared

Throat feels a little weird, not sure what it is.
Drinking tea, took DayQuil and later NyQuil.

Thursday, May 5

Fine in the morning.
Later in the afternoon, chills out of nowhere while working
Throat feels a little better
Temp a lil over 100.4, slight fever?
Body feels warm
Took at home COVID test, results are negative
Took DayQuil. Took Tylenol to bring my fever down.

Friday, May 6
When I sneeze, it hurts my throat really bad.
Went to doctor's to get tested. Was told it could be the flu which is going around, COVID or allergies. Doctor told be to take Claritin or Zyrtec.
Took one Claritin pill but honestly, I don't think it's allergies. I don't have allergies. Stopped taking the Claritin.
I can feel a bunch of cold/mucus in my chest
Nose starts acting up at night, sneezing and blowing it.

Saturday, May 7
Very, very bad day. I feel like death.
Head hurts, body hurts, I feel weak, and nauseous in the morning
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite, dont feel like doing anything
Temperature still around 100
Laid in bed all day today, put cold wash cloths on my forehead and all over my body to help bring my temperature down
Stopped taking DayQuil/NyQuil (too much acetaminophen with the Tylenol).
Started taking another prescription medicine for my throat. Feels like it's working. Coughing and sneezing, some cold coming out
Seems like flu-like symptoms

Sunday, May 8
Woke back up at 5 a.m. after going to bed not too long ago, took more of the prescription medicine for throat/colds (and later at night)
PCR test results from Friday reveal I'm positive for COVID: Detected/Abnormal
Still slight diarrhea
Appetite picked up a little. Ate more than bread/soup from yesterday. had pasta and salad today.
Feeling much, much better today compared to yesterday
Able to get out of bed and not feel weak
Taste/smell acting a little funny with stuffed nose
Some coughing fits, ones later in day hurt inside of my chest
Nose clogged by night, on and off
A little sneezing.
No headache today.
More worried of worse symptoms if anything which is making it difficult for me to fall asleep.
Little tingly feeling in my lips - this is different

Monday, May 9
Nose clogged in AM
Didn't sleep much last night, up until close till 5
Blowing nose, coughing a little, I see more of the cold coming out so that's good.
Took temp this morning and at night, around 97.7, back down which is good
I can taste/smell again (this is randomly on and off when my nose is congested)
I feel less congestion in my head
Very minor body aches. Left arm a little tingly sometimes, nothing crazy. Tingling feeling in lips disappeared.
Feeling better
Went outside for like a minute to get some sun

Tuesday, May 10
Symptoms have vastly improved, just blowing nose and coughing some
Cant taste/smell in morning

After Tuesday, I stopped writing down my symptoms because my temperature went back to a normal range and aside from a lingering cough and blowing my nose here and there, I feel fine at the time of writing this which is now Saturday, May 14. My taste and smell have returned, my appetite is normal, no more diarrhea, no headaches, those random tingling feelings are gone, and even my minor body aches went away.

Trying to fall asleep was the worst because I was mostly in my head. Every day with COVID kept me up at night until like 5 in the morning. My mind was racing every night and I couldn't help but constantly think of different things and Googling away, reading stuff... my mind was going crazy.

When testing positive with COVID, what do you do next?

After I saw I tested positive, I asked the doctor what do I do now and was basically told to take Tylenol if my fever goes back up and over 100.4, isolate and stay away from others to prevent the spread, and if I experience breathing or chest problems, to come back in or go to the emergency room.

To be clear, if you're not experiencing any major problems like having trouble breathing and if you're not high risk (have other underlying conditions), there's nothing much a doctor can do for you once you test positive for COVID, that's just the reality of it. Although we have antiviral pills now (more on that in a bit) we're like two and half years into this pandemic, and there's still so much unknown and not much help with recovering.

It's basically: stay home, rest, take Tylenol if your fever is high, stay away from others, and if you have trouble breathing, go to your doctor or the hospital.

My best advice is to get A LOT of rest and stay hydrated. I know it's hard, but try not to stress and add to your worries. Sleeping, relaxing and drinking lots of fluids is key to a better recovery. I stayed in bed all day Saturday and took Monday off to just relax. I did work the rest of the week but only because I'm currently working from home so I'm able to safely isolate and work from the comfort of my bed. I'm sure it also helped that I was vaccinated.

I made sure to up my Vitamin C intake as well as making sure to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. I always drink a lot of water, so that was nothing new, and I drank a lot of tea with honey, ginger and lemon + Pedialyte.

I did ask the doctor about the new antiviral pills: Paxlovid and Molnupiravir and I was told I don't qualify to take those because I don't have any other underlying health conditions and I'm not old enough. I was told these pills are in high demand and the pharmacies are running out of them and are being picky with who they give them to. Understandable. Hopefully soon these pills will be available for any and everyone who needs them.

It's important to note, if one is positive with COVID and they qualify to take one of these antiviral pills, the pill reportedly has to be taken within 5 days of developing symptoms or supposedly the pill won't work in time to fight off the virus. Also, you do need a prescription in order to get these pills.

Doctors didn't say anything about exercising and moving around. Obviously, I wouldn't go crazy exercising while recovering, but hearing from others who had COVID, once feeling better, it's good to move around a little and at least go for a walk.

I was also told blood oxygen levels are important to watch while positive with COVID. You can measure your blood oxygen level with a *pulse oximeter which is a small device that clips onto your fingertip. A pulse oximeter blood oxygen sensor can be purchased from Amazon or Target. If you don't have one, a doctor, medi center or some type of urgent care facility can measure your levels.

Notes from doctor visit after follow-up COVID testing

I visited the doctor on Friday, May 13, one week after taking my last COVID test as I figured now is a good time to re-test. I was told it is pointless to take a PCR test so soon because even though I'm not contagious, according to CDC guidance, the PCR test can still show positive results weeks after being in the clear. It may be possible for the PCR test to pick up any little particles of the virus that may still be floating around even though I'm not contagious, as I was told by the doctor.

I took a rapid COVID test instead and it came out negative.

I was told I am no longer contagious after five days of testing positive, and to continue wearing a mask around others for up to 10 days.

My oxygen levels were checked and that came out good. My lungs and breathing are good.

I'm not sure which strand of COVID I had but the doctor says it looks like I had a mild case since I had the one really bad day (Saturday) and the next day I felt better.

My doctor said he had a bad bout of COVID and experienced hair loss two months after his symptoms went away. So he warned me about possible long-term effects that COVID can have on the body. He said if I experience any hair loss, to not be alarmed because it's likely a symptom of COVID.

In two weeks, I'm testing again but this time for antibodies. I also have my regular physical doctor's appointment at the end of the month.

Helpful links

Find a COVID-19 testing site near you
If you haven't already, grab your free at-home COVID-19 tests
I added this *COVID must-have list to my Amazon storefront of most of the items I used while I was sick and items I like to have around the house.
Looking for the COVID antiviral pill? Search here by ZIP code on the "COVID Therapeutics Locator."
CDC guidance on quarantine and isolation.
Information on COVID vaccines and booster shots.

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links in which OooLaLaBlog receives a small commission from sales of certain items, but the price is the same for you. OooLaLaBlog is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon.com. Pages on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and/or its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission.

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Looking to curse someone out at work? Here are 'professional' ways to flip off the middle finger

2021-10-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wanted to check a coworker but didn't know how to do it in a professional manor?

You want to put someone in their place but not in a street kinda way that will warrant a trip to HR or possibly on the verge of getting fired. You just want to "gut-punch that ass," as Vivica Fox would say.

Well, no worries. I came across a helpful Twitter thread on ways to somewhat professionally curse someone out at work:

Here’s a thread of professional ways to curse someone out at work. Please feel free to add.
— Big M (@meganashle_) October 6, 2021

Check out some of the ways to somewhat professionally let a bih know you're not the one. (Use this with caution though, don't get fired lol).

“I hope you have the day you deserve”
— Big M (@meganashle_) October 6, 2021

“Your opinion has been noted and will be given all the consideration it deserves”
— Big M (@meganashle_) October 6, 2021

“I don’t have the bandwidth for that task at this time”
— Big M (@meganashle_) October 6, 2021

“I hope your day is as pleasant as you are”
— Big M (@meganashle_) October 6, 2021

“Test that assumption at your earliest convenience”
— Big M (@meganashle_) October 6, 2021

Someone at work once said “I would like you to tell me in your own words, what was your thought process behind this?” & I was WEAK.

Translation: girl wtf?
— All Things Silver... (@LilOle_Sterling) October 6, 2021

“If you don’t understand the email, then let me apologize for not relaying this information in a way that you could process and understand it.”
— Vamp Girl X (@VampNyckeiEsq) October 6, 2021

Thank you in advance for your cooperation regarding this matter as previous misunderstandings have led us to this current discussion.
— Creatrix14 (@calliepubco) October 6, 2021

“Per my previous email” = if yo ass would just shut up and listen
— ✭Diggs BM 3-1✭ (@queeenthang) October 6, 2021

“What more do you need?”
“Moving forward…”
“As previously stated…”
— Taylor (@TaylorrKiara) October 6, 2021

And here's the perfect tweet to recite when someone tries to take credit for you work:

“I am so glad you liked my idea enough to make it your own”
— B (@mfbellls) October 6, 2021

And as someone graciously shared in the thread, here's a cheat sheet on email code in the professional work environment:

pic.twitter.com/2kjnFGZVXr
— Jay (@Jave_CTTK) October 6, 2021

Do you have any other ones to share? Drop them below in the comments!

Whoever thinks 40 is old, 'got it all the way f'd up,' Beyonce writes in open letter to fans

2021-09-24T12:02:00.000-04:00

Queen Bey is reminding everyone 40 years old is NOT old.

Beyonce, who just turned 40 on Sept. 4, says this time is the best she's felt in her life.

"This is the first year that I really understand what it means to be alive and to live in the moment," she wrote.

On Thursday, the megastar penned a heartfelt open letter to her most loyal fans, the Beyhive, to show how touched she was with the outpour of birthday love she received.

In the letter, Beyonce also checked anyone who thinks a woman is old when she turns this milestone age.

"Whoever tried to condition women to feel that we are supposed to feel old or unhappy when we turn 40 got it ALL THE WAY F'D UP."

As a 36-year-old woman who has been told I'm "no spring chicken anymore," I felt this message from Beyonce on a whole other level. I'm also looking forward to enjoying my forties.

And to the youngin's... us older folks used to be your age. And you will eventually be our age. Time flies, and none of us can help getting older. If you're not growing older, you're dead.

Turning a year older, learning, growing, maturing, experiencing new things in life... all of these things are truly a blessing and we all should be grateful for our time here on Earth.

READ: On The Run II Tour: Beyonce & Jay-Z rock out in New Jersey despite storm delay

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Tyrese is providing scholarships to HBCU colleges. Here’s how he’s impacting students’ classroom experience

2021-09-03T13:18:00.004-04:00

Singer and actor Tyrese Gibson announced an exclusive partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Voltron Travel, of which he is CEO and President, to help HBCU college students across the country. TMCF provides scholarships and other educational opportunities for thousands of students every year.

“Partnering with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a true privilege. Voltron Travel is fully committed to empowering black excellence by investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders," Tyrese said.

Tyrese, who is currently starring in "F9: The Fast Saga," recently relaunched Voltron Travel, an online travel platform. It is currently the first and only Black-owned service of its kind dedicated to providing an exceptional booking experience for people of color.

To kick-start the partnership, Tyrese has initially pledged $100,000 of Voltron Travel’s profits based on a percentage of net sales. In addition, the collaboration will launch with an opportunity to directly impact HBCU students’ classroom experience. A “Back-to-School Success Kit" will provide select students from across the Black college community an opportunity to receive a “success” package including school supplies and gear and travel vouchers.

READ: Naomie Harris discusses playing a black female police officer lead in 'Black and Blue' movie with Tyrese

I recently had the opportunity to join Tyrese and the TMCF staff to learn more about the partnership in a virtual press conference where I mentioned the recent increase in the amount of support in Black businesses since the social unrest of George Floyd. I asked Tyrese how can we as a culture keep this rise in support going so people continuously donate to HBCU's. I also asked how can someone support even if they may not have the large funds to match.

"I would encourage everybody to do something," he said. "Do something that represents their passion."

In the video clip below, Tyrese discusses how he leads by example and the importance of giving back to your community:

Visit Voltron Travel for more information about Tyrese's partnership with TMCF.

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