So I just arrived back in the states after a 30+ hour journey through Addis Ababa and Dubai. The flight wasn’t bad, but upon arrival in SFO we were so jetlagged that I managed to leave my laptop in the luggage cart and did not remember it until several hours later….I have not been able to locate it since. I am still holding out some hope that it will turn up in the SFO lost and found by some kind soul, but I am now putting my energies toward trying to recover what I can through email. Needless to say it is a great loss, with work, data, data analysis, papers, and photos that are not easily (or possibly ever) recoverable. Good thing I’ve shared most of my data and at least a few photos over email on this blog. SIGH!! But this has been a great exercise in keeping my cool (even in this 90+ degree heat) and keeping perspective on the loss of a laptop in the grand scheme of things.
Anyway, more soon. Oh yeah, and back up your stuff. Seriously.
Melina Raquel Platas 
Aretha wasn’t an icon? What is that? Beyonce is definitely on her way to being a leegnd and I never said she was there already. As I’m sure you are aware, there is a huge difference between being an icon and a leegnd. Beyonce is an icon there is no doubt about it and you would be foolish to argue otherwise. She’s an international superstar. And no, you don’t have to be internationally known to be an icon, but hey, name me any ‘icon’ that has not been a huge success internationally. It goes hand in hand girl.I never said anything about people being evil so again, stop pulling random ish out of the bag. I was merely commenting that people that don’t like Beyonce act in absolutely bizarre ways whenever Beyonce brings something new. I can’t stand Rihanna, but I’m not jumping on Rihanna sites or blog posts commenting about her now am I? But Bee cops this all the time. Why? I have not dogged another female at all so I have no idea what you are getting at.I know you didn’t say anything negative about Beyonce. But girl, you know as well as I do that you were hinting with your comments about other artists being the only ones who have any real music and other artists being the only ones who can stand alongside icons of the past. Don’t be an undercover hater, you ain’t fooling anyone.I’m not trying to prove Beyonce is an icon. She doesn’t need me to do that. She has done all the work on her own. Of course others can be icons too. I never said they couldn’t be? I just don’t see anyone you mentioned as having the impact that Beyonce does EVERYTIME she brings new music. You cannot logically argue to me that Mary J or Brandy has even half the impact Beyonce does on her fans, haters and fence sitters. And excuse me, you mention my opinion, what the hell makes your opinion on icons any more valid or invalid than mine? Get real girl. You just told me my opinion is invalid and then went on to offer yours. Just because I disagree with you doesn’t validate you.I know my history. I know who came before whom and I know who paved the way for whom. I also know that Beyonce had a HIT SONG in 1997 with No, No, No which nailed the R&B charts and was number three on the Hot 100. Sorry, but by your own logic, this proves Beyonce has been on top of the R&B game for over a decade now and therefore has had a huge impact on the industry and indeed has opened doors and helped pave paths for more recent artists.And don’t say you not trying to argue; otherwise you wouldn’t be taking the time to come back at me.