Notes from a Friend's Town

The holidays remain esteemed because the joyous celebrations that take place. Extended families gather from around the country, in some cases, the world to experience the joys of their bond. Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, and those who have been bestowed with those titles descend upon on structure, testing the frame of the house in what can be the most challenging weather. Children young and young at heart remain in awe of the goods that are produced from the kitchen as mothers, aunts, and grandmothers proudly showcase their culinary skills. Every gathering is reminiscent of the first time, the air filled with dibbs and threats as each phase of the grand feast is completed. Each family has at least one woman who doesn’t need a degree from the Le Cordon Bleu School to affirm her talent. The silence at the dinner table stands as a testament to the caliber of her talent skill. The men of the family of spend hours recounting the events of importance from the past year, each a set of recollect...

This is beginning to look strangely familiar completely eliminating my hope that for once I'd be wrong. I'm having a hard time standing because of the weight of my flawless record, which is more of a burden than a delight.  It was merely my desire, that by understanding that which makes you tick, I would make a miscalculation. Yes, unlike every other experience in this life where not carrying a digit or dropping a decimal is a proverbial death wish, I wanted to get the problem wrong all together. Ideally, I would confuse messages with the absence of free time. The presumption would be that you were too busy enjoying family and friends to use your phone for anything more than a logistical tool. What I neglected to acknowledge is that I wouldn't be include in either group or any of their respective subsets. It never crossed my mind that you would delibertly ignore my attempts to keep in touch (per your request). I distinctly recall you assuring me that all that had taken plac...

1. Finals are over!!! It'll cease to be nerve racking when I'm cease taking them 2. President Bush's shoe fiasco may have played out a little different had those been Daniel Green Slippers. I'm sure I wasn't the only who had a flashback to an angry grandmother, taking off each shoe and....I think you get the picture. 3. Christmas is in 10 days and I have seen more angry, discontent, and cantankerous shoppers than I can ever recall. It's suppose to be a season of joyous giving, if you're not happy to give the gift here's a thought: Don't buy it. 4.I'm still taking suggestions for photo shoots . 5. I've been loosely following Obama's cabinet selection process (NY Times mobile has never been more handy). It was a quite a surprise when I read that he was offering HRC a cabinet position. I'm not saying he should hold grudges, but the way she & Bill slung mud under the guise of campaigning, the only thing I'd be offering her would ...

i want you to show me that which isn't lost as we search for what resides in plain sight hold me close as you push me away to fend off dangers that aren't real fill my ears with the sonar of your voice taking inventory of the unknown as your laughs and giggles explore my mind introduce your realities to my ideas encouraging them to give birth to a day yet to be seen i watched your thumb guard your palm from my embrace as the cold introduced my arm to yours i am here to show you that which is in plain sight in the midst of morning as we search for moonlight

Sometime ago, I used to capture some very interesting images with an SLR. I've been thinking of doing so again but I'm drawing blanks as to where I should start.... Post any ideas you have for a photo shoot and I'll try to make it happen, most likely after Finals. Submit as many ideas as you'd like !!!!

I'm working on these papers that are due pretty soon and these tracks are making things move a bit smoother It's the simplicity of her voice that keeps this track on repeat. She is wonderful musician who extracts these beautiful notes from her Bass & then she sings, adding icing to the cake. Madlib = Top 5 best producers of all time. Mamao is the drummer for Azymuth

1. I'm glad to know my readership is growing!! Much love to all five of you !! 2. I've resigned myself to just ignore it. The more I examine it, the more my optimism diminishes. The last thing I'm interested in is becoming jaded this early in the experience. That being said, I'd still appreciate a win (what that constitutes, I'm not sure) 3. The best part of waking up is not Foldgers, it's Starbucks. 4. It would nice if it would get cold & stay cold for a couple of months. Wearing a sweater one day and shorts the next is fastest way to get sick 5. I was looking at a photograph, amazed at how I favor you... 6. Why is it that there are soo many preparations that need to be made in order to compete,yet ultimately those preparations mean nothing? The decision is made seemingly at random and you are only given a preview of the selection criteria after its been determined that you don't are the victor. I'd venture to say theres no point in competing but i...

In between my fingers, I hold the wind Winter’s wind numbs my joints yet I fold the wind In all my travels across the skies I’m always impressed with women who aide me as I hold the wind On the darkest nights voids of clouds stars whisper secrets to the moon in the coldest wind Mom is inside pacing in the front of the fridge while Dad and the kids soothe the dog as I hold the wind After the hour of my deepest stress the only comfort that comes to my mind arrives as I hold the wind

The pics speak for themselves

Static - Kenna Sao Paolo Nights - Jackson Conti I Adore You - Esperanza Spalding Who Needs forever - Astrud Gilberto (Thievery Corporation Remix) Only & Always - Muhsinah Sparks - Coldplay Black Magic Woman - Santana Just Kinda Waitin' Round - Squat Minor Walk - Dizzy Gillespie Pape Ndiaye - Orchestra Baobob I Ain't Got No, I Got Life - Nina Simone DayKeeper - Foreign Exchange ft. Muhsinah Surboard - Antonio Carlos Jobim Cupid - Sam Cooke Serve this Royalty - Cody Chestnutt Believe in God - J Dilla There is a way - Mos Def

I've found these past few weeks to be filled with an assortment of emotions. In the hopes of understanding their origin, it appeared best to consider their destination. Yet I know nothing more of them using this method than I would have if I'd consider their origins first being responsible for their destinations. I was only informed of the shading they've added to my days and the hours they've bestowed upon my nights when all that is of simplicity and understanding elected to divest itself of my presence, leaving answers that presuppose questions where curiosities had yet to make themselves known. In seeking refuge from this confusion, in an attempt to mimic some degree of normalcy, which in this case would be defined as regulated emotional stimuli with immediately traceable destination which leaves no room for mystery by way of their sources, I elected to work through my frustrations believing that the occupancy of my mental facilities with that of which I desire to le...

I'd rather not venture into the political spectrum but Hurricane Gustav made me do it. The storm spared New Orleans a major blow but didn't feel obliged to grant the rest of Louisiana the same courtesy. Millions are still with out power, residential & commercial damages are significant, and food supplies have been interrupted. In the midst of all of this local officials have done a remarkable job making sure that the residents of the city fair better than they did following Katrina. City assisted evacuation points as well as the efforts of non profits in the Metro New Orleans area have done a remarkable job to make sure that as residents rebuild their lives in the city, that emergency preparedness is factored into the process. My complaint is with the National Guard being used as a peace keep force when the peace was never disturbed in the first place. Not the Guardsmen and women themselves, but with Governor Jindal's office & Mayor Nagin's office believing that...

1 . School started this past Monday. I've some interesting classes & more work than usual. The nerve of these professors! I'll do my best to post regularly just let me take care of the business first. 2. This Gustav ish is not cool. I'll post again soon from my safe location (if such a thing exist) 3. Let's remember to hold the Obama/Biden duo to realistic expectations once they arrive on Pennsylvania Ave. This mess wasn't created in 4 yrs and it won't be fixed that quickly. 4. Do remember after Labor the wearing of White is at your sole discretion but that won't spare you from ridicule.

Gnarls Barkley - Going On This track is from Gnarls Barkley's latest album Odd Couple . I played this song for hours one day as I was sketching out my 5 & 10 yr plan edits and it just made the whole process much more imaginative

It felt much like many other mornings in August. The sun had long ago decided to banish any clouds that were close by to the far reaches of the horizon, allowing her an interrupted view of within her reach. Through some miracle I managed to awake early on the one day I designated for sleeping in. Having moved through my morning rituals with remarkable efficiency, I left the house with the sole purpose of completing my rather short errand list in as little time as possible. I’ve travel one of three routes whenever I leave home depending on what my destination is but they all at some point cross the nearest main thoroughfare. Since the streetcar was the transportation artery of choice this morning, I was glad. The route that brings me to the streetcar stop is far more pleasing to the eye than the other two and it affords me a few city blocks of a utopia. I suppose my resignation to take a more hands off approach has allowed me to take in all that is quite familiar along my journey this m...

I awoke to the clouds chasing the sun in a fox trot that kept time with the wind Oaks extending their strong arms gracefully holding hands with old lovers and new friends cooling my afternoon while sparrows stand in court with blue jays defending them in front of pigeons who don't recall the owls that were merciful to them in the hour of their youth Cardinals take bribes from parrots as doves bemoan that all that was has given way to piles of rubble

This is has been one of the more enjoyable summers of my adult life. I've done some traveling, had a few long nights, some enjoyable dates, & still performed pretty well at work. It took a flat out denial for me to remember some of my hobbies & although I wasn't happy with the messenger, I really needed the message. School starts again too soon but I'd rather not think about it too much. I need to decide what that rabbit is going to do with the rest of his childhood. If I don't move quickly, I may find myself watching In Between the Lions more often than I should. I really want this young man do well in high school in spite of his dreams of going to the NBA & being Chris Brown off the court. Guess we'll have to watch Hoop Dreams & then jump straight into these SAT prep books. No child left behind was bullshit. Why do naive young liberals want to save the children of the world while ig...

Truth be told I had been going back & forth about catching this show. I've been a loyal fan for almost a decade & this was the first time I've been able to catch his performance, but I still wasn't dead set on being there. The venue (HOB) has grown old to me but it's the avg size venue of choice for a good number of shows that come to town. So I did what any loyalist would do & got there way early than I should have. I had my ticket & stood inline quietly, hoping to conserve as much energy as I could for the night that lay ahead. It's been a while since I've seen a performance that was so effortless, yet still very well put together. Mos barely followed a his set list & he performed the oldest material first, just to weed out the groupies. Truth Universal opened the night off right. Raw energy, gusto, all of the ingredients that make for a kick butt performance (or a serious ass kicking). The Dj did a pretty good job filling in the time be...

As this morning interrupted last night, I decided to venture outside for the weather as I usually do. Let’s face it; the weather man gets paid to take an educated guess, leading me to believe that he's using too much art in his science. After reconciling the morning's early arrival with the night’s late departure, I head to the bodega for some Vitamin water. As usual, a gathering of men the old and the young in various places in the economic structure greeted me. In the midst of salutations, because that’s what you do here when cross paths with other people, I noticed that one of the guys on the corner was a neighborhood acquaintance that I hadn't seen in some time. As we begin to exchange Katrina stories because life before that has become a blur for everyone that was directly affected by it, I dared to note the white elephant in the room asking him what he was doing these days. It was obvious to both of us what the answer is, but I just couldn't fight the urge t...

ran from you walked with you wanted you believed in you confused you dreamed of you learned from you cried for you smiled at you laughed with you thought of you never knew you and still loved you

I've no catchy phrases to sprinkle in this post. I'm here to express my views & opinions and hope to engage in some stimulating exchanges in the process. Check back for updates