Saturday, May 30, 2009

Back from NY!

I had a blast. It was soo good to catch up with family and friends who I have not seen in over seven years. I hit the city so hard (with my baby sister, of course) that I had to sleep in for a day. I definitely have to visit more often; at least every two years. Anyhow, I'll post a blog about that later. For now, I want to post a video that I have fallen in love with. I know some folks don't agree with my decision to post videos depicting gospel artists, but I don't care. As I've said before, the messenger, in many cases, is not as important as the message. Enjoy!

"God in Me," by Mary Mary

Friday, May 15, 2009

Annie (Don't Wear no Panties)

Erykah Badu is the shit! Her creativity and willingness to abandon convention pemit her to create one-of-a-kind music. However, a lot of her stuff is not played on major radio stations. Aside from Baduizm, none of her other cds have received much attention. As we are inclined to purchase music that receives a lot of airplay, I didn't purchase Mama's Gun until a few years ago. Man, I was blown away.

One day, while watching Ms. Badu perform on VH1-Soul, I heard a song that I thought was a joke. As always, the beats and instrumentation were on point, but the lyrics had me in stitches. Nobody believed that she'd actually written a song about a woman (herself) who doesn't wear underwear. So, here it is.

"Annie (Don't Wear No Panties)," by Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu - Annie (Don't Wear No Panties)

Saturday, May 09, 2009

What I've been up to...

Not much, actually. Aside from working and working out, I have been reading a lot more lately. Right now I'm reading The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (HIV) Positive by Marvelyn Brown. Additionally, I'm reading a book titled Jocks, which consists of a series of stories about gay high school and college athletes. Speaking of books, I am trying to get mine ready for the copyright office. It's interesting when you revisit something you have stepped away from. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but my writing is damn good. I can't wait to see it on the shelves in bookstores nationwide. If only I could stick to my dictation schedule.

I'm also going on vacation later this month. I have not decided whether I want to go to San Francisco or New York. I have not been back to the Big Apple since 2002. I'll probably head on to my hometown and visit my family members, especially my father, who I have not seen since about 1996 (give or take a year). It will be interesting to see how we respond to each other. From conversations we've had, I get the feeling he is expecting me to behave as I did when I was a teenager, which is not going to happen. My biggest concern, however, is how he will respond when I acknowledge my sexual orientation. From what my mom and sisters have told me, he's curious as to why I'm not dating a woman. Actually, a lot of my family members want to know what I've been up to since I've been in the "Dirty South." Although, in my opinion, everyone always thought I'd develop into a homo, I was never "out" to anyone in NY. It will indeed be interesting to see how everything goes down. I'm sure he'll be disappointed.

Aside from that, the one and only Losojosnuevos is doing well. I'm still not dealing with Kindheart too much. I think it would be too painful to attempt to be friends after experiencing intimate moments (which I enjoyed). He's called me twice this week, but I haven't returned his call; there's really not much to say. Like James Ingram said "There's just no easy way to break somebody's heart." I'll continue to pray that he will find someone who will honor his positive attributes.

I'll try to blog a little more often. Have a wonderful weekend, y'all.

"Betch'll Never Find Another," by Chantay Savage

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Better Days

I just finished reading a book about the Rwanda genocide. Titled Left to Tell, the book chronicles the author's life before, during, and after the event that claimed the lives of nearly 1 million Tutsis. More than simply an autobiographical account of the Rwandan Holocaust, Immacule Ilibagiza chronicles her journey to forgiveness, faith, and self-actualization. I asked myself many questions once I finished reading the last page: Could I have endured living (silently) in a cramped bathroom with seven other people for three months? Would I have had the fortitude to bury the remains of my slaughtered loved ones months after their demise? Could I have faced and forgiven their murderers? It is truly an amazing story.

Deplorable events can test the will of the most faithful. However, I have come to understand the importance of not becoming consumed by the evil deeds that can befall any of us. More importantly, anyone who wishes to enjoy the experience of living on planet Earth must be resilient and internalize the belief system that there will always be better days ahead.

"Better Days," by Dianne Reeves