Hitting up the East Coast...

Wow....summer is pretty much gone...and with it school begins. After a crazy job being a summer camp director, I decided to take a mini-vacation. I went to:

Baltimore

Washington DC

and New York City




It was a welcome respite to a crazy summer. All cities were beautiful, but different. They all had something to offer...Can't wait to return...

Updating Slowly but Surely...

I'm working crazy hours...and I don't have much time to write. I'm updating slowly but surely. Hopefully I'll get back soon... :)

What Are You Fighting For?

I live in the South Suburbs of Chicago; and for the past three years, I have been looking at the violence that has been plaguing our communities. It's sad. A soldier came home from Iraq to be shot on the street like a dog when he was deliberately trying to avoid the confrontation between two guys. A shame. Simeon Sanders had to come home to die after he risked his life fighting for our country.

Just last night, there was a 6 year old boy that was shot twice while playing in his room. This kid wasn't bothering anyone. A couple of weeks ago, a nine year old girl was killed while washing her dog outside with her father. Again, a shame...and the list grows longer with each day. And these are the cases that we KNOW about.

I'm tired of it. Sick of it. Most of this activity has been attributed to gang bangers. So I have a question for you: What the hell are you fighting for? It's the biggest damn mystery known to man right now. Can't these issues be squashed?

I'm not familiar with gangs and stuff like that (and if you can explain it to me...please do) but it sounds real petty to me. I've heard a couple things and again, it sounds real stupid, so please educate me.

• We fighting over our territory: Please....you don't own shit...I'll repeat...you don't own anything. Do you pay taxes or a mortgage? If you don't...keep it moving.

• He/She disrespected me: Okay...I can halfway see your point on this one. But why does disrespect equal death? I mean...really, is it that serious?
  

This is the real world...and that stuff only works in the movies and rap songs...Too many innocent people are dying because folks want to be ignorant...It's just frustrating. To close this, take a look at this poem by Gemini, and ask the question: What are You Fighting For?

Ain't Too Proud to Beg!

I was listening to The Doug & DeDe Show last week and they were debating on a very interesting topic. Are Black people (or any other group of people, for that matter) too proud to take any type of job? There were some people that were calling in and relating their stories about how they've had to find other jobs that weren't in their field because of losing their jobs. Some folks were able to find something that was similar to the field that they either got their degree in or something in which they had prior experience. There were people that called in that weren't trying to get a job unless they could get it in their field. They weren't trying to get a job doing something else, like work at McDonald's or Wal-Mart until something better came along.

(I know you remember Calvin, don't you?)

I have a confession to make...I'm guilty of this too...Yes I am. I could've gotten a job at K-Mart, or Popeyes, or even that doggone Macy's...but I was so worried about what other would think about me, a college grad, working at a fast-food restaurant or department store. Yeah, it's a stuggling economy, but my pride was WAY too strong, and I've been broke as hell for the past 6+ months because of it. Let me give you some background: I come from a small town...and I still live closeby. Most of the folks here aren't highly educated and they are mostly negative, hence my wanting to relocate to New York City. Throughout my years, myself and most of my friends were teased because we were smart. When I went away to college and came home for breaks, I would see people from home and they would always make snide remarks about being me acting better than them because I chose to go to college. It really screwed with my psyche too.

When I graduated and returned home from school, I got a job that had nothing to do with my major. Hell, I had bills to pay and it's boring watching Maury everyday. I remember talking to a girl that I went to high school with and she said "It's a shame that you went to school for nothing." Wow...this from someone that dropped out of school. It continues to eat at me. Was school truly worth it? When I lost my job last fall, I took some time to reflect on what I really want to do...it took some time, but I've got it figured out. But, in the meantime...I'm broke. I had no intention of working at a fast-food restaurant. I guess my pride got in the way. I didn't want anyone to see me and make fun of me.

I went to work with my mother (she has a cleaning business outside of her regular job). I felt that embarrassment coming...but I needed the cash. My mom looked at me and said, "F$&k what folks have to say...you better get this money." I went and worked my butt off. As I was working, my mom came in and said, "there's pride in hard work...if you do the right thing, you're OK...at least you know you're doing good work and getting paid for it." Thanks for the reality check, Mom. I needed it...

Movie Spotlight: I'm Through With White Girls

I had reservations about this movie...but to my surprise, it was really good! Here's the synopsis (courtesy of IMDB.com):

"Having recently been involved in a disastrous string of relationships with white women, a hip black comic book artist must confront his own fear of commitment after vowing to exclusively date women of his own race. Jay is a hip black comic book artist whose experiences dating white women have left him wanting more. Realizing that he's in desperate need of some serious change, Jay launches "Operation Brown Sugar," and subsequently begins dating a beautiful "Halfrican-Canadian" writer. Now that race doesn't factor into Jay's dating habits anymore he feels like he may have found the love of his life. But while he may not have to worry about ending up with the wrong girl, Jay is about to discover that he may be in danger of letting the right one slip through his grasp."

It was funny and quirky! I always see those off-beat comedies starring Jack Black, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, etc., and I always wanted to see one with a predominately Black cast. Here is one that had me cracking up! When you get a chance, check it out! I don't think you'll be disappointed...