I've been out the loop for a few days. I've had a couple of bad ones. First, I didn't get the job I was fawning over. And then somehow, yesterday, I lost a $10 bill. I had $13 in cash and lost ten. I guess I should thank the ignorance of the unlucky number 13.
Anyway, I think I'm going to re-institute Vic Damone's "Random Thoughts" on Fridays to add some sense of continuity to the blog (this time i'm going to be good about adding links and pictures). The Random Thoughts are up to 10 things going thru my mind at a particular moment on Friday. They usually come back-to-back-to-back, so it can be pretty random.
I'm also gonna add a Vibin Video on Thursdays to do a little some thing different.
The video has to be something I can groove to in the midst of the worst day or week, much like this week. To start things off on this front, we're taking it back to middle school for me. Heavy D and The Boyz "Got Me Waiting" ...
To me it's a classic. Enjoy.
Damn it. As I tried to embed the link, I realized embedding is disabled off of Youtube. Anyway, here' the video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxfRlA2t7kU . See what kind of week I'm having.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Got Me Waiting
Sunday, February 24, 2008
My Hope For Joan
... is not what you think.
I've waited about a week or so. But I finally feel inclined to weigh in on the abrupt ending of Girlfriends, the sitcom that many blacks (especially black women) hold dear to their hearts.
I didn't just want to dump on the CW for dropping the show or question the aims the last season (it seemed to be going in about 527 directions all at once). But I wanted to give the show's ending an undeniable credence. So, I've taken my time, and I've come up with how I wish the show would end.
Finally, last night it came to me. Joan Clayton, the main character of the show, is meant to be alone for life. I mean, she's spent the better part of seven seasons searching for the perfect relationship under the constraining rules (like her three-month rule for sex), overthinking and overreacting.
When Joan found "the one" her dude was shipped off to fight in Iraq. Now the show has been canceled with her relationship in limbo because Aaron is still at war. Crazy, right? Maybe that's a fitting "end" of sorts, that this hopeless romantic actually end up by herself, hopeless.
It may sound crass. But I think it's not a bad way to leave the show, you know, Joan without the experience of another relationship (this time marriage) that she seemed destined to mess up. If they do have a proper finale, I think it would be best for the show if Aaron, Joan's husband is killed off at war in an accident of sorts ...
... and his funeral, Toni Childs, Joan's best friend since childhood returns to reconcile their relationship.
All at once, it makes several statements. It questions the war. It displays the importance of true friendship. It gives us the understanding that some of us just aren't meant to be in relationships no matter how hard we try to find that perfect person, a real but harsh reality.
It would be interesting to see William and Monica in their first days as parents in contrast to the death of Aaron. You know, the life and death ying and yang. On Lynn, it would be great to see her find yet another random person to sleep with, maybe a virgin. And Maya and Darnell. I've never be able to make much of this relationship. She just seems so spastic. Maybe she ends up pregnant again, or they finally adopt a child.
But most important, the show needs reconciliation between Toni and Joan, maybe the premier relationship during the show's run. Of course, I also want to see Jill Marie Jones in character again (I've been in love with Toni Childs for almost five years now).
The show lost traction when Jill Marie jumped ship, and it would be impossible to tie together the loose ends without her in the finale. It's Joan's most best relationship. The one she needs the most.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Turtle Power!
While watching that Wayne Brady show, the one where people sing lines to pop songs for money, I realized something last night.
Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men looks like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. BIIM was on the show a celebrity contestants (their $500,000 song was "I'll Make Love To You. I think I'd go into $500,000 in debt to see them screw up their own song. Wait. No I wouldn't).
But this got me to thinking. Wanya isn't the only black celeb that fits the TMNT look. There's Mike Jones. Coming to this conclusion has me on a quest, a pursuit to find two other black celebs to play TMN Turtles.
I've already figured that Wanya would have to be Michaelangelo because of how loud and annoying he can be. Mike Jones is Raphael because, well because he's a rapper, and he's supposed to be "hard."
I need a Leonardo and a Donatello. Thus, I need a leader-type turtle-looking black celeb and one who is forever in deep thought and inventive. Any suggestions?
Oh, Katt Williams will play Splinter.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Chipping Away
From Duffle Bag Boy: "I'm am on my shit, need a pamper on me." Friday night's experience has me on my game.
When God said “find yourself in a reflection”
Chipping away at your nose isn’t exactly what He meant.
See, so many are caught up in physical perception.
True perfection we’ve chosen to reject.
Found themselves in the in shelves
And aisles of the cosmetic surgery to beguile
A soul that lacks real depth.
Accept, their reality they will not.
So instead they trot into the surgeon’s chair.
Some, like I, prefer to call it the entrance to Pharoah’s lair.
Better known as the Sphinx.
You don’t want to make the connection
Well let me send you the link.
www.yournosedefinesyourface.com
Tells a story of your history, your race, a place
From whence some of your ancestors came
And see the Greeks chipped away at the memories of Giza
So you wouldn’t know your true name.
Trying to displace Egypt from Africa in our history books
But all you’ve gotta do is give Egyptians a single look.
Crazy, what you appear to be doing seems to be the same.
Carving out of your history book this unique piece of you,
To please the callings of a people of a different hue.
Makes me wonder when it was that we all went off cue.
The white man desiring full lips,
and the black woman wanting to chip …
maybe it was when we started to mix seeds,
Can’t say that totally bothers me.
Because real love knows only one face,
It lacks race in case you didn’t know,
It stares back you, no matter how wide or thin your nose.
So I’m left to wonder why some chose to go
The route of reworking the clay that God made … for you,
No, I can’t judge you for the things you chose to do.
But I will pray that you find the will to hold on to that not-so-distant memory.
Instead of sanding away your ancestors’ DNA
As if it were a nail filed down by a board of emery.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
On Women
I love women. As you know, I have more female than male friends. But that still doesn't mean that women don't do things that annoy (the hell outta) me at times. I have lived with three different women (four if you included the exorbitant hours I spent with Triple B back in the day).
Through my experiences, I have a compiled a list of the things that I absolutely loathe about women. For the woman whom I marry, this might be a great guideline for things not to do to piss me off.
This list is not complete. But as I think of something new, I will post it and add it. This list may help you in some small way with your man or in your pursuit of him. Bros., if you have something to gripe about, please comment.
1. Women don't ask questions. They imply things, and want you to do it without having to ask. Problem is, we mean aren't that aloof, and this game gets annoying. Don't say "I want (blah, blah, blah)" and expect me to get "blah, blah, blah" or do "blah, blah, blah," then get upset because I don't. If there is something you want from or of me, ASK please.
2. Toilet paper usage. Women use toilet paper as though there is an endless supply No woman should ever complain to a man about buying toilet paper. My wife, whoever she maybe will be responsible for toilet paper like I am to cutting the grass.
3. The trash. I don't mind taking it out. But if that shit stinks, and it stinks because of you, do not, and I repeat, do not leave that funk there for more than 15 minutes just for me to take it out. I will be pissed. Repeat. I will be pissed. If you fill the trash can up an hour after I have just emptied it, best believe you will also need to take it out.
4. Lifetime/Golden Girls. Do not expect me to watch either of these with you, the network or this show. I refuse. I would rather play in traffic sans clothing and see how long it is before I'm arrested than watch a Lifetime movie. Golden Girls was a good show. Operative word: was.
5. Attacking below the belt. In arguments, do not bring up things you shouldn't or use tactics that are hurtful and irrational in concerns with what we are arguing about. Most men do not think like this. We're rational creatures who, while we may do some irrational things, know when we're wrong even when we won't admit it. We don't need you to take cheap shots at us.
6. Weave. Nails and pedicures are fine. Weave? It will not grow on me. I mean never. Question? Have you ever engaged in a sexual act with a woman with a weave and tried to grasp her head or pull her hair only to feel as though there are abnormal growths on her head? Yeah, been there, done that. Never again (I hope). I understand some black women want their hair to grow, and wearing a weave can help that process. But just rocking one just cause? Dude, be you. Nothing against you if that's what you choose to do. Just a personal belief of my own.
7. Plastic surgery. I hold this one dear, especially for a black woman (and man) who wants to reconstruct her face by altering her nose. It's the same nose that the was knocked off of the Sphinx outside of the Pyramid of Giza, and we've devalued it in search of something universal. Be unique. I could go on for days about this one (and I have before). I'm even working on a piece about this issue. I might post it within the next week or so.
Don't worry, like I said, this list will grow with time. Women, I still love you.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Strength in Numbers
There used to be strength in strength
Which meant it was strength in power
The man would take the animal,
And with his arms and intellect he devoured her
Command dominion over all the seas
Pluck most birds from every tree.
Cage them and clip their wings.
Prevent her from chirping the song she’d sing
Now, though, there’s strength in numbers
Which means there’s strength in money
And you have very little control,
If you’re a bee who happens to lack honey,
Funny, that’s not how it was meant to be,
But one day currency fell from a tree.
In the form of forbidden fruit,
You could take a bite, not even to the root
And it became your yearning,
In place of simply learning,
Life’s most relevant truths,
Most people just chase green leave...
Their families at a moment’s notice
Overwork themselves,
Just to fill a company’s quota.
Sellout their souls for dead presidents.
Losing control of what was forever meant.
It’s hard to find a mind in mint condition.
When we’ve reconditioned them to not matter.
Capitalism has splattered matters of conviction
As though it were cake batter.
And few seem to care so long as
As their pockets are getting fatter.
Wu Tang said it best, Cash rules,
but everyone around me seems like fools, gold,
because they forgotten the golden rule:
You can’t take it with you.
Your soul is the only thing that goes,
The rest just folds,
As though it were an offsuit 7-deuce.
Play that hand and you’re guaranteed to lose
More often than not.
So why is it that most don’t care
To read into that plot?
They play every hand
Because it gives them a chance
But they don’t understand
The real currency is whittling away
With little chance of another advance
On mental strength, our truth is beginning to decay
In the same way,
The Ice Age came
And froze some of our roots.
Except this time it’s our minds,
That seem to be missing the cue.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
If You Are What They Say
The MC inquisitively released the word as if he were curious to see who would step to the stage with no moniker, just a name.
"Damone," he said? "Is here a Damone in the house?"
And with that, I thrust myself into a spotlight. I almost didn't make it. As I got up from my seat, I almost tripped and busted my grill because I couldn't see a step in front of me.
But I made it to the stage intact. And the MC handed me the mic. I looked up into the stage lights and realized that I couldn't really see the crowd that well. There was about 150 or so people there. I warned them that I hadn't dropped any knowledge on a stage in what amounted to three-plus years, and to "bare with me."
Then I went into These Words: "I want these words to dutifully pirouette while encompassed about by a chorus of doubters which has only but a seed a hope within in it."
I finished that line and the co-host fell out of her on-stage chair, flabbergast. Her moment made me lose my train of thought, and I had to start over. It got the nerves out of me because I knew somebody would feel me.
It gave me a confidence, and I got through the entire poem. At the end, I got a standing ovation. The MC, he took the mic I had, and promptly told the crowd that "no one is to touch this mic for the rest of the night."
I was just relieved to finish it without and major screw ups. I told him I had another one for him (Buildings), and he let me bring down the house at the end of the open mic set.
This time, I went to the stage with confidence. I took the mic and just ripped it (it's easier to recite something that rhymes). I got another standing ovation. The MC jokingly told me he disliked me.
DMilly, who had been trying to get me out to this open-mic event for months, and I left after that poem. She gave me a big hug for doing it, and said "I told you," because she knew that I would be able to move the crowd.
I thanked her for forcing me out. We talked outside in the cold for a few minutes, and I couldn't feel it because of how good I felt.
I mean, once I got comfortable, I felt at home on the stage. All of my worries, my fears they escaped me, and I just vibed. It's honestly one of the best feelings I've ever experienced. I felt like the dude Lupe rhymes about in "Superstar."
And I can only say thank you to DMilly for forcing me my star to shine.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Day After Hump Day
If you remember last year's Valentine's Day post, I played the role of the typical male. you know, the one who totally forgot it was Valentine's Day, and had one of my good female friends telling me Happy Wednesday instead of Happy Valentine's Day.
Well, this year I made sure I didn't disappoint that friend, DMilly. I sent her an e-card from Hallmark with a special greeting from Tyler Perry (note: She loathes Tyler Perry). In the personal message I emphasized how it would be best if he told her "Happy Valentine's Day considering how much she loves him."
Then I said, I "Happy Day After Hump Day!" to continue th joke from a year ago. It's a good one, I think. I hope. I'll let you know what her response is - earlier in the day she couldn't open it because of work.
Anyway, I'm not doing anything special. Just another day. I might go out with a couple of friends late. If I do, I've told them all to expect to see me in my "middle finger you" t-shirt.
Oh yeah, if you're the praying type, send one up for your boy tonight. I'm expecting some big news tomorrow one way or the other (kinda like an American Idol contestant in front of the trio), AND I will be performing a few pieces of poetry at night.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
I'm Nervous
I'm reading at a poetry slam on Friday night for the first time in three years. The last time I did, I read decent pieces. But they were all over the place, hard for people to understand. They meant a lot to me, but didn't always connect with others.
As I listened to other readers that night, I felt inspired to dig deeper into my core and figure out what was missing in my prose and poetry. I listened to some of the best out there right now like Shihan perform live. I've found what was missing over the last year or so. It's life.
I spent too much of my time the last five years bottled up in the thought of a (bad relationship) situation, so much that it hampered my ability to write about anything else. Although I had thoughts and concerns with the world's happenings, I never thought or tried hard enough to put things into words.
Now, though, I think I've found what I always knew lurked inside.
But I must admit, I'm nervous as hell. I'm going to try to memorize the pieces I'm sharing (Buildings, These (My) Words and On Second Thought) before Friday so I can engage the crowd a bit more.
I used to be a great public speaker, which is why feeling the nerves two days early is weird for me. I did the morning announcements for two years in high school, won a state title in broadcast reporting in high school, interned at a TV station and co-hosted a debutante ball in front of more than 2,000 people.
But I haven't done much in front of a crowd in three years. Most of my audiences are like two people (a good friend and myself).
DMils, one of my good friends, has been trying to get me to read at the poetry reading for a couple of months now. And she's been persistent. I guess it's paying off. Now, I just hope I don't fumble over 50 percent of my words.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
My Words
I want my words to breathe an air into your lungs so foreign that when you exhale you’re gasping for their breed of oxygenation.
I want my words to satiate the insatiable, infuriate the capable so they will learn some have been enabled by a source which contends their existence is for naught.
I want my words to stir you up like a stew brewing on a stove patiently waiting with little else to do aside from contemplate these truths:
Life is giving. Giving is love. Love is hard. Hard makes jealousy. Jealousy breeds hate. Hate is easy. Easy is fear. Fear is debilitating. Debilitating is death. Death is inevitable.
But like a rumor mill, inevitability doesn’t have to be your life’s plight.
Monday, February 11, 2008
I'm Cool Like That
Kaduk, one of "The Good Guys," recently got a job writing a baseball blog for Yahoo! It's cool. But this is a great way to also show Kev's laissez-faire attitude toward the world.
In his introduction post, there's a comment from a reader that says "I'll cut you."
I tell Kaduk about this and his first response to me is: "Cool."
He hadn't seen it, but after he did, Kaduk told me he knew the guy who wrote that. Still, my first response to hearing someone say "I'll cut you" isn't "cool."
It's happened to me before. Believe me. I didn't say "cool." I avoided that person for a few years, although we're "cool" now.
Ah, well. Duk's a good writer, so if you like an interesting mix of baseball and life check out Big League Stew.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
And I Wonder ...
A Level 3 Sex Offender in Connecticut just won $10 million in a lottery. This is a moment where you have to wonder if the Big Man Upstairs takes a day or two off every now and then.
I'm not questioning Him. I just can't make sense of it or justify it. I won't judge sex offender dude, but I think he should consider (read:be forced to) chucking up some of his newfound fortune to charities for victims of sexual crimes.
Friday, February 08, 2008
RACE = BLACK? Really?
Because of the ignorance that's out there in the world, you get two posts today.
Yes, we have a chance to elect either the first woman or black man as president of our nation. Awesome. But we still have brain farts like this one.
This is a link to Time Magazine's 25 Most Important Films on Race. That is the title. Except there's a problem. These are all black films, and some of them have little if nothing to do with "race."
I knew something was direly wrong when I saw Madea's Family Chance-At-Embarrassing-Black-America-Yet-Again on the list followed by I Am Legend. The author of the list, Richard Corliss, or his editor, either doesn't quite understand the meaning of race or didn't bother to come up with a good headline.
RACE doesn't equal BLACK. I expected to see movies like Crash, Babel, A Raisin In the Sun, White Men Can't Jump and Jungle Fever on the list. These are movies that deal with race.
Now, as far as black movies and movies that have significant black characters are concerned, Corliss had a good variety. But I still can't understand how he could dare put some trash (although some people do find it entertaining) like Madea's Family ... on that list.
There are several other GOOD movies he could have chosen including: Love Jones, Waiting to Exhale, Dreamgirls and Ray. Hell, he could have even gone with American Gangster. But not Madea or anything else Tyler Perry has done those far in his career (although he is quite adept at stacking that cheese).
Richard Corliss, if I had your e-mail, I'd send you one right this minute. Don't worry, I'm looking for it as we speak.
Keg O' Soulmate: All Tapped Out
I'm still on this SITC kick. An episode I watched last night questioned how many true loves you get in a life.
If you get zero, one or maybe, if you're lucky, two. It defined a true love as someone who forever altered who you were and the way you thought.
If it's that simple of a definition, I think I'm already at two. But I also subscribe to the theory that you should learn and grow in each relationship you venture into and out of in your life. The next should be better than the last. It should take you to new heights.
For me, the question is, am I tapped out? Is there little left in my keg o' love? There are days when I wonder because I have become fairly pessimistic toward the notion of flights of fancy. I know what real love is, and its definition is drastically different from what the majority people perceive it to be.
But with the bloom off the rose, does that mean I will never experience the whole "soulmate" feelingagain especially considering that I've ran through two previous ones?
Eh, I don't know. Frankly, I'm not sure I care about find a "soulmate" right now. I'm more concerned with getting my life on the track that isn't headed for another train and imminent disaster.
Plus, I'm not sure I want to play that game with anyone else (Pessimism currently oozing on my keyboard). I don't want to make believe love is more than what my life's motto says it is (Fear little. Love big. Give more. Expect less.).
I think all I want is someone, in due time, that shares similar interests and beliefs, someone I can hold a good conversation with consistently and is cool with letting me "do me" when I want to do me. That sounds bad. By "do me" I, of course, mean chill on my own so I can write and think.
I think that's all I want.
I don't want a person who thinks finishing my sentences is the end all, be all. Really, I like completing my own thoughts. And I definitely don't need someone telling me they love me and blowing bullshit ass kisses over the phone EVERY time I talk to her. To that, I simply say, get the FUCK outta here.
Anyway, I'm rambling. I started off saying I think I've reached that SITC limit of two soulmates, but I guess, the way I'm thinking these days, that isn't such a bad thing at all. Nope, it's actually quite grand.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Hybrid: I Think I'm AiBig
With so much bad television on and a need for writing inspiration I recently decided to go back in my stash and watch a few seasons of Sex in the City starting with season 4.
I'm almost done with the season, and it's got me thinking about something. If I were a character, which one would I be: Aiden or Big? Which one is more of who I am?
Per my "situation" (note: the situation no longer exists at all. A beautiful thing if I must say) with Triple B, I thought I was more Big. You know, sliding in and out of the relationship at random times with the lurking thought that there was always something more than the simplicities of a needed animal-like sexual encounter.
Though we never were together I always felt some hope for what existed. But then, after a few years of playing John Legend Track No. 8s, I kinda got over it. And now, I'm reevaluating this view of myself. Am I more Aiden or Big? I'm stuck.
And it's left me stuck. I desire commitment, if it's the right woman, like Aiden. Then again, I like to keep it clean with the perfect necktie and Kenneth Coles on my feet ala Big. I love staying home on a Friday or Saturday night to watch old movies and eat takeout. But I also don't mind stepping out and on the scene for a night or weekend. I'm not a fan of people who cheat or engage in affairs, but I've been the other man a few times.
See, I'm stuck.
I think I'm AiBig. And maybe that's not a bad thing.
I don't have a problem pegging most of my female friends as a character on either Sex or Girlfriends. But there are some who are Hyrbids, a mix of Carrie and Charlotte or Toni and Joan (That's crazy as hell I know. That girl spend most of her days fighting herself).
But Hybrids are the new "It" thing right? So I'm cool. If you were a Hybrid of two characters, even from two different shows, who would you be? Explain.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Chrisette croons on Girlfriends
In the next Girlfriends' episode, Chrisette Michele, one of my favorite artists, drops by and gives Lynn a little songbird lesson. I'm coming back later. Still watching election campaign footage and watching to see if Barack can close the gap somewhat in California.
He got Missouri, Kansas (my states) and many others. Missouri is key because the Show-Me State has picked the president in a primary, republican or democrat, in every election but one since 1900.
Click Here to Read More..
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Obama's ahead in Cali (From Exit Polls)
I'm going to caucus in about two hours. It will be my first time caucusing. Should be an interesting trip back to middle school.
Anyway, there's good news out there today. Obama is obliterating Hillary in California. UPDATE: These results came from Exit POLLS .... Hillary has won California)And I want this to be known now. I don't dislike Hillary or Bill Clinton. I just clearly believe that Obama's voice can unify this entire nation, republican and democrat, because he does play the political games the majority of polticians play.
It's just right or wrong, yes or no, light or dark.
That's it for the moment. I'll be back later with a caucus story or two.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Deja View: We Still Look Alike
The Super Bowl didn't start for another hour or so. So chili, small talk and beer were there to fill the stomachs, minds and time until the game started.
My boy Youngin and I we were just playing catch up in the kitchen talking about God knows what (poker, sports, poker and more sports probably) when it happened. What's it? Well it refers to one of the classic examples of blind racial insensitivity.
One of my old superiors from my old gig entered the house party, and came to the kitchen. She made her rounds to say hello to everyone. She got around to Youngin and I.
"Happy birthday to you," she said while sort of looking me in the eye.
Mind you, my birthday is in middle of August's sweltering heat. It confused me. This woman knows who I am. I worked under her for three years. So I started thinking (quickly of course). Was this some sort of weird icebreaker you use when you haven't seen somebody in a year? No. What could it be? I didn't know, so I just replied almost immediately.
"Well, thanks, but my birthday was six months ago or so," I said.
"I thought your birthday was last week or the wee before," she said.
I shook my head no, and looked at Youngin. He had this grin on his face, and I couldn't figure out why. And I, oblivious to what had really happened in the moment gave my birthday a marker.
"No, it's in August," I said. "I had a big party. Youngin was there."
Youngin still had this smile on his face, and he nodded in agreement. I couldn't quite figure it out. I can't tell you what happened to the dialogue there with my old boss. I just know she walked away almost immediately.
About 15 minutes later, after letting the issue sit for a second in my mind, I finally figured it out. The Last King's birthday was just a few days ago. The Last King is a young black male who holds a similar job that I once held. She had totally confused me for him.
I immediately asked Youngin, "so that's what you were smiling about?"
He and I got a great laugh out of it in the moment more so because it was the second time that same sort of thing has happened between The Last King and I.
The sad part about it is that we look nothing alike. Nothing. To prove my point, around halftime, he and I had a grand conversation about the difference in our hair textures.
He shaves his head bald because his hair does little for him. I, on the other hand, am part-De Barge, and my hair is long and curly. That alone is enough, but to keep it going, we have different head shapes, different voices, different clothing styles.
It makes no sense for anyone to confuse he for I or I for him. None. I originally laughed it off because it's one of those things. We all know there's a healthy percentage of white people who think all black people look alike.
We all know it's not true. What is true is that not enough people, white or black, focus on people of the opposite race, and this sort of thing happens. It happens every day.
It happened to me at least once a week in college. It's a part of life. But as the Last King said, "it's a little different when your boss does it."
I can't disagree.
Manning Up, Brady Down
I was wrong. Eli played like a champion, and now is a champion. I should have stuck with him. I told two of my good friends I thought the Giants would make it to the Super Bowl before they played Tampa Bay in the first round.
That meant New York would have to win at Tampa, Dallas and Green Bay. They laughed at me. In the end I got to laugh at them, but I shoulda rode it out, this Eli Manning thing.
This is the thing though. In that last drive, Eli threw three passes that were possible interceptions/bad throws. Then the escape and pass to David Tyree. At that point, it was destiny. The Giants would win.
I was telling my boy Greeney that it was maybe the second best finish to a Super Bowl I've seen, with the first Giants-Bills Super Bowl (think: wide right) topping the list and St. Louis-Tennessee coming in third (think: one more yard).
What's your favorite Super Bowl? Did this one top the list?
P.S. I have a great story from the party I attended that I'll save for the afternoon.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Super Prediction: Perfection
No suspense here.
My Super Bowl prediction:Patriots 31, Giants 17.
The Game's MVP: Thomas Brady.
Eli's interception total: 2.
My confidence percentage: 92%.
Why? Because, unfortunately, they're just that good. That's why.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
A2: The Black Soul
So back to the answers for my top three problems facing Black America that have little to do with exterior circumstances. That was a mouthful. I started with The Black Family, now we're on to The Black Soul.
2. The Black Soul.
"In God we trust."
That's what it says on the dollar bill. Remember Wu Tang's Cash Rules Everything Around Me joint?
Makes you wonder why God and Money are so close in our country. They shouldn't be. It's maybe the one flaw within a capitalistic society. Okay, there are more flaws, but I'm not going there.
But we have been conditioned to believe money is the end all, be all. When really, we need to open our bibles: "Love of money is the root of all evil," it reads.
We blacks have fallen hard for it, maybe more so than any other race. The problem: we've barter it with our souls.
We are quick to sell our souls, our dreams. The black man in this country comes from limiting circumstances, and has been taught that the American Dream is about money. You get as much of it as you can, however you can.
Hooping. Rapping. Singing. Drug dealing. These are the avenues our people have traveled and deemed the most prosperous. For whatever the reason. One of our wealthiest black men has literally built the majority of his empire on the degradation of black culture. Two others with prominent voices the world would listen to, will not speak up on any social issue (Tiger Woods and Mike Jordan).
Two of our "moral" leaders tend to crusade when dollar signs and opportunity align themselves along the same plain.
To right this wrong, we must do a few things.
A) We must instill the importance of education early and often. Our children need to know there are opportunities abound if they aspire to chase their dreams. Not just doctors and lawyers, but accountants, nurses, psychologists, teachers, authors, journalists, screenwriters ... these are all worthwhile professions where we need black people who don't value money more than their soul. Black people need to know they can do more than play ball or "slang rock" to improve their quality of life.
This connects to the first problem: the family. We need to raise a generation of children who are built of solid moral character: God, family, education, job, money. In that order of importance.
A man loses control of his soul when he puts money ahead of everything else in his life. It's the truth. We need to value what's truly important or else ...
B) We must find a true leader whose mission is to enhance the experience and education of the black man on social, political and moral grounds. This leader must have a voice that all races, classes, ages and both sexes in America acknowledge. I wish it were Woods or Jordan, but that doesn't make them more money. We need someone who is content with what he has, someon e who doesn't care about money so much that he or she would commit suicide the next day if they were broke. Maybe it's Barack Obama (he won't take money from PACs and lobbyists) on some level, although he could have an entire government to run.
If we don't get these two things soon, we'll go in the other direction. If you don't know which way that is, just look ahead. It's the same road we've been traveling.
It's deeper than this, but I want to keep it simple here.
To prep for the final answer, Black on black hate, here's a quote from Dr. King:
"Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true."
Yes, We Can ...
I'll admit, it almost sounds like Sherman Klump: "YES I CAN." Still, let's Barack the vote on Tuesday!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Ask Men's Top 99
Ask Men recently came up with its 2008 list of the Top 99 Women, and of course, I went through and plucked out my favs. Here they are in order of appearance.
I disagree with where they are, of course, because these are my favs. So you also get an MPR (My Personal Ranking) from this list. Also, a few names that should be on here: Vanessa Simmons, Jurnee Smollet, Lauren London, Sharon Leal, Jill Marie Jones, Keesha Sharp, Thandie Newton, and Chrisette Michele. Those are off the dome. Yes, they're all black, but this list needs some more color.
Here's are my favs from the list. There are pics and links to each one's profile:
98. Kerry Washington.
For: I can't think of one reason not to have Kerry in the top ten. She's one of maybe five women in Hollywood I would want to mother my first born.
Against: I can't say anything bad, aside from I hope she doesn't shun my phone calls when I blow up.
My Personal Rating (MPR): 1.
77. Rashida Jones.
For: She's Quincy's daughter.
Against: I know little else about her.
(MPR): 15. 
63. Anne Hathaway.
For: Should be considerably higher. Her eyes are majestic, and she is a brilliant actress.
Against: She's a little dorky, but you've gotta love a cute dork.
(MPR): 5. 
62. Cassie.
For: For her one hit song.
Against: I can't remember the lyrics, only that catchy beat.
(MPR): 14. 
39. Keira Knightley.
For: She apparently did her thing in Atonement, which I have yet to see.
Against: I haven't seen Atonement.
(MPR): 10. 
35. Angelina Jolie.
For: She's Angelina Jolie.
Against: She with Brad.
(MPR): 8. 
30. Alicia Keys.
For: I've been fawning over her and her music since the 20th century.
Against: she keeps trying to do that Bob Marley thing and I want her to stop.
(MPR): 4. 
28. Kim Kardashian.
For: Have you seen her body? Have you seen her body in the homemade porn with Ray J?
Against: Have you seen her body in the homemade porn with Ray J?
(MPR): 6. 
26. Penelope Cruz.
For: Her voice is amazing.
Against: She dated Tom Cruise for a while. There's no telling what's going on in her head.
(MPR): 7. 
16. Gisele Bundchen.
For: Any woman with Tom Brady deserves to be on this list.
Against: Because I can't spell her last name without looking. But I'm not against her or Tom come Sunday.
(MPR): 9. 
15. Natalie Portman.
For: Closer is still one of my fav films. There's something unique about her.
Against: She's almost too perfect.
(MPR): 13. 
8. Rihanna.
For: She's grown on me. I've fallen for her style. I'm not a huge fan of her music/voice.
Against: People with this type of style scare/attract me. Note how scare came first. She's a whore of the blogs I frequent.
(MPR): 12. 
6. Scarlett Johansson.
For: There's nothing wrong I can say about her. She's simply beautiful. She'd be in my top five white women, and in my top 10 women period.
Against: Word has it she's in the Derek Jeter chain.
(MPR): 3. 
5. Jessica Alba.
For: See Scarlett.
Against: See Scarlett.
(MPR): 11. 
4. Eva Mendes.
For: Her face is pure. She's good in romantic comedies, and reason I've seen Hitch five times.
Against: No answer.
(MPR): 2.
Ask Men's No. 1 was Katherine Heigl. She's cool and she's doing her thing right now with that 27 Dress flick. But probably wouldn't come near my top 20.
