Loves to Party, Loves to Blog.

So, I don't update this because while I find news and culture blogs easy and enjoyable to read....they are hard as hell to maintain. I also have no wish to air my secrets. So, how about a cross? Public Journal? Sure. Why not?

My latest love affair is with Edward P. Jones. Despite my spending problem I went on Amazon.com and bought his book. It was only 4.90 which is how amazon.com gets me in trouble. I am currently reading "All of Aunt Hagar's Children." I was afraid at first that this author would bore me or depress me but now I am filled with pleasure. Yes, pleasure. I don't think I've been this in love with a book since Toure's Soul City. Which still almost topped Toure's The Portable Promised Land: Stories. All of Aunt Hagar's is up there. The stories mainly take place in Washington and make me jealous that I don't live there. It is really hard for me to pick a favorite so I won't. He switches from first person narrative to third person narrative and he slips on each well. The word that really comes to mind is original when I think about this book. Some of the stories might break your heart a little but you end up being okay with it. The stories also tend to travel time. Most seem to be based in the past and the ones that seemed to be based in the here and now draw on the past. I have been trying to get my sister to read more for pleasure and I think this book will go on the list.

I love reading African American fiction but with the new found popularity of "Urban Fiction", I decided to give up the ghost. I still read some African American fiction but not a lot. I am looking to change this.

During the writing of this post, the author discovered that Toure has a collection of articles called "Never Drank the Kool-Aid" on sale for about six dollars total (including shipping and handling) on amazon.com. She had to sit on her fingers...for now. This might last til Tuesday when she gets some money.

blog surfing at night

I haven't been on here lately and that's my fault. I think I was trying to something with this blog that I just lost interest. This post will be short because it's almost two in the morning and I should be sleep even though tomorrow is my day off. I present you with a video from another blog (blacksnob.blogspot.com). It's Bill O. I love him in a way that makes my stomach hurt.

We wear our pants below waist.

I've decided to keep up with this blog. So let's go.

I am returning to reading the news and what greeted me let me know why I stopped. There is a new law in Flint, MI. If your jeans are sagging then you get a ticket. Cops are coming down on that law. I find this to be a waste of time and an infringement on the personal rights of dumbasses who decide to wear their jeans below the waist. This resulted in a lengthy discussion with my sister who finds the style offensive and believes booty shorts should also be banned ( I think they are in Flint as well). She actually makes valid old school points about it being disrespectful to themselves and to everyone that sees them on the street. If I see your ass hanging out, I'm going to laugh and call my friends. I understand her point and I do feel that this generation (my generation?) isn't as respectful and mindful of our elders as we used to be. I almost got a kid at my church yesterday. I'm not your mama but you ain't bout to be rude to me.

In any case, my pastor (older black man) was against this Flint law and spoke out but no one joined him. I have a feeling that the family will have this debate over the next dinner and much like the Gay Marriage issue, I will be all alone.

Here is the article when you click these words

Personally, I believe that there are bigger issues and pulling up your pants doesn't always mean you'll straighten out your life.

Personal Information about Me

This song is beautiful and depressing as hell. This was how I spent my high school years. Don't even get me started on Billie Holiday. I used to know "Gloomy Sunday" by friggin heart.

There are probably more important things going on in the world but sometimes you just got to stop and listen to Ella.

'Cuse me, while I disappear.

You're Standing in the Presence of Greatness! a.k.a. I'm too excited to Proof Read

Here is a tip: Park on the right floor at the Riverfront Apartments or they will tow your shit. No lie. It will cost you over 200 hundred dollars.


Let’s break this up:

The People: The whole atmosphere that evening was full of energy. Sure, some people booed the governor, especially when she mentioned Hilary Clinton, but most people were respectful. The line to get into the arena was long and full of tired hot people who were excited. This is the biggest event to happen in my lifetime and I know this was true for a lot of older people. Parents brought their fussy children, older men and women were bright eyed with smiles on their faces. Hardly anyone sincerely complained about their feet or the wind. There was a rush of people that cut in line but that was nipped in the bud quick. I say this to say that it is a pure myth that Detroit black people can’t all come together and act as if they might have some sense. The signs ranged from “Arabs for Obama” to “Clergy for Obama” which to me, should help demolish doubt that he can tie the party together. There people of various races, ages and sexual orientations. I was standing near the podium and being surrounded by that hope touched me deeply. The best quote of the night was from a Cass Technical High School History teacher standing behind me : I thought I would die before I saw this, and I just knew I’d live to see be a hundred. Think on that. I did.

The Event: Sure in the beginning you had people who were fustrated because they couldn’t hear. For a minute it was like being in church and my grandmother was sitting in the front yelling for them to turn on the mike “because we can’t hear you”. Once that was settle and the people in the beginning encouraged everyone there to volunteer, the mood was set. Then there was Chancey Billiups. It took me a minute to figure out what was going on because there was shrill yelling in my ear. Shrill. He was all smiles and more encouragement to do more. Next came Governor Granholm. She was booed at first, which shocked me because we weren’t there for that. She was firm on the fact that she and everyone else who supported Clinton (more booing) would be putting full support behind Obama. I need to see these promises in action before I get excited but I understood her point and appreciated the effort to unite Democrats because for a while, the path was lost.

Next came Al Gore. Let me explain. Al “I won the popular vote” Gore. Despite jokes about him being dry and boring, he was quite moving. He made several points about why “elections matter”. He made a very solid case for Obama being president. Of course he had to talk on the environment but that’s important so I can’t fault him. It was just amazing to see him and hear him. It would be a better campaign if Al Gore was chosen as Obama’s running mate. I honestly crossed my fingers and closed my eyes. I am ashamed that I did not pay more attention to this man when he ran for President.

And finally the man everyone had been waiting for, the President hopeful: Barack Obama. First, I’ll say something that both he and Gore did but Barack did to a greater extent-they acknowledge McCain’s experience. They both recognized that he was in war and went through things that we could never imagine for this country. He is in fact, a hero. This was done respectfully and earnestly on both parts. Obama also talked about Senator Clinton and her accomplishments. He told the crowd that it wasn’t an easy or a quick (15 months!) journey to where he was now. He also impressed upon us that the he and Clinton shared most of the same views politically which also made debating hard. He also talked about tax cuts for the middle class. He talked about affordable and quality healthcare for everyone. And about how the money spent on the war could have been used here for jobs. Of course I shouted when he talked about community service and money for college. Broke College Students Unite!
He also talked about how he was told that he was still young and could afford to wait before trying to be President of the United States. The air was charged after he said that, we were ready for the response because we knew. We couldn’t wait. America couldn’t wait. He insisted that this wasn’t about a major career move but because he felt we needed change. A change that he stands for and that he can deliver. This part, I will admit, damned near brought me to tears. I can akin this to a church experience because church is the only other place that I’ve had great mind opening soul healing events.
No, Barack Obama is not the Second Coming. He will not touch you and remove your disease. He will not magically clean up the mess Bush left in a matter of days. No. But he is what America needs. We need to be the United States of America with a government that protects its citizens and not special interest groups (did I just pull that from Gore? Yep.) Because elections do matter and this is a prime example of the “Urgency of Now”.

One day spell check will leave me alone about this man’s name.

In conclusion: Getting your car back after midnight: 234 dollars
Pack of Kools to help deal with stress because you don’t really smoke but damn: 3.69 after dollar off coupon was taken
Beer because sleeping after such a night on your own seems impossible: 2.50
Going to see Barack Obama amongst other excited voters: The tickets were free son! But the experience was priceless.

Curious Racist: Hate Can be Cute...See?

Whenever a black person points out racism today, we are kindly pointed as paranoid because everyone knows slavery been over so shut the fuck up.

Right?

Wrong.

This shit.

http://mouemagazine.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/obama-monkey-doll/

Obama Monkey Doll. No one is bullshitting you. Last night on Fox News, Michelle Obama is referred to as her husband's baby mama:



Which didn't follow too long after E.D. Hill referred to the "fist pound" as a "terriost jab":


Oh she apologized but I don't care, neither will you if you listen



Its easy to get off track. But now I bring you the doll. I won't post it on here or post the link because I don't want to see the orginial site. The site at the beginning the post is another blog about it.

Apparently, David J Lawson and Elizabeth A Lawson from Utah are responsible for this shit. They are marketing it as pro Obama. According the aforementioned website, good Old Dave contributed over two grand to the Romney campaign.

YAY!!!

The day I found out some shit

This post is a work in progress.

I was reading on blackfolk (Livejournal) and this article was posted

First the definition of womanism can be found in In Search of Our Mother's garden. Or You can read the below statement:
The black folk expression of mothers to female children, 'You acting womanish,' i.e. like a woman … usually referring to outrageous, audacious, courageous, or willful behavior. Wanting to know more and in greater depth than is considered 'good' for one … [A womanist is also] a woman who loves other women sexually and/or nonsexually. Appreciates and prefers women's culture … and women's strength … committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. Not a separatist … Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender.

There is more but that is for another post. What I have read and have come to understand about womanism doesn't jibe with how Rebecca Walker says she was raised or how her mother responded to her pregnancy. Does this mean that I don't believe her? No. She has no reason to lie. I try not to have any human heroes (save for my mother because she's the shit).
That said, R. Walker's views on some things are just not hitting it with me. In this interview
she says somethings about adaptation that would have be doing a diss record if I was Meshell.
The following is text from the interview in case the desire to read the whole thing isn't there:

In fact, much of the criticism about Baby Love stems from Walker's discussion of her relationship with Ndegeocello's teenage son, Solomon, whom she co-parents. In one of the more controversial segments, she writes: "I don't care how close you are to your adopted son or beloved stepdaughter, the love you have for your nonbiological child isn't the same as the love you have for your own flesh and blood."

The response has been interesting, said Walker, who has yet to discuss the book with Solomon. "I'm not saying that one is greater, but that they are different," she explained. "And why wouldn't they be different? They have different processes. It's a completely different experience."

I'm not faulting her for being excited about being pregnant and birthing her baby. The quote without explanation however, is insensitive.

Right now I am working on buying What Makes a Man edited by Rebecca Walker after a conversation with her adopted co parented son Solomon. It's a penny used on Amazon so It will be bought.



I am currently reading: Black Saga: The African American Experience (another book borrowed from my pastor)



And BabyCakes by Armistead Maupin.