Notes from a Friend's Town

1. I saw an older couple walking down the street today. The husband walked a solid clip for his age while his wife lagged behind a bit, slowed by the need to use a walking cane. He turned around realizing she was behind him, albeit by about 15 ft, & waited. Once she caught up, he extended his hand & walked with her at her pace. 2. In the routine, we find peace. In the details, we find ourselves. In part(s). 3. 9 days from Nirvana, 4 days til class begins & 2 days until the weekend. Yes, it appears my life has been reduced to a series of countdowns. 4. I'll stop laughing when I cease to find it amusing. Not a minute prior. 5. I requested some gift giving advice from a trusted source. Much to my dismay, I was told what I had suspected all along, regarding the appropriateness of my intended gift, was indeed correct. Oh how infrequently one longs to be wrong. Alas, such a victory was not provided today. I have instead, chosen to settle for the "lesser" gift. ...

1. If you didn't want to play anymore, all you had to do was say I'm out instead of just not showing up at the usual spot anymore. You could've left a note even. 2. It's ridiculously hot these days. The air is thick, refusing to cool even if you move it with a fan. Where, I ask, is the beautiful month of October? 3. Way too excited about this new recycled fire hose chew toy coming for my pet monster (Chew Wu!)! We'll see if it's as durable as the website claims, he's already demolished in 60 days a calf shin bone that was supposed to last a year. 4. The best approach remains show & prove not discuss then deliver. 5. *late pass* Why does J. Timberlake sound like a fake ass Ginuwine? Why get the knock-off when you could just buy the original? 6. I want to start collecting art from aspiring artists. Not so that I can brag about having an early piece once they achieve a degree of notoriety in the art world, although I might should that happen. It's m...

1. If I make an apple pie, substituting cherries for apples, is it still an apple pie? No it's not, it's a cherry pie. 2. I'm only mildly intrigued this time, so I'm barely invested which means I expect smalls returns. Funny thing is, it's the little things... 3. Coral will be the color for Spring 2011. We've seen pink, orange, greens (lighter end), turquoise, yellow & most recently purple (lavender) in the past decade. 4. Gift giving is an art. Too generic, it comes across as an afterthought, go too specific & you come across as obsessive. 5. Just because there are sights to be seen doesn't mean you need to allow your gaze to linger. 6. There are times when you could use someone right there by your side. In the event you come to that point sans support, the only thing left to do is move forward. 7. I hate hearing the right thing from the wrong people. It's not that they're wrong, it's just the weight of the words is off.

1. The inability to produce a summer beverage that retains it's flavor profile in the presence of ice is grounds for my mother to ban you from the kitchen. It doesn't matter if it's Kool Aid, Iced Tea (bag or powder mix) or iced coffee. Waste a gallon of water making something refreshing that tastes like tainted water in the presence of ice and you'll be banned from the kitchen until soup production season. 2. Summer brings out my sweet tooth like no other season. Lemon Meringue Pie, Peach Cobbler, Apple Pie just about any concoction that involves fruit, dough, and sugar is fair game. I may even try my hand at dessert production this year. 3. Chocolate City is looking less chocolate these days. Much to my dismay, I suspect this was going to happen when I returned 5 yrs ago. 4. This Oscar Grant verdict reads like salt in an open wound. The jury acquits, Gov. Schwarzenegger tells the Mayor of Oakland that the state of California, which is in record breaking debt, has ...

1. If an exchange is riddled with more stock replies than TD Waterhouse, chances are the deal has fallen through. 2. Whole Foods makes grocery acquisition exciting yet depressing. The layout is welcoming but, why wouldn't you want to spend $200/wk to feed one person? 3. Still don't understand how people were so-so about Michael Jackson before he died then became die hard fans post-mortem. If you were down with Mike, you were there for the good publicity as well as the questionable accusations. I'm not declaring his innocence or his guilt, just don't be a sunshine/bandwagon fan. 4. This Twilight phenomenon has gotten out of hand. I appreciate a good series as much as the next story lover but obsession is never the business. You don't go about neglecting reality & the people in your life for a TV series. That good people, is stupid. 5. As a kid I use to start off every summer by getting a new pair of sandals. Open toed shoes symbolic of the freedom that was m...

1. For the love of strawberries! 2. I picked up my duffel from the baggage claim carousel & all I wanted to do was go home and sit with my woman. Just sit down on the sofa & watch tv before tv started watching me sit with my woman on the sofa. 3. My return flight was filled with visions of me accomplishing my goals with my dog being the only person at my side. No girlfriend, no wife, no lover. A sprinkling of friends, my immediate family, & my dog. It's as though I expect to go at it sans the boost that comes from an intimate partner. I'm most surprised at the absence of surprise at this dream, it as though as I've known this for sometime. 4. Networking means nothing if you're not expanding access to resources. 5. Ever notice how the sunset & the sunrise look alike as they sit on the horizon. 6. The silence isn't disturbing, it's the small sounds like a rock shifting that resonate louder because there are no competing sounds. Th...

1. I've nothing against burning bridges ,metaphorically of course. I've torched a few in my day with great joy. Truth is, it's not always the best approach. Now if I could only find a hiding place for my matches. 2. I think I prefer the act of writing over the act of typing. Ink bears no permanence but once I begin writing something out, it as though the thought must be completed. Now I'm beginning to wonder if my word choice & sentence structure differs between my hand written & typed pieces? 3. It's not that my reality just set in, i've been aware of it for a minute. For some reason, tonight it became remarkably clearer, crystal clear. 4. and I hope by chance I see you once again/I'd love to kiss your lips once again... 5. That breakfast easily belongs in the top 5 fast breakings I've participated in. Coffee not tea, ha!