From Bx to SA

South Africa to be exact...






I am sure I've heard this at least one time but I never took it literally. Of course I am not the one going to South Africa, Jwow is. She'll be gone for like a year or something. Do you know how long a year is? How in the world am I going to remember things I did and need to do like bring my keys when I go home from work? The point is I won't. I will be living on the streets. Someone will try to help me find my home and I won't be able to contact anyone to supply information. Total and complete loss of everything. I mean, there is always X but he isn't nearly as available anymore. There needs to be some kind of transition of power back to "the cheif" or something.



How did this become about me? Am I that conceited? Yes. Wait, no. I dunno.

Back to the matter at hand...

Quite a bit has occurred since I started this post. First a bunch of us got together for a goodbye dinner. As usual instead of getting gifts for her going away she gave them. I know what you are thinking. Is this bizzaro world? No, it is jworld where things are completely flipped from how the real world works. She did the same thing on her birthday yet I was still surprised by the gift especially since it included a loofa. A LOOFA!!! The honey almond soap was appreciated though. As I stated on a previous posting, there is nothing like the exfoliating powers of almond.

Packing it...

Now let me introduce to you another part of jworld. Where packing essentials for a trip to South Africa includes oreos and crayons the evening before. The morning of the trip, approximately 6am, the extras such as pants, shirts and things of the like can be taken care of. Only in Jworld.

Second time is the charm...

I was asked one thing "pick me up at home and bring me to the airport." man did I bone that up. I arrived over an hour later than I should have. Then we hit a great deal of traffic; at the end of the day I was eating quail and Jwow was NOT on a plane. We decided to try again the very next day but it seems that we did not learn the lessons of previous excursion. I decided to take a new way to the airport. Total Genius. We arrived late. She was able to get on the plane though, second time is the charm.

Five days in the making...

Jwow is now safely in Capetown after a long exhausting journey. I started this post with the hopes of completing it before jwow left. That clearly did not happen. I'm proud that janjan was able to follow through with exactly what she wanted. No matter what was in her way. It is one thing to talk a big game, like me, it's another to quit your job and pay to volunteer clear across the Atlantic. I hope to have that much courage and dedication some day. It's friends like these who keep e grounded and working to be a better person every day. I'll cut it right there cause I am gonna get yelled at for getting too mushy by "j to the."

You better be having fun

MadLib

label me what you will
your insults sound shrill
while my rhymes is ill
i'll label you a jacker
a frail biscuit cracker
masquerading as a rapper
everybody wear a mask
grab the mic? you better ask
but first complete this task
alliterate ill incantations
inspring inconceivable masses

if you feel froggy just jump
to next dive bar and bump
jukebox favs as you dump
like 10 brews down in one gulp
your juice fiction like the pulp
strayed off topic my bad, mia culp

like haley's roots gotta stay plamted
in the wake of my tail like the comet
gimme a break chance that I wanted
be alright till clue drop a bomb on it
one day someone will copy my flo
prolly not but it's nice to think so

info flows straight from
my brain to my tongue
spit knowledge to the young
sneeze on you-with an achoo
good bless you-here's a tissue
rhymes extinct nobody will miss you

Lbo wrote something the other day called Mad Libs. It was for my birthday. In that spirit I asked one of my coworkers to suggest some words for me. She came up with Label, Jump, Plant, Information, Tissue. Most of it was written on Friday but apparently I am not supposed to by doing blog entries at work. Who would have known? Anyway. That's All I got. OOOOO anyone wanna use the words and do their own?

Boo Club

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0627/p01s01-usju.html

Book Club?

"Noodle Incident"...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0627/p01s01-usju.html

Everyone knows I am an avid reader of the greatest work in literary history; From "Hop on Pop" which had a surprising ending to the funny pages which tend to be pretty darn funny. I will never forget the "Noodle Incident"... boy o boy. It seems that everyone is doing this reading thing now. Everywhere I go I see someone with a book or a newspaper. Most people are reading the daily rags like the Metro or AMNY; others read trash like the NY post and still there are all these books on a range of topics like getting fit for the summer and eating for the winter.

Oprah can do it...

Now that I have reached a ripe old age of 25 I've decided that I have studied enough to be able to make recommendations to people. That's right people, it's a book club. I mean Oprah can do it why can't I? Completely rhetorical. Such a good word. Anyone else know any good words? I actually think I prefer rhetoric over rhetorical but that really isn't the point. It's not such much a book club but just that I was introduced to a wonderful book and would like to sing it's praises. I suppose it becomes a club if I do this often.

I was recently given "Race Matters" and I must say it has left an impression on me. It wasn't that anything in there was particulary new or earth shattering but more so that everything was linked so nicely. Some people would think that i do not understand that race matters as I have a group of friends from highschool which is basically equivalent to the United Nations. (Though the only person who isn't an original American is me.)

Group Picture of my HS People

So I get distracted easily...

Really I do. Which is why it is quite important that this book is a fast read. Sadly there are no pictures but he tackles issues in a manner which is accessible and can be understood by everyone. It's not a book that focuses on the negative aspects but more so the history from all points of view. He offers solutions to every identified problem as he hopes one day after working through all of these issues race will no longer matter. Take a seat in your favorite book store and thumb trhough it. Tell me what you think.

Rhymes for no Reason

Untitled

Desire...
to be what you are not
to have what you cannot-leads down the road of unhappiness
to be better than what you are
to make the world better-leads to great things

I Want...
to be anywhere but here
to be strong
to be right but often am wrong

I want to be with you

I Wish...
to be a better man some day
to be an engineer
to be influential enough to change the course of this world
to be a great dad some day-leading little ones to unselfish things

I wish you were the one.

Untitled

who Am I?
how do I identify myself?
is it through your eyes that I judge?
through the looking glass I see
but is that really me?
distorted funhouse vision
obtuse and oblong, i can't fit in my own skin
insecure and unsure but what for
surely do not fit in your mold
this is what i know for sure

am I a black man?
"more LIKE white with a heavy tan"
"YOU talk white, yet say aight"
"you are not AUTHENTIC or afrocentric"
"show more LOVE for the sistas"
"be WITH your kind not mine"
"you have NO rep on the street"
"no CHANCE of being gangsta"

CondoMinimum

Good Morning Brooknah!

It's amazing how things change in 3 weeks. Remember how I whined and complained about housing ? Well I guess I have to take it all back. I found a place and I've been running around trying to take care of business. Banks, Lawyers, Real Estate agents, Brokers have all been pretending to be my friend over this period. Praising me at times and at times shunning me. It seems that everyone has their hands in my pockets. Maybe I don't want this place afterall, that was an obvious lie. hmmm I had pictures of the place up for about an hour last week but it seemed wrong to me to post pictures of somebody else's place. I mean it is practically mine now but something seemed wrong. So I've also spent time in the cyberville fabricating a house I can show off. I've even made some modifications on the place.















I am sure I had more important things to say and will post them later.

Friend indeed

Thanks Tina, For all your support

Can't help it...

This is a short post again mostly with pictures. One day soon I will write something significant.

Coney Island Station

Jwow took these pictures. It was a really beautiful Brooklyn day but when isn't it?

The hype man can be heard yelling "Shoot the Freak, Shoot the Freak. Shoot the Freak you" to a tune that could have been "Superfreak" by Rick James. That's only a guess since what he was sing-screaming didn't closely match the song at all

It's Huge!!!

In other news...

Remember when I said that the condo hunt was over? An interesting twist occurred yesterday. Got a call from an agent, saw a nice duplex and put an offer in today. I guess you never know.

Mind Full

It's obvious that things aren't what they're meant to be
The fact that we can't got me fucked up mentally
wish I had the words to open up your heart to me
so i can say the magic words like open sesame
better be a bevy of bomb blasts breaking backs like bane
I'd rather that than the pain
I feel when you are away
thought it was real but life is a mirage
Like trying to buy a Benz with money for a neon dodge
times it feels just right
just like we might
but I gotta fight
to keep sight of the light
and keep my thoughts tight

That's all I have so far. I started writing this on the train at the back of a business card on the way to chill with some friends. Don't have a title for it yet. I need some ideas.

I should be working on one that I actually have a beat for but I am without an MP3 player for now so it's kind difficult to remember the beat and write a 1/2 way almost decent rhyme. The name of the new piece is gonna be "new man."

This is Phantom's piece that I was supposed to post may 16th

Yo. This rhyme. It's like Mad Libs
Cause you fill in the blanks without giraffe ribs

April one five, tax day it's true
Also Sherman's birthday, damn who knew
The plans for the day, the itinerary
Janet kept it locked secret like the military
1 year older now a quarter century
It's been a beautiful struggle like Talib Kweli
That's the one clue, that I'll reveal
Maybe later on, we can catch a meal
Or head to the _____ to celebrate your b-day
Hope this yellow plastic bat ain't a dead giveaway
Gonna keep it Brooklyn centric as long as we can
Since 9th grade, you know you've been my man
Showed that heart of gold, morning volunterring
While DJ and I slept cozy in our beds
Whatever's next, no telling where Janet's steering
Clue #2 some pork fried duck heads
Middle of the day, gonna drop a big surprise
When _____ _____ and you won't believe your eyes
Once again props to Janet for organization
3 thumbs up like TiVO for Latin Nation
O know what else? We gonna blankety blank
At hmmm, but prolly not with Frank
Wanna hear how we did what we do?
The mystery'll be revealed when we get to part 2

AC/PC

Gambling Time

I didn't really take many pictures in Atlantic City. I figured that we were under enough surveillance in the Casinos. Our hotel room was extremely budget and was across from a crackhouse. I don't actually know if it was a crackhouse but it was boarded up and had several shady people coming in and out through the back. I definitely didn't take a picture of that. Here's a monkey







Snap back to reality...

Once again nothing substantial, just beautiful pictures.

German People are awesome...

It was actually my fault. See I was trying to take a timed picture so both of us could be in. However this German runner saw the precarious position my camera was placed in and offered to take it for us. I forgot that the timer was still on, well you see the results.













We were so stoked when we saw this. Alright that came off weird. Just a little enginuity.





All these pictures and I haven't gotten to Coney Island yet. I guess I will leave this for tomorrow.

I will insert witty comments later.

Day in the Park

Beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Maybe I'll add words later but I seem to remember some mathematical formula relating words and pictures. Whatever it is, it should apply here.

Neglect...

I've been calling it research but it should be called Neglect. I've been considering what my next post should be. I'm supposedly working on posts on Coffee and evolution of video game cards., basically bad habits and geeks stuff. Actually I spent most of my time picking up the Xbox once more and curling up to some Tony Hawk Under Ground 2. I apparently needed some THUGing love. I got the ranch back for Iggy, kissed the girl; typical happy ending.



Failures and Hard Times...

Though I find trying to put my thoughts to words kinda therapeutic, there's been a lot going through my mind that has kept me preoccupied. I've heard from some people that lists are good things. So this is my shot at a list.

List o' Crappiness

• Can't buy a condo
• Bum right knee

Not much of a list. I am clearly a beginner level list writer. Strictly following the definition I suppose two things can make a list but I personally think a list is better used when five or more things are involved. I need to get my list game up. When I decided on making a list I swore I had a billion things to write up. Feeble.

The Condo Speaks for itself...

Real Estate in NYC is ridiculous. Apparently two fairly steady paying jobs don't put you in the position to purchase a place around these parts. I am considering changing my name to Trump, the name alone has more equity than I can ever hope to build.

60 Year Old Knee...

My right knee is twice as old as the rest of me. I've had pain in it for quite a while; almost 10 years. I finally caved in a.k.a. got health insurance and got it checked out. I believe the doc said it was arthritis. He recommended arthroscopic surgery. While in his office I was convinced that surgery was the best choice. I've been reconsidering and now I am not sure.


This is likely what I will be going through. http://www.kneescope.org/Lbw/about.asp
Nut Soap...

I searched all over for the Yardley Oatmeal and Almond soap. Finally found it this week. I used to get it in Wegmans back in the days. If they need me for a commercial I am game. A second chance at a list?

It's Good Cause

• Not too fragrant
• exfoliating
• chunks of oats

Closer but still not a real list. Cucumber and Lavender versions. These lack the essential qualities from the above list

Car...

There was a special on the news the other day about the endless number of NYC residents with out of state plates. I guess it works. Been considering selling my car because insurance is so high. Maybe the best thing to do is to move out of NYC. Does Colorado have low car insurance?

Truth...

I saw the Al Gore movie, it's mandatory viewing for some.

Nothing to see here

That's right, no pictures today, just straight talk. Ever had an itch on your palm on the front side of your finger? Incredibly difficult to scratch. If anyone has a technique to take care of those I would be in debt to them.

Speaking of debt, visit Times Square, NYC to see the debt clock and you'll find a display of our national debt and your portion. At some point this thing was actually going down. (Too easy) I have yet another clock for you. Union Square, NYC has a metronome that simultaneously counting down and up to midnight. Perhaps that's not what you consider sight-seeing. If you just want to hang find a way to Brooklyn and let the fun begin.

I do have to confess something. I originally thought that the clock at Union Square was a debt clock. I was obviously wrong, not the last time.

Learning is FUNdaMENTAL

Other things I learned. Did you know that bird have the ability to excrete solid urine? In fact the white stuff you see in what most think is feces is actually urine. WOW No need to get into why I even felt a need to look into this

So last Saturday someone got pooped and urined on... Also a long story.

ode


Since I always keep my promises and I am trying to become a wordinista (thank you Steven Colbert)


Noun

* S: (n) ode (a lyric poem with complex stanza forms)

Cherry blossom
tend to be totally awesome
unless you have allergies
or live in DC
so sensitive you are abhita
impressed with the mane on shiva
so this is an ODE to you
hope you write one for me too

Not sure if that had "complex stanza forms." C is for cookie...

Rhyme or Reason

It has become somewhat customary to write a rhyme after a birthday celebration; here is a tidbit of mine. Um also for some reason this site has decided to move my rhyme way down the page. Sorry about that. Please scroll down to read the posts.

thx
HD

King for a Day

half past seven make moves from the BK	not the last mention of MY boro
soon be in the club just waiting for the DJ	not to be confused with DJ
to *let your body rock* or the beat drop	like the Kweli song
want every day like this call me non-stop	Minoriteam reference
started the right way with P-A-C-K	Clever way of saying Tina's name
and Wow, giving back to the hungry	still can't spell
Alphabet Scoop next to the soup kitchen	it was for a good cause
tight Cherry Vanilla Malt got me twitchin''	Coconut pineapple is better?
Let me take a step back for a moment or two	cause I kinda skipped ahead
cause Geoff came from PA to represent too	he got in at 11am!!! damn!!!
that was just the first of many surprises	but not the last
spanning from the fall of the sun to when it rises	it's backward but rhymes better
Next up we got down dim sum	dim sum is awesome
Late as usual but Lbo did come	always late!!!!!
Now we headed back to Brooklyn !Back to the heart !	my heart is in the shape of BK
back to the borough that I will never part	don't hate cause I may move to NJ
shiv made a TD caught a beautiful pass	breaking ankles like Vick
in the past ball prolly dropped to the grass	Geoff still did :)
Prospect Park shined bright	It was a really beautiful day
got free tickets to the gun show	Guys gone wild from L
DJ with the wife beater	people who actually beat their wives are terrible
pumping iron on the downlow	secret not gay
Two toned from sun burn	it was quite the site I must tell
Flex the bicep on the intercept	flex for me
while Yomi hi-step	prolly not but needed a near rhyme
Yomi this time I didn't forget about Yomi	reference to larry's rap
cause see Yomi, he is my BK Homie	he is
Brooklyn representing all of to Barcade
Doc's Cider hit the sweet spot like marmalade

Several collage attempts using Picasa 2. I am apparrently quite the artist.

Contact sheet view. Click to enlarge.


Looks just like a a really messy desk

It's actually called picture pile.
Good Stuff.