Notes from a Friend's Town

1. Once you begin to develop a feminist understanding, especially as a man of color, it becomes very difficult to view things outside of that context. More often than not, the lens of scrutiny causes the most discomfort when you place your familial reality underneath it . 2. It's amazing the shit you'll accept when you think a dream has come to fruition, even if the dream isn't actualized in it's entirety. What kind of dream doesn't come true completely? It's unfortunate that fear & emotional issues prevented the possibilities from being explored completely, off paper, in the five dimensional world. 2a. Fuck niggas, bitches too, all I trust is my pride & this'll do. 3. The quickest way to compromise contentment is to introduce the situation to inquiry. 4. What's the score with the false friends?? It shouldn't be that much of a chore to maintain a vested interest in the person you declare your friend. It shouldn't take an act of congr...

1. Seriously, I live less than 100 miles from a large body of water & the humidity has hovered between 37-48%. This is some bullshat. 1a. There is indeed a limit to your love, much like a map with no ocean. 2. It's imperative to clear one's subconscious of any lingering doubts, desires, & disappointments before transitioning from one phase to another. It makes the arrival much smoother & allows one to focus all their energies on the present. 3. All beauty & no brains shorten much the courting game. All brains & no beauty absolves one from courting duties. 4. Make your own informed decisions, stand by those decisions, & dismiss any rebuttals to those decisions that are void of logic. 5. I've been reviewing my own understanding of the phrase "Only men can raise men". At one time, I believed in the notion whole heartedly, that only men can produce men. Then I was forced to acknowledge the men I knew that were raised in homes without thei...

1. Well, now that that's done & yes it's quite early, but trust me on this one. I'll take something brown & old on ice. Cheerio!! 2. She called & we walked thru the civilities before she proceeded to let me have a piece of her mind. No banned words, no front row seat to the resurrections promises. Her voice was calm, her breaths measured. My head hung in shame as though she stood before me. 3. The more I understand how it works, the less mystique lies in the whole of the experience. I'm very much a fan of the mystique and appreciate the enrapturing nature of the allure. 4. Once I take care of the people on my Christmas list, I'll be good. It's not that I don't want anything, it's that my most immediate need is one that I'll take care of soon. 5. Never underestimate the physiological effects of a physical place on your productivity. I once thought it foolishness until I started paying attention to how much was being accomplished at o...

1. Nothing is more pointless than saying hello,in passing, to a person whose calls you refuse to return. Save the civilities for high tea as I've no use for them. 2. There are things which no man is allowed the luxury of complaining about. So I'll move on to the next point. 3. There only remains one. One that may very well remain unattended, unreconciled, disconcerted & disconnected. 4. I'm considering law school. Not because I have some undying interest in mastering legal interpretation, not because I need the thrill of going to trial, not because I lust after some ridiculously large salary. I'm considering law school because the work is steady, the pay is family building friendly, & some days, I just prefer the pragmatic option. 5. Tracie Ellis Ross should you make it down to my fair city in the hopes of avoiding the paparazzi, do allow me the luxury of your company over a few drinks. Your boyfriend is welcome to play in traffic while the signal light is ...

*These are actual Japa Mala beads 1. Many thanks & much love to all who celebrated my birthday. I'm still receiving cards & gifts which means I'm loved much. That holds much weight in my world. 1a. When I invite you to a gathering of my friends, don't attend if you plan on just sitting on the side w/ your friend and not engaging the group. If I wanted to bump into you & your home girl, I wouldn't have invited you out. I would have asked where you were partying tonight & met you there. 1b. Don't you ever, ever, ever waive a gift in front of the birthday boy & then tuck it away like it doesn't exists. I'm a gentleman so I'll behave accordingly but I know some less than gentlemanly men who aren't inclined to respond so kindly. 5. There comes a time when you should consciously & actively begin separating fiction from reality. This usually begins around the age of 12/13 or immediately afterward when puberty comes into fu...

Who going to make that cake happen for real?!

1. Being on the receiving end of a drunk call is immensely entertaining when a) it's before 11pm & b) the caller's accomplices fight for caller allotted 2 mins of call time! 2. There is nothing I can compare, in my short life, to waking up out of sound sleep that I entered 4 hrs prior sans adrenaline and starting my day. 3. I earnestly want to hold out hope but in the end, I'm no fan of unrequited love. Far too many writers have two sentences in their bios referring to this matter, so there's no need for history to repeat itself. 4. You must always be self aware enough to assess your friendships & acknowledge those to which your contribution merely isn't enough. It's the civilized thing to do. 5. Where o where is my hair brush?? 6. Put'em all in a room, provide beverages, & see what happens next is the outline for most social gatherings. What makes it even more interesting is when you add a twist, like a reason why everyone is together... 7...