Constructive Criticism

I am officially a college grad. Funny though - it doesn't feel the way I thought it would. I guess it is because I do not have my degree as of yet. That piece of paper sure would put a smile on my face, but right now I will settle for just breathing a sigh of relief for finally completing something that it takes many years to do. Since I've been away from the district and all of its (insert ignorant word) stuff, I have been enjoying some quality time to the pillow and watching Nip/Tuck, plus some other cool things like deleting numbers from my phone, throwing away tons and tons of old papers and anything that resembles what used to be. I managed to check my grades in the midst of cleaning house and the stomach growls are done now. For a split second I thought I'd have to come back and beat down a professor over a grade, but I was quickly calmed by a nice little pill of motrin. I am embarking on a journey to writing land, where people praise you work just as much as they put it down. My mother calls it constructive criticism, but I call it - "when you have spent years on something and someone says it's good, but you need to change some things," then I have to get a little edgy. How can you ask me to alter the events of my life, when the story itself is based on my life? Of course, from my POV, the story is quite good. Not as good as many things I've written but it'll do for a first publish. I thought of sending signed copies to the deadbeats that I've run into over the years, but what good would that do. My book would probably become a coaster or become shredded. I am convinced that this book will be a great addition to the world. Right there next to the likes of the best of as someone once put it "inflammatory writers."

Life has many parts, the parts tick and tock....

Quotations In Rotation

A few more quotations....

All our progress is unfolding like a vegetable bud. You first have an instinct, then an opinion, then knowledge as the plant has root, bud and fruit. Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Never promise more than you can perform - Publilius Syrus

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult - Seneca

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step - Lao-tzu

I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become - Oprah Winfrey

All human beings should try to learn before they die what they are running from, and to and why - James Thurber

There is always one who loves and one who lets himself be loved - W.Somerset Maugham

Life has many parts, I often quote them.

Last songs to play....
Bloodhound Gang - No Hard Feelings
Hole - Violet
Blink 182 - All The Small Things
The Killers - Mr.Brightside
Matchbox 20 - Real World
Adam Sandler - Chanukah Song Pt.2

You Can Become A Hero If You Die

Wow, Richard Pryor died. That is unfortunate. All death is unfortunate. I always enjoyed Richard Pryor's comedy. He kept it real. I remember when my father first played me a tape of "Mudbone - Little Feets," which was one of Pryor's signature jokes about a voodoo woman who cast a spell on his friend's feet. That joke is hilarious. If you ever get a chance to hear it, I suggest you do. Pryor did a lot for Black comedy and set the stage for many comedians. It's funny though - suddenly, everyone wants to talk about Richard Pryor now that he is dead, but no one talked too much about him when he was alive. That is what we as a world do. We deem people heroes and icons after they die. That's pretty pathetic and sad. We do not remember people until after they are gone. Martin Luther King & Malcolm X are perfect examples as is Rosa Parks. I find it shockingly nauseating that so many people flocked to Rosa's funeral, yet people found her actions unnecessary. Even our President said she was heroic. He almost seemed sincere. Note: I said almost. If he loves Black folk so much, what happened when Katrina hit? Where was the gubment then? But that's a story for another time. But Pryor was what MSN calls "the Black Lenny Bruce." I am not too familiar with Lenny Bruce's comedy, but I've heard he was pretty riotous in his day as was Pryor. Rest in Peace - Richard Pryor - another deceased hero.

Life has many parts, I am not too familiar with some.

Swept Away

There is a song by Yanni called Swept Away, and it is one of those songs you listen to when you first get hooked on new age music or when you need to go to sleep. I for one have never been too much of a fan of new age music, but there are a few songs that catch my attention. I got to thinking about being swept away. Swept away from the usual typicalities (if that's a word) of life and finding out how to make it without. It's funny how when you lose things or when things leave that you learn to stick it out and you realize there is a significance between wants and needs. I have realized that there are certain things that I've wanted, but this last semester of college has taught me that I can make it on bare essentials. This semester I found that the only true friend (and as you know I don't use that word) I have is God and that HE would not have swept away certain things if HE wasn't taking me to something better. I say things because that is what wants are: things. The only things we really need in this life are food, clothing and shelter and even the last one many people make it without it. There is nothing like a dry place experience for one to realize what truly matters in this life. If one knew what kind of rubbish that I've had to deal with this semester, you would lift up your eyes and/or gasp. But I'm not here to ask for a pity party. I am on my way to something wonderful and I am just glad God swept away those things that did not need to be apart of my life. It is very fascinating how God's ways are not our ways. There are some things that I've gone through this semester that I would never have thought could have happened to me. When you go through some things in life, and I'm not just talking about this semester, you become resilient and stronger despite what happens during the storm. Like I heard in a sermon, storms come to show you what is built to last. I'm gonna go listen to Swept Away and do some packing.

Life has many parts, you gotta sweep some away often times.

4:30 In The Morning

It's 4:30 in the morning and I am awakened by a loud noise from the room above my room. It is pitch black. I guess I forgot to leave the television on, which is not something I usually do. I unwrap myself from the blue cover and begin to stare at the black ceiling that looks down upon me. I realize something - I am officially no longer in school. I am getting ready to walk out into the real world. It's funny, but I never really knew how I'd feel about being a college grad considering so few African American men graduate early or graduate period and the fact that I'm thinking about this stuff at the peak of morning before the sun rises from wherever it rests. For the past few months, I have been waiting on this moment and now that it's here and I feel kind of blah about it. I do not know if that's good or bad. I mean yes - I will get that nice and elegant looking degree but did I rush things. Was I so excited about getting out of here that I did not get to enjoy my senior year? Was that it? The black ceiling continues to look down at me. I am waiting on it to answer, but all I hear is the sound of my half-sleep voice. I turn the television on to get some sound going in the midst of silence. Silence and I have never been too close. We've dated, but always remained friends. Nothing more. The foolishness of an informerical catches my attention. You know the one about the Magic Blender or something like that. Another thing to send away 4 or 5 easy payments of $. The informerical was kinda interesting though. I have never actually sat down and watched an infomercial. I flip the channels to find nothing on and then I turn the television off. I let out a sigh, trying to interpret whether it's a sigh of relief or not. Relief that I made it through the last year of college. I glance out of the window and notice that the snow has stopped. The cars are burried in that white mush. The wind is blowing heavily. I can tell because the leaves on the ground are blowing all over the parking lot outside my window. I turn back and re-wrap myself in the covers and stare at the celing thinking about the accomplishment I've made. I turn on some music and continue thinking as the sun begins to peak through the blinds.

Life has many parts, I wonder about some.

Last songs to play...
311- Beautiful Disaster
Seether - Broken
Sia - Breathe Me
The Strokes - Juicebox
O.A.R. - Love & Memories
Coldplay - God Put A Smile On My Face

Can Pancakes Really Solve Problems?

There is a Facebook group called - Pancakes Can Solve All Sorts of Problems and I got to thinking....can Bisquick and Ms.Butterworth really relieve the stress, issues and all of the other mysteries of life? I am not quite convinced. Of course, there are those who probably say that pancakes do but I am not a pancake fan, anyway, so it probably won't solve the everyday general junk that one has to deal with. I have wondered how is it that many people my age have so many issues. This is supposed to be the so-called "best years of our lives," yet we are upset, byset, beset, and downset. It's bewildering and stupifying. I scratch my head when I think about how everyone tells us that we are supposed to enjoy life. How can one enjoy life when you tell me that my scholarship money hasn't been processed? Or that you gave me a B when I was one point away from an A? What kind of stuff is that????!!! There is a conspiracy against my generation because we are very outspoken and won't back down from things and this scares the generations before us. They'd rather have us complacent and adhering to the societal norms and standards. I even see it in the chuurch (yep, with 2 u's and pronounced CHUCH). They look at us like we shouldn't be there, yet they always preach how we need Jesus. But back to the intent of this post - can pancakes really solve problems? There are some my age who seem to think so. Weekly runs to IHOP and the cafe seem to solve their problems. I guess they look @ pancakes as some kind of "escape," from their daily troubles. The let's sweep it under the rug and ignore that it's there concept, or maybe blueberry flapjacks and old fashioned maple syrup really does do the trick. I on the other hand prefer waffles. A trip to the Waffle House, even though I'm from California, and there is no Waffle House in DC, would solve some of my problemas. I'd like a nice waffle right about now. I thought about getting a waffle iron and making some of my own, but that would require a trip to a place that sells them, and me buying the ingredients and deciding to get up and make some - which I'm not going to do, so for now, I just dream about waffles. Waffles in the mornin, afternuuun and evenin, okay, perhaps not that much, but I would like a few with strawberries and whipped cream, that would sure make my day.

Life has many parts, can pancakes solve the parts?

Let It Snow

So God allowed it to snow yesterday and everyone was going frantic on the roads. I had to leave work early because of the flurries and the fact that I had to take care of some things. You would think that DC, MD & VA would be prepared for the snow, but nope - the highway was a parking lot from Rockville until Georgia Avenue, which held up me getting back and working on a website that I had due for my computer class. I had the joy of listening to Christmas songs on the radio; you know one of those soft rock stations that plays 24 hour Christmas songs. I was hoping that Howard would cancel class this morning, but unfortunately the snow did not stick and now it's very sunny - but probably still nippy. I have less than a week now before I leave and I have not packed yet. I've tried to clean but it's just not gonna happen. I will probably end up throwing everything in a bag and directly into my car with the exception of my Microfridge, which will probably go to the Goodwill, and my television and computer.

Christmas shopping has never been a fav of mine partly because the statement is true - men just don't like to shop period for the most part. I have a hard time even buying new clothes, except when it's absolutely necessary for me to buy them. I still have my same orange Sean John hoodie and I've been wearing that for two years now. It still fits and still keeps me warm. But this holiday season, I am going to retire it. I'm speaking like it's a basketball jersey or something. It's going in a box and I'm pulling out something different, well not yet, but soon. The Sean John hoodie still has a few more days before it gets put down. Now I sound like it's a cat or dog.

Life has many parts, huge ones, big ones, small ones, little ones, enormous ones....the list goes on.

Last songs to play....
Creed - Higher
Fray - Cable Car
Fall Out Boy - Dance, Dance
Crazy Town - Butterfly
Metallica - Fuel
RHCP - Scar Tissue
Blink 182 - I Miss You

It's Cold Outside

For the past few weeks, it has been cold. Cold to the point where a brotha has had to pull out the longjohns. I thought about purchasing a coat or something heavy because I'm getting ready to head to a colder climate than what I am currently experiencing. Temperatures that fall below 10 degrees just don't do well with someone who has been raised in California for most of his life and my roomate has control of the heat and for some reason doesn't always have it on - as cold as it is. I don't know why that is - I'll have to pound on his door and ask him. But for the most part, my days have been spent trying to wrap up my undergrad career with 3 exams (one being a take home) and a paper.

I finally took the LSAT on Saturday. A good ole 5 hour sitting with just a Snickers bar and some Aquafina on my stomach is not cool you know. I did manage to have a croissant before I left though and some Simply Orange juice. This is starting to sound like I am promoting those people. It went pretty well, not that anyone really cares. I think that I was at ease partly because I realized it is not the end of the world if I don't get the score I want. I'll cross that bridge if I get there.

I have been looking forward to the Christmas holidays. A time to celebrate the birth of Christ. I am eagerly awaiting to see what my family gives me for Christmas, although I always ask for money. I also am anticipating eating a slice of sweet potato pie, and being accused of eating the last of the chittlins, which every year I am accused of. I have only tasted chittlins once in my life time and somehow my family thinks that I eat the last of them every year. I am not bubbling over with excitement and glee to eat pig intestines, and having them with mustard, hot sauce or any other condiment does not make them taste any better nor does eating them with potato salad. I have always enjoyed holiday music though. Recently, I purchased Diana Krall's Christmas cd, which is rather good. You should check it out - all of you jazz vocal fans.

Life has many parts, some are them are cold sometimes.

Last songs to play on the ipod....
Chris Brown - Yo
Jagged Edge - Good Luck Charm
Pharrell - Angel
India Arie - I Am Not My Hair
Trey Songz - I Gotta Go
Donell Jones - Better Start Talking

Gospel Lyrics XIII

Lyrics from J.Moss' "We Must Praise"

If I were a drummer, I would use my cymbal
If I were a writer, I would use a pencil
I would use my voice, if I were a singer
No matter who or what we are, we must praise
If I was a doctor, I would use my research
A prolific dissertation, if I was a speaker
I would use my hands, if I were a potter
No matter who or what we are, we must praise

CHORUS
Let the people of God bless Him
Let it ring with love and truth
With our gifts we exalt Thee Merciful, wonderful God
We must praise

If I were an eagle, I would use my wings
Since I'm a believer, I use everything
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord All ye people
No matter who or what we are, we must praise

CHORUS

VAMP
Praise His Holy, Holy Name (X5)
With our gifts we exalt
Thee Merciful wonderful God
Oh Hallelujah, Oh glory, Oh holy of holies
Oh Bread of life God, Oh meat of hunger Lord
Water of thirst Lord, We magnify you
We thank You for what You've done God
What You¹re doing God and what You're gonna do
No matter who or what we are, we must praise

The Sarcastic Intellectual's List of Songs That Strike Your Eardrums a.k.a. Songs That Are Just That Good #2

A few more....

1) Dave Matthews Band - Satellite
-Fantastic song, but most of their stuff is good.

2) Bush - Glycerine
-The best track they released.

3) War - Cisco Kid
-I like this one, although Low Rider was their biggest hit.

4) Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
-His best of the solo efforts besides Diamonds.

5) Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
-She came on the scene with this song.

6) Boyz II Men - 4 Seasons of Loneliness
-This is one of their best songs.

7) Beres Hammond - Can't Stop A Man
-Sean Paul used this sample in "I'm Still In Love"

8) Beastie Boys - No Sleep Til Brooklyn
-This song was one of their best.

9) Fall Out Boy - Dance, Dance
-Even though it's new, it's pretty good.

10) The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love
-I remember these girls at my school in 8th grade did a dance number off of this song.

11) Genesis - Invisible Touch
-Phil Collins is very well known

12) Offspring - Pretty Fly For A White Guy
-Funny song.

13) Loose Ends - Hanging On A String
-If you know old school, you've heard it before.

14) Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain
-Insane in the membrane....

Life has many parts, ....