"....another black girl lost..." --Nas

"A young wild beautiful love child...,"
"You like them thug style,"

I came to this last night, while talking this woman who happens to be dating, or sleeping with, a friend of my friend.

But, anyways.

So her and I sat on the couch chit-chatting and cracking jokes about people on TV. We having a good time and then:

"How many children do you have?" she says.

"I have one, and one on the way." I reply.

"That's great, you're young and you have your children, and your wife. I wish I could have that." She states, as though she were a ederly woman, with only days to live.

"Your what.... 22? 23?" I say sarcastic in tone. "You have plenty of time, enjoy this single-womanhood while you have it, because when it's gone. It's gone."

"Yeah, but at least I'd have someone to come home to! Now I have to go home and be alone."

Well, now I'm trying to both preserve the conversation, and trying not to"hate" on the dude she's dating. I have to be careful what I say, because she could likely reach an epiphany right there and decide that what she has with dude isn't going anywhere, and just leave... for good.

So I says, "If what you are doing on a daily basis is not changing you, then why are you doing what your doing?"

Dude comes out of the room at that time, so conversation ended. I don't know if she understood what I was saying, but if I had the time I would have explained. She seemed genuinely lost about the state of her romantic life, present and future, which pained me to some degree.

"...Could you believe Eve, Mother Earth of the seas,"

"Niggaz thirst you, you just let em hurt you and leave..."

It pained me to know that I couldn't save her, kinda like when I first realized that I couldn't catch my son, and stop him from falling and hurting himself (I guess I don't have superspeed). I can only do so much, I can only offer so much Light, I can only be so respectful, without being disrespectful.

Whats even worst, her friend was dating somebody I know as well. And me and her had a similar conversation weeks before.

Both of their relationships are pretty much dead end, and they know it. But neither really cares. Or care enough. They're just awaiting the inevitable.

Like reading the "Death of Superman" comic book, when he's your favorite super hero, and you being on the verge of depression beforehand. Your basically setting up yourself for failure.

But what more can I say? She didn't leave that night, so maybe she didn't reach that epiphany, that I had considered.

"...Sacred as you are, left with these wannabes to guide you,"

"I watched you, hard to knock you, I tried not to..."

....Death waits for no man...

As the ice cold Spirit of Death brushes by me, I remember to put on an extra thermal. It's gonna be a cold day.

Rest in Peace Richard Pryor and Stanley "Tookie" Williams, who were taken from this world in recent days, but not without having left their marks on our world. They will be missed...

Peace.

"Keep it on the DownLow....Nobody has to know...."

You know... I think this whole "Brotha's on the DL" has gotten a bit carried a way as of late. Not only is it killing DL Hughley's career, but it's interfering with the potential for black unity.

For example, I live in the "A" (Atlanta), and every once in a while I'll go out to the bar, ya know. Happy hour and all, even though I don't drink I try not to be a social hermit. But anyways, so when I go out it's usually with my brother, who lives in the city as well. And I'll be at somewhere like, Justin's, and go chill at the bar, order a glass a water and an appetizer and just do a little people watching (especially Black women watching, not that I'm lusting, but I'm just amazed at how beautiful the women are in this city).

So as i digress. So just looking around, small talking with my bro' and watching him try to holla at women, which is quite comical, and looking at what's on TV. Most times when I've gone I've been fortunate enough to sit by women. Fortunate because they are better to look at when your talking, and they won't just talk sports. But occasionally I end up sitting by a guy, who's probably there for the same reason I am. People watching.

Now, when I sit next to women, and begin conversing with them I notice that some of them believe there are no men left. Here is the rundown I get as to where they think we are (in order):

• In the penile system.
• Gay playing straight (DL).
• Married trying to cheat.
• Single with kids.
• Married.
• Dead.

I don't think this is a reflection of actual truth, but more like theoretical half truths. Built upon one or two personal experiences, but mostly from girlfriends, the News, and the new DL book phenomenon.
That's Women.

Men, on the other hand we tend to be less emotional, not so wrapped into the hype of the day. But this DL thing is seeping in to our consciousness.

Like I said. At the bar chillin' eating my food, and just so happen to be sitting by another dude. Now if it were a women next to me I'd probably apply a little wit and start a conversation, but since it's a guy I tend to just sit there and continue eating. Dude could be as straight as a rail, but with all the statistics associated with Atlanta Black men, I hesitate. Check of the "cut of his jib", and make sure I don't see the non-patented signs of a Gay. Funny right? I mean the word on the streets is that the "new Gays" look, act, and talk just like me, so how can I tell who is and who isn't?

I can't. So what do I do. I don't talk to any dudes. Period, unless I met 'em through someone we mutually are acquainted with, who we both believe isn't Gay.

So now we got Black men not talking to each other, and giving each other the "screwface", and trying to be as masculine as possible. You know what all that added up equals? Me either, but I know it's nothing good.

Do your part, don't perpetuate this DL thing. And if you see a brotha in the streets or at the bar, speak. If he's Gay he's not gonna sodomize right there. Unless... you know.... you're one of them.....!!

Peace.

Gone 'til November

Song for today: Gone 'til November by Wyclef

For the last few weeks I've been having to travel out-of-town, to work this construction site. It keeps me away for 3-4 days out of the week. It's been awhile since I've travel that much and I'm just now getting back into the mind frame I need to be in, to leave on Monday mornings... That was until my son started asking questions, "Why do you have to work far away?" "Why didn't you pick me up from school?", on top of the "I miss you's" and his teachers saying how he talks about missing me at school.

".... you must understand, I can't work a 9 to 5. So I'll be gone 'til November..."

So this song is dedicated to my family. Peace.

"...and give a kiss to your mother."

Black and White

Fight the Power!!!

This was the pose my son wanted to do for his class pictures... I told him to go ahead, whatever makes you happy.

Since I've gotten back into writing, I thought it was time to revisit my favorite hobby which is photography. I really never left it, but now instead of using my digital camera, I picked my SLR. It was a gift from my dad, and it is the one he used for the past 20 years to record most of my life. So I felt it only right to use it for the same purpose, and record my own children's lives.

My preference is for black & white, probably because I'm colorblind and it tends to be easier for me to visualize. But it's also because of the simple complexity of it. Think about it, with only two colors someone can show so much of the world around them. Peace.

It's Peanut Butter... Jelly time!!!

If anyone out there is having a bad day, or are on the way to the Club and need to get "Crunk," this song will definately do it. Being that I'm a Florida native, I remember "jukin" and grindin' up on women when ever it was played.

Well somebody got the idea to post "PB&J" it online with a banana doing a little dance to it. Check it out. And "Get Crunk"!!!!


Peace.

"Takin' out ya' suckas, and you don't know how I did it"

Well here it is another Monday. I didn't watch too much of the political bally-hooing this weekend so I guess I'll use today just to shoot the breeze.

Everything jumped off from Wednesday, because my wife, who is expecting our second child, got laid up with some back pains. I stayed home from work the rest of the week to take care of her. Plus we have a 3 year son old, so between them two, I was up and down the stairs all week. I ain't mad, cause I've been looking at how out-of-shape my legs have been lookin' lately anyways(feel the burn...).
Did some house cleaning, while bumping some Roots, mixtapes, and some Dancehall tunes, ya' know just to keep me crunk! Plus I have this concert I was going to on Saturday so I had to get the party started early. So I played a little Mos Def, Talib, and Jean Grae, just to get my mind right.
Saturday came, but on Friday i got a call from Ticketmaster telling me that Mos wasn't gonna show up. Tragedy. Mos was the headliner, justifiably, and the main reason I wanted to go. But nevertheless, Jean is one of my favorite MC's out right now anyways so I wasn't trippin to hard. So Saturday night my bro' and I head out to the show, definately after making sure wifey was taken care of, and we get up there and there's no line at all. So my first thought is that they cancelled. Second thought is that we are late. But come to find out once we got in the building, it was just gonna be a small crowd. Well the show jumps off and Jean rips it, Pharohe Monch rips it, and my man Talib rips it. Now the whole time these cats are performing i'm wondering whose gonna be the surprise guest, cause there is always one. So the show progresses, and Talib yells "Let's get old school for a minute!!!," The crowd is blasting back with their cacauphony of Hip-hop slang for "okay." So out comes Pos Dnuos aka The Dark skinned member of De la Soul. He rips it for about five songs, I notice only the "old school" people are the only ones chanting the words, to the joints, and i notice that i'm one of those people. Then out come's D-Nice, rippin' (notice there's alot of ripping of mics going on at this show) his classics.

The show was lovely. What more can I say? Everyone represented true Hip-Hop. I just wish I could've taken pictures, but that will get you KICKED OUT, of a show. Trust me.... I know (sorry Floetry!)!!