Girls think too much

I got a call from a man I am interested in at 4 am last night. Not a good sign. I find him fascinating. Of course, this 4 am call could be interrupted so many ways. And since I am a girl every one, of course, has run through my over-analytical brain. The scenarios are innumerable. It could have been a mistake dial. Probably not possibility because I’m sure I’m not a speed dial on his phone (well, I’m not 100% sure, but I’m 98% sure) and he hasn’t called me in the last few days so he didn’t hit the talk button by mistake. It could have been a drunk dial. This is very high on the probability scale. It’s 4 am, he’s drunk, he’s just starts dialing friends. I don’t answer, he moves on to the next number in the list. It could have been that he was stone cold sober and he wanted to have a heart to heart. Discuss his hopes, dreams and fears. This is like a 1,396,285 to 1 chance in probability. (I do know this guy sorta well.) Okay, so these are like the top three ideas. Oh, there is my fantasy reason: uh, he was going to confess his undying love for me and I only had to choose the time, place, and manner of wedding. Just kidding. I’m not ready for marriage. (I’m finally being honest with myself. It’s almost 2007, I say it’s about time for that!) I’m going to go with it was a mistake. It’s the simplest explanation and therefore the most feasible. Dammit how unromantic, mundane, and boring.

Be safe in all your New Year’s Eve festivities.

Here’s one for ya’ll

Scenario: Caucasian girlfriend and Caucasian boyfriend are on the verge of breaking up. After finding out that Girlfriend has slept with and dated black men in the past, Boyfriend says “don’t you feel bad about that? Don’t you feel guilty?” Girlfriend, of course, is appalled and they soon break up over that and a myriad of other reasons.

Question: Is boyfriend racist?

I polled my of some of my friends and here are their responses (paraphrased).

SCG (girl): Of course he’s racist, duh.

KG (guy): He’s probably racist. But, I think he’s more insecure about his tool size and the whole black male myth.

NG (guy): He’s probably racist. But, I think he’s thinking the type of white girls that date black guys are usually very easy (i.e., sluts), so my girlfriend is a slut. Typical, syllogism. And, of course, he’s insecure about his tool size.

I’m thinking it’s a tool size thing. I’ve met the Boyfriend. He tries to act black half the time (whatever that means). I think most people are filled with racial and sexist stereotypes (thanks TV & movies!). This guy suffers from the unfortunate belief that all black men have big tools. This is not true. Believe me. I have first hand knowledge. There are black with extremely small penises. Toddler size in fact. That myth is just crazy BS that drives so many ridiculous fantasies, nightmares and daydreams. Boyfriend suffers under this myth and he’s un-nerved by this fact when he’s having sex with Girlfriend. He’s having all these doubts and he probably is letting it get the best of him. So, he strikes out against her in fear, self-doubt, insecurity, etc., etc. Men are all obsessed about the size of their penises. Yes a big one is a good thing. A great thing. But, if you have an average sized one it doesn’t mean you will be forever plagued with the worst sex life in recorded human history. There is someone for everyone. A big one and small girl might not work out. The small girl may need a medium one. Okay, I’m sorry guys, I will have to put this bluntly: if you are below average or worse, you need to read up on other ways to please your mate. If it can’t be felt and a normal sized condom keeps slipping off….whoa! I’m sorry. Damn

A reminder

Peace on earth and good will toward men, women, & children.

Something new.

I’ve decided to try something new. I’m going to write a blog based on a request from a reader. Sarah from Cyberspace asked me to comment on animals versus humans. I’m not sure if she means who’s more important or who’s better. But, having had the same pet cat for close to 17 years, I’m definitely a animal lover. I think humans have a responsibility to protect the habitat for animals. I respect animals because they only do the will of God. But, I’m glad for the free will that I have been blessed with. Animals are gifts to be protected. On the other hand, animal life does not supersede human life. This country spends billions dollars on pets, but if someone talks of feeding the hungry or clothing the naked, there are many who balk about economic concerns. I’m assuming Sarah was commenting on the dog ordinance and its effect on the community. Dogs can be used as weapons unlike any other household pet. It can be trained to attack, kill or maim. Unfortunately some breeds are more ferocious and bloodthirsty than others. If I got attacked by a Miniature Poodle or a Pomeranian, I will live to tell the tale. But if a Pit Bull or a Akita mistake my ample behind for a rump roast, I’m done. There is a reason why most insurance companies won’t underwrite a homeowner where these dogs reside: they are statistically more dangerous than any other dogs. These are the plain black and white facts. Whether some of these dogs are manageable or tame is not an acceptable risk to take. These dogs maul and maim human beings due to whatever factor: mistreatment, misguidance, or ill training. If you teach a Jack Russell Terrier to be aggressive you may get a flesh wound. If you teach a Doberman to be aggressive you may get death. Find another way to feel powerful and invincible.

Not sure it addresses Sarah’s concerns but that’s my two cents on the matter. Keep on reading Sarah and please comment in the future.

I've been sick.....

Damn that flu virus. I barely remember this past Thursday and Friday is a blur, I think I woke up for good on Saturday afternoon. It’s insane. I don’t think I’ve ever had the flu. I’m more a bronchitis or sinus infection from allergies type of girl. But the overwhelming fatigue, nausea, congestion, and aches & pains was awful. (insert violin music here) Well, anyway, I’ve been wondering something for awhile. Has anyone noticed that the media didn’t start knocking celebrity adoptions until celebrities started adopting Black babies? Tons of celebrities have adopted children over the years. But there seems to be a big backlash to Madonna’s new baby and Angelina and Brad’s growing United Colors of Benetton family. No one said anything about Meg Ryan’s Chinese adoption or the various lesbian couples that adopt. I’m a little ashamed of the media. They have little regard for the backlash of their “disdain” and accusations these adoptions are “fads.” There may be some duds, but that comes in all families. We should all be proud these Americans have open their hearts and homes to children who could have been thrown in the gutter, starved to death or left untouched in scary orphanage. The tradition of adopting kids from other countries goes back far in American history. People adopted kids from Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia as far back as the sixties and seventies. White families all over the suburbs of America are adopting Chinese girls. To suggest, as I heard from some media talking heads, that international adoptions is just a phenomenon among the celebrities is ludicrous. Who cares what their motivations are. We act like ‘regular’ people don’t try to look über-magnanimous to family, friends, to fulfill some inner emotional need. These are generous people and they are setting a good example. Too much is given, much is expected.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks for all your blessings.

What’s for me cannot be taken away

I’m sure I heard from overly-religious Black girl or woman who uses the church as a replacement for a man-woman relationship. But just now I heard it again: “What’s for me cannot be taken away.” It made me tear up. It made me have a catch in my throat. It made stop and think. Why should chase money? Why I should I chase that certain man? Why should I chase a particular job? What the Almighty has planned for me is there. It is already written. I have use my talents, my intelligence, my wit, my charm, my humor, my love, my compassion to live the life I have been blessed with. I don’t have to despair. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to be hopeless. What is mine cannot be taken away. It is for me. The man that will be my husband is for me alone. The children on the otherside yet to be born are for me to bring into the world. The well paying fulfilling job is waiting for me to sit in the comfy executive chair. All the love in the world from all the people who will love me is there not to be taken away by anyone or anything. I will be relaxed. I will be calm. I will be still. I will continue to do my best. I will continue to improve. I will continue to move through life with vigor, intelligence, and honesty.

Because what is mine cannot be taken away. It belongs to me.

(Oh my, I may becoming spiritual or something.)

Odds & Ends

Just saw Happy Feet with the little one. Little one behaved well considering. Definitely a movie for kids 10 and up. Great movie. Great message. Great music. Great dancing. Great jabs and uppercuts to the religious zealots who abandon God-given reason for Man's-version of faith. Great inspiration from this guy who I have been in love with since Sesame Street and the red ball cap. You know I love the light skin boy! Speaking of light skin boys. Tried to reconnect with one from the past. Didn't work out as planned. He's a really nice guy and sweet as pie. Just not interested in me. Of course, I did pop up out of no where on him. So maybe there is hope that he will come to his senses and see what a fantastic, wonderful, and fabulous girl I am. Couldn't get this one off my mind, so I had to retrace my steps. In doing so I broke one of my cardinal rules: don't go back to revisit old relationships. Things didn't work out for a reason. Let it live and die in the past where it belongs. Another thing that I can't get out of my mind is a conversation I had with a friend a couple of weeks ago. What is the fine line between prostitution, dating, whore and just plain ol' stupid slut. We like to say that while we are dating someone the sex is apart of the pending romance. The potential potential we are testing out. But it seems most of the time it's really just a hedonistic cries to guard against alienation and loneliness. If you are trying to get something, anything from sex are you a prostitute? Of course many try to get emotional fulfillment, love, free meals and gifts from sex. Why do we look down on those who receive money? (Besides it being illegal.) At least they can take their money and do something else with it. All us daters have is our bruised egos, tearful tales of woe, and well-plotted revenge schemes. The money can be traded for goods and services. And don't give me that nonsense about prostitution chipping away at your soul and all that. The revolving door of boyfriends/girlfriends who constantly disappoint don't chip away at the soul as well??? The sex shared and then disregarded like yesterday's trash doesn't leave lacerations on the soul? What of the whore? Is this a person that just manipulates sex for things material AND emotional? Should we really feel the sorriest for the stupid ol' slut who gives it away to whoever will take it in search of love? Just searching and searching all the while being tricked literally and figuratively. From a kids movie to prostitution. Not such a far stretch. Not really.

Only heard this one song (look at the video on the far top right), but I like it.

Another year

Another year of my life has passed. How thankful I am that the Lord blessed me with one more year on earth. I’m blessed, even though sometimes I take my good life for granted sometimes. There are so many things I have and so many things for which I am grateful. There are so many things in life to enjoy: family, friends, lovers, good food, good music, good books and good, hard fulfilling work. I know there are many people out there that do not have one tenth of the love and happiness I have in my life. I pray they get some love and kindness in their life, because without it life doesn’t really seem worth living. Of course, I have known despair and sorrow in this short life of mine. I have loved and lost deeply. I have failed. I have desired, and come up short. I struggled. But things could be so much worse. I’m not a slave. I’m not a woman in an impoverished male-dominated country. I’m not living in an insane, rigid theocracy. I will not have to abandon my girl child for a foreigner to adopt. I can live in relative peace without the fear of horse-riding henchman burning my family alive and raping my body because of my skin-color. I don’t have to prostitute myself because there are no jobs in my country. Things could be so much worse. I think of the things I want for my future and I become very impatient at times. The house. The husband. The children. The vacations. I hope and pray it comes in time, but for now I will simply thank the Almighty for the time I have been given.

More later

I guess politics are like fashion: One day you're in, and the next you're out. Hee-hee.

Bittersweet Atlanta

I wrote a poem (I used to write poetry, but now I find little poetic) about Atlanta many years ago. I believe I called it an illusion in the desert. Many young, Black adults think it is the Mecca for jobs, power, and, for women, marriage. But, it's all an illusion. To find a job there is difficult because it is HIGHLY competitive. EVERYone has an advance degree, so school name recognition, grades, and connections are very important. There are tons of beautiful women with long, beautiful weaved in tresses, great professional jobs, and stylish clothes & shoes. There are not as many handsome, perfectly muscled men with professional jobs. The professional women outnumber the professional men like in every big city, so there is fierce competition there as well. In fact, many women can't find a steady, because the men find the plentiful temptations overwhelming. Asking him to be faithful is like asking a child not to touch any of the candy from the Willy Wonka Factory. (Impossible.) There is a chance for political power, but you better be extremely wealthy or apart of one the Atlanta 'royal' families, if you're not, good luck with that uphill battle. There is crime, like any major city. And the DeKalb County Police are under scrutiny because they just shot their 11th suspect to death. In case you didn't know, it's the Black San Francisco as well. Thousands of black, gay males go there to live in peace and anonymity away from there close family and friends. (I'm glad they have a place to be their true selves.) But, it's disappointed to the young women who see a beautiful man, well-mannered, and professional man only to find out he wants to know if you have any cute brothers. Good for the other gay men, bad for the straight women (one less shot). Now, there are many great things about Atlanta. A very, very large Black middle class. Tons of Black people that are doctors, lawyers, engineers, bankers, and accountants. It's very uplifting. When I was in the airport two clean cut, twenty-somethings stared directly into my eyes (and cleavage) and smiled, told me what a beautiful, black woman I was. (One saw my badge, and asked if I was a cop. I said no, a prosecutor. His response, "oh, I thought i was going to get arrested for looking!") Atlanta is filled with retail, restaurants, corporations, and small businesses ( i.e., tons of money). Tons of affordable, safe, NICE & updated housing (unlike Louisville). They even have their own "older" part of town with eclectic houses and shops called, coincidentally, the Virginia Highlands (as old as it can be in a place where Sherman burned everything). I've had many joys, pains, and little deaths in Atlanta. I enjoyed my time there and love to visit now and again. Might move back, one day, under the right circumstances. It's not a Black heaven; it has its bruises and boils like any city.

I was there the Thursday & Friday, and to all my ATLiens it was great to see you all. To those I missed, I'll catch you next time. Uh, my baby and I will be rocking and swaying to the blues this coming Friday. (Next stop Vegas to see Prince as 3121!)

Smooches JST.

How open are you to love?

One of my new favorite officers of LMPD asked me a typical getting to know you question recently: “are you married?” Followed by the still touchy, but always asked “do you have any kids?” After my emphatic “nos” made him chuckle, he paid me a great compliment (“I don’t know why a beautiful and smart woman like you isn’t married” which I replied impishly “I don’t know either!”) and gave me a great statement to chew on: “I’m sure when you open up your heart, a great guy will come into your life.” Ewwwww. How many times had I heard that same sentiment in various forms of statements or platitudes. But, for some reason his matter-of-fact and no-nonsense demeanor struck me. How open was my heart to love? Did I really want that love in my life or was I giving it lip service? Could be speaking one thing with my mouth, but speaking volumes with my heart to the opposite? One of LMPD Finest could be one who finally opened my mind (and heart) a little wider to the possibility of finding that mate I sometimes believe is completely elusive and unattainable. My father who is the archetype for which I judge all men is a hard act to follow. He is strong, funny, gentle, surprising, rebellious, dependable, thoughtful, responsible, an explorer, intelligent, a voracious reader, and loves Star Trek in all its cinematic forms. I have many times thought if you can do the things that Mr. Nu’Man does for me, why am I wasting my time? I know it’s a tall order and may at times be an unfair comparison, but clearly these are admirable traits why am I not allowed to seek them out in a potential potential? I know I’m sometimes consumed with acidic realism, but there could be glimmer of hopefulness peaking through my transparent disdain of love and relationship.

Don’t count on that sentiment peaking through on a regular basis, bitter is funnier.

Love me some of this guy.

Are you useful?

Barak Obama was on Oprah last week to pitch his new book: The Audacity of Hope. I haven’t read it, but I plan to buy it. But, not only did he talk about the premise and subject of his book, he talked about his family and ambitions to possibly to be President of the United States. I would vote for him based on these reasons alone: 1. Extremely brilliant (Harvard Law Review Editor, duh!); 2. Beautiful, black wife (hello, she’s a gets a touch-up every 6 weeks, can you feel me ladies???); and 3. Progressive thinker (he says “can we stop re-litigating the 60s”). But, what I found so interesting is his answer to one of O’s questions: What value do you want Americans to have most? His response: he wants everyone to ask themselves “Are you useful?” The gravity of that simple question is astonishing. What are giving to the world, to your community, to your family? If you have the means or the time or both how useful are you? The question comes to mind when you think of the silliness of the material world. Example: the world of music videos shows the downward spiral of society. A shift in the paradigm that is ushering in hyper-materialism, hyper-sexualization, and hyper-shallowness. I view rap videos from the 90s and 80s; and, I see people of all races, people of all beauty levels, people of all sizes. I see the real world. But now you see only one type of woman, one type of size, one type of ‘race.’ This leads me to think about how we are so self-center now as an American society; therefore, useless to others. There are white actors and actresses adopting kids from all over the world. And, contrary to the tricknowledgy news, so are average Joes and Joannes. But, I don’t see any Black celebrities doing this? Maybe they are but its not being covered. Doubtful. Black celebrities, besides Oprah, seem to care about building more wealth for themselves (possibly the family members & friends), than giving to the world. What if a group of celebrities adopted the ‘urban’ areas of major American cities? O you got Chi-town. Diddy and Jay-Z hold down NYC. Spike & Denzel take care of LA. What if all the rappers got together to make a pact that in 10 years every Black person of majority age will have a diploma or a GED? (small steps) I question how useful am I? I mean, how useful are you?

I ramble, please forgive me.

Selfishness

Sometimes you have to be selfish to stay sane. There are things that you have to do in order for self-preservation. Dictionary.com says selfishness is being devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others. A lot of times you have to put your interests before everyone else’s. If a relationship or friendship is causing you nothing but anguish and heartache, you have to rid yourself of the person. It could hurt the other person deeply, but should you remain in pain so the other person will feel good? No one will care about you, until YOU care about you. You can love a person with all your heart and soul, but if you not getting the kind of love you want in return, what are you to do? Continue to be miserable, so a twisted, hurtful, one-sided relationship can fulfill another’s needs? Subverting your feelings for someone else is so 1950s. If you can’t get what you want or desire from a relationship or friendship, let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go.

This is just my humble advice.

Remember this group. Can we get the old 90s R&B back?

Love can best be summed up in these MJB albums:

My Life

What’s the 411?

Share My World

O, SNAP or bad poetry

O, Shoot! Nobody Appreciates Philippic-ness
O, Shut-up Nitwits Aghast by my Prose
O, Surface Needs Always Poison
O, Sit-down Ninnies who are Against my Proclamations
O, Shenanigans! Naughtiness! Antics! Playfulness!
O, Slant, Not Acknowledged People
O, Slap Nobody, Although….Perhaps….
O, Somewhere New Awesome Prototypes
O, Somebody Notices All your Power
O, Something is Not Alright with the Public
O, Search Now for Another Sweetheart
O, Silly Now-n-Again Sistuh
O, Seriously, Neither Anger or Sourness
O, Side Nudges Always, Pookie
O, Slimy Networks Attacking Psyches
O, Songs with Novel Arenas of Poetry
O, Sycophantic Neophytes Advancing Petulance
O, Suppress Noggins Abandoned by Precocity
O, Stylish, Nubile yet Antiquated Personalities
O, Sing New Awe-inspiring Psalms

Stop reading garbage

Walking through the halls of my second office (the courthouse), I happened upon a Louisville Metro employee with a book. I was ecstatic to see this young black woman enjoying the thrill of a good read, but then I saw the title. It was something like “Divalicious Drama” or “Rumpshaker Video Queen” or something equally as absurd. I told her why are you reading that ridiculous book, first of all, why does this “black man” (I use that term loosely) choose only to write books from a woman’s point of view; He doesn’t have his own stories to tell? Second, of all, he’s writing tabloid novels, might as well be a harlequin romance. I told her I would make her a list of books she should be reading, print it out, and carry around with me until I saw her again. I want her to read LITERATURE. Important books by important authors. Unfortunately, there’s a new genre of trade paperbacks that are nothing more than garbage in print: trashy music videos to words. Writing so bad it should be a crime. I can’t believe that this is the trend in Black fiction. There was a rebirth of good fiction with Terry McMillan in the early 90s. And don’t get me wrong, there’s a place in fiction for a bit of tawdriness and crass, but it can’t dominate. The same insidious virus that has infected hip hop has contaminated the world of publishing. It is a woeful time when “Babydaddy for Hire” is read more than “The Bluest Eye.” I challenge all my sisters (and everyone else for that matter) to elevate their reading choices. But, it’s extremely important that Black females/mothers try to open their minds to all the possibilities in the library and bookstore, because it will turn their minds to a positive direction. New ideas, new thought patterns, new ways to think about old ideas. It will only help, never hurt. A well-crafted novel will transform you. It will invigorate you. It will validate you. It will lift you up. It will make you a better woman.

Read anything by these authors and you will be a better human: Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, J. California Cooper, and Gloria Naylor.


The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.
Mark Twain

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Sir Richard Steele

Spiritually Bankrupt, Morally Corrupt, Insatiable Desires, Narcissism*

This is the future of America. The babyboomers strike again. Anyone who knows me knows I hate this generation with a passion. They will not die gracefully. They will not age gracefully. They will not step down from power gracefully. They wanted to do everything differently than their parents and grandparents. It has done us so well in many ways: Human rights for all races of people in America, reproductive rights for women, voting rights for all races, and more freedom for all. But so many things they have done are so completely wrong. They have over-indulged children. They have created narcissists (because they themselves are). They have modeled and advocated extremities. There is a generation of people licking their own wounds and disregarding the wounds of everyone else. We have bred people with no conscience or sense of guilt. We need shame and guilt. There is NO bad emotion or feeling. God has given us all the emotions and feelings we have. Sin and evil comes from actions we take. Anger should move us to change things or preserve self. Shame keeps us from desecrating our or other’s dignity. Lust keeps the species alive. But these emotions should not be so extreme. Moderation: something the babyboomers no nothing about. Just because you can do something….doesn’t mean you SHOULD. The question you to yourself is SHOULD I do something, not CAN I do something. The Puritanical work ethic and capitalism has help this country be one of the greatest countries economically, militarily, and powerfully, but working all the time is not good. There needs to be time for family and relaxation. We are out of balance. Greed the god of the babyboomers. We may have money, a mighty army and power, but we don’t have happiness and fulfillment.

On a lighter note, uh, ladies have you heard this song. Uh, love and hate it at the same time. But there are few other guys like this (read like some extra meat on their women), check him out.

*inspired by an Oprah episode and the fear that their will be no Social Sercuity. Don’t dis Oprah. She has lots of insight, even though she has that know-it-all I’m in my 50s thing. Look around to the 50+ people you know and you will understand what I mean by that statement.

Imponderables

1. Why do people put bumper stickers on NEW cars?

2. How come there are luxury cars parked in apartment complex parking lots?

3. Why do dog owners kiss their pets in the mouth? (don’t give me that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human mouth, they lick their own butts)

4. Why do black guys get mad when they get pulled over by police when they have the drug dealer uniform and standard issue SUV?

5. Why do white folks get mad when you assume they don’t have any black friends when they have a confederate flag, a support our troops bumper sticker, a “W”, and a UK paw print on their pick-up?

6. Why do people from the Highlands refused to believe they are snobby than anyone in the East End?

7. Can someone tell me why gay men are usually more interesting, smart, and compassionate than straight men?

8. Why on earth would anyone cover up for a pedophile?

9. Why do people become so bold, crass, racist, sexist, or hateful with the anonymity of the internet?

10. Why is that mean Ami on Miami Ink so effing hot?

11. Why does EVERY window in my apartment leak?

12. How come Stewie B. Griffin the funniest person on TV?

13. Why are these men strangely attractive: Vincent D'Onofrio, Robert De Niro, Jeff Goldblum, and Clint Eastwood?

14. How can you lose weight drinking milk?

15. How come you never see a car with a “W” sticker and a “Save the Rain Forest” on the same car?

16. Speaking of W, can his approval rating sink ANY lower?

17. Why do I want a new cell phone every year?

18. Why do we need LOGO when it’s obvious that the gay network is BRAVO?

19. Why do we stay up so late on Sunday to prevent the inevitable?

20. Why are these imponderables just annoying things to me?

One plus One Equals One

There are opposites in nature and in life. It’s important. It’s essential. There is a duality in the universe that makes everything possible and balanced. There is an opposite to everything. The only thing that exists outside of this is the Supreme Being. The devil is not the opposite of God. That would make it seem as if he was as powerful as He and he is not. Knowhatimean? (as my Piscataway friend used to say) But if you look to everything in nature, the opposite is essential because without one you do not know the other. You can not experience the other. There is no other. So, the next time one of you self-centered, how-could-God-let-this-or-that-happen to me or the world lament over some perceived or actual injustice, stop and think. If there was no sad time, happy ones could not be enjoyed. If there were no hunger, we could be thankful of our full bellies. If there was no want, we could be blessed with bounty. If there was no putrid hate, we could not understand the healing power of love. There is a duality in the world, in the universe, in the cosmos.

Where’d that come from?

Ignore me.

I promised that thing on how feminism effed up the balance of power. It’s coming. So to speak…ha!

Celebration of the BW/BM power couple

Many of my white friends take for granted that sometimes life is a tiny bit easier for white people some of the time. I’m not whining, I’m just stating a fact. It’s a little bit easier to get a job, find a mate, and live life in an America when you’re white. I know exactly what they would say to this “Oh, I don’t believe that.” But, I’ve been Black for a long time and so have my parents and all the members of my family. It’s not easy being Black. That’s just a fact. That’s why sometimes we (us Black folks) celebrate things that the dominant culture may find curious, not that an impressive an event, or downright just plain ol’ mysterious. We celebrate high school graduations like the student is coming out of a Harvard PhD program. I find joy in a successful, loving Black couple. The doctor and the lawyer Cosby couple. I know of one these right here in Louisville, two if you count the one where the doctor is a dentist. (I count it.) I love that Barack Obama is married to a visibly, unmistakable Black woman, Michelle. (2 lawyers) I get giddy when I think of Nas and Kelis. (2 accomplished artists) I can get enough of Will and Jada. (2 actors) I pleased as punch for Al Rocker & Deborah Roberts. (2 television personalities) Tom Joyner and Donna Richardson are adorable and are an inspiration for black love. I’ve named the famous people, but there are many couples out there in the world that are holding down black on black love. I know my friends probably don’t understand this post at all and think I’m overreacting, but again being black ain’t no easy task. Talk to more than one Black woman and ask her opinion of black on black love or better yet watch how her face contorts or there is a micro-second of, I’ll say discomfort to keep it mild, when you mention couples like this or this. (Although many hate these men for other reasons.) Let Black love reign supreme in young people who are the descendants of enslaved Africans.

I have the Proof on my head.

I like the lyrics to this song.

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.
Robert Frost

kelis&nas vs. beyonce&jayz

This could have easily been called Form vs. Substance. For all you that don’t know it, I LOVE music. All kinds, from Incubus to Nas to Carlos Santana. I love hip hop the most. The good stuff. Nas is one of the greatest emcees of all time. He’s unique. He never cares about what people think of him. He doesn’t care what is popular. He makes songs that he likes. He does this all with little regard to the monetary reward of going along with the crowd. (Much to the hurtin’ of his wallet sometimes.) His WIFE Kelis is just as much of a vanguard. She’s famous for her girlpower attitude and the song “I hate you so much right now.” She never fell into being the cliché of the R&b Itch. She dresses different. She even cut off all her “good” hair to have a short, sassy do (a SIN worse than murder in the white-supremacy obsessed Black community---just check out the ten pounds of weave on every Black woman’s head in the music industry and the woman below who wants you to believe its her real hair). She stays sexy, but remains the classic Strong, Black Woman. She doesn’t come off as a victim or the background armcandy of her man. She laughes out loud and she’s intelligent. I know she must read, because Nas does. Then we have our opponents to this lifestyle. Jay Z has turned into the most commercially successful rappers of all time because he sold his soul for riches. He changed his rap style to fit the Dr. Seuss simplicity that sells records. He choose topics to rap about what the main consumers of rap (white males) likes to hear, i.e., nothing thought provoking or pro-Black or educational. To white males rap is the rebellion music that shocks their parents, to be abandoned when its time to grow up (of course, black males never seem to pick up the part about growing up because they believe it there culture to be ignorant and money obssessed) Jay Z glorifies moneylust, consumerism, and materialism. He constantly talks about things, not ideas. He lives for what is popular and hip, but never seems to be original or stand alone as his own man. His GIRLFRIEND, Beyonce is more of the same. She constantly talks about shoes, purses and designer clothes. She uses her body like lascivious stripper or porn star. She even has to come up with an alternate ‘personality’ so she can perform her sex-crazed gyrations to semi-good beats. She was asked by Oprah a few years ago: what’s your favorite book? There was a ten second moment of silence. She didn’t have one. She doesn’t READ. She’s not even quick witted enough to say something lame like the Bible. She is the American Iconic woman turned on its head: a dumb, fake Blonde who’s Black. She’s sex-symbol, but she has no ownership of herself. She’s a puppet. She has no voice. She doesn’t say girlpower in the least. Her sole purpose seems to be to please men with little regard to her own pleasure. Ugh.

Doesn’t anyone understand where I’m going with this??? Probably not. I live on a island.

It is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed.

Vida D. Scudder

Bits & Pieces of Fall

The second biggest time to get married besides June is Fall. The late August to October bride is increasingly popular. The temperate weather and beautiful colors have a draw. Already went to a September wedding and going to a October wedding soon. Of course, with weddings comes the bridal shower, the wedding shower, the bachelor party, the bachelorette party, the rehearsal dinner, the reception….and if you are really “In-style” the Sunday brunch and the couples shower. It’s definitely a celebration. Lots of fun and money spent. Of course, being as cynical as I am it’s a tiny bit hard for me to keep the sneer off my face. But, I’m not all acidic quips and slightly pessimistic realism. I can appreciate the beauty of the wedding vows, the beautiful dresses, the fragrant & colorful flowers, great food, and stylish or non-descript suits. I’ve heard of the bridezilla phenomenon but fortunately I have not been up close and personal. But, I’ve heard tales and witnessed a little narcissism. Fall also brings those new-year conceived babies. Little bundles of joy (and expense) come to suspecting or unsuspecting parents. The pack & plays, baby bottles, cribs, bassinets, diapers and bibs crowd out the golf clubs, sports cars, demanding work schedules, because a new priority shifts around what gets top spot in your life. A difficult time filled with anxiety and promise, but definite time to celebrate. I love children and can hardly be cynical about the subject. Kids come with sneaky grins, unconditional love, surprising intelligence and insight, infectious laughs, and open hearts. Being called child-like is not always an insult. Of course, poopy diapers, spit-up, and, later on, back-talk are something to combat, but are just apart of the duty to raise an independent, caring, kind, and generous adult.

Here’s a list of vocabulary words that need to be committed to memory: subtle, hyperbole, sensationalism, shocking, and obtuse.

Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own.
Carol Burnett
Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
Cyril Connolly

Men don’t choose success.

Look at your wife or husband. I’m going to tell you a secret about him or her. I’m going to tell you how you got picked. Ladies, you didn’t get chosen because you are successful in your job or educational background. Nor were you chosen, girls, on your wit, intellect, compassion, generosity or kindness to animals. Women are picked for their beauty. All the other things help to keep him. Gentleman, you don’t have it any better, because you are not picked based on your muscle mass, story-telling ability, or your ability to grill up a good steak. And, boys, you are not picked based on your stylish choice in suits, magnanimity, or your love of God. Men are picked for their economic success. All the other stuff helps keep her. Now, many of you are going to disagree, but you’re only deluding yourself. And if you think about it hard enough, maybe you aren’t beautiful enough to get the most successful man or you’re not rich enough to get the hottest chick in the club. It’s a sobering thought. Okay, but do you see what is totally unfair in this process? Men can work themselves to success, but if you’re born ugly what can you do besides get on Extreme Makeover? (Even though your kids are still going to inherit your bad teeth, limp dishwater brown hair, weak chin, flat chest and non-existent cheekbones.) It may even-out, since men can be born stupid. Hmm, this may be an oxymoron, maybe, I’m not sure. Do you know what the most regrettable thing about all of this is? What if you have lobster taste, but all you are able to attract is a catfish? I’m just saying…

As my favorite little one says “don’t you dare do it” and tell anyone I like this super ghetto party song.

9/11

Nothing flippant. Nothing trite. Nothing trivial.

Please remember all the souls that have perished since that fateful day in 2001.

May God bless this entire earth.

The South is low and not just geographically

Does the heat breed stupidity, excess, promiscuity, and baseness? I’m just asking the question. I remember when hip hop was primarily from New York and all the surrounding east coast cities. It was cerebral and pensive. It was thought-provoking and interesting. It was hopeful and educational. There were even LOVE songs to women, aka, a ‘boo.’ When you have to ride the subway and walk everywhere maybe you have more time to think. I’m totally idealizing. There were thugs and sex-obssessed artists, but everyone thought they were on the fringe and basically unacceptable. Okay, the South is just a cesspool. It has a history of human torture, intolerance and hatred. It’s present account for the highest rates of AIDS in the country. It’s future doesn’t bode well either if you believe the FBI statistics. I’m not sure where all this is coming from. I’ve always just loved everything East Coast. People here are constantly asking if I’m from Louisville, because, I would like to think, my personal aesthetic and mind-set is not southern. I was born and raised here and so where my parents, but if it didn’t cost so much to live on that certain coast I would move in a heartbeat. I love foreign foods, foreign films, cultural pride, different people, grimy & dark streets, and festivals of other cultures. I don’t balk at “fererners.” I don’t think Indian food is too spicy and smelly. I don’t think Mexicans are ruining America. I don’t think that people need forget their countries of origin. I don’t think the Confederate Flag is a symbol of pride. I don’t this is or was ever a Christian nation (not Catholic, just Christian). I could go on. This is just rambling rant at 1:42 am in the morning. Nobody feels me. Except ARN.

Shout-out to TGLO, KGLO, SGLO and the Future Mrs. SGLO. Ha, ha! You’re Mrs. SGLO II. Also, my love to all the people at the Snyder Villa in Shelbyville.

Coming soon my take feminism and how it effed up women’s sexual power over men.

BTW, I love this song.

U of L vs. UK, and why I don’t care

Ok. I hate sports. Okay, so all you people that are still with me, hear me out. Sports are ruining this country. Why are high school sports just as important as high school academics? Or college sports just as important or more than college academics? Who cares about RBIs, touchdowns, and goals when many kids don’t know the three branches of government, where Iraq is on a map, or the name of the first five presidents? I mean, really, all sports should be intramural, not for any money making, and just for plain ol’ fun and exercise. Why do professional athletes get paid millions and teachers, police officers, and prosecutors (!!) get paid pennies? We have badly behaving, cheating, women-beating, child-support dodging, steroid injecting brutes as the role models in our society. It makes no sense. We pretend in this country to value certain things: women, children, education, morality, etc. But most professionals in their 20s and 30s are crushed by an overwhelming educational debt with no relief in sight. Women are still paid less then men for the same work. Children are some of the poorest people in the country. If just half the money that was spent in Iraq in a one week was spent to revive and revitalize the educational system, we as a nation would be transformed. If a billion dollars a week was spent to change the inner city there would be no violence and we could spend more money on students than on prisoners. Do we want a country of kids that worship egomaniacal athletes, drug addicted musicians, and narcissistic actors or do we want a country of kids that try to emulate selfless philanthropists, altruistic educators and innovative engineers? Too bad we have the first part of my question not the second and nobody seems to care.

One thing though, this kid is FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE. Ok, one good thing about sports.

GO CARDS!

Have a safe and fun Labor Day Weekend!!!!

I’m back from the dead

I’ve been really busy for the last few weeks. Ah, the trials and tribulations of being an adult. Ugh. I’ve had a great couple of weeks, for real though. Business trips. Successful work results. Made up with an old friend. I’m not bitter or angry about anything right now. Ok, well, I’m not bitter about most things. Somebody, who will remain nameless, did outright COPY me. But this person tries do everything I do all the time. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess. He or she is just copycat. If this person would just admit to him/herself that they idolize me, worship me and wish they could be as bold, irreverent, fabulous and funny as me life would be simpler for him or her. You know who you are. One day you will see the light. Of course, I wish this person would fall at my feet and be my dedicated servant. But that’s not going to happen. He or she has pride or something. The nerve. I mean what would be better than being my servant. The pay is great. The hours are fantastic. No abuse. Just good old fashion WORSHIP & ADORATION. I mean is that to much to ask for? Anyway, I’m feeling good. It’s the end of a good, long, hard work week and I plan to celebrate. Wouldn’t you like to know what I have planned?

I would marry this guy if he asked me, of course, I might have to divorce him if this guy step to me. Of course every man on earth can go to Hades if he ever gave one second of attention. I mean a nanosecond, I would JUMP him.

Imagine……

You woke up tomorrow in a different county. Everyone was black. The president and all the elected representatives: black. You turned on the TV and all the commercials featured black actors. All the sitcoms had black characters as well as black storylines, punchlines, and jokes. You went to the local Tinseltown and all the movies were romantic comedies with a black male and female leads. All the superhero flicks featured black superheroes like the Green Lantern and Spawn. There was only one or two of you EVER featured in futuristic sci-fi movies. Every magazine you opened featured black models that look like this and this. There were no blondes anywhere, in fact it was considered odd and undesirable to have yellow hair. You had to go to a special section in the drug store for shampoo, conditioner, combs and brushes. If you are a woman there was no make-up that matches your complexion. Foundation color started at Halle Berry and just got darker and darker and that goes for panyhoses as well. In fact, when you got the color that did match sometimes you looked like you were tinged in grey. You try to find dolls for your little girl that looked like a little “her” but you had to go to three stores to find one. All your X-mas decorations were black: Santa, elves and angels. You attend church and all images of God, saints, prophets and disciples are black. You go to Hallmark to buy a card for your grandmother’s birthday and they only feature wooly-haired, zaftig, dark grandmas wearing brightly colored Kente cloth. Driving home from work where all your co-workers talk about the joy and pain of living with uncles, aunts, grandmas, granddads, and cousins, you lament you can’t relate because you live alone in an apartment in the city. As you make your way to your apartment, every billboard is showing a black hand or foot or family. Many of the very famous or rich men that look like you have a black wife and never even acknowledge, date, or marry a women that look like his mother (in fact, sometimes he even disparages and ridicules them). It’s hard to explain to your baby that it’s okay to have thin lips, a thin nose, straight hair and funny colored eyes. All the cartoons are black characters and have black voices and when your kid colors pictures of your family with the crayon marked “nude” invariably everyone is the color of a luscious Hershey’s bar. 90% of the doctors, lawyers, accountants, police officers, insurance agents, politicians, and fire fighters are black. Whenever you lamented about these facts, your friends or colleagues told you “You’re paranoid. Knock it off.” Imagine………

Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.
-Thomas Jefferson
(current favorite president after Clinton and Lincoln)

Putting it all in perspective

Coming home after the foiled anarchist/terrorist plot in England was a sobering experience. I rarely check bags, but I checked everything but my purse and my big book of Sudoku puzzles. It was unsettling being away from my belongings, but it was nearly traumatic thinking of some crazy men assembling a bomb from hydrogen peroxide and other household products. I made it home safe, thank God. I’m glad Scotland Yard and the other participating British agencies were able to arrest these religious psychopaths who want the entire world in a constant state of fear. I’m trying to figure out what man-made organized religion has ever done positive for the rest of the world. An innumerable number of people have been killed in the name of God. Why? Can’t there be multiple paths to Paradise? Can’t Heaven be a place where all the righteous people are not just the “religious”? Can’t humans experience spirituality and God in their own way without fanatics and zealots screaming at the top of their lungs about their religion is the Way, the Light, the World? The brilliance of the USA is we are a secular society. We have freedom of religion. Everyone is FREE. We are not hindered with a theocracy. We are not stuck in the quagmire of sexual repression. We are not oppressed by a thoroughly corrupt government. We are blessed with the basic necessities of life. The poor here have food, water, clothes, TV, telephone, cell phones, and tons of other materialistic goods. And even if they don’t have everything I’ve listed they have so much more than poor people in so many parts of the world. I wish I had the solution to fighting an enemy that does not reside in one country, does not have a concrete goal or no centralized leadership. But, what I do know is I will continue to fight to keep the USA as free as the founding fathers dreamed, because it may be one the last bastion of freedom on earth.

“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”

“In every country and every age, the priest had been hostile to Liberty.”

“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.”

---Thomas Jefferson

Stupid things I do when traveling*

I was on a plane this past Sunday. I always think this may be my last time on earth if we crash. Who would I mate with if we ended up on Gilligan’s Island? (Of course, nevermind the fact, I have never flown over the ocean or any where near a tropical island.) Hmm, that one guy with the spiky blond hair is kinda cute. Looks young and nubile like the guy from Blue Lagoon. Or, maybe that big strong almost biker type. He could definitely fight off some scary animals or build shelter. That old guy with the male-pattern baldness. Well, if he’s the only one left. Did I mention I’m very rude and snobby. I was in the south (I mean the real south people) and everyone keeps speaking to me in that irritating southern accent and saying hello and how are you doing. I don’t know you people and I don’t want to get acquainted. I’ll never see you again, what IS the point? There were a lot of nice shops, but, of course, I didn’t find one thing. The hot, hot sun made me grumpy as hell. I wish I lived where it was always about 68 with a slight breeze. The sun makes me sick. I may need to move to the west coast. Of course I’ll have to lose lots and lots of weight first, dye my hair blonde, get a weave, veneers, & breast implants just to fit in, but the weather will be nicer. This bum stood by me while I was on the phone talking to another county prosecutor and said “excuse me” about 200 times in the course of about 8 minutes. I ignored him the whole time and he finally went away. Get away from me, you bum! I’m just as broke as you. At least you have freedom, I’m an economic slave.

*This rant brought to you by the FJN Center for Bitterness & Hostility. Special thanks to The Aggression Think Tank and The Malice & Venom Group, Ltd.

Open Love Letter to Aaron McGruder

Dear Aaron:

I have just purchased with my beloved sister the complete first season of "The Boondocks." Even though I have already seen each episode three or more times each, I will continue to watch my most favorite episodes whenever I want to and not on the time of Adult Swim (who may get a love letter for airing your show). I cannot begin to tell you the orgasmic glee I get every time I hear the theme song by Asheru or the utter delight I feel every time I see Huey's perfectly messily groomed afro. You are my hero, man! Telling it like it is with no regard to criticism, fear of controversy or pitiful so-called civil rights leaders. When MLK tells all the ignorant you know whats to shut the H up, I shed tears of joy. Uncle Ruckus holds a dear place in my colon next to all the other good and bad bacteria that keep me healthy. Like the good bacteria he is necessary for life. He shows just how brainwashed some can be. I especially like how you ever so slightly but not so subtly make fun of Prosecutor Tom Dubious. Riley is everyone's stupid cousin or friend or, unfortunately, brother or child. You just want to shake him 'til his little neck snaps, of course, in a loving way. Aaron, I hope to God, that you continue your political and social commentary for many, many years. Your humor is so appreciated and your way of thinking is not an anomaly. You have a legion of people who "get" you. We understand you. The Passion of Ruckus is a masterpiece of animation, comedy, social, political and religious commentary.

I salute you Aaron. You are a genius. You are a god-send. You are one funny mofo!

Are you married? If not......

Love,
me

(Beloved sister we have found the one man that we BOTH want. Who ever sees him first better call dibs!)

DD you are a great secretary. Damn you vile woman!

I should mind my own business, but....

I'm not sure why this effected me so much, but today I saw a very elite, white looking family with a young 18-20 year old black female at a local restaurant. She was carrying the plates of the toddlers and blowing on hot food. She was putting napkins on the infant and making sure all the kids were comfortable. What was the mother doing? Looking bored and uninterested. She was digging into her food. Now, I know I will never begrudge a person a honest, legal job, but I was really put out by the imagery it portrayed. Mammy taking care of massa's children. I don't know why I had such a visceral response. I wanted to shake the mother and say: "why can't you care for your own children?? You obviously have tons of money, you can afford to stay home. why are you letting someone else raise your kids? do you work or are you one of the ladies who lunch? What is your problem you lazy, vapid, half-witted prima-donna?!?!?!" Of course, I just stared unabashedly and sucked my teeth in the true "strong black woman" fashion. Clearly, it was none of GDB, but I was still ticked. Are black people not supposed to do classically "menial/servant" jobs because of the way they look and harking back to the past when these were the only jobs Black people were allowed to have? No. I mean the black girl was getting paid, but I wish she was working at the Gap instead.

Ignore him ladies

Why do men get more fascinated with you the more you ignore them? I have empty the cell phone of all the evil, manipulative, hateful men in my life. I have a male-stressfree-zone. I only laugh and talk to male friends or colleagues. Thanks LMPD and fellow prosecutors!!! I have stopped calling, texting, emailing and generally thinking about a long list of men. But they keep popping up. An email here. A text message there. I’m finished with you guys. I’m not playing the games anymore. We didn’t get along, why are trying to make contact. When I wanted to talk to you, you were no where to be found. When I wanted to play the text message games, you were too busy. When I wanted to have a conversation over email with in the space of an hour (not on work time of course!)….you were silent in cyberspace. I’m not sure what the point is. This is the game people play. Glamour magazine’s quintessential male columnist Jake has described it as GIGS: Grass Is Greener Syndrome. When they had me, they were like I want someone else. Now, that they don’t have me, please comeback. Why? GIGS. I’m guessing we all have a mild case of it now and then. But some people suffer from it in the moderate to severe range. Please be satisfied with where you are now. You got the pretty girl that makes you laugh, be happy with her. You have the guy that is charming, kind and generous, be happy with him. Halle Berry is not going to call you gentlemen. Guess what ladies, Brad Pitt is busy with his United Colors of Benneton family (which I find adorable, sexy and quite fantastic). Everyone get over it. GIGS can make a turn for the worse and metastasize into BID* (Bitter Individual Disorder).

By the way, evil ones, LEAVE ME ALONE. I’m moving on (uh, some would say finally….but I would sock ‘some’ in the mouth.)

No songs. It’s a dismal musical world.

*currently there is no known cure for GIGS or BID.

The Problem with Pedestals

They aren't perfect. I used to love a certain Hip Hop Artist. Always positive and thought provoking. Always going against the bling and cheerleading rappers of today. Always lacing his rhymes with allusions, metaphors, and similes that were beyond phenomenal. Intricacies abounding. Positive black thought. Calling to task the ig'nant negroes. I put him on a pedestal. And there you go: it's a long way down once your idol falls. What did he do? It's complicated. Well, actually it's not. He's married not one but TWO video hos. No not at the same time. He divorced the first video ho, to marry the second. I mean how stupid can a man be?? Don't answer that, the question is unanswerable. He's got like five or six kids with more than two women, none by the new wife. How stupid can she be? Okay, don't answer that either. I'm intelligent enough to know that humans are imperfect. Human frailty is infinite it seems. But I just expected so much more from this man. He was the ultimate IBM.......only to lead around by his hindquarters. What a disappointment. I'm also intelligent enough to know that you aren't your mistakes or weaknesses, but come on now TWO video hoes. He's just asking for bankruptcy. Ever see the Internet photo of Kimora Lee Simmons drinking ridiculously priced champagne while also soaking her feet in same champagne? This is what he has to look forward to. I'm not saying these women are shallow, vapid, empty-headed and simple......yes I am. I mean, really, a video 'dancer"....and when I say dancer I mean hooker. Oh well, another bites the dust.....
Just finished a fabulous book by Maureen Dowd: "Are Men Necessary?" GREAT book, just like one long rant on men. (BTW, the jury is still out on the question.)

Tall, Bright & Handsome

Unlike a most rappers, I can appreciate all a wide variety of looks. At First Friday at Felt Lounge there were beautiful hues of Black men everywhere. From the fine hi-yellah boys to the luscious dark-skinned cuties. I saw dark-brown chocolate and honey-colored redbones. I do have my preferences in shades and colorings, but I do know that there are cute men across the color spectrum. Can anyone tell me why a dark woman is not considered feminine? Or why a light colored man is not considered masculine? You can see it in all cultures. The expression “tall, dark and handsome” is used by all women regardless of race. On TV and movies you always see a dark hair and swarthy skin man as the romantic lead (Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp). The only prominent blonde leading man is Brad Pitt. The same goes for black actors as well. The darker the black man is the more attractive he gets seems to say convention, but many black women find Shemar Moore, John Legend, or some other curly-head “light-skinned” boy the epitome of sexiness. The media sets up a cultural ideal that permeates the society by causing trends to move in one direction or the other and what is so troubling is they are so, so narrow. Think about the leading ladies: all are blonde (no need to list, think of anyone of them). Since there aren’t too many black leading ladies it’s hard to even make any comment on them, but one thing is true 99% are not DARK in color. Don’t even get me started on the music industry. If you look similar to Mariah Carey or Carrie Underwood you will get a record deal no matter if you can sing or not (Paris Hilton, Hillary Duff, Lindsay Lohan). Of course, luckily, some women’s talent can be denied and they break the typical look barrier (Fantasia, Angie Stone, Fiona Apple). It’s funny ‘normal’ people find beauty all around, but the media insists on putting us all in a very restrictive box.

Maybe I’m a little obsessed.

(Why, oh, why does the music industry insist on this trick of re-releasing old CDs with two or three new songs on it? See Mariah Carey and Usher for example. I’m listening to two songs on the Mariah Carey “Ultra Platinum Edition” of Emancipation of Mimi and they are HOT, but why would I buy the CD AGAIN for just two more songs? It’s plain evil.)

Independence Day

There are so many people to thank for the progress and success of this country. The Native Americans who kept the Pilgrims alive and then paid the ultimate price. The enslaved Africans who worked for free from 1609 to 1865 to build the wealth of the South all the while suffering innumerous atrocities and whose descendants are still suffering from discrimination, racism and prejudice. The Chinese who worked in the Southwest building the railroad for close to slave wages and whose descendants are still not called Americans. The Mexicans who are toiling in the hot sun as migrant produce pickers, being nannies and gardeners to the rich and then having to justify their presence in the US. There are many rights and liberties that are taken for granted (like civil liberties, human rights, women’s rights, voting rights, and labor rights) and we forget weren’t always available. The independence of America continues everyday. We are free to think, be, and behave as we wish. We are allowed to be any religion we want, do any occupation we want, and read any book we choose. We are allowed to investigate our desires, carnal or epistemologically. Independence Day should not only be celebration of our fortuitous battle with Great Britain, but the celebration of our daily freedoms which are denied to many people across the world.

(Too much?)

Oprah v. Ice Cube

Okay, I love Oprah to pieces but she has no business talking about things she knows nothing about: hip hop. I know she finds rap to be demeaning to women. She has claimed on more than one occasion that the problem with youth (black youth specifically) is the music and the videos (rap specifically). But, she’s completely inconsistent. First, she had that punk, Black-woman hating, shallow, arrogant, Louis Vuitton-pushing, materialistic, wanna-be pimp: Kanye West on her show. This manchild has nothing but half-whatever women in his videos. Never a classic Nubian African beauty in the midst. Weave abounds. Second, she has on Be-non-say on ever chance she gets. This girl has not shown her real hair since 1994. She weaves in blonde tresses like the rest of us speed down I-71---all the time. Beyoncé unwittingly belittles, mentally brutalizes and indoctrinates millions of girls everyday with her hypersexual dancing, hatred of kinky hair, and completely non-intellectual persona (her beloved Oprah asked her favorite book and she paused for like 10 seconds, the stupid girl couldn’t even come up with some pat answer like the Bible. Oprah saved her and moved on.). Third, she had on Puffy. He constantly put women on display as objects. I want consistency. Tons of things demean and degrade women. What about every makeover show Oprah has ever had? Message: you’re not good enough, wear better, more expensive clothes, get a weave (which invariable appear on the black female makeovers), and put on more make-up. What about every anorexic, bulimic pop- princess? What about the ridiculous magazines consumed with beauty tips and weight loss plans? What about the constant stream of money-worshiping reality shows of Mtv?

This 50+ woman does not know a thing about hip hop. She has one of the most positive rappers in the industry right in her own city of Chicago: Common. But has he made it to the show? No, white women don’t know anything about him. I agree with Ice Cube. Why hasn’t she had him on the show? He’s a great role model. Self-made millionaire. Never afraid to be outspoken. Mostly has works of substance. A married Black man to a Black woman with four beautiful kids. He’s basically rap’s version of Eddie Murphy: I used to be vulgar and crass, but now I’m a grown man and I’ve learned where to be vulgar and crass (mostly not in public). Ice Cube didn’t get invited for Barbershop. He didn’t get invited for a show he produced and created the controversial and much talked about Black/White on the F/X network. Why would she jump on Ludacris during a show about a movie? It was a totally unprovoked attack. He’s not one of the bad one. He’s like the new Redman. Funny and intricate lyrics. Tongue in cheek peppered with a little male bravado. I won’t even mention the bad ones. Ice Cube is a music revolutionary. Militant rhymes with great beats. He took his cues from KRS-One and Public Enemy while adding his own LA flavor of crooked cops and California racism. He’s an Icon.

How can she make any critical analysis of hip hop when she doesn’t know any of the details or the inter-workings of the music? It’s not that complicated, but, really doesn’t she sound like an old coot saying: “turn down that racket and put on some Billy Eckstein!” Plus, I’m the only one that can say anything negative about rap.

Admit you love the Pussycat Dolls as much as I do.

I have this funny feeling

That many people think that since I’m hard on crime, that I’m a Republican. Gosh, people want things to be so simple. But life is messy. Life is complex. Life does not have Hollywood endings. First, I am not a Republican. That’s a proposition that shocks my conscience. I’m a liberal. I was registered Independent for a LONG time, but I got tired of not getting to vote in the primaries. So, I changed it up. I believe gays should be able to married. I think women should get equal pay for equal work. I think there should be a safety net for our nation’s most vulnerable. If welfare for women and children should be limited, so should corporate welfare. Thanks to the intelligence of a friend. I now think that multi-national corporations should be prohibited. I’ve always thought that big corporation should have all the drawbacks and disadvantages of personhood like the rest of us do, not just the advantages. I think there should be affirmative action for many years to come…maybe as long as slavery lasted in America (256 years: 1609-1865). I think women should be able to sell their bodies if they want to. Sex education in the schools should start in Kindergarten. No religion in school. No religion in any place to do with public funding and functions. (i.e., the First Amendment). I think the ecology is more important than money. I HATE Wal-Mart. Now if that’s not liberal I don’t know what is. I just hate crime. Let the guilty criminals BURN.

Some people are on crack.

Did anyone read the forum section of the CJ today? This crazy woman praised men for making the sacrifice and choice against their “nature” to be fathers. She actually commended them for doing what they should do: take care of their children. Is she serious? She claims that fathers have been marginalized and it’s such a sad, pitiful shame. Honey, fathers made themselves irrelevant. Fathers made themselves disposable. Fathers made themselves unimportant in the lives of children. Young men don’t want to marry and be faithful to one woman. Fathers constantly, I mean constantly, complain about the amount of child support they have to pay. My friend’s babydaddy quit his job and took a considerably less paying job so he wouldn’t have to pay her as much. Her. Not his children. Her. Like she was walking around in furs, diamonds, carrying a Prada bag, and jumping in her Maybach. We won’t even talk about the men that just don’t flat out pay. The County Attorneys can tell you all about their deadbeat dad (and a few moms, but mostly dads) lists. Men, fathers should not be patted on the back for being apart of their children’s lives, shoot, being apart of any child’s life is a blessing for the child and the adult. I don’t believe in congratulating anyone for doing something their supposed to do. You’re supposed to take of your kids without complaint (or don’t have any). You’re supposed to obey the law (see many previous posts on that). You’re supposed to do the right thing. Why should a man get a pat on the back for sacrificing for his kids?

By the way, my daddy is the best father in the world. Happy Father’s Day, daddy! He did (does) his duty as a father and expects nothing in return. In that he gets EVERYTHING in return: love, admiration, respect, and blessings.

Have I mentioned this girl to you guys yet: Leela James. Love her hair (and her voice).

Young folks need our own AARP

I just saw a commercial for AARP, you know the mafia for the oldsters. I mean lobbying group. Hum, not sure which is the dis…But anyway, young people (25-45) need their own lobbying group. We need someone to sway congress to vote on issues that help us. College tuition slow-down. ALL student loan interest being able to be written off on taxes. Increase in wages. Healthcare as a right not a luxury. Incentives for public service jobs. The end to the corporate ownership of America. Tax cuts for the middle class and the working poor. Mandatory paid maternity or paternity leave. We are being pushed aside. We will not do better than our parents. We’re going to do worse. Let’s face it: baby boomers are the most greedy, self-serving, self-interested, selfish generation of American history. Would the WWII generation ever sacrifice the future of their children so they could live in luxury in the present??? Would the WWI generation make policies based on the next quarter or the NEXT 20 years??? We ‘re never going to be the leaders of tomorrow. The babyboomers want to hold on to power to their last dying breath. We are being fed a line of bull and propaganda about everything. The biggest is that our generation is lazy. A complete fallacy. It’s just a line to make us feel less than the previous generation, therefore controlling us even more (They’re older and wiser, they should lead.). We are prevented from attaining any power in this country. The torch is not passed on. The torched may have to be stolen. Babyboomers don’t want to die or get old. It’s a natural part of life, but they fight it tooth and nail. Take a rest and let someone else lead. What is we gonna do? (My friend heard a woman say that to a man as he got on a plane.)

Bad Boy may be back: Cheri Dennis has a HOT new song I love you.

The Block is HOT.

What the heck is going on in the Second Division???? Ya’ll got pounds of crack under car seats. Sixteen year olds with guns with blanks. Teenagers gambling with dice. Prostitutes and drug dealers hanging out in the bricks. T-shirts that proudly proclaim “stop snitching.” What the hell? This was not the dream of the slave. I told you about that dream on March 6 of this year. No one is listening. This all sickens me. How can any reasonable Black person point the finger at white racism when we continue to allow this self-destruction?? It’s ridiculous to blame white people for the problems in the West End. Institutional racism/oppression can be blamed for the pitiful educational system, the deadly environmental background of most Black neighborhoods, non-existent healthcare…..even the poor economical state of most Black households. But there is no, absolutely NO excuse for crime. I’m sorry. None. The only good reason to break a law is when it oppresses freedom, liberty or justice. Other than that, if you disagree with a law, work through the proper channels to change it. But the last time I checked selling and possessing crack had nothing to do with freedom. My thoughts about the right of a woman to sell her body if she chooses to can be discussed another time. But, if you want to sell your body move to Nevada, it’s legal there and illegal in the Commonwealth. I’m so tired of this stuff. Stop snitching???? Stop snitching???? Are you kidding me? You would rather live with bars on your windows, locked in your houses, children can’t play on the sidewalk, elders imprisoned in the house, dead and paralyzed young men everywhere than telling authority who are the terrorists in your community. Yeah stop snitching so you can exterminate one another like some insane African civil war. I feel like screaming on the corner with an alarm clock and yelling “WAKE UP!!!!” But, I’d probably be shot.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity.

Harlan Ellison (1934 - )

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968), Strength to Love, 1963

Lord, what fools these mortals be!

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Act 3 scene 2