Black Friday

So yesterday was Black Friday. I will never understand why people wake up so early to shop. It's almost like Thanksgiving is just the day before Black Friday. That day has turned into more of a holiday than Thanksgiving. Sure more time is spent planning and traveling and preparing for Thanksgiving, but I don't ever remember waking up at three in the morning for it. I will never do the same thing for Black Friday. I had to work at six in the morning and the store was already packed. Unbelievable. I don't know how they wake up that early just to spend money. To hear about the man that was trampled in a Wal-mart store and later died is pretty sad. I don't want to get out in that crowd. The deals that we had were pretty good, but nothing to die over. The economy is supposedly so bad, but the people made sure to come out and spend money.........wow!!

Scholar Athlete

I have to give some props to Myron Rolle. I'm a big college football fan so I knew a little bit about him when he was still in high school. He was the number one recruit in football coming out of high school. Now he is a safety for Florida State and a probable first round pick. He is also the definition of a scholar athlete. I was a scholar athlete in high school, but he is doing it on the college level. ESPN has been running a story about him that people should check out. He has a 3.75 GPA in pre-med. That is amazing to do that at one of the premier programs in the country. How does he find the time? I won't tell the whole story but I'll just say he has an interview for a Rhodes Scholarship the same day as a football game. Luckily the NCAA is allowing and even helping him attend both events. With Barack Obama being elected president, Myron Rolle is another great example for the Black youth that they can do whatever the want to do. I'm glad to see some positive images of us for once. Myron Rolle will be somebody's hero like Barack Obama and it has nothing to do with football. Check him out.

Back at it

This is the first entry I've had here in a while. It was not purposely done. I just didn't have time to come on here and type up something for people to read. Since my last one, a few things have changed, mainly the newly elected president. I'm happy for him. First Black president. I'm proud of him. Now the real work starts. The economy still is in terrible shape. It seems like every time I look in the business section of the newspaper, some large corporation is filing for bankruptcy. It doesn't make sense to me. It never will to be honest to you. Maybe is poor management. I tend to think that's what it is. I can't really speak on it too much though. I don't want to. It's pointless. A bailout is coming...so where is the bailout for normal working people???

Home Stretch

Here we are. It's the home stretch of this year's election. I was excited about it, but now I just think I'm burned out on the whole thing. I'll be happy when it's all over with. Of course, I'm hoping for a certain outcome. But in the end, I just want it to be over. I watched the debates, which were boring. I've listened to their ideas and policies. I've seen the commercials. I'm tired of it all. I think the fact that the world series will be backing up it's start time for a thirty minute commercial really makes me want to wish it all away. What can he really talk about in thirty minutes that we haven't already heard? It's ridiculous. There is no reason for the overkill. It's not like we can really trust either candidate to change things. Their job is to make us believe that they have our best interests at heart, but they don't. They just want to get elected. I don't trust any politicians. Before this whole thing is over though, I do want white people to stop assuming that Blacks are voting for Obama only because he's Black. These are the same people who are voting for McCain because he's not Black. It's a blatant slap in the face. I'm proud of him for getting this far, but if he gets to office I fear for him. We'll really see how far this country has come in November. Until then, I wish it would all go away.....

Donny Hathaway

If you haven't noticed by now, I love to talk about music. Different people come and go, but there has been one that I have always come back around to. I don't remember the first time I heard Donny Hathaway. I was young...maybe twelve or so. He not only had a great voice, but he also had great music behind him. As much as I love Bilal's music, he will probably never reach Donny's level to me. Of course, he doesn't have a huge catalog of music like Stevie Wonder or even Marvin Gaye. But what he left was great music. He is probably the only person who can make a gospel song that I would listen to. He makes you feel every note that he sings. Whatever he felt at that moment, you feel too. It amazing that over twenty years later his music still has that effect. He has influenced so many people, but you never hear him mentioned by the media whenever these lists come out of who is the best and so on. He may never get the credit he deserves. Donny Hathaway is one of the few people who can make a live album and sound just like he does on a studio album. I'm trying my best to give him some shine. He deserves it. Ask Alicia Keys who one of her main influences is. People in the know know the truth. Maybe soon we can all talk about his classic albums like we do "What's Going on?" and "Songs in the Key of Life."

Honestly Speaking

Honesty is a great quality to have. It's hard to find people who have that quality now. We all lie sometimes. Politicians and lawyers are basically professional liars. So what happens when you hear one thing and you find out it's not the truth? It can be embarrassing but it's always better to know the truth. I'm a naturally cynical person but there are lies that even surprise me. And honestly some lies hurt. Obviously something must have happened for me to go on this rant. Well, I won't get into all that. It's just one of those things that bothers me. Blatant lies are so frustrating. It only gets worse when you can't really prove anything. I won't use that generic phrase talking about being grown. I'm just getting this off my chest. I don't want to say anything here that might cross the line so I'll make this entry short and sweet. Honestly, I can't stand being lied to.

The walking dead

I watched the presidential debate last night, or at least parts of it. I don't really know how this is going to sound, but McCain looked like a monster to me. He lurched around the stage and talked in that low raspy voice, moving around stiffly. It reminded me of Frankenstein. It was funny but also unbearable. I know this isn't a popularity contest or a beauty contest but McCain just doesn't have the look of a president. How can they expect us to rally around someone who looks like he could...die any moment. I know I'm being harsh but I'm being honest. He really looks bad to me. It wouldn't be so bad if he only had to stand behind a podium. At the same time, that is only his physical appearance. He doesn't have a commanding personality to me. That squeaky voice is annoying. To be honest with you, I just can't stand McCain's personality. All this time he has tried to demean Obama with slick insults and it continued last night with his "that one" quote. If you missed it, you can probably find it somewhere on the web because it causes a small uproar. McCain is going out of his way to say that Obama "doesn't understand" but at least he understands that running a negative campaign is not what people want to hear right now. We want answers. The whole time that debate was going on, McCain never laid out any specifics about this "change" that he wants to bring. It sounded like he spent the whole night talking about his heroes and his life. Somebody saying that their hero is Ronald Reagan is not a good thing. McCain is old so he probably doesn't remember how bad things were under Reagan. I'm not old enough to remember personally, but research shows how things really were under him. Reaganomics??? Is that really what we need? It's not Halloween yet. Maybe McCain was getting a jump on his costume with the way he looked last night. McCain being president scares me. There is no punch line there. Vote people!!!!

Dreading it....

Maybe I'm a little too stubborn for my own good. I have a few friends on their way to being doctors, but that is one place I hate to visit. Why? I don't know. I guess it's just that fear that something will be wrong with me. Last year was my first time visiting one. I went for a specific reason but even then I found a way out of it. I just had a basic physical exam. Eventually I went back for the reason that I first thought of going for in the first place. My worst fear wasn't realized but there was still a problem. It's been nearly a year and I still haven't dealt with it. I'm still at that age where I feel invincible. I know it's not true, but I just don't want to admit the fact that my body is falling apart. I'm getting older so I need to deal with these things before they get too far out of hand. I'm speaking for myself but this is a common attitude for most of the men that I know. It comes from sports for me. We're basically trained to play through every bit of pain that we feel. If we don't we're viewed as "soft." I'm done with sports now but I still feel the effects of injuries I suffered back in junior high. I don't know how I feel about this whole situation. I can't be mad...well I can because I know some of those coaches don't care about risking your health if it helps them win. I regret keeping those injuries to myself. Now I'm having possibly serious ailments and I still have that mentality that I did back then, that it will all go away in time. So when does that day come?

Growing up fast

It's easy to sometimes remember that I should enjoy this time in my life. I'm not even sure that I know how to have fun anymore. It's been so long since I can honestly say that I enjoyed myself. I can't remember anything since going to Las Vegas like ten years ago. Don't get me wrong I still have fun from time to time, but I never have an instance where I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. I think the problem is that I don't know how to enjoy myself without any worries. It's impossible because there is always something in the back of my mind, even when I try to go to sleep. I pretty much have permanent bags under my eyes and I rarely have a good night's sleep. Maybe I have insomnia. Anyway, I say all that because something has been on my mind again. I spoke on it a while back and it has reared its head again: that mythical "L" word. No, I'm not there again, but I feel like every time I get comfortable in a situation with someone it blows up in my face. That has happened more than it should. I guess I always let my guard down too soon. It's funny how people always want to see me with someone, but I don't have a match out there. I can't lie like I don't want to be in a relationship, but it seems like my timing is always off. I was just doing my own thing and not looking for anything. That's when I was meeting different women and just having fun, but that gets old fast. I'm still young, but I feel like I'm too old for that and it contradicts what I'm about. That's not me. I didn't see that growing up. Let me stop complaining. Shout out to the latest person to make me feel this way. And no my heart is not broken...the door is ALWAYS open, even when you think it's not.

The coldest in the game

Allow me to step back and give a deserving person his props. I listen to music all the time and while I'm disenchanted with the game right now, one person continues to stand out: Bilal Oliver. To me he is the coldest in the game. It's not even close. I like so many different artists but I'm talking strictly soul music now. That shortens the list but I still don't feel anybody as much as him. He's only put out one album and I paid a pretty penny for the one that was "shelved" a while back. His first album "First Born Second" should be considered a classic and to me it is. I find myself searching for anything new including live performances, which are possibly better than what he can produce in the studio. He won't get any real shine though because he doesn't have the support of any major record label. It's sad because I think he should be one of those people who gets nominated for grammys even though there is little chance that he'll win because that is all based on sales. It's funny how Andre 3000's "The Love Below" was such a popular album, but labels are afraid of Bilal. Their music is along the same lines to me, even though they are nothing alike. Other artists love him and he has a cult like following, yet no shine from the labels. It makes no sense. So who will crusade for him? I will but how much will it really help? Nowadays it's not about the art, it's about money, especially when Cd's aren't selling like they use to. It was so awesome to see that even Nelly is not immune to low sales number's as he only sold like 83,ooo in the first week. I think somebody should have the courage to put out his music or hopefully he'll go the independent route. We need to hear him. All these artists from Jay-z to Game to Common to Talib Kweli and on and on can't be wrong about how cold he is. And I know I'm not wrong about him.....

Economically speaking

One of the major issues that will probably decide this year's presidential election is the economy. While both candidates throw out promises that we know they can't keep, the economy continues to suffer. Every day it seems like there is news about somebody financial company filing for bankruptcy or being bought by a larger company. From Lehman Brothers to AIG to Countrywide to Morgan Stanley and so on and so on. The stock market had a terrible day yesterday but rebounded today on news that sounded good. I went through almost five years of learning about what makes this economy run and personal finance etc. It's not easy. As a matter of fact, its much more difficult than I thought it was going to be. People continue to lose jobs to cheap overseas labor. Gas prices are back up after going down a tiny bit for a minute. Retail stores keep reporting lower sales numbers than expected. I see it at work everyday. People have their hours cut and have to find another way to make money. Hurricane season also has had an effect on the economy. I can go on and on about what the causes are, but what good would that do? We need answers. Right now I don't think anyone has the answers. I wish I trusted one of these politicians to do something about the economy, but I don't. I don't trust politicians period. This is their career. So if they don't win elections then they can't do their jobs too well right? That's how I see it and think that's the reason they lie about what they will and won't do. So who do I trust to fix the economy? Nobody...I just hope that it happens and fast.

School's In

It's September, which means school has started or is getting ready to start again soon. I can honestly say I don't miss those days. I've never been a fan of school, but I always knew it was necessary for me to be successful in life. So I went and basically went through the motions for a little over four years. Right now I'm not putting those years to use at all. Anyway, the real issue here is the educational system as a whole. It needs more attention. Tuition costs continue to go up every year. I can only imagine how much it costs now and I've only been out of school for three years. Going down to early education, there are many causes for discussion. Where I'm from, it was hard to get a good education. I made it because of my natural intelligence and supportive parents. Don't get me wrong. There are many teachers who care about their students and want to see them do well. But when you have a teacher with a chemistry background teaching biology because that's all they have, there is a real problem. I didn't feel like I was challenged in high school. I didn't know how to study until college gave me a rude awakening. So what's the solution? I don't know...I have ideas though. The Teach for America program doesn't work to me. They have incentive to teach for those two or three years, then they're gone. There is no lasting relationship there. I can't knock the program because it filled spots in my school that seemed hard to fill with somebody capable of teaching the material. But there's too much turnover. Recruit college students who went to school to teach, not those who want to teach as a stepping stone. Parents have to get involved too. Everything starts at home. Help them with their homework, know their teachers, etc. More funding should be spent on the educational system instead of some imaginary war with very real casualties. Make learning fun. Field trips are not just for elementary schools. How about coming up with more after school programs to keep kids out of trouble? I can probably come up with more ideas, but I am only one person. We all have to make our feelings heard. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. It's too bad that we keep letting it happen.

The Great Orator

Like more than 38 million other people, I watched Barack Obama make his acceptance speech. One thing that nobody can deny is that he is a great speaker. No matter what you think about his views, you have to give him that much. That speech was so much more than an acceptance speech. He had to start giving specifics about what he planned to do once he got in office. I think he accomplished that. Now he has to get ready for the real heavy lifting as we get closer to November 4Th. I just don't see why Obama hasn't run away with this election. Even Republicans are tired of the Bush administration and four more years of McCain would be the same thing, probably even worse. So why hasn't he run away with it? There are many things working against him. Obama's inexperience is a cause for concern. Until Thursday, he didn't clearly say how he was going to bring change. And of course, he's Black. I'm not naive enough to say that his race is not an issue. He's White also but we all see Black when we look at him. I'm not voting for him because he's Black and I think there are so many people making that mistake. His race doesn't matter to me. He's still a politician and I just don't trust politicians. I'm proud to see him get this far, but he can't let himself be considered a Black president. He has to make himself an extraordinary president. So I hope he makes that happen. Eight is enough....

Running Out

So The Lowe's has started an automatic enrollment program for the 401-k. I can't knock them for doing it. Sometimes we young people don't look to our future. We are having too much fun in the present. I have known about all the different ways to gain wealth from my younger years. I see my dad as a business man so I've had to hear about ESOP's and mutual funds since I was in high school. And don't forget that I went to school for management. So I know enough to know that I should have enrolled in the 401-k a long time ago. Social Security will be gone by the time people my age are ready to retire so we have to have a back up plan. It's hard not to spend, but you always have to put something away. This election is so important because the economy is in such bad shape. Four years of McCain will put us deeper in the hole because he has many of the same ideas that Bush had and we all see how those turned out. The cost of living continues to go up but it seems like the average salary keeps going down. So how can we save when we are spending so much of that check that we impatiently wait for every other Friday on necessities? Don't even get me started on taxes. I'm putting all this money into Social Security and I won't see a dime of it. That's a very deflating statement. There is no easy answer to this problem. The Bush Administration has done such a terrible job handling government spending that we are fighting an uphill battle all the time. They spent so much money on the war in Iraq and raise gas prices, but they don't spend any money on the educational system. With all the money they're wasting, we should have a cure for cancer. With the recent passing of Gene Upshaw and my own great aunt, it's obvious they haven't found one yet. Something has to change. But what???

Tyler Perry Presents...nothing different

I better watch that. He might try to steal that title. Anyway, I'm not a Tyler Perry fan. It's crazy how he has this huge cult following. I don't understand it because all of his work seems to be stereotypical chitlin circuit plays, whether it's on the big screen or small screen. True he gives jobs to people, but only because he doesn't want to pay "real" actors. So he'll pay these no names who can't act. It doesn't matter anyway. He will always have two or three roles for himself anyway. How can I watch a full two hours of a movie that's supposed to be funny and not laugh one time? Is that even possible? Of course it is. That's what happened when I watched one of his movies. For years I've heard how funny his plays were, then it was his movies. So I gave him a chance and didn't laugh one time. I'm funnier than he is...seriously. Maybe I have to dumb myself down to watch his material and ignore the stereotypes he perpetuates for a cheap laugh. You know the stereotypes; there's a crackhead in every family or we are all loud and ignorant. Of course he touches on more than that. So why is he celebrated only and rarely criticized? I don't know. His story is good one. He's a made man. He got on by taking advantage of our ability to laugh at ourselves. Now he doesn't have to do that. Make something different. Where's the creativity? Or maybe Perry is just use to making money doing the same thing and afraid to try something different. It's funny how we support someone who makes fun of us right to our faces, but won't support Spike Lee. What a surprise....

Summer Games

I remember back in '92 when the summer Olympics came around. I was only ten but I remember the Dream Team. Ever since then I've enjoyed watching the Olympics. But something is missing this year. They aren't showing anything live. I want to see the track and field. It sucks to find out the results before you even see it on tv. NBC is doing a terrible job of covering the events. It's cool to give some shine to the events that we don't normally see, but put them on USA or MSNBC. Don't put that on NBC. It seems like the only thing they've been showing is gymnastics, swimming and beach volleyball. I don't want to see that every night and I know I'm not the only person who feels that way. It would've been nice to see Tyson Gay not make the finals in the 100m dash, but I heard about it before it happened. To make it worse, the prelims for track haven't been shown unless something the network feels is important happens. Show events live, even if it's three in the morning. I've lost some interest in the games. It's so much easier to just turn on the computer and find out the results. That's how I've find out about almost everything anyway. Go USA!!! Whatever......

Family

So I had a family reunion this weekend. Just like any other family, I have many talented people in my family. I'm a very prideful person, so it's hard for me to listen to all these things that they have going on. I don't have nearly the same amount of things going on, but I have the potential to. So I'm now trying to convince myself to go ahead and start doing what I want to do. I've said that too many times. I'm like the boy that cried wolf. Who believes me when I say these things? I don't even believe it myself anymore. It bugs me that I have to look at my pops and wonder if I wasted his time, even though he feels like I'm on the right track. They support me in whatever I do. But I'm not happy and haven't been for a while. As much as I try to live for myself I can't help but put pressure on myself because of the sacrifices that were made for me. How else can I feel? I have to do more than I am now. This should have been an enjoyable weekend for me and it was. But at times I couldn't ignore how my ego made me feel. I'm probably blowing this all out of proportion but maybe I'm not. Something or somebody has to light a fire under me. I can't seem to motivate myself anymore.

Forever Untapped

The other day me and a friend were having a very intense, but good conversation. The things that were said will stay between us. But the topic of potential came up. Potential is an overused word, but for valid reasons. I have heard that word used to describe myself too many times. At what point is potential realized and no longer considered potential? Do I judge myself by my own expectations or by the expectations of others? I don't think that I will ever realize my full potential because I stop myself from doing things that I can do well that I don't want to do. But through the eyes of someone else, I may be just starting to realize my potential. So many people expect more out of me than I'm doing now. I'm still young, but old enough to be doing so much more. Sometimes I put the expectations of others ahead of my own because I don't want to let anyone down. At some point I going to have to stop accepting that I'm letting MYSELF down. I am my own worst critic. I beat myself up everyday for going to work everyday and doing the same job as someone with nowhere near as much potential or talent as I have. Even if I try to assert myself I show what I can do, I have to answer to someone who thinks they have all the answers and don't want to listen to anything I have to say. That is probably something that I will always have to deal with. I often hear people say that they don't believe they are better than anybody....you will never hear me say that. I am better than somebody. People only say that because they don't want to be seen as arrogant. So what? I'm arrogant, confident, whatever you want to call it. I know what I can do and I'm not going to deny myself to spare someone else's confidence. At the same time, I'm not externally arrogant so you won't see me belittle someone or anything like that. But I know who I am and I know who I can become. The first Black president? Probably not, but I will be more than I am now. I have to be......

Ticking Time Bomb

Sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with me, emotionally. When it comes to my feelings, it seems like I get over things too fast. It's like a gift and a curse. In the end, not too much bothers me but I don't forget things that happen. So basically everything gets dealt with internally. Sometimes I feel like I could just explode at any moment. I remember when my grandmother died, I didn't cry, not even at the funeral. I felt like I supposed to but I couldn't. There was a point where I was questioning my own self as to whether I brushed that off too easily like I didn't really care that she was gone. Since then I have gone to two more funerals and had the same feelings. But it's not just sadness that I keep bottled up. When I was younger I had a quick temper. Now it's hard to even see me upset. Don't get it twisted; I get upset just like the next person, but I get over it very quickly. I don't let too much bother me. Maybe that's a good thing because you won't see me carrying a grudge, but it's just something that I think about from time to time. It makes me a very easygoing person, but it also makes me a person who has a high tolerance for things that I shouldn't. I stand up for myself but it's not immediate like it should be. I have ways to get out my frustrations though like lifting weights, writing, laughter, etc. So I'll be alright. But sometimes I wonder if something will happen to make me blow up completely. Let's hope not.

Black in America

CNN is showing this series called "Black in America." I appreciate them showing this side of "Us." It's a shame that BET won't show anything like this. All their attention is put into how many videos the can show. Even when they do try to put on that type of programming, something doesn't feel right about it. They find the loudest, most obnoxious people they can find to take part in those forums they have. They all sit there and battle to show that they're the smartest person on the set. So basically it all turns into a shouting match for ratings. It's never an enjoyable event and I always end up watching something else. Way to go BET. Now while I like watching series like "Black in America," what exactly is the end result? I watch the show, see the reality of it, and then turn to Family Guy and laugh. So what did I learn? I guess what I'm trying to say is that all these specials don't mean anything until we can get to the point where we don't have to have TV shows that show how hard it is to be Black in America. We've known that for years. That may never change. Hell, it's hard to just be in America sometimes, let alone Black. Where are the jobs? Where is the education? Where are the leaders? Am I one???

Fox News Sucks

Fox News Sucks. www.moveon.org Check it out..

Grown men play too

I like to have nice things like the next person. I like to wear jewelry and nice clothes and so on. At what age am I too old to show off? I am planning on getting some rims. So does that make me a hypocrite for talking about people who only talk about that? I don't think there is anything wrong with having rims. It accentuates my vehicle. I make money so I don't see any reason to spend some on more than just bills and the essentials. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I should live my life. I think sometimes I get too serious and become frustrated by the things that aren't going like I thought they would. There is only one person who knows the blueprint of my life and He's not going to let me in on the secret. I just have to have faith that it will all work out. At times I think I do some lame things. I'm not even myself because I'm too stubborn to do something new. Maybe I'll just get drunk one day and find out if I'm meant to be an alcoholic. Now that would be a huge change for me. I can't call it. One day I'll act my age, but for now I'm getting those rims and I'm going to shine them up nicely. Let the games begin.....

Vacation

So I've been on vacation for the past week. It's been cool just to be away from work for a minute. The reality of the situation though is that I have to go back to work. I truly wished that I had a job I enjoyed. Maybe I could solve that problem if I had a career. For now I have to pay these bills and take care of this debt and make sure I have the essentials. So I go to the Lowe's everyday, or at least it seems like it. This week has given me time to get some things done that I've been meaning to get done for a while now. The main thing is rest. You don't realize how taxing a job can be until you don't do it for a while. I feel fresh again. My battery is recharged. But now I want more than what I have. My book is basically done now and I have ideas for two more in my head. But I don't want to be a writer. I just want to do that on the side. My degree is for entrepreneurship but I can't think of what kind of business I want to start. Banking would seem like a logical move for me, but I keep having second thoughts about that because I feel like I will be taking a step backwards just to get my foot in the door. So what's left? The Lowe's of course......I need another vacation.....

New Yorker

Did the New Yorker really print that in their magazine? I've never read the magazine and I know I won't now. But who didn't see this coming though? There are people who don't want to see Obama in the White House. Now that they know he is the competition, they are going to do everything in their power to try and tear him down. Nothing they do should surprise us. It's open season. Hopefully Obama won't stoop to their level. I was really impressed with how he handled himself much earlier because of the way the Clinton family was running such a negative campaign in my eyes. So I'm pretty sure he'll handle this the same way. All these things are making me want to stand behind Obama even more. If you haven't noticed or been reading my blogs I have decided to give my endorsement to Obama. Of course I don't necessarily trust him either, but I feel like he's the lesser of two evils. I don't want to be one of those who votes for him just because he's Black. Once he gets in office, his race won't matter to me. It would take some pressure off me because I was supposed to be the first Black president, at least that's what a teacher told me back in 7Th grade. So where are our Black leaders at now? This would be another photo op for them. Maybe this is not such a big deal for them. I'm sure they will have more chances to defend Obama, especially Jesse Jackson. Ha!! He's a joke so he probably won't. Oh well......

Jesse Jackson....what???

Crabs in a bucket. What is wrong with this guy? Something is missing there. This is the same guy who stood on the balcony when Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. How could someone who calls himself a reverend say that? I have never really liked him because it always seems like he only shows up when the cameras are on. This time the cameras were not on live but they were still rolling. So this is one of our so called Black leaders. Obama is the first Black man since himself to get this close to being the president of this country. Maybe that is too much for Jesse to take. It's bad enough that another windbag (Al Sharpton) is taking some of the spotlight from him. But now Obama comes along. Jealousy is never a good thing. I'm going to keep hope alive though. Jesse should just step aside and let someone else lead. Young people don't relate to what he does anyway. All he and Sharpton want to do is march. You march and then what? Does he really think marching does anything now? Especially when it is only does for the cameras. Obama has ignited people like no one I have ever seen. People believe that he will change things. Faith in the voting system is up again. We want to see a Black man in the White House. Leave it alone Jesse. Your time has passed. We don't want to hear what you have to say. You're not the only person who can lead us. Keep Hope Alive! Keep Hope Alive! Keep Hope Alive!....nah....."Yes, we can," and we will. That sounds much better. Step aside Jesse. It's time for Change.

That Delta Mentality

A delta is defined as the triangular silt formed land at the mouth of a river. I lived in the delta for like ten years. There must've been something in the water there because there was a mentality that went along with it too. I don't even know exactly how to describe it. I had a high school coach who used to call it "that delta mentality." I'm sure he had his own idea of what that was, but to me it's pretty simple. The people that I saw there that had that mentality were afraid to succeed. They were content with where they were. Those same people are still there, doing the same old things. Luckily I had people around me who wouldn't let me fall into that trap. I didn't necessarily need it, but it did help. Maybe they didn't have the same support that I had. Whatever the reason, they were held down. This type of thing happens all over the place, but I can only speak on where I'm from. If I can help it I will never go back there to live again. What would it take to change that area? I don't know. There are no jobs, education sucks, and its in the middle of nowhere. Maybe it will never change. Nobody can do it alone. The people there have to do something about it. Obama's not the only person who can spark change.

Body Art

About a month ago, I got my first tattoo. I mean, who doesn't have at least one nowadays? Anyway, I had always heard that they were addictive. They are. It's just cool to see how it looks on your body. Yes its permanent. That's why you have to be sure it will look right on you before you get it. Of course there are probably more people like me who have them, but are not openly showing them. There are plenty of people who see me everyday that do not know I have any. My parents don't know. I'm not hiding it, but I just haven't had the chance to show them. I'm proud of what I have. I will only do custom tats so you won't see anybody with what I have. The old heads who don't approve of tats need to loosen up. Body art doesn't make the person. I'm still the same person I was before I got mine. I will be getting more. I'm hooked. If you see me, just ask me what I have. I won't hesitate to show what I have so far....

Independence Day

Today is the 4Th of July. So called Independence Day...I think this is the point where I say, "And?" This day is not a holiday for me. Why should it be? I'm Black. This day has no significance to me. In a sense this is the day that this country got the power to make those trips over to Africa to kidnap my ancestors. So maybe somebody can explain to me why I should be celebrating. I'm not in school anymore and I work in retail. So now the day means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to me. It's just a day for us to pull out the grill and act like we're celebrating. Yes, I had to work today. So what's different? How is this not a regular day for me? If it wasn't for the food I wouldn't care and I sense I don't have a grill to pull out I don't care. It's funny how you see all these American flags come out on this one day every year. It's like basically saying I'm more American today than I was yesterday. I guess. For those who enjoy this day and make a big event of it, more power to you. I just don't care about this day. And while I'm at it, what the hell is Juneteenth? Who came up with that one? Do we really need another day to pull out the grill and get drunk? We treat it just like any other holiday. The reasons behind the holidays are lost. Easter is more about that new suit and Christmas is more about the gifts. So to all those celebrating the 4Th of July today........whatever...........

Man in the Mirror

Constructive criticism can be hard to take sometimes. When I was younger I was told that I didn't take criticism well. I think that's just because I defended myself every time. I'm still that way now, but I think that I take it much better now. That doesn't mean that I don't criticize myself. I am confident but I also know my limitations. So now when somebody tells me something that I need to stop doing, I already know. Yes I procrastinate, but don't worry "Raign" is done basically. If you don't know what that is then consider yourself out of my loop. I'm just playing though. I've been trying to keep that on the low anyway. I know I'm not as aggressive as I need to be. And so on...blah blah blah. I have no problem making fun of myself. I have a good sense of humor and don't take myself seriously half the time anyway. So does it bother me when someone tells me they can't take me seriously because I always joke around? Not at all. That's who I am. It got me through my speech class in college. I've had a few of my friends tell me that I should go on comic view even though I don't believe it. I'm not that funny. Well let me take that back. When that show was coming on all the time, it wasn't that funny to me anyway. Maybe I could be at least that good. Anyway, I like what I see in the mirror. It's me. Sure I'm not where I want to be in life yet, but I'm still young. Time will tell. Either way, I'm here........

A True Southerner

Lately I've been thinking about places that I wouldn't mind moving to. I have lived in the south my whole life, but I have traveled north and east and west. I don't think I will ever leave the south. It's my comfort zone. You don't have to deal with the congestion of say a New York or Chicago. The people are nicer. The weather is better, to me at least. I don't like cold weather. Don't get me wrong. There are things that I like about the other regions of the country. I don't love the humidity down here and there is so much more to do in the larger cities up north. That's why they would be better vacation spots for me. At the same time there are things about the south that I don't like. If anybody should know that racism still exist, it's anybody who lives in the south. And depending on where you live, you might have to go a distance to get to next city. But I kinda like that about the south. Road trips can be a good thing. I need to take one now. We'll see what happens. I haven't been put into a situation where I had to make a choice about my career vs. the region. Until that day comes, I'll stay in the south.

Feeling a draft

So I'm sitting here watching the NBA draft. I really hate the how slow these things move. These teams have had months to research these players. Why does it take so long to make a decision? They already know who they want and who's available. Make the damn decision!! While I'm speaking on it, why did the Bulls take Rose? They don't have anybody who can score in the post, but they have plenty guards already. I don't understand it. Then my Hornets trade away their first round pick for money. I guess they feel they are ready to win now. They are but there might have been somebody who could come in from day one and play. Courtney Lee and Chris Douglas Roberts come to mind. So they better make some moves in free agency. Overall I still can't not watch the NBA or the draft. I just wish I was running some of these clubs so that I could show them what they should already know. Taking potential over production only leads to letdowns. Oh well. I'm just speaking though.

Role models

Different situations bring about different reactions. So where do we attribute the reactions? We can only learn so much from our parents. Once we step into the real world, we can easily be influenced by those around us. So who do we blame when something goes wrong? Do we blame everyone but ourselves? When do we accept responsibility for our own actions? I have tried not to let anyone influence me into doing something that I don't want to do, but even I'll admit that it's hard. Nobody likes having their card pulled. It puts you in a awkward situation. So what are we supposed to do? Me personally, I do my own thing. Don't get me wrong; I listen to all the advice that I get from older cats, but I don't base my decisions solely on what I hear. I make my own decisions. I feel like I have to make my own decisions in order to give another youngster advice about what to do in life. Experience is not something that you hear, it's something you live. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we have to stop looking for excuses or someone to blame for our actions. We make our own decisions. Now only if I could heed my own advice.

Change is necessary

I think I need a vacation. And then I need a permanent change of scenery. My life has become stagnant. I'm way too young to not have any energy when I come home from work. Even on my days off, it feels like I'm recovering from the days that I worked. My job shouldn't be that tedious in any way. They don't pay me enough for that. It's so hard for me to bite my tongue at work when I see so many things wrong with the way things go there. I have a college degree that I'm not using. I feel like I wasted my dad's money and about five years of my life. Even right now, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Do I want to write? Maybe I should go back to school for psychology. Can I rap? I don't know, but I know I'm tired of The Lowe's. Maybe I just need a vacation. But something tells me it's so much more than that. I don't know. Why is it so hard to find a job that you actually enjoy and not just something to pay the bills? Money is not my motivation at this point but I want to be fairly compensated if I am always asked to do more than my job description. The training that I'm going through now is basically brainwashing me to be a hypocrite by telling me how things are supposed to be done, even though I know they don't go like that. So who's at fault there? How can I tell my superior "No"? Whatever. I'm just venting. I was happy to finally get out on my own and to have my own, but nothing is going like I thought it would. It's so frustrating for me to tell people what I do in my free time because I don't have anything to say. I have so many interest but never pursue them. I have to find a way to get out of this hole. I need a vacation. Soon.......

I don't really care

I have been doing this for about a month now. I enjoy doing this. I don't really care if people read it or not. And I really don't care if anybody agrees with what I'm saying. That was pretty much the whole purpose of me starting this thing. I wanted to say what I felt. People might not agree with me, but I can at least start the conversation. It's hard to truly understand somebody unless you know how they feel about topics they don't get the opportunity to talk about. People that I work with would probably be surprised to read some of the things that I write about on here. Maybe that makes me phony but I don't feel like work is the proper avenue to give my views on the world. This is and I'm going to use it. So to anybody who reads this, this is me. Say what you want about what I have to say...I really don't care.

Father's Day

So Father's Day is tomorrow. I'm getting a jump on it, so I don't have to rush to write something before the day actually happens like I did for Mother's Day. My dad was and still is a very good role model. I have been waiting for him to retire because he deserves it. I'm surprised he's still working now. All of his children are grown and on their own. We all are doing pretty well too. But he is still there to help us in any way possible, wanted or unwanted. A big deal is not made about Father's Day like it is with Mother's Day. But this day is just as important. My father forced me to grow up without me even realizing it. I still remember the last time I got that belt. I was probably about 10 or so. Anyway after it happened I remember watching my dad and my brother playing basketball in the backyard. I wanted to play too, but I felt like I would get in trouble again if I did. My mom was cooking and she saw me standing there. She told me to go on outside. Cautiously I did. My dad acted like nothing had happened and we just played ball. I don't even know if anybody but me remembers that but I remember it like it was yesterday. That's an example of laying down the law when needed but still being a nurturing father. That's my dad in a nutshell. We can talk sports for hours, but he can turn around and tell me what to do with my 401K. So for that I salute my Pops and to all the father's, Happy Father's Day.

Church

I would be lying if I said I always enjoy going to church. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy church if the atmosphere is right. I know it's not supposed to be strictly entertainment, but sometimes just the choir alone can determine if I enjoy my time there. The way in which a sermon is delivered is also important. Some pastors teach, some are more animated, while others fall somewhere between. My preference is for someone in between. Personality is important too. I enjoy those that have a sense of humor and know how to relate the Bible back to real life situations. Really the choir and the pastor are the only things that I base my feelings about a church on. So what do you do if you're Barack Obama? The pastor at his church has come under fire for saying things that some other pastor may be saying somewhere else. Just because you attend a church doesn't necessarily mean you agree with EVERYTHING the pastor says. It's impossible to find someone that you agree with on everything. I don't think that it's even an issue what the pastor says at a church that Obama has attended for years. It really feels like they have been looking for any reason to criticize him anyway. By "they" I mean the media. Now they're making a big deal about a "fist bump." Really? That's what they're worried about? That is the same reason why I don't think we're ready for a Black president. Everything he does that they don't understand will be magnified. I hope Obama is ready for an even crazier barrage leading up to November. But let me stop preaching........

Horror Movies

So I bought The Great Debaters the other day. It's a very good movie, by the way. There was one scene that stuck in my mind though. Without telling any details of the movie, there is this scene with a burned body hanging from a tree. I can't imagine what it was like to be Black during those times. You hear people say that they wouldn't do that to them or that they couldn't be a slave. That's just false bravado. We all know that those people didn't have much of a choice back then. It's easy to say what we wouldn't do now, but it would be totally different in a different era. I have never asked any of my older family members how it really was during those times. As much as I want to know about it, I think I would be terrified to hear some of the horror stories that they would have to tell. It's amazing to think that movies are tame compared to how things use to be. Friday the 13th is called a classic horror movie. I think there are some people who have seen other movies, only they were reality.

Are we really ready?

So Obama finally won the Democratic nomination last week. It seemed like that race was never going to officially end even though it was over a long time ago. So now what? Are we really ready for a Black president? Sadly I don't think we are. I want to trust him, but it's hard because he's a politician. It's just the business for them to make us believe whatever they have to say so that they can get our votes. After that who is to say that they will do what they say they will? Obama is so different in so many different ways that it makes it hard not to root for him. Then there are those who still won't vote for him strictly based on his race, even Democrats. They won't admit it, but to say that his race has nothing to do with your choice without being asked about his race means it is about his race to me. I don't know if we'll be ready for this even in my lifetime, just like those before me were saying the same thing. That moment is here for all us. Now we will see if racism is dead.

The Future

There are a so many phrases that strike fear in the hearts of men and women everywhere. "You're fired," "We find the defendent guilty," or "No" are a few that come to mind. One phrase that scares me but I haven't heard it yet is "I'm pregnant." That phrase doesn't scare me but what follows does. Don't get me wrong; I do want kids, eventually. I don't think I'm ready for any right now though. But what would I do if I heard tomorrow? I wouldn't have no choice but to accept it and step up. Would I try to push the girl towards an abortion? I don't think that I would. I don't think that I could. I'm pro-choice. But I don't agree with using the technology just to change a mistake in judgement. There are of course extreme circumstances where I think abortions could be put into play like rape. Even then I don't think I could ever say to somebody that they should have an abortion. It is just such a final statement. And regardless of how some may say it, a fetus is a life. They are the future. I'll never ask my parents this, but what if they had an abortion with me? Then the three people who read my blog wouldn't be able to. I wouldn't exist. Life is hard but it is also a blessing. Everyday we wake up we have the chance to make a difference somewhere. I wake everyday with almost the same routine so I take it for granted sometimes, but it only takes one wake up call. Life is what you make it.

Lost Art

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like we lost the love of art. It starts in the schools. We aren't exposed to it like we should be. That's something that was missing from when I was in school and I know it's not getting any better. Luckily for me I had parents who exposed me to that when I was younger and as I got older I started to lean on my siblings more also. For whatever reason most of my peers don't appreciate real art. They would consider the music they listen to as art. It's not but I already had my rant on today's music so I won't touch that here. I like going to art museums and museums period. There are other genres of music beside rap and r&b. Read a book besides what I call the chitlin' circuit books. The same goes for the chitlin' circuit plays. I see so many people who have the potential to do big things but they're too focused on what's trendy now. I'm writing a book but I worry that my own people won't read it because it doesn't deal with the drama that a typical black author would write about. But they have to go deeper into what it's about and realize that it addresses one huge stereotype about black men. But I digress. I could take this opportunity to talk down about the school that I went to but I don't think that it would serve a purpose. There is life outside of high school and we can learn about these things on our own. We shouldn't depend on others to teach us what we have interest in. The next great painter, musician, poet or writer could be sitting in class bored because he or she is not being challenged. I can honestly say that I was bored in class, even in college, because deep down inside I wasn't interested in what they were talking about. If I wanted the limelight I would have been using one of my God given talents years ago. I've been sitting on them for a long time. Now I'm finally starting to let the world in on my best kept secrets. I'm sure there are other youngsters like me who don't realize what they can do. I hope some way they find a way to get it out of their systems.

Four Letter Word

There are so many overused words these days. Beautiful...perfect...great...love. It's amazing how many times these words come out of somebody's mouth on a daily basis. I try not to use the first three much at all. I don't think that I've ever seen either anyway. Love is a totally different monster. I've been in love at least twice. Hopefully they know who they are. Even love can be dissected so many times just to make it acceptable to use all the time. I have songs that I love, but do I really love them? Will I be listening to them years from now? I don't know. It's just hard to really say that word if you don't truly mean it. At least it is for me. I love my family and I love my close friends. Anything else is questionable. Would I like to fall in love again? Sure, but I don't want anything forced on me. Right now I'm just enjoying my status as whatever I am. When I was younger, I had this idea of what would happen. I would meet my future wife in college, get married, have kids, etc. Then I realized that that doesn't happen like it use to. My parents are a dying breed. They have been married for years and I don't have any half siblings. I'm not saying that I don't want that. I just don't have to have that to be happy. Whatever happens I'll just deal with it like I do everything else. My life won't be over if I never have kids or a wife. I have much bigger goals in life anyway that my parents don't even know about. Maybe it's best that I don't have any strings attached right now. I LOVE the idea of being in LOVE though.....

Freedom of Speech Pt. II

Well the inevitable happened; Nas has changed the title of his newest album (Freedom of Speech Pt. I). I think we all knew this was coming. It really doesn't matter. We all know what that real title of this album is. The message will still be the same in the music. This was just a formality. I also think that this might have caused the album to take so long to come out. But it's coming out July 1st. The point was made. The controversy has been sparked. I like what he has done. He started a conversation that needed to be had. I think this is a bridge that needed to be closed between people from the civil rights era and the hip hop generation. So there it is.

Hornets win

I have to show my versatility and talk about sports for a minute. For all you basketball fans out there, I'm a hornets fan. They have done better than I thought they would this season. But I'm not really surprised at how good they are. Chris Paul is the truth and David West is the truth. I still don't agree with some of the moves they have made(overpaying Peja) and haven't made(not drafting Rodney Stuckey this past year.) I will always have some problems with Byron's Scott coaching. But on the positive side, they have saved basketball in New Orleans. I really wish that Utah would give them that Jazz name back. It definitely doesn't fit Utah. Anyway, while I hope that they can pull out the win Monday night, I am not 100% behind that idea. I think they're the better team, but they imploded in San Antonio. Of course the refs didn't help. I guess that's why they call it home court advantage. I'm not going to get real deep into this one. Win or lose, the Hornets win because of what they have done for the city.

American Gangster

Denzel Washington is the best actor there is. No question about it. He's had plenty of great performances including his performance in American Gangster. He made Frank Lucas look like a modern day Robin Hood. If you've read any of my other blogs, then you know I have a problem with something here. The glorification of the gangster lifestyle continues. To me, Denzel Washington is gangster. My dad is gangster. Single parents raising kids on their own are gangster. Students who pay their own way through college are gangster. People who get up and get to a job they hate every morning are gangster. I think I have a different definition of the word. Those characters from the movies and even some in real life were street smart and maybe even business men. I wish we would stop treating these guys like heroes. They tore communities up. Lives were destroyed and families disintegrated. I'll admit; one of my favorite movies is Godfather Pt. II. The movie was good. What can I say? That wasn't real though. That came from somebody's imagination. There are alot of people who would consider Scarface a classic. But the main character was an idiot...and the movie wasn't that good. So what am I getting at? Show both sides. If I kill somebody, there won't be a parade. I'm going to jail. Let's show that side too. All these guys eventually go down. They are a good example of what not to do and they give people an excuse to sell drugs, among other things. Because Frank Lucas or Micheal Corleone did it doesn't make it right. How about going to school and getting a job. Something about that just sounds so RIGHT. Doesn't it???

But in Reality

I went to work out last night and something hit me like a ton of bricks; I'm a has been. It's not something that I didn't already realize, but for some reason my pride kicked in and it upset me a little bit. I feel like a old man. I go to work and fall asleep on the couch when I come home. This is not what I thought adulthood would be like. I figured I would have a "normal" job and I would be in shape and happy and so on and so on. Not even close. I don't love my job. I'm out of shape. I'm not using my degree. I can keep going on but there is no reason. I can make fun of myself so I'm not about to jump off a building or anything. Back in the day, we all had these big dreams of what we wanted to be. We all wanted to be doctors, lawyers, actors, singers etc. Then reality hits and we're left to wonder what happened. I don't really know what I want to do anymore, but I'm trying to figure that out now. Once I do, I'll have to come back and say that I have achieved all my dreams. Until then, I'll just be a has been.

Mothers

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there. In my family, both parents played very important roles in me and my siblings' development. But it's not father's day yet, so I'm just going to focus on my mother and mothers in general. She was always there. Going back to college, I don't remember ever calling home and getting the answering machine. Most times it was my mother who picked up the phone. We always had home cooked meals, clean clothes, and someone there to pick us up from school. They were always at whatever activities we had, be it games, graduations etc. I've been blessed to have a mother like mine. It's rare to find a mother like mine anymore. I'm 25 and alot of women I consider my peers have kids. Most are single mothers. Things happen. I have become fascinated by how many single mothers I know. Yet and still they take care of their kids and don't ask for help. I know all single mothers are not that way, but the ones that I know are. I can't imagine how hard that must be. I feel the same way about single fathers, but it's mother's day. Fathers are the heart and soul of a family, but mothers are the backbone. Or maybe it's the other way around. Doesn't really matter. None of us would be here without our mothers, so for that we have to say thank you to all the mothers, and mine especially. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here and nobody would be able to read this now. So mom you are appreciated.

Happy

I was reading back over my postings and I think I fell into a trap. One that I set up for myself. After reading them, I started to sound like the angry black man. When I started this thing, I had all things that I wanted to say and I wanted to be brutally honest. Anybody who knows me will tell you that I am not an angry person. Sure I get mad just like the next person, but it usually blows over shortly after that. There are things going on in the world that I feel aren't right and those were the first things that I wanted to get off my chest. Other than that, I'm happy. I mean, I'm underpaid and gas is just too high, but that's just me griping. I don't want to fall into that stereotype. Now that I got that off my chest, I would like to talk about Mr. George Bush......

Freedom of Speech Pt. I (Proceed with Caution)

I feel like I have to defend my favorite hip hop artist, Nas. For those of you who don't know, he has an album coming out titled "Nigger." Of course this has caused a boatload of controversy and everybody has an opinion on it and the word in general. Why should I be any different? First off let me say that I was born and raised in the south. I know about the pain behind that word. I've heard the horror stories, seen the pictures, watched the documentaries and read the books. But I have to be honest; to me it's just a word. Before anybody loses their mind, I should probably explain. I am from a different generation. That word still used today by us but the spelling is different. It is seen as a term of endearment. In a way, we have turned a negative into a positive. It's funny we call each other "nigga," but don't let a white person call us a "nigger." The needle on the record stops and all our attention turns to this white person who had the audacity to call us something we call ourselves. I don't have a problem with people not agreeing with the use of the word. I don't use the word either. But don't tell Nas that he can't use that word how he wants to. Last time I checked it was called Freedom of Speech, not Freedom of Speech as long as Everybody Likes What You Say. The chance to speak on this album is just another photo op for our black leaders so of course they have something to say. Maybe I'm biased here but I think we should make the word exactly what it is; a word. How about we get offended when somebody calls us ignorant? I do but I can't speak for anybody else. Racism will exist regardless. Whether we are called African Americans, Black, Negros or more recently refugees the media has always had to find some way to describe us. I don't understand how they came up with the name "colored." We're all colored. Even white is a color.

Black and White TV

It's hard for me to watch TV now. Some of the images they show of "us" are terrible. From flavor of love to the wire, we are continually painted as either clowns or thugs. I never considered myself to be either one, even though some people automatically have their minds made up about me before knowing anything about me. I watched one episode of the flavor of love when it first came on just to see what is was about. When I saw the girl try to cook the turkey in the microwave, I was immediately turned off from that show. Not surprising the stupidity continues as we speak. The networks are dominated with shows starring white characters with ethnic characters sprinkled is just to pacify us. Then they turn around and make it impossible for the one black character on the entire show have anything but an interracial relationship. Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with interracial dating. I have a problem with this being the only image that we see on almost every show with any black characters. Then you have the shows with no black characters with featured or recurring roles. I love the show" Monk", but I would love to see a black character on that show that didn't fall in line with any stereotypes. I'm not sure if that day will ever come, even though I know there are shows that fit my simple criteria. The Cosby show did fit my criteria but then the man himself would go out of his way to criticize the black community. Even though he may have had some valid points, I feel it's wrong for him to continually criticize the black community without pointing out the positives. But I'm getting sidetracked here. TV sucks and that's as plain as black and white.

Lost Cause

I love music and I always will. When I was younger, my parents had this ritual on Saturdays. For all you youngsters and non-southerners, we have this thing called the Saturday morning fish fry that comes on some urban radio stations. Early Saturday morning, they would have this program on full blast, basically waking the whole house up. The pillow over the head trick never seemed to work. At the time I didn't know why they loved that music so much. Every song was about the same thing; my woman left me, I'm drunk and heartbroken, my pockets are empty, blah blah blah. I just didn't see the fascination with the blues. I came up listening to rap and r&b. Years later I'm disenchanted with what these youngsters in the music biz are doing. Hip hop is dead and the people who actually make good music are so hard to find. One of the last things I did before I graduated college what make a speech about the delta blues. Back in the day, there was no way you could convince me to listen to that music. Now give me some Bobby Blue Bland and I'm alright. Some people who read this will have no idea who that is. Do some research. Or ask me what's on my Ipod. I guarantee you won't crank dat green goblin or hear about the drugs somebody sold or how big the rims are. Years from now will anybody remember these guys or even consider anything they're doing "classic"? I seriously doubt it, but maybe I'm holding out hope that music will be worth listening to again. Bilal, where are you???

Hello World

Isn't the Internet a beautiful thing? For years, I wished that I had some type of avenue to let my voice be heard. Now I'm a blogger and my voice can be heard. I consider this my introduction to the world, so hello world. I don't feel like I need to introduce myself or give this big story on my background. The title speaks for itself. I'm young, (25) black, and educated (yes I graduated from college). I have so much to say and I hope everyone who reads my blogs enjoy reading them. No, I'm lying. I don't really care. I'm just happy to be able to say what I want to say. The only people who will read these will probably be family and friends anyway. So what do I have to lose? So I guess I'll end my first blog by saying "Hello World."