I am the Perfect Storm

Angst Haiku

2011-02-13T22:11:00.004-05:00

Current mood: Icky

Currently listening to: My thoughts

If my foot traveled

that far up, you'd really choke.

Hope springs eternal.

For Little Girls Everywhere!!

2010-10-17T22:47:00.001-04:00

Current mood: Sunday night blues
Currently listening to: Colts vs. Redskings on NBC

What can I say. This is AMAZING!!!! I felt so great after watching this, so I can only imagine how it makes young girls feel.

Sensitivity

2010-08-25T19:10:00.001-04:00

Current mood: Naively stunned
Currently listening to: 'Take Off the Blues' by Foreign Exchange

I am utterly appalled.

That's the only way to put it.

Here's why: this anti-Muslim sentiment thing is really bubbling.

I realize that I don't have the pain of someone who lost a loved one during 9/11. I realize that I am sometimes too rational for my own good, but I cannot understand why so many people are against the mosque that is proposed to be built near Ground Zero.

Insensitive.

That is the word that you hear most fair people on this subject.

They are going to have a FIELD DAY
with this dude in Central Booking.

"They have the right to build it, but it's insensitive to build it there."

It's not insensitive. It makes us uncomfortable. Why?

People are uncomfortable because, no matter what they tell themselves, a small part still believes that the Muslim religion is synonymous with terrorism.

Some will gladly admit it, but most won't. It's like when you're on a plane and a group of people who are, or appear to be, Muslim board. There's that moment where your mind flashes and thinks, "Hmm? I wonder if..." but then, usually, you catch yourself. Or, watch them really hard throughout the flight!

Don't get me wrong, I make unfavorable associations about certain types of people sometimes, too. It's not nice, but I own that. I just don't see why this mosque is seen as a threat. This will be the most watched mosque, probably, in the country! It's like when you fly on 9/11 (which I have since 2001). It is the day that everyone is on point. No worries.

So, can someone please tell me why, unless you associate being Muslim with being a terrorist, you think that building the mosque near Ground Zero is insensitive??

I'm all ears.

(Pani and JLB, for your birthdays, you got a blog post.)

The Movement

2010-04-13T19:10:00.004-04:00

Current mood: Very good
Currently listening to: TV background noise

Is it really so bad?
That bad?

I'm on the other side of this issue, so I may not get it.

Is having a Black president really STILL that hard on some folks? Apparently, this is the case for army Lt. Col. Terry Lakin.

Lakin is an army physician who was recently given orders to redeploy to Afghanistan. Because he feels that President Barack Hussein Obama is not a U.S. citizen, Lakin believes that all of President Obama's orders are illegal.

So, what does Lt. Col. Lakin decide to do? He decides to ignore the order from the president and is now facing a court martial.

Our dear, dear Lt. Col. Lakin does not want to take any illegal orders. Wow! He really believes in his cause! How noble of you, Lt. Col. Lakin!

It doesn't matter that there are soldiers in Afghanistan who could really use your help. Nor, does it matter that, as a member of the armed forces (for 18 years!), you MUST have some strong sense of duty.

No, sir! What matters is that you perpetuate this ignorance and make yourself look like a complete idiot in the process.

If you don't believe me, I'll let him tell it. I don't want to seem like I'm passing along inaccurate information.

But, Mr. Lakin is not alone! The American Patriot Foundation (it has 501(c)(3) status for all you eager donors looking for tax breaks!) has started a legal defense fund to help Mr. Lakin get the best possible defense available for his case.

Whether people realize it or not, there is some mobilization going on. Whether it's the American Patriot Foundation, or the Tea Party people, or something else, there is a movement. We'll see how all of this continues to go down.

Life

2010-04-10T02:38:00.004-04:00

Current mood: Tired, but OK.
Currently listening to: 'Be Alright' by Foreign Exchange

Life.
It's beautiful.
It's complicated.
It's fleeting.

Today is the first time that I had to delete someone's number from my phone because they are no longer here with us. Normally, I delete a number if I have some sort of beef (which is rare, no pun intended), or I just don't want to be bothered with them anymore.

However, this deletion was not controlled by me. In this technological age, the reminder of the temporary nature of our lives is reduced to one simple command: ERASE.

Rest in peace, CG.

Whatever I was supposed to learn from you, I did. You will be missed.

On another note, I have been glued to the Discovery Channel series "life". It's all about animals and how they live, socialize, hunt, mate, etc.

I eat this kind of stuff up. The BF is so tired of me going on and on (and on) about it, but he likes it, too. I can tell.

One of my friends and I were talking about men. She read somewhere that if a man's place is completely decked out, stay away. This is a sign that he is a player extraordinaire.

There might be something to that.

When I was watching "life" there was this part about the Vogelkop Bowerbird. This bird takes the concept of the bachelor pad to the next level! Watch here to see what I mean, and enjoy. Enjoy your LIFE.

Happy Birthday, Mommy!!!

Lessons from Basic Cable

2010-02-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Getting used to the idea that tomorrow is Monday
Currently listening to: 'I Wish You Knew' by Mariah Carey

I woke up with this crazy headache today. It just would not subside. Even after the Tylenol. Usually, I'm reluctant to even pop pills, but this one was not playin'. It still lingered, so I decided to lay up on the couch and watch basic cable and doze off. (Pani Sue said it was probably all those screaming kids from yesterday! She might be right.)

"Evan Almighty" was on, and I never saw it before so I let it watch me as I alternated between states of consciousness and unconsciousness trying to feel better.

At one point, I woke up and God (Morgan Freeman) dropped this amazing, AMAZING line to someone who was having difficulty with faith:

"Let me ask you something: if someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience, or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?

If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous?

If someone prayed for their family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

Whoaaaaaaaa. Profound, right?

So I guess the point of that line is that we learn through adversity and it is usually at those times that we really have the opportunity to grow and become better people. I know that when everything's cake we just coast, but, damn! This trial-by-fire sh*t gets to be draining!!

However, it DOES make sense. I get it. I concede.

I have a confession to make: I have patience issues.

I can admit it. It's something I work on everyday, but I never looked at it the way it was asked by "God" in this movie. Basically, how can you develop or exercise these traits that you want if you don't have a chance to use them? It's easy to say that you're patient or courageous or unselfish or loving or whatever if you never actually had to show and prove that fact.

Something to mentally chew on, people.

P.S. - I'm a godmommy now! Sweet.

Blocking Blessings

2010-02-15T11:58:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Serious
Currently listening to: Peace and quiet

You know how we are always told to will our desires into existence? You have heard others talk about their daily affirmations or praying out loud or asking the universe for EXACTLY what they want. And then, actually getting it.

I tried that this morning.

It was soooooo HARD!!!

First, you have to know what you really want. I mean, really, really know, and know how to articulate it. I got that, so this was not the source of my hesitation.

What is most important is that you can't be afraid to want it. I almost punked out!

I paused. I exhaled.

Conversation in my mind:

VOICE: Are you really ready for this?

ME: Hell yeah! I'm ready!

V: Nahhh. I mean REALLY ready? No-turning-back ready?

M: Oh. Ummm....yeah.

V: Hmmmm....

M: Yup. Yes.

V: Hmmmmm...

M: YES! I'm really ready. I'm just nervous.

V: That's cool. At least you know.

The answer was yes. A reluctant yes, but a yes, nevertheless. There is sometimes fear associated with what we really want to have. If that's the case, aren't we somehow obstructing ourselves from getting it? And what is the source of the fear, anyway?

I have more questions today than answers. It's gonna be one of those.

Food for thought.

9 Signs You're Getting Older

2009-03-07T12:31:00.004-05:00

Current mood: Reflective
Currently listening to: "Child's Play" by Ghostface Killah

The hiatus was not planned. Let's get right to it:

9 Signs You're Getting Older

1) Motown 25 didn't feel like that long ago. Motown is turning 50 this year.

2) You listen to old Big Daddy Kane songs. "Whose flat top rules in '89?" You do the math and realize that was 20 years ago.

3) You see the movie "Notorious." It was the first time that you watched a biopic where you actually remember living through all the events depicted in the movie.

4) Your patience, in general, is wearing very, very thin for most nonsense.

5) You remember when the kids on MTV's "The Real World" were all older than you. Then, you remember when they were all your age. Now, they are all younger than you.

6) When a guy in his early to mid-20s wants to date you, you think he's too young for you.

7) You really, really like oatmeal!

8) You vividly remember that June when Shaq was drafted into the NBA. It was the year after Larry Johnson(!) was selected. In a related note, you remember when Lil Penny was the sh*t. In a second related note, you remember when the Knicks used to win. Even playoff games.

9) In the TV ads when they play snippets of the songs on compilation albums, you know all of them.

Any other signs out there??

Unrelated note: Here's a big XOXOXO to Baby G!! Welcome to our wonderful, wacky world.

Don't Patronize the Lafayette French Pastry Shop in the Village

2009-02-01T13:52:00.003-05:00

Current mood: Too complicated to condense into a short phrase
Currently listening to: "Bring Da Ruckus" by Wu Tang Clan

Thanks to RNL for the link. I have no words. Judge for yourself.

Please(!), watch this in its entirety.

The retort is classic: "My brother-in-law, he's Cuban."

And to think, these folks are just starting to come out.

Gettin' Got

2009-01-30T17:47:00.013-05:00

Current mood: Sleepy
Currently listening to: "Creep" by TLC

MY DAY:
When I woke up this morning, this is what I found:

Obviously, this is not my car, but the tire was entirely flat like that. It was perfectly fine when I parked it yesterday. No signs of leakage. But, this was the way my day was to begin. I didn't have time to get it fixed, so I took a cab to work, so that I could get it fixed later.

Being a woman that goes to get anything on her car fixed is an adventure! You always feel like you're getting got. And, 9 times out of 10, even though you kinda see it happening, you are! And there is nothing you can really do about it.

It's always the guy with the tattoo on his neck who greets you at the shop. He's very polite, and non-threatening. Answers all your questions, you know, at your service.

The tattoo is a remnant of his former life.

Or, it's his daughter's name.

Or both.

Needless to say, the whole tire had to be replaced.

Me: Why?

Tattoo: Well, we couldn't save it. It was destroyed when you drove on it. (Shows me my jacked up tire). See?

Me: What?! How? I didn't drive on it at all today. Just here, and that's less than 2 miles.

Tattoo: Well, it grinds against the rim and gets eaten up.

Me: Oh really...

I got got.

Anyway, by this time, my leverage is out the window. The next thing you know, I'm coughing up a few more $$$. Maybe I'll complain and write a letter to Senator What's-Her-Name.

No, really: What's her name??

POLITICS:

Speaking of politicians, did you hear about Michael Steele? (He has an action hero name.)

How conveeeeeenient. I'm sure that it was no coincidence that he got that job.

If you believe that, then you got got, too.

SPORTS:

I don't care who wins the Super Bowl this year. No dog in the fight. Slight lean towards the Steelers.

I thought I was the only one that thought that Mike Tomlin looks like Omar Epps, but apparently, it's already been out there.

My President is Black

2009-01-20T16:17:00.011-05:00

Current mood: JUBILANT! PROUD! ELATED! HOPEFUL!
Currently listening to: Inaugural Parade

I can't express anything right now. Completely blown away at this moment, so I'll let the words speak for themselves.

I Wordled the text of President Barack Hussein Obama's (!) inaugural speech and Rev. Joseph E. Lowery's glorious benediction (Say Amen...Amen!). Click if you want to zoom in.

More later.

OBAMA

LOWERY

JAY-Z

My president is Black, in fact, he's half White
So even in a racist mind, he's half right
If you got a racist mind, it's alright
My president is black, but his house is all White

Oscar Grant

2009-01-14T20:02:00.011-05:00

Current mood: Rattled
Currently listening to: "Thieves in the Night" by Black Star

"long barrel automatics released in short bursts

the length of Black life is treated with short worth"

- Mos Def

I don't have much to say about Oscar Grant that hasn't already been said. I feel like it just really hit me.

If you don't know, Oscar Grant was killed by a cop.
It was execution-style.
It almost seemed casual.
It was for no apparent reason.
He was unarmed.
He did not pose any physical threat to anyone near him.

It was just done.

Look at the video yourself and judge. He gets shot around the 1:26 mark.

The bottom line is another Black man was unjustly killed by a cop.

Oscar Grant was only 22-years-old when he was killed. His 4-year-old daughter becomes another fatherless Black child. His mother will never hug her son again.

Sign the petition and pray for justice.

After a while, it gets old. Really, really old. Diallo, Dorismond, Bell, and now, Grant.

The cop was finally arrested two weeks after this happened. Two whole weeks. Now this cop's lawyer has to justify why his client acted reasonably. Why killing Oscar made perfect sense.

This is not exactly my idea of post-racial...

The Case for Lil Wayne

2009-01-08T01:07:00.005-05:00

Current mood: Satiated
Currently listening to: "Comfortable" by Lil Wayne and Babyface

I came across this video of Lil Wayne on ESPN with Skip Bayless. I know Wayne has a blog with ESPN, but I still I thought they were an interesting duo, so, of course, I checked it out.

Wayne's demeanor was a pleasant surprise. It was cool. I enjoy watching Skip Bayless, too, even though I seldomly agree with him. He reminds me of a crotchety old uncle -- perpetually cranky, corny, and entertaining. Check out the first few seconds and watch how Skip is gushing over "Tha Carter III". It seems genuine, but it's surprising.

Skip actually listens to Lil Wayne? Enough to compare the artistry of his album to "Purple Rain"??!!

Interesting.

Now, don't get me wrong: I think "Tha Carter III" is pure genius, but I was the sooooooooo reluctant to even consider liking it. I came around and it definitely deserves all 8 Grammy® nominations, even Album of the Year. This album adds one more branch to the evolutionary tree of hip hop.

It is a game changer.

Even if you don't like the game, that fact is undeniable.

So, here's my formal declaration: I like Lil Wayne's music.

For the most part, anyway.

I'm still conflicted though, as I am with hip-hop in general. I still have huge issues with Weezy.

1) The glorification of his addiction to cough medicine.

2) He looks like a cartoon character.

3) He is a grown-ass man with kids that prepends his name with "Lil."

4) The teardrop tattoos.

5) And let's not forget the misogyny AND the use of the N-word.

The argument about how positive, negative, destructive, creative, etc., his music is is not Wayne's issue alone. It's the ongoing debate about the current state of hip-hop.

So, what has Lil Wayne's impact been on music, and our culture, as a whole?

Here it is:

EXHIBIT #1:
Year: 1999
Evidence: I was on vacation in Orlando. This song comes on the radio in the rental and I was mesmerized! The song?

"Back That Thang Up" by Juvenile.

(It was on the radio, so it was the clean version.) It was one of those moments like when they say that everyone remembers where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. Well, I remember distinctly where I was the first time I heard "Back That Thang Up". That's just me.

Don't judge.

There is some serious, albeit simplistic, poetry in that joint:

Girl you look good, won't you back that thang up
You'se a big, fine woman, won't you back that thang up
Call me big daddy when you back that thang up
Girl, who is you playin' wit'? Back that thang up.

It's the woman's dilemma all over again. Love the music. Hate the misogyny. However, I argue that there isn't any misogyny in that chorus. Maybe I'm desensitized but I just see it as a man who desires his woman.

Are you saying that you've never been the situation described by that chorus?? It's universal.

Not everyone sees the virtue of this song like I do, but that's not even Wayne's part.

Wayne gets in at the very end of this song. It's not the lyrics, because alone, they're inconsequential. It's the delivery. Unique. And in print, it does not receive its proper justice.

After you back it up and stop
Then drop, drop, drop, drop it like it's hot.

Impact: This was the first time the term "drop it like it's hot" was on a track. It has become a super popular expression introduced into our collective lexicon. Changer.

EXHIBIT #2:

Year: About 1999 or 2000. (I don't exactly remember.)
Evidence: I was watching videos. Here comes this song, "Bling Bling" by B.G. and the Hot Boys. Weezy was on that one, too.

Bling-bling
Everytime I come around your city, bling-bling
Pinky ring worth about fifty, bling-bling

It was the end of the Clinton years. The economy was great, everybody was ballin' and not afraid to brag about it.

Impact: The term "bling-bling" made it into Oxford English Dictionary in 2003. A Weezy-ism.

That's my case for Lil Wayne. He's original, has star quality, and is charismatic. I don't know if he'll ever match the masterpiece that is his latest album, but if he does, he cannot be denied the consideration as one of the best rappers of his time.

Definitely not a post that I ever expected to write.

Are you going to the inauguration?

2009-01-02T19:28:00.010-05:00

Current mood: Spent
Currently listening to: "Mathematics" by Mos Def

This guy is soooo cool.

You're born with it.

I've been having several conversations with folks about the upcoming inauguration. The comments I'm getting:

"I'm in there!"

"Nah. It's gonna be crazy! All those people..."

"How can you NOT go?! This is historic."

"If it was in the summer I would go!"

"I only said I would go if I got a ticket. Since I didn't, oh well!"

So, I was wondering how many of you were going. Answer my poll on the right side of your screen.

Happy New Year!!

2008 is Over. It's Meme Time.

2008-12-29T16:36:00.002-05:00

Current mood: Reflective
Currently listening to: "Like My Style" by 50 Cent

So it's the end of the year...already!! It is true that as you get older, the time goes by so much faster. Anyway, here is my yearly meme. It was harder to answer this year than in previous years. I hope you all indulge me by also sharing your responses with the class.

1. Did you love as hard as you could have in 2008? Why or why not?

No. I never feel like it's enough.

2. What is something new that you did this year?
a) Took a belly dancing class! Fun, while it lasted.
b) Perfected my ginger spice cookie recipe. Yummy!
c) Went on a cruise with my whole family. Needed a mental vacay when I got back, but experiencing it with the folks was priceless. It was their first one.

d) Had afternoon tea at The Plaza and The Peninsula (pre-economic crisis!)

e) I parasailed!! Tam convinced me. That's her head in the picture. The warm breeze...the view...sigh...

f) Finally visited the Cloisters. Nice thing to do if you're up for it.

g) Took my fake paparazzi pic :oD

h) Stepped foot into the old Yankee and Shea Stadiums for the last time.
i) I voted for a Black man to be president! And he won!!
3. How will you answer Question #2 the same time next year?
Not sure? This year, I'm just living in the moment. It'll have to be a pleasant surprise.

4. What was your biggest regret in 2008?
I only have one: Not taking action when I should have. No more of that, though!

5. What was your biggest accomplishment in 2008?

Knowing when to keep my mouth closed. Not always easy for me.

6. How many people did you hurt this year?
I hope none. Probably a few without realizing. Sorry!!! Call me. We'll discuss it.

7. How many people did you help this year?

Not as many as I would have liked, besides the students. I gave to a few charities.

Have a wonderful 2009!

Where is Stephen A.?

2008-12-17T18:47:00.009-05:00

Current mood: Festive
Currently listening to: ESPN

I just saw Stephen A. on ESPN. He was interviewing T.O.

Is it me, or does it feel like we don't see or hear from Stephen A. as much as we used to?
I miss Stephen A.!

First, his TV show was cancelled. Then, he decided to stop working on his radio show because he was supposedly too busy. And now, I don't even think he writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer anymore!

I was used to being inundated with his sports journalism. His animated delivery. I really do miss it.

I think I root for him because we have a few things in common:

1) We're from Queens.
2) We have West Indian backgrounds.
3) We're opinionated.

He's a typical guy from around the way who did his thing. I respect that.

Oh, well. He agreed with me about Plaxico.

Gotta run. A holiday party awaits.

SNL Needs to Hire More Black People

2008-12-14T16:16:00.013-05:00

Current mood: Caffeined-up
Currently listening to: "They Reminisce Over You" by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth

I was watching Saturday Night Live last night and during Weekend Update, Fred Armisen's impression of NY governor David Paterson was off the charts! He killed it. This clip is definitely worth the 4 minutes:

Armisen is a really talented impressionist. He gets the subtle nuances and mannerisms down. His Obama impression is just OK (and was controversial for some), but his Paterson is absolutely crazy. What can I say? He has a knack for playing light-skinned Black politicians.

This other clip, when Paterson inadvertently interrupts Amy Poehler's farewell speech, was even funnier.

But it makes you wonder why SNL doesn't have a more diversified cast. Especially in the Obama era where they will have to make fun of Barack, Michelle, Paterson and others. Who is going to play all of these characters of color? Kenan??!!

His last memorable character was Star Jones (she's back to the maiden name, right?). But Tracy Morgan played Star, too.

You can't deny that Kenan looks less than Obama or Paterson than Fred due to the size of his frame, but that's the point: Why only have one Black guy on the cast, that's also the fat guy? (To the more sensitive readers, please take no offense to the word "fat." I don't mean it in any derogatory sense.)

I don't think SNL has ever had more than one fat guy on the cast, either. Horatio Sanz. Chris Farley. Jim Belushi. Hmmm??

Also, besides Maya Rudolph, SNL hasn't had a woman of color on the cast for a loooooooong time. So Kenan has get his Tyler Perry on, while Fred has to double up his impersonations of Black men.

Interesting.

I did find out that Armisen is Venezuelan, German and Japanese, so like our president-elect's self-proclamation, he's a "mutt," too.

But still, I know there's an economic crisis, but to keep up with the times, SNL is gonna have to do some hiring really soon.

P.S.: My neighbor did a decorating hit on me!

For real.

I was leaving my place and noticed that there was a tassel hanging form my door knob on the outside. A tassel? What the...?!!

Then, I saw this:

She's one of those super decorating folks. After complimenting her decorations, I said jokingly that she could decorate my space anytime. She took me up on it.

A very nice surprise.

Buy This Album Immediately

2008-12-11T22:15:00.005-05:00

Current mood: Comfy
Currently listening to: "Move" by Q-Tip

Grown-ass hip-hop. Finally.

Plaxico Makes Me Sick

2008-12-02T23:37:00.002-05:00

Current mood: Contemplative
Currently listening to: 'Too Late For Us' by Little Brother

So, here's a true story (I can't make this stuff up):

Today, one of my students said to me, "You're not going to believe who I saw this weekend!"

"Who?" I asked.
"Plaxico Burress!"
"You're lying! When?"
"Friday."

It turns out he was in New Jersey this weekend for Thanksgiving, visiting family, and then he gets a call from his cousin that Plaxico is at the barbershop getting a haircut.

The world is just too small sometimes.

So, this student rushes over to the shop and has Plaxico autograph his hat. This happened Friday afternoon, the same day Plaxico carelessly shot himself in the leg.

This kid was kind of excited when he first heard that Burress was shot, because he figured that maybe he had the last autograph ever from the NFL player. As we all know now, Plaxico survived just fine.

But, how stupid could he be?

First: Why are you packin'? Who is after you?? Why do so many of these athletes and rappers feel so threatened? Is it the obvious reason, like some crazy fan is gonna try to test him while he's out? Or is it just so he could feel tough? We'll never know, but if you feel so unsafe, you have two options: 1) hire security; or 2) stay home.

Second: If you are carrying a gun, why is it loaded and in your pocket?? Disclaimer: I don't know anything about guns. But I do know that if I did have one, I wouldn't have it loaded in my pants!! That could cause all kinds of problems. He's lucky that he just shot himself in his leg...

Third: Why the cover up? This one's easy. I guess to squash all the publicity, but that never works. Someone, somewhere, is gonna leak it. After all, he was in the Super Bowl last year.

Fourth: And maybe most importantly: Is this going to negatively affect my 11-1 Giants?!

We can't afford that!!

Plaxico has been a headache for some time, so I'm glad he's out the picture. Hixon's doing his thing, anyway. And how about Pierce? I just want another championship. Can't count on the Knicks. The Jets fans are getting a little too excited.

I don't like it.

As a result of this news, I started to reflect on the message.

Here, again, another athlete/rapper is getting into legal trouble. Would this student suddenly drop whatever he was doing and rush to a barbershop if Neil deGrasse Tyson, or Geoffrey Canada was there?

Would his cousin urgently summon him to the shop if Dick Parsons, or even Eric Holder were there...at the same time??

We know the answer.

(Digression: This makes me recall a situation about 10 years ago, when I was on the uptown D train and I saw Neil deGrasse Tyson reading the paper. I completely geeked out and introduced myself and told him how I just saw him on PBS the previous night -- I think he was on Nova -- talking about something super-smart. I always admired the guy. He was polite, but was definitely itching to get back to his paper.)

Most people, don't even know who these guys are, and that's because the image of the black male in media is the rogue athlete or (wannabe-)thug rapper.

We don't get to see the smart guy who had the great grades and holds multiple degrees. Or when we do, he normally looks something like this:

Not fair.

This is the reason why 50 Cent can continue to clown Kanye. Or why Destiny's Child needs "a soldier". You know:

If his status ain't hood

I ain't checkin' for 'im

Betta be street if he lookin' at me

Ask Jennifer Hudson's sister all about that. Sadly, I'm sure she would advise otherwise.

And this is ultimately why it is sooooooooooooo important that Barack was elected as our president. I'm not saying he's the end-all-be-all, but just that the media saturation of all his goings-on will help counter some of these other overdone images. At least, a little bit.

I know, I know.

He's only half-Black.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T14:45:00.008-05:00

Current mood: Cozy
Currently listening to: "Slow Down" by Brand Nubian

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's not because I get any joy out of celebrating the beginning of the end for the Native Americans, but instead, it's because it's a reflective day when you sit and think about all the things that you are thankful for. I have a long list (and so do many of you!) so even when I have my bad days, the knowledge of that keeps me in check.

But, let's not minimize the fact that we do like to eat!!!! This was one of my contributions to the dinner:

My FAAAAAAAABULOUS zucchini bread. Yuummmmyyyyy. (I'm normally modest about my cooking, but, did you take a really good look at it?!) It's not bread-y at all, and I know there are a million versions of this dish out there.

THIS, though, is the TRUTH!!

I also made the mashed sweet potatoes and the tasty oat-n-honey mini-pies. A regular Suzy Homemaker. I haven't graduated to the bird, yet, and it worries me a little. Every year I say that I'm gonna shadow my mom and study her pre-preparation regimen. Get the basting game right. Learn her proportions for the perfect sauce from the drippings. But, it doesn't happen.

Instead, like every year, I just fall back and ask, "How come your turkey is NEVER dry?? This tastes sooooo good!" We know the parents are not here forever, so I really need to get on the ball with that.

Yo, did you know that President Bush pardoned a rapper?!

Gotta run.

Meme of 4's

2008-11-23T17:51:00.004-05:00

Current mood:Just fine
Currently listening to: NYG handling the Cards (well, so far)

I wanted to meme today. Found this on another site. Please play along.

1) Four jobs I've had:

High School Math Teacher
Process Engineer
Legal Assistant
Office Assistant

2) Four movies I can watch over and over:

Stand By Me
Do the Right Thing
Ocean's Eleven
Training Day

3) Four places I’ve lived:

NYC
Somerset, NJ
Charlottesville, VA
Lansdale, PA

4) Four TV shows I love:

The Ri¢he$
Damages
Project Runway
Hardball

5) Four places I’ve vacationed:

Southeast Asia
Rome
Caribbean
Cancun

6) Four of my favorite dishes:

Anything Mom cooks
Pad Kee Mao at Klong
Lettuce Song at Buddha Boddai
Pizza at Grimaldi's

7) Four places I would rather be right now:

On a warm, sunny beach
On a warm, sunny beach with a banana colada
On a warm, sunny beach with a banana colada with company
On a private warm, sunny beach with a banana colada with company

Oh, No She Didn't!!

2008-11-20T19:09:00.003-05:00

Current mood: Alright
Currently listening to: "2-32's" by Jean Grae

Ummm, I got a lot of strong reactions to the name change!!

Whoa!!!!

I stand by it, at the time. Don't tell me you never felt like a natural disaster before! It happens.

Anyway, I'm at the CVS today after work picking up a few things. Of course, there is only one cashier working at the height of the rush hour.

Crazy.

Inevitably, I'm behind this very elderly woman, who, surprisingly, only has a few items. She finished paying and was getting her receipt.

There is another 60-year-old-ish woman behind me. This woman has a full shopping cart. In CVS! She's one of those. There must have been a sale on Bounty because she had like ten multipacks and about a dozen other small items (shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) that were forced to the bottom of her shopping cart.

My thought: Thank goodness I'm in front of her!!!

So, just when the cashier says, "Next." the elderly woman that was in front of me looks at me pleadingly and says, "Excuse me one second, please." I noticed that she was eyeballin' her receipt for a while, so I knew that something was up. I reply, "No problem."

Apparently, she wanted to return something because it wasn't on sale. Next thing you know, the cashier is paging for the manager. Yada, yada, yada...

I'm cool though. No issues, but I just asked the her if I could put my items on the counter because I knew this was gonna take a while and didn't want to carry them. She was cool with that.

So, we waited. And waited. The manager finally came. She had to take out her card again for the credit, and so on, and so on...

About four minutes later (yes, not a quick transaction!) a new cashier opens up and this is how it goes:

New Cashier (NC): Next!

Shopping Cart Woman (SCW): OK! (She wheels her full-ass cart to the NC.)

Me (to SCW, very politely): Excuse me, ma'am, but I was next (as I bring my items over to the NC).

SCW: But your stuff was over there and she said, "Next," right (to NC)?

NC (confirming): I called next.

SCW: I was next.

Me: I just put my stuff over there so I didn't have to hold it while we waited. (Firmly) I was next.

SCW (looking back at the dude on line behind her for a co-sign): Well, I was next. (Emphasis on the "I". Dude was about to say something, then I looked at him, and for some reason, he decides to stay out of it. Smart guy.)

Me (less polite, but not rude): Ma'am, you know I was next. Don't do that. It's not nice. (SCW looks at me like, 'What?!') I'm not being disrespectful and I didn't cut in front of you. What's right is right.

Needless to say, I after I got MY receipt, I smiled and told SCW to have a good evening.

She rolled her eyes at me.

I wasn't even upset. It was actually very funny. This woman was old enough to be my mother, so, I'm not gonna go there with her. It's just that the size of her cajones surprised me. And there was NO WAY I was getting behind her with all those things in her cart, especially because I was first, and that other lady was still taking forever to return her stuff. Puh-leez!!!!

(Temporary) Name Change

2008-11-16T21:02:00.007-05:00

Current mood: If you only knew!
Currently listening to: "Can't Win for Losing" by Little Brother

The Giants are winning and my president-elect is definitely playing some chess. It was Machiavelli who wrote:

"And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new."

I have a lot to post about, but need to get some rest ASAP. I did finally respond to your comments on the previous posts.

Anyway, you probably noticed the name change at the top. I think it's more fitting for at least right now. More later.

President Barack Hussein Obama

2008-11-05T01:22:00.007-05:00

Current mood: ELATED! ECSTATIC!! ASTOUNDED!!! SPEECHLESS!!!!
Currently listening to: MSNBC

I need to let this sink in.

This is a defining moment

in the history of the modern world.

Damn!

They look GREAT.

Why I Vote

2008-11-02T08:27:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Adequate
Currently listening to: "Used to Love You" by John Legend

I "fell back" and now I am up an hour earlier. As always, this time change wreaks havoc on my natural time cycle.

Anyway, the first thing I thought about this morning was voting. Everyone is reminding us to vote. All the e-mails on how to vote, how NOT to vote, who to vote for, what NOT to wear when you vote, where to vote, when to vote, and so on and so forth. I hope people really come through. I hope people put aside some of their personal prejudices for a greater cause. Hope we're solid as Barack!

What one values is really formed in your early childhood. I clearly remember my parents voting every single Election Day. My dad would vote in the evenings after work, but my mom would vote in the morning.

She and I would leave the house after breakfast and walk to the local elementary school. I was young, and she would hold my hand the whole way, even when we weren't crossing the street. We would have our usual mother/young daughter banter. This was our alone time, without my dad and my sister, and I cherished it. I still do.

At some point during the conversation, I would ask my mother who she was voting for and she would always turn it around: "Who do you think I should vote for?" I always gave my two cents. (Some things never change.)
Then we would get to the polling site. It always seemed so official to me. I was intrigued how the gym of my old elementary school was transformed into this super grown-up place where people communicated with the government! Directly! How cool was that?! That's how I saw it then.

Every year, there was always this same lady who worked at the site. She was old as dirt (bless her heart), and her wig was way off the center of her head. She was always very sweet, and moved very, very slowly. It took her forever to find my mother's name in the book, but we were patient. After all, WE were there to vote!

In retrospect, based on her Southern accent, this woman probably remembered the hell she had to endure just to have the opportunity to vote. My parents always understood how powerful it was to have the freedom to vote. They were naturalized citizens that came from a dictatorship. No vote for you! That was their reason.

What was this country's excuse for this old American woman? How could she be born here, follow all the rules, and still not be allowed to vote?

Oh yeah. She was Black.

This little old lady probably remembered when the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965 (in 1965?!!), and now, here she was working to help others vote. I never spoke to her, other than the usual pleasantries, but it's obvious that at her age, and with her experience, she would never miss a chance to be exactly where she was each and every Election Day.

Don't miss your chance, either.

I'm voting super early in the morning before I go to work. I have my iPod ready just in case the lines are crazy.

Who knows? Maybe one day I'll be asking my daughter who I should vote for. Or maybe I'll be that old lady (minus the wig, hopefully!) in some school gym with my own historical experience.

That wouldn't be so bad.

The precise moment that I knew...

2008-10-26T14:38:00.004-04:00

Current mood: Blind-sided
Currently listening to: "Heard 'Em Say" by Kanye

...that I was absolutely fuct: Sunday, October 29, 2008 @ 12:56 PM.

I was in the car. The iPod was doing the mean shuffle. You know the one where all the songs come up in the perfect sequence?? Gotta love randomization.

And then. It happened.

"Nothing Even Matters" by Lauryn and D'Angelo came on...

...and all that I could think about...

...was...

...YOU. You!

Uh-oh.

I tried to switch up my thoughts, but all attempts were futile.

You can't always see these things coming.

I'm not mad at it. It was just a powerful moment and I surrendered to it, which is not always very easy for me.

So, when I pulled into the parking spot at the supermarket, instead of rushing to make my weekly pilgrimage to the Express Line, I stayed in the car and let the song fade to its very, very last note.

It was unequivocal.

I don't know what the eff I'm gonna do now! Things are not always up to us. That's the cruelty of life.

I was talking to V. earlier this week, and she says that we get so caught up in thinking about "what if...?" "but, when...?" "how can...?" that we forget to think about what is going on right here, right now.

At least I'm clear now. I wonder if you know? Well, you will very soon.

So, not exactly what I thought would be the first post after a 4-month hiatus. Like I said, it's not completely governed by little 'ole me. (I think Grumps and Babar had something to do with it. Their rare emotional outpouring has proven to be contagious. Great.)

Oh, yeah. Vote next Tuesday!!! (Lame attempt to distract reader.)

~~Anyway, let's see if I have the balls to publish this post!~~

It's Meme Time

2008-07-03T03:08:00.005-04:00

Current mood: Introspective
Currently listening to: 'Int'l. Players Anthem' by UGK

I saw this meme. It's cool because you can only answer using two words. I would LOOOOVVVEE if some of you jumped in on this. Feel free to submit your responses.

So, here goes!!

1. Where is your cell phone? in charger

2. Your hair? short black

3. Why do this meme? nice challenge

4. Your favorite thing to do? too easy

5. Your dream last night? don't remember

6. Your favorite drink? strong mojito

7. Your dream car? 50 mpg

8. The room you're in? my office

9. Your fears? loss, bugs

10. What you're not good at? tolerating nonsense

11. Muffins? low fat

12. One of your wish list items? summer home

13. Where did you grow up? Springfield Gardens

14. The last thing you did before this survey? check e-mail

15. What are you wearing? something fly

16. Your life? predictably unpredictable

17. Missing? someone unlikely

18. What are you thinking about right now? this meme

19. Your car? almost hooptie

20. Your work? math teacher

21. Your summer? on, poppin'

22. Your favorite color(s): definitely black

23. When is the last time you laughed? a lot

24. Last time you cried? probably May

25. What are you going to do now? fall asleep

Photoblog: First Summer Friday in NYC

2008-06-30T00:27:00.022-04:00

Current mood: Nocturnal
Currently listening to: 'Mary Jane' by Mary J. Blige

I took some pics in the city last week. Enjoy.

Ceiling of the Bread Bar @ Tabla. So yummy!

This is progress...I guess.

Can't knock the hustle.

Why did they have to go that far for sewer covers?

Hello, Brooklyn. How ya doin'?

'The Waterfalls' were just okay. Thought 'The Gates' was nicer.

Gone but never forgotten.

Only in New York.

The Uncertainty of Our Lives

2008-06-14T07:16:00.005-04:00

Current mood: Reflective
Currently listening to: News on TV in the background

(An early morning post. Can't sleep once the sun is up.)

I remember a few months ago when Barack Obama was on "Meet the Press" and I sent a mass text message to some people to let them know and watch. People close to me know that I watch "Meet the Press" almost every Sunday.

I watched it because I wanted to be informed.

I watched it because I learned so much.

I watched it because you could watch a live intellectual beat down.

I watched it because of Tim Russert.

On the show, he was poised, fair, tough, uber-prepared and entertaining. I loved how he would make politicians squirm, not to embarrass them, but to expose something that we, the viewers, the American people, needed to know. Usually, it was something that we would not have known otherwise and that could actually sway us when we exercised our vote for that person to politically represent us.

While, on the surface, I don't have much in common with Tim Russert, an Irish-Catholic man from South Buffalo, NY, I realized that a passion for discovering the truth is a great equalizer. Also, he always talked about how a son of a garbage man could only achieve what he was able to achieve in this country.

America has a lot of flaws, and they are exposed all the time, but it is true that there are so many opportunities that we have here that are not available anywhere else.

This is the love/hate relationship we have with our nation. This is why we have so much hope for the future.

Russert's doctor was interviewed and he said that this incident should make us "appreciate the uncertainty of our lives." Yup.

One of my students lost her dad this past Monday. The story is that every morning he leaves money for her on the kitchen counter to go to school. On Monday morning, there was no money. She went into his bedroom to find out what was up and she found him cold. This girl was in school for the rest of the week! She didn't even miss a day for the funeral because as she said, "I didn't want to be where it happened and I need to keep busy." This is the wisdom of a 15-year-old girl. A wisdom I don't know if I would have in the same situation.

Life is so random. So short. So fragile. We must remember to live it like there's not much left.

(More on the "baby mama" comment later.)

Living History

2008-06-04T22:07:00.003-04:00

Current mood: Satiated
Currently listening to: 'Come Over' by Estelle

The gravity of this time in our lives has not fully hit me yet.

Observations About...

2008-06-01T20:46:00.005-04:00

Current mood: So-so
Currently listening to: 'No Substitute Love' by Estelle

...MUSIC

British women are killing the music scene. First Amy. Then Lily. Then Leona. And, now...ESTELLE!!!

Definitely one of my favorite albums of all time, and I don't say that lightly, at all!! I think she's my musical soul mate. What other woman has been out that could sing a duet with John Legend, rap and do a pseudo-cover of "How Many MCs" by Black Moon, be ultra-girlie, and still be strong? (Lauryn used to be able to pull that off...)

...RELATIONSHIPS

In general, women tend to operate under the premise that there is always competition, and adjust accordingly. In general, men tend to operate under the premise that there isn't any real competition. BIG MISTAKE.

...SPORTS I think Boston can win, and because of Conference loyalty, I hope that they actually do.

Stephen A. stopped doing his radio show in April. Still does television, though. I miss him lots. You know I had to say something about Stephen A. ~~because of my crush~~ since I have so much professional respect for him.

...WORK

I am realizing that some of the decisions that teachers make, with regard to their students, can greatly affect their futures. I know this is probably common sense, but I didn't realize how profoundly one decision can set a course for someone's future. I'm just agonizing because I have to select the kids that will take AP Calculus next year. Not a typical charge for someone 3 years in, but there are worse problems to have.

...SUMMER

It feels like you've been gone forever. So glad we're about to meet again :oD

...BLOGGING

Grumps was right. I do blog more between May and October than the rest of the year.

Hillary Gets Spanked & Keeping My Promises

2008-05-25T09:38:00.012-04:00

Current mood: Relaxed, but definitely not rested
Currently listening to: 'Mathematics' by Mos Def

Has it been almost 5 months??!!! My goodness. Where does the time go? Anyway, no real explanation for the hiatus. Just glad to be back. I guess I'm like Hillary: just when you thought I was done...I'm still in it!

Speaking of Hil, Keith Olbermann is NOT HAVING IT!!

He went in REALLY, REALLY hard about her comment, invoking the RFK assassination, to explain why she's still staying in the race. We have a Black man running for president, and to make that comment was, at its best, extremely careless. (The clip is about 10 minutes, but it goes by fast and it's really entertaining. At the 7:00 mark, it gets even better. Definitely check it out here!)

READ THIS BOOK!! BUY THIS BOOK!! READ THIS BOOK!! BUY THIS BOOK!! READ THIS BOOK!! BUY THIS BOOK!!

READ THIS BOOK!! BUY THIS BOOK!! READ THIS BOOK!! BUY THIS BOOK!! READ THIS BOOK!! BUY THIS BOOK!!

Switching gears, I promised to tell you about a book in my next post. (I just didn't think it would be almost five months later! Forgive me.) The book is Songs in the Key of My Life by Ferentz Lafargue.

Read this, not just because I said so, but because it's really amazing!! Ferentz Lafargue writes about his (young) life (he's in his 30s) growing up in NYC (QB!) as a black male. No...he wasn't in a gang! No...he didn't sell drugs! He went through the normal stuff that we all go through coming up, but the difference is, he has a gift to write about it, and he did.

What's so unique about this book is that each event he writes about is matched with a relevant song from his life at the time. You can even get the playlist on iTunes, so what more do you want?? I had the pleasure of meeting him a while ago, and he's definitely the type of dude that deserves the success he's worked for and will continue to get more. So don't miss out. It's a great read. Oh, and check out his blog, too.

It's finally sandal weather, so I gotta go...

Male Monkeys Pay for Nookie

2008-01-05T17:13:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Excellent
Currently listening to: 'Potholes in My Lawn' by De la Soul

I wasn't even going to blog today, because I want to write about Obama in Iowa (and I will!) but I saw this article and I HAD to do it!

Apparently, there is a study that concludes that male macaque monkeys groom their potential mates as payment for sex. According to the study, and the article that reports it, "primates may treat sex as a commodity" (emphasis added).

Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember: humans are primates, too!

And like any commodity, the price for mating is subject to market conditions. The study finds that when there are less females, the males groom the available ones longer. (Look at this female in the pic. She's lovin' it!) Thus, the "price" for mating goes up. However, when there is an abundance of females, the males know that they can get away with a quickie grooming session before they mate. Why spend all the energy on one female when there are so many out there?

Sound like any primates we know??

Anyway, on a totally unrelated note, make sure you see "The Great Debaters". Forest Whitaker was superb. I want to see at least 3 Oscar nominations (and wins!):

Denzel for Best Director.
That predestined-to-be-in-this-movie actor, Denzel Whitaker, for Best Supporting Actor for his role as James Farmer, Jr. The other guy was great, too, but this role was more difficult, in my opinion.
Best Picture.

The movie was amazing. Oprah has that Midas touch, again! (You know, I wonder how long Stedman has to "groom" her!! He probably had to give up his day job.)

Later...

2007

2007-12-28T11:31:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Cozy
Currently listening to: 'Beautiful Ones' by Mary J. Blige (from the "Mary" album)

This year flew by. I know that's really cliche, but it's the truth. The world seems crazier to me now then it did a year ago, and the madness in Pakistan confirms it. I don't know who decides who gets assassinated, and who decides who gets blamed for it, but it's a serious game. Whatever your politics, it's not easy being a woman that won't keep her mouth shut. God help us all.

(On a completely unrelated note, I'm a Giants fan all day, but I hope the Pats do make history. I'm a sucker for things like that. Plus, I think Brady is the best example of coolness under pressure. It's a great trait to have.)

I was thinking about 2007 and remembered that I had a meme from last year that I created because the other ones were so lame. I'm gonna use the same meme for this year, so, here goes!

Like last year, if you read it, please, also ANSWER it!! Copy and paste your responses into the comments section. Don't worry. For all you scandalous people, you can post anonymously.

1. Did you love as hard as you could have in 2007? Why or why not?
I did because I told myself that I would after last year. There's always room for improvement, though.

2. What is something new that you did this year?

I went to Southeast Asia!!! I'm forever ruined for Chinese food, Thai food and beaches. This is one of my actual pictures from that trip.
I had a Singapore Sling...in Singapore!
I got my Master's.
I went to a Mets game. (It was about time.)
I'm teaching calculus! I'm loving it. Did you know that in 2005 only about 7% of Black and Latino high school students in the U.S. complete a high school calculus class compared to 16% of Whites and 31% of Asians (Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES)? And, did you know that about 70% of all students who complete a high school calculus class complete their Bachelor's degree as compared to only 30% completion for students whose highest level math class in high school was intermediate algebra (Source: PPIC)? My classes are 99% Black and Latino (one Asian dude).
I went to traffic court...and won! (I was framed.)
When it made sense (and it does more often than I previously thought), I followed my heart instead of my mind.
I went on a one-night cruise. I've been on 7-night cruises, but a one-nighter is like a non-stop party. And I got to see John Legend perform, too.
I saw the 4th of July fireworks on a rooftop. Very cool.

3. How will you answer Question #2 the same time next year?
I frolicked on the beach...in a bikini!

4. What was your biggest regret in 2007?

That I didn't frolic on the beach in a bikini. I frolicked on the beach. Just no bikini.

5. What was your biggest accomplishment in 2007?

Truly balancing my life without going insane. I worked and played hard this year.

6. How many people did you hurt this year?

Two :o(

7. How many people did you help this year?

About 300. Mostly, my students. I think that just being able to help my "I'm-frontin'-like-I-can-handle-it-on-my-own-and-don't-need-anyone's-help-but-I'm-really-strugglin'" friends took the most out of me, though. (You know who you are, but I still love ya!)

Have a wonderful 2008!

4-Day Work Week

2007-12-24T08:44:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Rested and relaxed
Currently listening to: Stephen A. Smith's podcast (I'm playing catch up)

Does anyone ever wonder why we work five days a week? I know that now there are some alternative work arrangments, like people who are off on Fridays, or who have half-day Fridays, but for the most part, our work week, at least here in the U.S. is a 5-day, 8-hours-a-day week.

The 5-day work week, as we know it, is obselete. There is NO reason, with ALL the technology that we have, that a person needs to work five days a week, anymore.

Our current work week configuration was the brainchild of Henry Ford, who, around 1926, felt that the six-day work week was no longer necessary and was not providing any incremental economic returns. Ford said:

The harder we crowd business for time, the more efficient it becomes. The more well-paid leisure workmen get, the greater become their wants. These wants soon become needs. Well-managed business pays high wages and sells at low prices. Its workmen have the leisure to enjoy life and the wherewithal with which to finance that enjoyment. The industry of this country could not long exist...because the people would not have the time to consume the goods produced.

What he was saying, in a nutshell, is that if we're always grindin' and making money, we don't have time to chill and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Over 80 years later, this is still applicable. (You can read more about what he said here.)

I'm proposing a 4-day work week. Let's face it:

Is your office REALLY as productive on a Friday as it is on a Tuesday?

You know how people try to skate through Friday by doing just enough work?

Think about it. If more time was spent on leisure, we would be less stressed, we would enjoy the money we make, and maybe even spend more time with the fam. This might be more of an issue in the Northeast, where our pace tends to be quicker, but I'm not sure. Bottom line: we could all benefit.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, even the climate may be out of whack because of the 5-day work week!

Obviously, some jobs would have to be exempt. I would argue, however, that public education, as we know it, does not necessarily benefit from a five-day week. From some of the teaching that I see on a daily basis, some of these kids are lucky if they are getting the equivalent of three school days of teaching in a week. (Present company excluded, of course (smile)!) Imagine if all teachers were held to a real standard of performance in this country. It was turn things around.

It's about the quality of work, not the quantity. If we become more efficient, which we're more equipped to do with our technological tools, we can benefit from our efficiency and be able chill on the beach more often.

Something to think about. I would love your thoughts on this.

Anyway, enjoy your holiday break. I have to figure out what I'm cooking. You should hear from me before the new year.

"I partied for a while now I'm back to the blo[g]..."

2007-12-10T21:36:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Relaxed
Currently listening to: 'American Dreamin'' by Jay-Z

You know how it is when you haven't been to the beach in a while?

It's a hot Memorial Day, and your feet haven't been near the sand since the last September.

And then, it's time.

It's time to put your toes in the water and become acclimated. Reacquainted.

The sun is beaming on your face. The water is begging you to make contact. (Damn! I miss Bali.)

You put your toes in to test the temperature. (Or, rather, to let the temperature test you.)

At first, there's the little chill that passes right through ya.

Then...inevitably...the decision is made.

THE

PLUNGE.

In an instant, it's back.

It's like riding a bike. You never forgot. Just had to reconnect.

Well, today is like that Memorial Day, and these past few months have been the autumn, winter and spring. It's great to be back.

But, you knew I couldn't stay away. Right?

Who can resist?! Just had to wait for the right time. (Still working on my patience lesson.)

[Up Next: the 5-day work week and Songs in the Key of My Life (not necessarily in that order)]

Why don't you come in?

The water feels wonderful!

Off to Bangkok!

2007-08-18T00:35:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Fine
Currently listening to: Airline announcements at Changi

I'm in the airport in Singapore, on the way to wild Bangkok, and they offer free internet here. Nice.

Singapore is a very efficient city. (Malverne: you would LOVE it!) I was struck immediately by a high school science competition that was on TV. This is what kids do here! Nuts! It's was like their TRL. All of them cheering and stuff. What do we have? American Idol.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Thailand. Not missing home yet, so I know it's been a blast.

Laterz...

My New Love

2007-08-14T21:26:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Sunny and soooooooooooooo relaxed
Currently listening to: the woman at the hotel business center talking on the phone

Omigoodness! I am in LOVVVVVVVVVVE with Bali. I'm already scheming on how I can come back next year. So far, Hong Kong was cool, and Singapore is next. But, Bali???!!! Damn.

I'm outta here. I only have 15 minutes, anyway. More when I return.

Before I Go...

2007-08-07T15:52:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Distracted (by the weather)
Currently listening to: Stephen A.'s podcast

It's hot and beautiful and I'm completely distracted!

SPORTS

Hurray to A. Rod! Kudos to Bonds! No matter how you feel about Bonds, Selig is wrong to call A. Rod for his 500 and barely acknowledge Bonds for his 755. That's not nice. Many of his players are juiced up, and he knows it, so enough with the nonsense already!

I heard that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was thinking about honoring Michael Vick. Then they backpeddled. Are they for real?? I'm not convicting him, but of ALL the positive Black people, and even athletes, that can be honored, why would they even consider him? We have to be careful when we support our own "no matter what" because then it becomes like the boy who cried wolf. When it's time to really support someone for a worthy cause, it's tainted.

MOVIES

The Simpsons was funny. You can "Simpsonize Yourself" at http://www.simpsonizeme.com/. I got a kick out of it...

MUSIC

Am I late on Lily Allen? She's the truth! I didn't know about her until I heard her on Common's new album. That single: 'Drivin' Me Wild' is ridiculous!

She's another one of those chicks from the UK that have music with flava. She's not soulful, like Amy Winehouse, but her lyrics are crazy (somewhat Alanis-Morrisette-slash-Avril-Lavigne-ish) and there is definitely Caribbean influence in her music. It's been described by others as "laid-back ska, pop and hip-hop". Really cool. Check her out.

Saw Lauryn Hill in BK last night at a free concert. This was the best pic I could get. A lot of people who waited for a while to see her left in the first ten minutes of her set. I was shocked. The faithful stayed, but she just was in a different space. Very rocked out, but not in a good way. I love you, Lauryn, but she butchered a lot of the old stuff, too. We miss you, L Boogie.

BYE!

So, I'm off on my trip tomorrow night. Will be back in two weeks. I will accept prayers for my safe travels and return. Thanks!!

Early birthday shout out to PIAB, since I'll miss this one!! We'll make up for it when I get back. I'll be back for the other August b-days, so catch up with ya then.

"Holla at ya when I come off tour..."

Harry Potter vs. 50 Cent

2007-08-03T14:22:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Summer-y!
Currently listening to: 'Jane Doe' by Alicia Keys

I finally finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows earlier this week! In a word: amazing! (Don't worry! There are NO Harry Potter spoilers in this post.) I'm guessing that reading this book is the closest thing to experiencing what a crack addiction might be like.

You're always thinking about it.
You want to keep reading it, even when you are tired as hell and your eyes are closing from the fatigue.
And, finally, when it's over, and that high is gone, you look for the next ~~drug~~ book to give you an even greater high.

Being out in the city the night of the book release was definitely interesting. New Yorkers always go hard with things like this. Even bumped into some dementors in Union Square:

(I HAD to get that pic!)

Then, I got to thinkin'...there is a connection...but, what is it???

Then it came to me: Harry Potter vs. 50 Cent.

I think I was inspired by the "Who's Now" competition that has been going on at ESPN. (In case you didn't know, it's Tiger vs. LeBron for the final, which is to be decided this weekend. Vote here. I think Tiger's gonna win. All those Majors and what not. LeBron's still on the come up.)

Unlike ESPN, it's not really a competition between Harry and 50. More like a comparison. They have more in common than most people think.

Let me explain (scroll ALL THE WAY down for the rest of the post. I can't seem to get rid of this big gap here, no matter what I do. Need to step my HTML game up):

	HARRY POTTER	50 CENT
*"They Get Money"!*	The HP books and movies have made J.K. Rowling a billionaire. It was reported last year that her fortune increased by $230 per minute!	Fif is not a billionaire, but he's definitely doing his thing. That Vitamin Water deal put his worth solidly in the 9-figure range. Like he says: "I take quarter water sold it in bottles for 2 bucks / Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions, what the f*?"
*"Hate it or Love It"*	HP fans are the most devoted, loyal bunch of people. Once they're in, they're in! The other extreme are those people who think that the books and the characters glorify witchcraft and evil. *(Ridiculous!)* So with Harry, it's either a party or a protest. No gray areas.	Fif has his share of controversy, too. People love the music, but then they think it's too violent and misogynistic. He has beef with almost every rapper (at least it seems that way), but it hasn't tarnished his success or his appeal.
*Crews*	Dumbledore's Army	G-Unit
*Triumph over Adversity*	HP is undoubtedly a symbol of this. Orphaned as a toddler, people trying to kill him...it never ends. HP is always getting out of some beef.	Shot 9 times and then dropped by his label. Overcame all this to become a powerhouse in the game.
*Scars*	The famous lightining-shaped scar on his forehead. A constant reminder of Voldemort's wrath.	Well, he was shot 9 times!
*Ex-Girl Drama*	HP's ex, Cho Chang, played a part in diming out his crew when they were trying to secretly prepare to battle his nemesis.	3 words: Vivica A. Fox. Remember, he had a restraining order out on her.

See. I told you. Anyway, need to start thinking about what I'm packing for my trip now. Later.

Crossing the Bridge...When You Get to It?

2007-08-02T00:53:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Humbled
Currently listening to: News reports on TV

Part of what makes life so precious is its randomness.

At any given moment, you can be elated or devastated.

In a split second you can experience triumph or be obliterated in defeat.

It's this randomness that keeps us on our toes and also becomes the source of our greatest pleasures and pains. This is especially true of things that are completely out of our control.

These thoughts come to me as I hear about the bridge collapse in Minneapolis today. An unbelievable tragedy. A horrible image. I'm sure the images do no justice, whatsoever, to the scene. People lost their lives. Others are forever changed.

So, we are reminded:

There's so much you CAN'T control in life. How about the things that we CAN?? A lot of times, we relinquish our control.

It's done very simply. Sneaky, even. Typically, it manifests itself as "I can't" or "we'll see what happens" or "I'm sure it'll work out". What if we actually fully exercised our power of action for that portion of our lives in which we can influence?

You don't like your job?

What's stopping you from changing it?

You don't like your man?

Why can't you get rid of him?

You don't like the way those jeans fit?

Is there any reason you can't remedy that?

You don't like the way you're living?

Is doing the same thing gonna change that?

Is all this easier said than done? DEFINITELY! I'm not naive.

Is taking the sliver of control available to you and changing your life possible? ABSOLUTELY!

I think that's the point. Exercise your power. Even if you believe it's small in the grand scheme of things, exercise it to its fullest potential. (I could use my own advice sometimes!)

For all the things we can't control, life reminds us that we better take charge of the things that we can, because, often, it goes away in a random instant. Unfortunately, like those people who died on the bridge today.

Why Black People Eat Watermelon in the Closet

2007-07-19T12:20:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Fine!
Currently listening to: Sounds outside my window

I haven't seen the movie "Talk to Me" with Don Cheadle, but I plan to. Cheadle plays Petey Green, a radio jock in the 70s in D.C. that revolutionized the game. The first real "shock jock". He died in the 80s. His story is interesting, but some footage from his local TV show is priceless.

Entitled "How to Eat a Watermelon" it talks about why Black people are tricked into what is deemed to be acceptable behavior by our society. Petey asks "why Black people start eatin' watermelon in the closet?" That point is still relevant today.

Y'all know you've been to that company picnic and there's a fruit spread. And you have a choice between watermelon or honeydew. You KNOW you pick the honeydew, even though the watermelon is lookin' RIGHT. Especially, if the watermelon is in slices, and not cut up in cubes! Don't act brand new, like I'm making all this up.

Petey addresses this in an interesting way and his message is simple: "Be Yourself". Peep it:

10 Things I Learned This Summer

2007-07-16T23:34:00.001-04:00

Current mood: Soooooooooo relaxed
Currently listening to: "You" by Raheem DeVaughn

These are the 10 things I learned so far this summer....

#1: I'm easily distracted with the warm weather when it comes to blogging. (Quite obvious, right?)

#2: People in certain parts of Brooklyn go on their rooftops to watch the July 4th fireworks (and drink homemade cosmos!).

It was a really good time. As a Queens chick, I never knew.

#3: Orchard Beach is not only very accessible and nice and clean (for an NYC/LI beach), but the nice surprise is that it wasn't ghetto.

This beach has a bad rep, and it doesn't deserve it. I didn't get in that nasty water, but at least I'm nice and sunkissed now!

#4: We have short memories...

#5: There's a only a slim chance that Stephen A. Smith and I will be the power couple of 2007. His loss.

#6: There is a 26% chance that a major hurricane could hit the NYC area within the next 50 years. Scary, when you think about it. Read more.

If you live in the city and want to know if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone, click here.

If you live in Nassau or Suffolk and want to see storm surge maps for different categories of storms, click here. (Scroll down on that page.)

#7: Possibly the best natural, healthy, fresh fruit smoothie spot in the city is in the Bronx, right on Mt. Eden Ave. (right by the 4 train) called the Banana Queen. They have great pastelitos, too!

#8: People in Scarsdale have lost their minds!! This sign makes no sense.

#9: I love going to Yankees games, even if it is hard to get a good picture of Derek Jeter with my camera.

#10: There are still hip-hop albums that you can listen to all the way through without skipping because of garbage tracks. Finally.

New and Old

2007-05-22T20:22:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Cool
Currently listening to: "IZZO" by Jay-Z from 'The Blueprint'

My first thoughts this morning:

'I hate mornings!'......

'Was that a dream or for real?'......
**Unmentionable** (followed by a smile) [This IS a family blog!]......

'I'm definitely blogging today!'

Yes, yes, yes. I'm alive. It's crazy to think that I haven't posted in over a month!

Life is fine. I think I was just really, really caught up with the everyday grind. Also, I was playing hard to compensate for all the hard work.

Had to break free, though. I miss this!

Summer is unofficially on and poppin' this weekend. It's about time.

So what's new with me?? Let's see....

I graduate tomorrow...

That should be fun. I'm not excited yet, but everyone else is. Even my students gave me a round of applause. (Awww!) I'll be excited when I'm all cap-and-gowned-up. Last time I graduated...ummm....8 years ago (Damn! Time flies!!), my dad was sick and couldn't make it. He's good now, though, so I'm grateful.

Speaking of graduation, I read that everyone is SOOOOO excited because the high school graduation rates are up in NYC...to a whopping 50%???!! I'm not really sure what we're celebrating here. Only half the kids in NYC graduate high school on time?!?! And the percentages are predictably less for minorities. When did this become a victory?

There is no other industry, besides education, in which you can do things right only half of the time and still have your job. Even if you work at Mickey D's and burn up the fries half the time, your behind would be out! But in the education industry, where stakes are so high, mediocrity is allowed to enjoy a very comfortable existence.

Now, I know I'm in it, so instead of complaining, I should do all I can to change it, and I'm working on that.

Bottom line: Until teachers get paid a salary that is comparable to what doctors, lawyers and engineers make, incompetent people will continue to do a crappy job teaching our kids. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great people giving it their all, but there would be a lot more if the money was right.

It's official: I'm going to Asia this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot wait! That's really a blessing. Nice way to cap off my favorite season. Fifteen days. Four countries (China, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand). Should be nuts!

The "big" jeans are too big, and the "small" jeans are almost there...

I'm almost at my fighting weight. Need to be more disciplined, though.

Anyway, didn't get a chance to post about V-Tech, the presidential debates, Clemens' contract, the NBA suspensions, the NFL suspensions, etc., etc. Can't do justice to all that now, but I'm back in the fold.

You know what HASN'T changed??

Cops are still wrecklessly killing people. Really a messed up situation for all involved.

Gas prices are bezerk!! I paid about $25 for less than 8 gallons of gas. And, like many others, my Metrocard is getting more run these days.

R. Kelly is still putting out those hits. I'm not saying I condone what he did. All I'm saying is that "I'm a Flirt" is my joint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've compartmentalized it all.

Anyway, it's good to be here typing and pouring out my thoughts. I won't be such a stranger any more.

I Was Wrong. Good.

2007-04-16T20:45:00.000-04:00

Current mood: A little sleepy
Currently listening to: 'Karma' by Alicia Keys

Lament

I wonder why spring

can't be the winter of life.

My sandals miss me.

- an original Perfect Storm haiku

This weather is not playin'! Roads and homes flooded, trains not working, people dying. Damn!

Anyway, I was wrong about the Imus fiasco. At least, partially. I'm happy about it, though. Last time, I left you with these final points:

1) It is still OK in this society to dis Black women.

Still true. You hear everyone talking about how wonderful the Rutger's women basketball team members are. And they are! They are what's best about our society. But if they were some high school dropouts with babies, it still makes the comments inexcusable. There is still the class issues that we deal with in every community.

2) No real repercussions.

I was wrong!! They got rid of Imus...Trump-style. "YOU'RE FIRED!" The money speaks.

Eleanor Clift from Newsweek made a great point about this. Her commentary, "Why White Men Don't Matter" addresses the fact that the market is now focused on targeting more women and minority consumers. (Read it.)

As a result, all the corporate sponsors that pulled out of Imus' show, which ultimately was the final straw for his superiors, had to do so as they considered the future of their own bottom lines.

Eleanor's point is that these corporations did not consult their moral compasses. Instead, they pulled out not to mess up their money.

3) As long as our community is perceived as actively disrespecting our women, it's fair game for others to jump in. It disarms us against that fight.

Yup.

You must have self-respect in order for people to truly respect you. That's real.

As a matter of fact, now the criticism is going towards the rap community.

But, waitaminute! Lest we forget that it's not just rap music? How about television shows? And movies?? And print media??? Don't they consistently portray a certain (often negative) image of Black women? And Black men? And our families (or lack thereof)?

I'm gonna talk more about this one later. Deserves it's own post. Today Oprah had a town hall meeting about the fallout after the Imus' affair. Today was Day 1, and it had a panel discussing all the things that we did.

Tomorrow, Day 2, as Opes says, "the hip-hop community responds". She's gonna have Russell Simmons, Common and others on to make their points. I'll be watching.

4) It's unfortunate that this stuff is still going on in 2007.

And will probably go on for a while. But, I wonder if all these discussions are just because this is the hot topic now, or because this event really will have a long-lasting effect on our society?

On "Meet the Press", they had a really honest discussion about it, and even extended the segment and didn't discuss the Alberto Gonzalez mess, like was originally planned.

This discussion was different because it targeted the accountability of journalists who supported shows like Imus in the Morning. Since many of them were loyal listeners and guests for many years, they let him live. You know how it is...the media can make or break you. They were complicit, so his show survived.

Even while I was driving to work this morning, Power 105.1 FM had a town hall meeting on their morning show about how they will be more mindful of their content and music. For real?? Maybe we are changing. Time will tell.

Yo, what is going on at Virginia Tech?? People are losing their minds.

Anyway, I gotta go watch "The Riches" now. The best TV in a while.

Who Has More Naps??

2007-04-10T01:12:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Wide awake!!
Currently listening to: Nothing

Which team has more naps?

I wanted to wait a little before weighing in on this one. I wanted to see what was going to happen. As I suspected, not much.

So, in case you've been living under a rock for the past few days, you've heard about Don Imus' comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. If not, here is a snippet of the controversial remarks that took place on his NATIONAL radio show during a conversation between Imus, his executive producer (McGuirk) and his sports reporter (Rosenberg):

IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between -- a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women's final.

ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night -- seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.

IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and --

McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.

IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some -- woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like -- kinda like -- I don't know.

McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.

IMUS: Yeah.

McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes -- that movie that he had.

IMUS: Yeah, it was a tough --

McCORD: Do The Right Thing.

McGUIRK: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

IMUS: I don't know if I'd have wanted to beat Rutgers or not, but they did, right?

ROSENBERG: It was a tough watch. The more I look at Rutgers, they look exactly like the Toronto Raptors.

IMUS: Well, I guess, yeah.

RUFFINO: Only tougher.

McGUIRK: The [Memphis] Grizzlies would be more appropriate.

So what happened as a result? After a few days of waffling, Imus' show was suspended for 2 weeks. Probably brought on by increasing pressure from Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and others for his resignation, because at first, they barely got a slap on the wrist.

Imus appeared on Rev. Al's radio show today and stood his ground. He apologized, acknowledged that his comments were racist, refused to accept that resignation was a suitable consequence for his actions.

OK. Let's break this down.

FIRST:
The comments were not only racist, they were also clearly sexist. Where did this "hos" comment come from? You want to say that these girls are busted? That's your right. But why are they hos? If they were a predominantly white team, would they still be referred to as hos?

And, of course, women, no matter what their accomplishments, i.e., getting to a national championship game, are still evaluated, in one way or another, based on their looks. That's just our society. Nobody ever talked about how Sam Cassell looked when he played!

And let's peep who threw the word out there first. It was NOT Imus. It was his EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, ~~McJerk~~ McGuirk!! Now, if that is not some innate racism, what is?! This is a person with significant influence on how the show is run. If he says it, anything goes.

McJerk, I mean, McGuirk, said this because:

He knew he could and get away with it. I mean, you're dissing Black women. What's the worst that can happen? When they are killed or missing, we don't give a damn, so why would an insensitive comment cause any drama?

Let's face it...our community calls our women hos all the time! Or, at a minimum, it's definitely perceived that way. It's the whole, "if they don't mind calling their women that, why should they mind if WE call them that?" This does not excuse what was said, but it always gives the other side ammo to defend their misconduct. And actually, when Imus was on Rev. Al's radio show today, he brought up that exact point and basically asked the Rev. why he doesn't go after Black radio personalities who use the same derogatory comments. Good point! (Al said that he denounces those comments from Black people, too.)
He works in an environment in which racist and sexist attitudes are tolerated. Some background. Rosenberg, the sports reporter on the show, was fired several times for derogatory comments about women. (Peep it here. He called Venus Williams "an animal", among other things.) The operative word is "several". He was hired back by Imus every time.

SECOND:

"Nappy-headed". C'mon! What is the comedic value in that? That just slipped out. No prompting from anybody else. Off the cuff.

How long do Black women have to hear about their hair and how it is deemed to be inferior? Besides Black women, what other group of women struggle so much with "going natural"?? Ironic, right?

Even some brothas are not messin' with you if you don't have a perm! Or hair all down your back!! They have been programmed by the message, too! I'm not gettin' at the brothas. My point is, this is just a pervasive attitude about the image of the Black woman in America. This brings me to...

THIRD:

"Jigaboos and wannabes". (Dummies referenced the wrong movie!)

So, this is the whole color thing. I could talk about this for days, but I won't. We know that our society favors a lighter complected black person. Unless it is a big, tall, Mandigo man (aka, ball players).

This comment further deepens the wound. How many young, black girls already have a complex about their skin and hair? How many of them are told, through media images, every minute of every day, that their skin should be lighter and their hair should be longer and wavier?

Comments like these reinforce the attitudes. They make it harder for those girls to feel good about themselves. They make it harder for some grown women to feel good about themselves!

Final Points:

It is still OK in this society to dis Black women.

No real repercussions.

As long as our community is perceived as actively disrespecting our women, it's fair game for others to jump in.

It disarms us against that fight.

It's unfortunate that this stuff is still going on in 2007.

I leave you with this...

This will not be over quickly...

2007-04-03T11:35:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Rested :D
Currently listening to: 'Funky Piano' by EPMD (Business As Usual)

"This will not be over quickly.

You will not enjoy this.

I am NOT your queen!"

Finally saw 300. Saw it in IMAX. Twice. Loved it to death.

It's not "Braveheart". It's definitely not "Gladiator", but it was fly.

It's the type of movie that when you leave it, you feel amped. Like listening to Onyx used to make you feel back in the 90s.

The actress that played the queen was perfectly cast. Her character was so strong. So smart. So sexy.

So rare for female characters in film.

She was the bomb. Definitely a ride or die chick.

Speaking of women who might stab you if you piss them off, Hillary is getting that money. There are endorsements coming in from everywhere. From Sen. Corzine to Timbaland. Timbaland supposedly hosted a fundraiser for Hill last week in Miami.

So does that mean that, right now, Hillary is getting the hip-hop vote? If so, does that mean Barack is not the shoe-in that people thought he was gonna be? And, are people jumping on the Clinton bandwagon because she is arguably the more qualified candidate with the better shot to beat the Republicans (i.e., Giuliani)?

Hmmmmmm. What do y'all think?? Vote in my polls:

And for fun....

I had to throw that last one in! Thanks for your vote. I'm off...

It's Official!!

2007-03-26T17:45:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Just fine. (Spring is in the air!)
Currently listening to: Nothing

Teachers: Stop Sleeping with your Students!!

2007-03-19T19:08:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Good
Currently listening to: 'Like Glue' by Sean Paul

Is this the woman who set this all off??

Nah. This was going on before her and will go on after she's gone.

Is it me, or does it seem like everyday there is a new report of a female teacher having sex with one of her students??!

There's the one in the Bronx (she's 23, he's 16). Allegedly.

There's the one in Brooklyn (she's 30, he's 13!). Allegedly. She's a sista, too. Damn.

There's the one in Tennessee (she's 29, he's 15). She was serving 8 years and got 2 extra years for sending him nude pics from her phone.

There's the one in Delaware (she's 35, he's 13!). (Hmmm. Thirteen seems to be the magic number here.) She just got sentenced to 10 years. She got him drunk AND let him drive her car.

And there's the other one in Tennessee (she's 30, he was 18). Her husband just killed the boy last week because the wife was having the affair. Allegedly.

OK. First, let me say that MOST TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE AFFAIRS WITH THEIR STUDENTS!!! These broads were outta pocket.

Second, because the minors are boys and not girls, in some tiny, little, itsy-bitsy part of the public consciousness, these incidents are considered as rites of passage for these boys. That's because boys are socialized to be studs and girls are socialized to be chaste.

So, the argument is always made that the boys consented. That's arguable, and even if it's true, it does not discount the fact that these women absolutely abused their power. I mean, a 30-year-old woman can easily manipulate a little teenage boy. Especially if sex is on the table. (Sorry...no pun intended there.)

And, were they that hard up?? Damn. These are little boys! It's just SO wrong. Being in the profession, I don't see how a grown woman can even look at a boy like that.

Don't get me wrong. I don't absolve the parents. We can assign blame like, "where were they when all these escapades were going on?" but remember, a lot of parents tend to trust teachers. They don't mind if their little Johnny is getting a little "one-on-one tutoring" after school. Ya know.

Maybe these women thought it would end up like this...

On another note...

3 outta 5 cops indicted in the Sean Bell murder case. They got the medium charges of Man 1 and Man 2 (not as harsh as Murder 2, but not as soft as criminally negligent homicide). We'll see how the change of venue issue is gonna go. I don't have a hunch how this one will turn out. Either way, the man was murdered. Nothing will change that.

Rock and Roll will NEVER be the Same

2007-03-13T20:04:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Good
Currently listening to: 'Tears Dry on Their Own' by Amy Winehouse

First, I wanna thank hummingbyrd for putting me onto Amy Winehouse. Her album was finally released in the U.S. today, and I ran out and bought it! A definite classic. So refreshing. So real. And, she can sing!! She really puts it down, especially for the ladies. But guys will love her rawness, too.

On the theme of music, you know I had to comment on Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This is monumental and deserved. This was the first time social consciousness was incorporated into rap music. "The Message" is timeless.

Back then, it was ALL about the DJ. His name was first. It's because the DJ made the party happen. Now it's all about the MC.

They were inducted by Jay-Z. Fitting, I think, because he epitomizes the far-reaching clout hip hop has attained over the last 30+ years.

Even though there are a lot of haters out there, it just shows that the nominating committee has some sense.

A person or group cannot be considered for induction into the Hall until 25 years after their first recording. So you know what that means, right? Run-DMC...LL Cool J...Beasties...they're comin'!

Also, did you think I forgot??

Last week was the 10th anniversary of the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. While I'm not one to typically observe such things, you can't deny what impact Biggie had on rap music with just two albums.

I remember like it was yesterday.

It was 1993.

We were in PIAB's basement in Queens (do you remember this, girl?!) and the "Dolly My Baby" Remix video came on TV (remember? with SupaCat?).

(Back then, that's what we did. Watched videos and chilled. Those were the days, man.)

There was this rapper, then named Biggie Smalls, who started off his rap with:

"I love it when you call me Big Poppa..."

He wasn't cute, but we were instantly in love. Automatic charisma and undeniable swagger.

Who knows? Maybe B.I.G. will be in the Hall one day.

"Let's Get it All in Perspective..."

2007-03-12T20:12:00.000-04:00

Current mood: Grateful
Currently listening to: 'The Fact is (I Need You)' by Jill Scott

There are moments in life when we need to be checked. We start whining about our little problems and issues and then something happens to put in all into perspective.

The fire in the Bronx last week served that purpose for me. Nine children and one mother are gone.

Mamadou Soumare is one of the men who lost his children in this horrible tragedy.

He lost his entire immediate family.

His wife and all four of his children.

What must it feel like to lose your entire family in the blink of an eye?

No one should ever know.

The families have been offered money for the funeral expenses. They have been offered free flights to Mali for burials there. They have been offered to have their house completely rebuilt. They have been offered tons of food and money.

These gestures remind us that, with all the wickedness in the world, people, in general, are good and tragedy is so universal that it can bring us all together. No one can bring their loved ones back, so we settle, helplessly, for these things, instead.

So, as we check the batteries in our smoke detectors, and call those dearest to us to remind them how much we love them, let's also remember that a good dose of perspective is what we need sometimes.

May all those lost in the fire rest in peace.

May these men, and their families, have the support they need to try to get back to some type of normalcy.

Eventually.

Conversations Overheard Today...

2007-03-06T18:14:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Fine
Currently listening to: 'Get Money' by Junior M.A.F.I.A.

...in my 3rd period class...

Setting: students in groups of 4 solving math problems
Student A: How did you get #2?
Student B: You have to multiply them all by one-third.
Me (passing by): Excellent! That's right. Don't forget to distribute the one-third. (I walk away.)
Student A: I think you're right. I think Ms. XXXXX (meaning me) parties.
Student B: I wonder if she ever had a hangover?!! (They both giggle.)

...in my 7th period class...

Setting: same as 3rd period
Me (to Student C): You said your wrist hurts. It's probably because you keep drumming on the table with your hands. That's going to exacerbate it.
Student C: Oh yeah. Let me stop. (I walk away)
Student D: Did she say "masturbate it"???
Student C: NO! She said "exacerbate".
Student D: What's that mean?
Student C: I think it means I'm making my wrist feel worse.
(My thoughts: Excellent! He learned a new vocabulary word today!)

...at the DMV in Harlem...

Setting: on line at the Traffic Violations Bureau
Guy 1: Hey, man! Whatcha doin' here?
Guy 2: I'm here to represent YOU! (They both laugh.) I'm here for the same bullsh*t. Man, if I didn't come here today, they were gonna suspend my license.
Guy 1: AGAIN??!!
Guy 2: Yeah. (Guy 2 looks into one of the courtrooms and sees one of the judges.) Yo!! That's my man! If you can, get that judge. He's nice. He ALWAYS gets me off. That other one (he points to the other room), he's mean!
Guy 3 (interrupting): Hey, y'all!!
Guys 1 and 2: Hey!! What are YOU doing here??!!

...still on line at the DMV...

Guy 4: So she called me. It was Valentine's day, son. She's like, 'Promise you won't be mad at me'. I'm like, damn. I KNOW it's about the truck!
Guy 5: What happened?
Guy 4: I was like, 'Where's the truck?' and she was cryin' and sh*t and was like, 'I got into an accident. I'm OK.'
Guy 5: Word?
Guy 4: On the real, son, I didn't care about nunna dat. I wanted to know about MY TRUCK!
Guy 5: Damn, son. That's ill.
Guy 4: So, I'm like, 'Yo! Where's the truck?!' She's like, '135th and St. Nick. I hit a pole.' Truck was totaled. If she didn't move it, the pole woulda fell on the truck.

...at Pathmark...

Old Man (with a cart full of groceries, to no apparent person in particular): Y'all on strike??!! Can you open up some more of these registers?!

J. Hud and the Cavemen

2007-02-26T20:19:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Alright
Currently listening to: Funkmaster Flex podcast
Worked out today?: no

She did it!!!

What a wonderful moment. J. Hud got her gold!! She definitely made ME cry in that flick. A few times! Not just when she was doing her "...AND I AM TELLING YOU!..." She did not just sing (we knew she could do that!), but she acted. And she made you feel it. I felt Effie's pain and angst. She did her thing.

Got her Oscar. Got her Golden Globe. Got her SAG award. Got her Vogue cover. Don't hate. Even if it's just for now. Just for this year. Just for this time in our lives, it's still her time. She worked for it, and it paid off.

I thought the performance when they sang those songs from the movie was just OK. She was beltin' those notes. And, after all that, Melissa Ethridge wins the best song Oscar. Oh, well!

If you saw the Barbara Walters interview before the Oscars, she put J. Hud on the spot, a little. She asked her about her boyfriend, and it went something like this (I'm paraphrasing!):

BW: So your boyfriend, how long have you been dating?

JHud: Seven years.

BW: Is he gonna ask you to marry him?

JHud: I don't know. It's up to him. I'm not proposin'! (Go, girl!)

BW: Now, he's a maintenance engineer, right? With all your shine and big willie status, are you really gonna stick with dude? I mean, really. He's a maintenance engineer.

JHud: Yup. He knew me before all of this. I can trust him. Yadda, yadda, yadda...

So, Barbara took it there.

I was a little surprised because did she ask Elizabeth Taylor that when she married that dude she met in rehab? Or did she ask Cher that when she was dating the bagel boy back in the day? Or would she have asked Britney that (pre-divorce and baldie)?

I'm not sure if she would have.

It raises a great point, though. We're talking about women who earn more than men, and how it affects the dynamic of the relationship. I think this is more of an issue/dilemma for Black women, who, in general, have a higher educational attainment than their male counterparts, and thus, are positioned to earn more than them. This affects the available pool of men for these women. (I kind of touch on this at the EEC.)

I believe that inside every man, no matter what his race, there is a caveman.

And this caveman wants to rule to roost and prove his dominance.

And this caveman wants to hunt and kill the animal.

And this caveman wants to brag to all his caveman friends how he hunted the animal, and how he killed it, and how hard the fight was, etc., etc.

And this caveman wants to bring the dead, bloody animal home to wifey and have her cook it.

When she cooks it, this caveman wants the biggest piece.

And then, this caveman will drag her by her hair to the back of the cave and mate. (This is just my take, mind you.)

So, what Barbara is really asking J. Hud is:

Yo. Is your man OK with you killing the animal and having him cook it?

And are you OK with that, too?

Or do you want a dude with a bigger cave who can kill bigger animals for you?

J. Hud's heart is in the right place. I really think, though, when the other caveman comes through, her boo will probably feel threatened. (Awwww!)

I'm rootin' for them, though!

So Much to Cover...So Little Time

2007-02-15T19:24:00.000-05:00

Current mood: TGI (almost) F
Currently listening to: 'Hold You Down' by Alchemist (feat. Prodigy and Nina Sky)...That was my JOINT!!!

I'm baa-aaaack!!

I know it's been a minute, so this is one of those posts where I try to catch up with all my thoughts. Here goes!

WEATHER

The snow in NYC was not that crazy. I was shocked because:

1) We all knew it was coming. This storm was forecasted forever.

2) On the morning when it was coming down (yesterday), the major roads were NOT plowed or salted. (WTF!!!!)

3) During the rush hour yesterday afternoon, the major highways (like the Deegan??!!!) were still NOT plowed!!!

Not for nothin', I'm not a big fan of Giuliani AT ALL, but he knew how to keep snow and ice off the streets. What's up, Bloomie??!

According to Newsday.com, yesterday the city got over 165,000 calls about people complaining, and today, over 152,000 calls were received by people beefin' about the streets.

At least he could have suspended the parking rules for a few days.

OBAMA

He announced. I must say that I'm still waiting to see how this will turn out. I'm a little more caught up in his marketing, oops!, I mean, message. Running as an outsider is a good idea. It separates him from Hillary, who is the ultimate Washington insider, and as a result, gives voters an alternative.

When he was on "60 Minutes", I liked how the wife addressed the whole assassination issue. We discussed this a few posts ago about how Black candidates, especially those that seem to have the potential to shake up the status quo, unfortunately have to consider attempts on their lives.

Michelle Obama, who I'm lovin' more and more, when asked about if she's worried about her husband catchin' it, said on 60 Minutes, and I quote:

"As a Black man, Barack can get shot going to the gas station!

I don't lose sleep over it."

That's real talk. How do you not love that?!! Steve Kroft just looked at her like, "Yeah. You right." He knows what it is.

I really miss Ed Bradley, though. You know he would have rocked that interview. R.I.P. Ed.

GRAMMYS

Mary had her moment, didn't she? That's right, mama. You finish your damn speech! Happy for Mary. I don't know why I thought she already won Grammys. She looked and sounded great.

I'm glad T.I. won, too. He had a hell of a year.

Dixie Chicks are forgiven now. That's cool. Freedom of speech and all. I like the group and I like the song. If it was Destiny's Child that had said something about President Bush, though, that career would've been OVER!!!! You know it.

TIM HARDAWAY

Damn. I mean...damn. He said, and I quote, "I hate gay people." Jeez.

He has the right to say it. He was wrong to say it. He apologized right away. David Stern said, "keep your ass away from the All-Star game". That's pretty much it.

The real issue is that a lot of people feel that way. Especially in the NBA. Especially in the Black community. Especially Black men.

Black men are, arguably, the most homophobic population on the planet.

That's why so many dudes are on the Down Low.

That's why Terry McMillan's ex didn't come out until he was married for a few years.

That's why it will probably be years before an active professional male athlete, or rapper comes out.

It's true. (The rapper may never come out.)

Stephen A. Smith made a great point. Even though he condemned Hardaway's comments, he said that if Hardaway prefaced what he said by saying that he was a Christian, and because of his faith, didn't believe in homosexuality, his comments would be accepted completely differently.

It's like what Jerry Falwell and those folks say all the time. Stephen's right. (What's new?)

Anyway, Hardaway's not gonna recover like the Dixie Chicks. He's gonna live with this one forever.

Bye!

Super Bowl co-MVPs: Addai...and Grossman

2007-02-05T18:28:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Fine
Currently listening to: Nothing (!)
Worked out today?: No

Let's face it. Manning did NOT deserve that MVP trophy (or the car, I guess). Addai ran his ass off!! And, Grossman? Damn. That was a mess. I feel bad for him because he's probably somewhere banging his head into a wall. We all have a bad day, sometimes. His just happened to be during the biggest game of his life. Ouch.

But it was nice to see Dungy win!!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVED Prince's performance!!!! The "Purple One" did his thing!! You know how he had the scarf on his head (which I think was because of the rain), but then he whipped it off when he started performing "Purple Rain"?? That was pure rock star! It was like he was saying, "Aiight. The hair can come out now for my big finish." Gotta luv it.

And, he looked to be about 35 years old? How the heck does he manage that??!!

Shout to PIAB for the pics! I really appreciate the comparison pic of Little Richard. What does he always say? "I am Rock-n-Roll! I never win any awards!! And the winner is...ME!!"

It was nice that Prince had the FAMU marching band on the field. That was a nice touch, with all the history being made at the Bowl this year. Liked that, too.

That's all for now. Gotta get crackin' on all of this work.

Let the Games Begin

2007-01-23T22:12:00.000-05:00

Current mood: So-so
Currently listening to: Stephen A. Smith's ESPN podcast
Worked out today?: YES!

Well, Hillary is making her official run. That should be interesting. Between Hill and Barack, this race is gonna be a doozy! I don't know if America is ready for a woman president or a Black president. Actually, I'm not sure that either will get there, even though, I hope they do. Should be a fun election cycle, folks.

Football was fun this weekend. I am a little broken-hearted that Brady didn't get the Pats back, but that is overridden by the fact that Tony Dungy is going to the Superbowl!!! It's great to have a historic Superbowl, with the first two Black coaches. I hope the Colts take it!

I was listening to Stephen A., and he CRACKED ME UP!!!! He was talking about how Caldwell, from the Patriots. Caldwell is the receiver that dropped two wide-open passes from Brady in the AFC championship game. One was a touchdown pass. I was wondering why Brady kept going to him. Of course, Stephen A. echoed the same sentiments that I had! I was DYING LAUGHING. You will appreciate this if you saw the game.

Stephen A. said about Caldwell, and I quote:

"That boy looked high! Straight up high!"

(And he did!!!!)

He also added that his "eyes [were] bugged out. Lookin' like Beetlejuice." (They were!!! Weren't they?? Hilarious.)

You Did WHAT to My Stephen A.????!!!

2007-01-16T20:49:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Surpised!!!
Currently listening to: 'Money Over Bullsh*t' by Nas (Hip Hop is Dead)
Worked out today?: YES!

Yo, I tried to get tickets to see Stephen A.'s show, Quite Frankly, live at ESPN in Times Square, and the e-mail response I received was:

We would like to inform you that Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith has been canceled.

Thank you very much for your interest in the show.

We will keep your information on file for any future sports related shows.

Thank you
Audience Services

WHAAAAAAAAATTTT???!!!!! How are you gonna tell me like that???!!! How can they cancel his show?! I know he has the ESPN radio gig (yeah, I Podcast that), but no more late nights with Stephen?!!! What's a girl to do????? And, what's this business about "future sports related shows"?? Aren't all of ESPN's shows sports-related? And, why should I give a damn about those other shows, anyway??!!

I don't know if they are finishing up taping a few shows or not. I was looking forward to him talking about Tom Brady and the Super Bowl, the way only he can. (Sigh!) This is heart breaking. Well, all good things come to an end, I guess. He'll be back. He's a man with a plan.

ESPN already said they have a host of other stuff for him to do.

And, the man, himself, had this to say (source: the Philadelphia Inquirer):

"Yes, it's true, and I support ESPN's decision," Smith said. "Doing a brand new show on ESPN2 was a tremendous challenge and I'm proud of what we accomplished. I've learned a great deal. I've also learned there's limits to what I can withstand in regards to my schedule. Now I move on to future challenges - while enthusiastically embracing old ones like writing for The Inquirer on a more frequent basis. This is not an end for me. This is just the beginning. I'm just getting started."

That's right!! He's "just getting started"!!!

I LOVE YOU STEPHEN A.!!!

Anyway, back to the Pats for a second: I know the Chargers made a lot of mistakes, but you have to respect a team who always seems to pull out the win when it counts. Tom Brady is no joke. If I'm in a close game, I just hope to be on his team, and NOT playing against him.

I'll get back to work now. Later.

Steve Jobs Got Me OPEN!!!

2007-01-10T21:49:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Fine
Currently listening to: 'You're All I Need to Get By' by Aretha Franklin (REALLY soulful music!)

OK. I admit it! I WANT AN iPhone. Did you see the presentation by Steve Jobs????!! (check it out at www.apple.com) I don't think it's any hype at all -- this device will revolutionize mobile phones.

Look at it!! It's fly. I want one, but right now at $499...I don't think so. It's a phone, an iPod, a web browser. It cooks, it cleans, and on, and on, and on. And it does all this just using your finger!! That is so simple, but so ingenious, at the same time. I think we'll all have one soon, or something like it.

You really have to consider that I am NOT a phone person at all, meaning, I don't care about the latest technology in phones. I don't even have a camera phone!! (Remember, I just came off of dial-up a few months ago.) But, this is the sh*t!!!

I watched "I Love New York" on VH1. It's no "Flavor of Love", that's for sure!! Definitely more boring. I'm sure it will heat up, but for now, it's pretty lame. Hope I don't get addicted to it, anyway!

On a more serious note, Model Minority really struck a nerve for me on these "the-white-teacher-saves-the-poor-black-kids" movies. Check it out. No offense to my white friends, but I am tired of this formula in Hollywood.

Later.

It's Never Like the First Time

2007-01-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Very content
Currently listening to: "The Simpsons" in the background on TV

First, let me say that the weather in NYC yesterday was WONDERFUL!!!! I know the global warming thing is in full effect, FOR REAL, but you cannot beat a 70+ degree day in January! I went for a nice walk and really soaked it all in. I'm ready for May to get here.

The other night I went out with my friend to this really hot spot on the Upper West Side that has live music. It was a magical night!! We just had fun, the music was great, the crowd was so supportive. Damn! It got me to thinking about whenever you go somewhere new for the first time.

You know, how you go there, and you have the best time ever, and then you keep going back to recapture that moment?? If you're lucky, you get to still have a blast during your subsequent visits. BUT, it is NEVER like the first time you go there. There is a certain magic, an enchanted moment, that you experience, and like a drug, you keep trying to get that first high.

Just wanted to share that. I'm sure you all can relate.

Have a great week. It will be cold before the week is over. Oh, and I hope you checked out the link for Chrisette in the last post. Later!

From James Brown to Saddam to Oprah

2007-01-04T16:55:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Laid back...
Currently listening to: 'Ryder Music' by 50 Cent (The Massacre)

Happy 2007, people!! I hope the new year brings you all that you desire and none of what you don't. Thanks to all the people who responded to my meme. I know a lot of you did consider the questions, even if you didn't choose to share. It's good to be reflective sometimes.

Enough of that.

I slightly changed the look of this blog. Hope you like it!!

This holiday was really a nice one. I got to see a lot of folks, which was great. (Wonga Wonga to my Dec. 30 pals!!!!) Definitely was not ready to get back to the grind.

So here are a few topics I wanted to discuss:

JAMES BROWN

R.I.P. J.B.!!

There is no hip hop without James Brown. The Godfather of Soul. All those hot songs with all those hot samples...James Brown. He was definitely an original. The rap superstars of today must remember that they really would not be here without him.

MUSIC

YO!!!!! I cannot WAIT for Chrisette Michele's album to come out!! (Who??!) She is the woman who sings on Jay-Z's "Lost Ones" and Nas' "Can't Forget about You". Check out her music on her website: www.chrisettemichele.com.

This chick is the truth!!! She is on Def Jam, so I hope Hov fast tracks this one.

Nas' new album is BANANAS!! Cop that.

MOVIES

See Apocalypto!! It was amazing. That's the Mel Gibson movie about the fall of the Mayan empire. If you loved The Patriot, or Bravehart, or Mad Max (old heads), then you will love this. I know Gibson is crazy, but he sure knows how to tell a story.

WORLD EVENTS

All I can say about the Saddam hanging is this: WHERE'S OSAMA???

I don't know why Oprah is getting all this flack for opening a school in South Africa vs. opening one here.

Look: there are definitely gross inequities in public education. That is undeniable. However, even still, children here have the opportunity to go to school. It's a very different situation.

Don't make Oprah responsible for fixing our social ills! She worked for everything she has!!

That's the point: you have to work! Maybe I am a little jaded because I see kids, everyday, who squander the vast opportunities given to them. Frankly, it's really disheartening. These are the same kids who have their hair and nails done, the new Nano and the most expensive sneakers. How can Oprah be expected to fix that?? I am glad that she is targeting young girls.

Enough venting...Later.

Saying Goodbye to 2006

2006-12-28T02:17:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Reflective
Currently listening to: 'Have Faith' by Floetry (Floacism Live)

I am posting a meme that I created for the end of 2006.

I have one rule:

If you read it, you must also answer it. (Be fair!!!)

Just copy and paste it into the comments and change your responses to post. Of course, you can always post anonymously.

Here is my end-of-year wrap up:

1. Did you love as hard as you could've in 2006? Why or why not?

For the most part, definitely yes. I always feel that I could never love my sister enough, though.

2. What is something new that you did this year?

I painted.

I rollerskated.

I got moving violations.

I acted a little like a dude (no comment :P).

I went to Rome.

I went to a Yankees game.

I wrote some (real) poetry.

Oh....and I BLOGGED!!!!!

3. How will you answer Question #2 the same time next year?

I had a housewarming party :D

4. What was your biggest regret in 2006?

Watching "Flavor of Love". Religiously. (I couldn't help it!!!)

5. What was your biggest accomplishment in 2006?

I discovered my true self worth. That was a nice gift and it clears up a lot of nonsense.

6. How many people did you hurt this year?

Two (that I know of!). Never maliciously, though. One was unavoidable and one was unintentionally because I wasn't keeping up my end of the bargain.

7. How many people did you help this year?

About 286. It's the job...and I LOVE IT!!!!

Self-Worth...It's Here!!!

2006-12-28T02:07:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Enlightened
Currently listening to: 'Black Girl Lost' by Nas (It Was Written)

An original Storm haiku:

Outcropped from past pain,

in the midst of my chaos

true self-worth emerged.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2006-12-19T17:42:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Festive
Currently listening to: 'She Lives in my Lap' by Outkast

In case I don't post before this weekend, Happy Holidays! This is if you celebrate a holiday or not. Don't eat too much!!

Here is some snow, because it's not like we are getting any this weekend. (Gotta love that depleted ozone layer!)

George Karl was Wrong!!!! DEAD WRONG! There IS Etiquette in Sports.

2006-12-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Chillin'
Currently listening to: 'Street Dreams' by Nas (It Was Written)

George Karl, the Denver Nuggets coach, knew he was wrong. He KNEW it!

FIRST: You are blowing out the home team.

SECOND: Your player does a CRAZY dunk during said blowout with a few minutes left.

THIRD: You are playing at Madison Square Garden. Need I say more???

Now, these are not the Knicks from the old glory days of Ewing, Harper, Oakley, Starks, etc., etc., but you CANNOT be in the lane at the Garden, under those conditions, and not expect to catch a flagrant foul. That is just disrespectful. It sets a precedent if that display of disrespect is allowed to occur.

After all of this, Karl continues to fan the flames. NOT EXACTLY PROFESSIONAL. In this video he definitely has some choice words for Isaiah (actually, he calls him an "a**hole"! Isaiah couldn't get away with that!!).

I don't like Isaiah for the team, so please understand where I stand on this, but Karl was really outta pocket.

Now that being said, the fight was a travesty. You are going to catch that foul. That is basketball etiquette. It's the "not in my house" foul. It happens all the time. Expect it. Deal with it.

Was Isaiah wrong for telling 'Melo to stay out of the lane? Not really. It's not professional and he maybe should have left it to his players to say something.

Was George Karl wrong for playing his starters with a few minutes left in the game during a blowout? OF COURSE!!! You are not only being disrespectful and not demonstrating sportsmanship, but you are also jeopardizing your franchise. How are you gonna have your star players in the game???!! They could get hurt, have a season-ending injury, whatever! That's not smart at all.

I know George Karl is friends with Larry Brown, the ex-Knicks coach, that was done dirty by Isaiah when he was fired so cruelly. And I know that Karl wanted to prove a point by having those players in the game, but, damn...there IS etiquette in sports.

'Melo's little suckerpunch was really wack. It was unnecessary, and came when things were just starting to die down. Dummy!

Anyway, watch Stephen A. Smith break it down. If you remember, I love that man!

What is Going ON in this World??!!??!!

2006-12-14T22:17:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Lethargic (a.k.a. lazy)
Currently listening to: 'A Woman's Worth' by Alicia Keys

I thought this was noteworthy. Click here.

I don't know what is happening here. Doesn't this sound extremely strange to you. A deer with 7 legs??!!

------------------------------------------

I forgot to post some lyrics last time, so I am posting two sets of lyrics. Enjoy.

International Hov', I told you so.
Forty 40's out in Tokyo. Singapore.
All this from singin songs.
Comin' up though we thought slingin raw
was the end all be all of bein' rich, didn't we?
Little did I know my mo' potent delivery
would deliver me. Kingpin of the inkpen.
Monster of the double entendre...
- Jay-Z "Do U Wanna Ride" (Kingdom Come)

I got demons in my past
so I got daughters on the way.
If the prophecy's correct
then the child should have to pay
for the sins of a father.
So i barter my tommorows
against my yesterdays
in hopes that she'll be OK.
- Jay-Z "Beach Chair" (Kingdom Come)

It Fits!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-12-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Tired
Currently listening to: the heat pumping through the radiator (just like I like it!)

You know that feeling when you try something on after a while, that didn't use to fit, and then...IT FITS???!!!!

That can MAKE YOUR DAY! I tried something on this morning and it fit nicely. I still have a ways to go, but, I'm grateful.

I'm gonna keep that yogurt and fruit goin'!

Later.

Full Retraction

2006-12-11T17:16:00.000-05:00

Current mood: Happy
Currently listening to: 'The Prelude' by Jay-Z (Kingdom Come)

"Now these baby
ballers, toy rappers
calling out my
name to bring the boy backwards.
Shooting air balls
at the basket.
What you call
money? I paid more in taxes.
I got
crowned king down in Africa,
down in
Nigeria. Do you have any idea?
Sold out shows in
Seoul, Korea,
Jo-berg, Dublin,
Tanzania.
Lunch with
Mandela, dinner with Cavalli.
Still got time to
give water out to everybody.
Everybody fall
back.
Y'all rapping.
I'm reenacting.
CNN - you see
it's accurate.
ESPN - see me in
action.
Monday nights when
the half ends,
When you're ten
years in,
holla back
then."
-'Oh My God' - Jay-Z (Kingdom
Come)

I WAS WRONG. JAY-Z's ALBUM IS FIRE!!

OK, OK. I messed up. I said in my previous post that Hov's album was not as good as Game's or John Legends. I WAS WRONG! I WAS SOOOO WRONG! Right after that, when I was really listening, I knew I was way off.

So, for the next few posts, I will have no choice but to make up for this grave error by posting some very thought-provoking, intricate lyrics from Jay. AND I also struck that comment from the record (see the edit in the last post).

I hope you can forgive me.

I just wanted to mention Troy Smith's unsurprising Heisman Trophy win. I am just learning about this guy, the press seems to like him and his story. You know, coming back from adversity (foster care) and living in a rough neighborhood (Cleveland) and still making it through, getting a college degree, and on his way to the NFL.

He said something that really stuck with me during his acceptance speech. He was referring to his high school football coach, who was the only father figure in his life, when Troy said:

"It takes a man to show a man how to be a man."

Whoa! Troy Smith is onto something.

Today, my principal was talking about this program that helps inner-city students see places they never dreamed of (like China, Thailand, even Upstate NY (!)) and he made a point that many of our male students don't get selected for these opportunities because the female students: (1) tend to do better in school, (2) are more articulate and (3)have less peer pressure to "act stupid".

He suggested that we try to really keep these young men in mind when we recommend them for this program. And I will. Case in point, there is a young man in my class, he's a sophomore, and he asked me for a new textbook. Here is our conversation:

Me: What happened to your book? You lost it?

Him: It's in my house. I can't go back in there because my house is a crime scene.

Me (thinking): (Oops. That's right. His dad was violently killed in his own house).

Me (speaking): Oh. That's right. Hold on and let me get you a new one. How are you holding up with everything?

Him: Okay. You know.

Me: You don't have to be a hard rock all the time. It's okay to feel and have feelings. I want you to remember that.

This is an example of what is going on. This boy, at an impressionable age, lost his dad. Violently. I feel compelled to make sure he stays on track and reaches his full potential. You know I'm not going to make him pay for that other book.

Then I started thinking...in my corporate days, how many minority males did I really see in the office, other than working in the cafeteria or mailroom?

I saw a lot more minority women, hands down. And as we know, the numbers continue to tell us about the gender gap for minorities that attend and stay in college. Minority women have the men beat.

Why?

Are these young men more distracted? And what are all the distractions?

Is it the media influence??

But aren't young women also susceptible to the same media pull? Why are the boys more susceptible???

Any answers out there????