I've been a supporter of Amazon.com for well over a decade. The company was helpful in side income when I was in school (buying and selling used textbooks, selling collectible items and at one point electronics). I used to own an Amazon Store Card, an Amazon Credit Card, an Amazon Vine account, a Seller Marketplace account and an Amazon Connect account. So why would I boycott a company that I've been a supporter of for so long? Sometimes loyalty to a company won't matter to that company, especially if it can take your money and disregard your concerns in the first place.

I have exactly 981 Amazon reviews on that site and have enjoyed reviewing books, music and movies over the years. I've also enjoyed networking. What I didn't enjoy was seeing a review about Toure's book "Who's Afraid of Post Blackness?" from this account. Everyone has a right to his/her opinion, and I can deal with someone's opposing political views. What I won't tolerate is comments like,

"Blacks will still take the side of an obvious black criminal over the police officer who arrested him." (Inaccurate. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.)

"For every Obama there are 10,000 black underclass who are dangerous to the wider community but especially to the black communities in which they live." (Absolutely no credible source to back up this random [and more than likely made-up] statistic.)

"According to Ebony Magazine, the three most respected black leaders in the black community are Jackson, Farrakhan, and Sharpton, three of a kind, anti-white, anti-semitic, and empowered through grievance." (I asked for a year/date of publication from him considering the rest of his review was so anti-black and I doubt he's ever picked up an Ebony magazine. He could not provide one. I also don't think that standing up for the rights of African-Americans makes you "anti-white." Al Sharpton for one has been very persistent about there not being a "black America" but a "United States of America.")

Now I can't stop someone from having an opinion, but if Amazon's policy is to not accept reviews that are "obscene or distasteful content" or "profanity or spiteful remarks," then I don't understand how that review passed through. I've observed Amazon take down reviews from people for just not reading a full book, but a review saying "Only when this pathologic sense of grievance is left behind will the black community be able to join the rest of the civilized world" is okay? So we're not civilized either?

"Keep smiling. It makes everyone wonder what you have been up to." (That's a sign that used to be in my maternal grandmother's home and I took it when she passed. I used to enjoy reading it and wondering what made her want to hang it up. Me? I know exactly why I have it.) Anyway, on to the ten for this week and the next:

1. Friends/family/co-workers who read my e-mails: I type 81 wpm so it's nothing for me to send a long e-mail. I've heard complaints, compliments and jokes about it. One guy I used to talk to said he'd slip into a bubble bath with a glass of wine and read my e-mails. An old friend/past co-worker used to tell me she'd read my "Bible" messages (meaning as long as the Bible). My mother cracks jokes about printing the e-mails out. Some folks complain about them, and so I try to keep my messages shorter for them (because if there's one thing I know how to do, it's to ignore people as quickly as they want to ignore me -- and when you start getting one word/sentence long responses from me, I truly just don't like you). But back to my brighter note: I asked a couple of buddies of mine about a guy situation in a three-part e-mail. Yes, those e-mails were lengthy, as in a page or two. Not only did they read them within 24-36 hours, I got long messages back. I love it when people are as interested in my life as I am theirs and make time to hear what's going through my mind. It takes me a long time to open up to people about my personal life (trust me, nothing on this blog is something I wouldn't say to a ballroom full of people), so if I share something with you and ask for your advice, I really want it. And I appreciate that they took time out of their busy days to see what was going on in mine. At the risk of being cliche and quoting rap music, *in my Jay-Z voice* "You could've been anywhere in the world, but you're here with me." And you better believe it's mutual. I read every single e-mail, Amazon comment, Tweet, letter, card and anything else that's sent my way. Hell, I even go through press releases from publicists who don't bother to make sure I'm the right person to send them to and reply back. If you sent it to me, you obviously felt like I should want to know so I'll respect that wish every time.

2) Behind the Music (Nas): I am relentlessly critical about his persistence with using the n-word, but I am still very much a fan. I remember seeing him perform live at DePaul University, and it only cost me $5. I have owned all of his CDs minus the untitled one (you already know what the name of it originally was). I had the beat for "Dr. Knockboot" as my voicemail in college for a couple months and used to rap that song (and Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" all the time). While watching "Behind the Music" last night (twice), I looked at him and Kelis and thought how friggin' cute they were together. I wish those two would've worked out because it was cool seeing how happy they looked, and I cracked up about him saying "gold tooth for no reason." I remember going back and forth with a high school friend about whether "Ether" was necessary and him blasting "One Mic" while we were headed to a party. Plus I still love and respect that song "Bridging the Gap." There are so few hip-hop songs dedicated to fatherhood, and I liked seeing him and his father showing off their talents. Okay, and yes, he's gorgeous (with and without the chipped tooth).