A Brother's Wit and Another Brother's Response

Raheem:

Here are a few funny things that women shouldn't do to or around her man.....

10Don't tell him he remind you of your ex....Ladies that's a no no, that upsets us when we hear that...

9Don't leave your period panties lying around where we can seem them...Thats nasty and shit make us look at you funny!..

8If we leave you alone in our house don't go through our stuff....it's rude and disrespectful. It shows you don't trust us and you're nosey...

7If your on your period TELL US before we go down on you...Enough Said!..

6Don't change the channel when we are watching the game or in my case cartoons lol....if your asking for a playful pyhsical fight you got it...

5Do not, I repeat Don not touch the PS2 or XBOX unless your calling us out for a game....Its our only real escape from you, please let us have our moment...

4If we tell you we are out with the fellas, don'tcall us an hour later checking to make sure we are still with the fellas....a women might answer the phone lol...j/k..

3When we are out with you at the mall and you catch us looking at another women, don't get mad we are just looking.....We are with you, we are holding your hand.We know who we belong to so don't trip...

2Don't brag to your girl about us, 9/10 she's going to want to try and kill your relationship. She might even try to sleep with your man.AND ..

1This is a big one ladies, You have to give head and not be afraid to swallow cum. Here's a secret, ifyou don't suck the dick sooner or later your man will find someone that will LOL LOL....

Well there you have it, just a little humor to add to this group.

Me:

How about turning the funny to the serious and doing ten things a man or woman should do when in a relationship. I mean I know we do too many dang on lists, and have too many requirements, but maybe combining people's lists will help someone enjoy their relationship that much more.

1. Be authentic- There's no better you than the real you.

2. Be honest- Don't hide your true feelings or what you're going through, don't make yourself overly vulnerable, but be open to me.

3.Be lovable- Be open to the possibility of love, be open to the possibilities which exist

4. Be committed- Be in a partnership with me, work together with me to make things work.

5.Be loyal- Stand by me, walk beside me, help me to believe in you by believing in me.

6.Be trusting- Trust that I will never do anything to intentionally hurt you, and trust that I will be who and what you need for me to be.

7.Be consistent- Don't change who you are like we change seasons.

8.Be giving- Remember this is a partnership, give notmaterial things, but give me the best parts of you.

9.Be my friend- Before you can be my lover, be my friend, be someone I can chill with.

10.Be my lover- Be lovable, be loving, be authentic, be the inspiration which helps me to live day to day.

Quotes

Sunday- "Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world." -Malcolm X, Spiritual and Civil Rights Leader
Monday- "You can kill a man but you can't kill an idea."- Medgar Evers, Civil Rights Leader
Tuesday- "When I was young, I said to God, god, tell me the mystery of the universe. But God answered, that knowledge is for me alone. So I said, god, tell me the mystery of the peanut. Then God said, well, George, that's more nearly your size." -George Washington Carver, Inventor and Scientist
Wednesday- "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin, Statesman, Politician, Philanthropist
Thursday- "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence." -George Washington, The First President of the United States
Friday- "We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly. . . spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order."-Susan L. Taylor, Author
Saturday- "I leave you my portrait so that you will have my presence all the days and nights that I am away from you." -Frida Kahlo, Artist
Have a great week, everyone. -Christopher aka CNEL bka Chris

Me: A to Z

[ A is for age:] 19

[B is for booze of choice:]Bummer, don't drink, but bacardi starts with a B iono
[C is for career:] Broadcast Journalist, Attorney, Educational Administrator

[D is for your dad's name:] Thomas

[E is for essential items to bring to a party:] LoL party, ummm I do gifts or gift cards or money, but I'm stopping that soon since I never get ish from my "friends"

[F is for favorite song at the moment:] Cursed by Vivian Green, been that way for a minute too

[G is for favorite game:] I'm a grown @** man I don't do games, but I miss playing Mafia like in high school, LoL dang do I still remember the rules

[H is for hometown:]Baltimore, Maryland hometown, present town, does it matter?

[I is for instruments you play:] None, but I wish I could play the piano

[J is for jam or jelly you like:]" It must be jelly, cause jam don't shake like that"

[K is for kids?] Not for me, I'll babysit them, teach them, mentor them, but never have any

[L is for living arrangements:]I have a roommate with whom I share a bathroom, I share a common room and kitchen with 4 other guys
[M is for mom's name:] Yolanda -Ya-land- duh, not Ya-lawn-duh

[N is for name of your crush:]Some freshman girl here at LoCo, and someone else from my high school days

[O is for overnight hospital stays:] None

[P is for phobias:] Loneliness, failure, bridges, mean people LoL so not joking on the last one

[Q is for quotes you like:] "Yesterday was the past, tomorrow is the future, today is a gift we simply call the present."

[R is for relationship that lasted the longest:] LoL I honestly can't remember, I'm not good at those surprisingly

[S is for sexual preference:]Slits and slots aka females

[T is for time you wake up:] Around 7 am to shower for 8 am class

[U is for underwear:] Boxers

[V is for vegetable you love:] Corn or brocoli with cheese, does the cheese negate the brocoli?, does potatoes count, I love potatoes and onions, mashed potatoes, home fries, LoL

[W is for weekend plans:] Homework, sleeping, reading, pondering the future, chilling with friends I don't see during the week, taking a break from my two part time jobs

[X is for x-rays you've had:]Like one or two

[Y is for yummy food you make:] I can bake, ummm I can also cook if given the time and instructions
[Z is for zodiac sign:] Cancer the Crab, but I'm not crabby lol

If I Had a Love Jones For Somebody I'd Love Someone Enough to Be Passionate Every Day of My Life

Love is an unmatched devotion to another, but most importantly a devotion to oneself. Love is about the connection between two people on emotional, physical, and spiritual levels. Love can only come once a person first loves themself, but also loves another enough to be willing to give of themself unconditionally. Love is about sharing and helping someone else to reach their level, and accepting their ability to help push you to your ultimate high.

Love is about giving, more than it is about taking, love is about sharing of yourself and all that you have.

Love is honesty, love is respect, but most importantly love is autheniticity. Love is being unafraid of being who you really are, love is about risking not being accepted, in order to be who you really are for the person you really love.

I tell all my friends that a true friendship is finally beginning to understand the majesty of God because "real friends show u what God looks like....friendship is lookin at God straight in the face." Relationships are the same way true love is understanding the beauty of creation, the beauty of growth, and the beauty of change, and change for the better.

Passion is so many things. Passion is raw, passion is real, passion is seeking a greater understanding, passion is motivation, passion is sowing love, passion is desire, passion is discipline, passion is dedication, and passion is above all a steadfast belief in the things you hold dear to you. Passion is total commitment to staying true to your own values, being unafraid to use your voice, and sharing your vision of a better tomorrow. Passion is realizing life and love allow you not to focus only on your yesterdays, but more so on the yes days, the days where you feel good, and where you feel free.

AN OPEN DIALOGUE: THE MISSING ELEMENT OF FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS

Below is a blog posting by Grown N Sexi and CNEL's response

Guys
We love it when you come behind us and wrap your arms around our waist and just hold us while whispering in our ears...DAMN THAT'S SEXY!!!

Now that is very manageable, you should never have to teach a man how to hold or console you. And he shouldn’t be whispering sweet nothings but instead letting you know that you are his everything.

When we talk.. really.. I mean really listen to what we're saying.. I'm tired of guys who can't carry a conversation unless it's about sex or sports.. Expand your horizons for goodness sakes!!! Being opinionated is not always a bad thing.. just as long as you don't force your ideas upon others...

I am quite sure most guys are capable of holding a conversation, you have to make sure you phrased the question the right way, or started the discussion the right way. Having an informed opinion not being opinionated is what counts.

Passion is always a must!! Passion not only in the bedroom.. but passion for your ideas and opinions.. Stand firm in what you believe in... A little debate every now and then adds a little spice to your relationship..

Agreed passion is a must. A man or woman who is passionate is committed to giving their all in life and in love. I once heard Tavis Smiley say, "You can either live for a cause or you can live just because." And what better cause than a good man or woman. And if a man is your man, or a woman is your woman, they should feel that they are able to express themselves honestly, openly, and freely, without being judged.

Compliments are wonderful and can be a beautiful thing if done correctly.. Just because we give you a compliment does not mean you have to return the favor.. Compliments are best when least expected..

I give compliments to women all the time, it doesn’t seem to help me any. HaHa just kidding. You’re right it can never hurt to tell a woman thank you for being beautiful, thank you for being you, and thank you for being with me. Compliments are like flowers they make living that much more beautiful, but they can also give one an allergic reaction, so make sure the compliment means something. And yeah it’s better when they’re from the heart, don’t say it just cause, say it because it’s true.


BE OBSERVANT!! When we change our hairstyles or wear new things.. SAY SOMETHING!! Let us know that u notice the difference..

Sometimes beautiful is beautiful and that can’t change. And what happens if we don’t like it, the new you ? Well I can kind of see your point, you want the man to let you know that beautiful is still beautiful.

When we tell you we'll call you back.. WE MEAN JUST THAT!! Don't call us 20 mins. later and expect us to carry on a conversation with you.. Be EASY!!!!

Now this one I have a problem with. Now here’s where woman sometimes (emphasis on some women and some of the time) get a little dishonest. One of my biggest complaints is this, when you say you’re going to call us back, you don’t. If you don’t call us back, you told us a big fat lie. If you don’t want to talk say just that, I don’t feel like talking or I got something to do. Don’t say I’ll call you back to get rid of us. Cause if we haven’t heard from you in a while, we will call, and it may be annoying. FORGET "BE EASY"...try "STAY HONEST."

Oh and another thing.. although you may love us there is NOT a need to tell us 20,000 times a day.. everyday.. You can show us better than you could ever tell us!!!

Here’s another one I have a problem with. You get mad as hell when a man takes forever to say he loves you, and now you don’t want to hear it. Make up your mind! This is one of the instances where because of a statement like this a man will say a woman is illogical and or irrational. I agree deeds count more than words, but I still think the three little words with big meaning need to be said. I mean one has the potential to overdo it, but not really. If you don’t like hearing those words than do you really love ol boy or ol girl? When you don’t like hearing the truth you may be living a lie.

I’m jumping down off the soapbox, CNEL

Busy Me

I'm so friggin busy
8 am classes everyday, what was I thinking as I registered for classes? It'd be better if classes began at 8:05 or 8:10 because that is when it seems I get there.
LoL why did I go to a school with a core requirement? It's that really subjective, at a time when we're supposed to learn to be objective.
I was recently named News Anchor and News Director of WLOY Radio. I'm slowly being introduced to the world of radio broadcasting. Hmmm I've almost covered all the bases I've interned at TV station, written for school newspapers, interned at a government agency as a PR consultant, and now I'll be doing my own show.
I still work as an After Care Counselor and I think I learn more from 5-10 year olds than I do from people my age. There are some exceptions however and some of my brighter contemporaries well they're on xanga.......shout out to Amelia, Brittany, Gary, Lauren, and Steve.
I'm also still a diversity consultant. HaHa not at my school now cause diversity here is interesting, but elsewhere.
In the end my crazy and chaotic life makes me realize that I am blessed and fortunate.
Still to do this week:
1) Move into a different dorm room
2) Find a good church which is close to campus
3) Write some poetry, cause it's been a minute
4) Finish, "Why Are All the Black Kids," cause I started it when it was still summer. It's now Fall for all who care.

Later,
CNEL

Making The News Today

Ok, so I was hired by the campus radio station as a news anchor. I am still holding out hope that I get a position with the campus television station. TV remains my first love. Thanks to my time over at Channel 2 I have grown to love broadcasting. While it's hard work, while it's demanding, and while it's sometimes stressful, it's a rewarding vocation. I always remember the words of the Rev. Peter J. Gomes who said, "Vocation is where the world's great need meets your great joy." The world is in need of truth. The world is in need of information and knowledge with which they can make informed decisions and grow wise, strong, and powerful in their own right. That is why I feel honored to be in the position where I can help inform others.

Well today was good, but it wasn't great. I went in to record my first news update. The news updates are five minute reports of the news which are slated to run at the top of every other hour. While I got five minutes worth of important news which ranged from international to national to local to campus coverage, I read it waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy to fast. I have a problem with speaking a million miles per second. I always joke it's because I was a premie. I was two months earlier, and when I was four and five regularly attended speech therapy. So now I tell people when they say I'm speaking too fast that I'm making up for lost time. Sometimes I really get too excited. I feel like I have so much to share with the world, and that I only have their attention for so long. I know, I know, if it's worth saying then it's worth hearing. And those who want to know will listen, but still I feel pressure to reach as many people as possible.

Well anyways it doesn't seem that the news updates aired at all today, despite the fact that I worked for quite sometime recording, and then worked with my boss to do some editing. I'm hoping it was a technical matter that prevented me from getting on the air today. I don't want to feel as if I'm wasting my time. Well I'm slated to anchor Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. So I'll work on pacing, work on delivering, and work on learning how to edit. I'm going to have to learn to be a one man band, I won't complain, one has to pay one's dues and one has to become prepared.

That's all for now.

I'll talk to you all later. Be blessed and stay strong.

-Christopher aka CNEL bka Chris

Hmm the quote of the day how appropriate for me:
Monday- If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama

Words of Wisdom Edition: 1

A new feature:

Each Sunday night I'm going to attempt to give this blog's readers some inspirational words of wisdom. Some of the words will be mine and others will not be my words, but all will be words to live by.

Just a lil something to get us all through the week.

-CNEL

Sunday- Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us. - Television Personality and Media Mogul Oprah Winfrey

Monday- If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama

Tuesday-It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference.- Journalist Tom Brokaw

Wednesday- Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. -Civil Rights Leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Thursday-It is not what you keep, but what you give that makes you happy. We make our living by what we get. We make our life by what we give.- Educator Dr. Benjamin Mays

Friday-A basic prerequisite for appreciating diversity is appreciating one's self.-Educator Walter Massey

Saturday- Don't be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it's just death. -Entertainer Lena Horne

I Spy

Why are people so immature? Why can't people behave like adults?

Why is it that people can't seem to realize that I don't play games?

Quite frankly I don't have time to play games. I have things to do. I am a man on a mission.

I don't have time to play I-Spy and stare all up in people's faces all day long. It just doesn't appeal to me.

Why do people walk past you without speaking and then try to call you out for not speaking?

If one more of my friends says to me, "so and so said you don't speak" I'm going to consider an act of violence. I mean for real if it's that serious a concern for you then share it with me, don't go to a third party. If it's that serious how come so and so doesn't speak to me? It's obvious that they feel the need to communicate.

Furthermore, what use is there in speaking if when you nod or say hi and people ignore you? Why can't people speak or not speak, why can't people be a little bit more consistent with their actions?

And why for goodness sake, why can't people realize that life is not a popularity contest, and if you want to be known do something worth noticing. Do something productive with yourself and with your life that will make people pay attention. And finally don't talk about it, be about it.

And if you're a so and so, go ahead and get your life right.

What Is a Black Queen?

What is a black queen?

A black queen is first and foremost true to herself. If she doesn't treat herself right, how could I expect her to do me right?

My philosophy is this, treat yourself right first, and you'll be able to treat others right later. As for now I'm in a relationship with myself, getting my life right, so I can be able to add something to the life of the right woman, and be able to receive the gifts she has to give to me.

My mother always uses the Bible on me and so she says,"He who finds a wife, finds a God thing." Right now as I said I'm not looking, and I won't ever really be looking. Because I believe that when the right woman comes along it won't be that I have found her or she has found me it will be that we have found each other.

Back to the question: a Black Queen is brilliant, beautiful, bold, caring, committed to herself, her family, her friends, and her vision of what her life should be. She is driven, determined, honest, humble, intelligent, loving, loyal, and passionate. A black queen is so many things, but the key to her existence and to her essence is that she is "authentic." She is all these things yet she makes it look easy. She is all these things yet her grace, her beauty, her style, and her class all shine through and everyone knows that what she is, what they see is real, and that what they see is truth.

Life Is Umm Interesting

Okay so today was a bit of a crazy day. I woke up tired and am still tired LoL. How that happens I don't know? Last night I was down at my old middle school St. Iggy recruiting for my old high school McD. I didn't get back to campus till late and was up doing hmwk.

This morning I woke up to shower and head to my 8:00am class and was hella tired. I was dosing off all throughout that first class. Then I went to my second class which wasn't so bad. By the time I got to my last class I was dosing off again.

When I got to work I was as good as gone. I was dosing off as I watched the kids go up and down the slide, swing on the swings, et cetera. Shhhh don't tell nobody. The only thing that woke me up was one kid came over to snitch on another kid. I then proceeded to lecture kids about following After Care rules, and not making me repeat myself. I didn't want to come off to strong, but one kid told me I sounded like her father. Go figure! I've always been told that I'm kind of fatherly LoL.

A few of the kids up at the school are absolutely adorable. There is one kid whose Vietnamese and Black. Since he has a black father I think he's grown attached to me. There is another young lady who I think is mixed but I can't be sure, she's adorable as well. She has a slight lisp but it's sooooo cute. She tried to spell Mr. Nelson and wrote it like this N-I-L-S-I-N. Hey atleast she sounded it out. Then there's this one kid whose all of five but I call him the little scientist, today he taught me all about the rings on trees, and what happens when a tree is split. Hmm never liked science, but if the kid had been my teacher than maybe.

Okay so we just got done a 30 minute fire drill. I still maintain that if there were ever a real fire, I'd probably have to jump out of my second floor window. But anyways now I got to do some hmwk....get ready for a board meeting tmw..... these days I have to get myself in the right mindset a day in advance....pray work doesn't wear me out again...andget syked up for my audition at campus radio tmw.

I'll holla prolly 2mw.

Adios folks.
-CNEL

A Reflection

It is Sunday, September 11, 2005, four years after the 9-11 attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. Today many took the time to honor those who died, honor their lives, and take hold of the memories. Memories are all they have and four years later the pain is still there. The anniversary of 9-11 coupled with the death and destruction that was caused by Hurricane Katrina almost seems like too much to bear. It seems these events punctuate the fact that we are living in perilous times, times which we have no control over. It's times like these that remind me that we can't control the events and circumstances that often make up our life, but we can control the role we play in our own lives. It's times like these that remind me of the power of one. The power I have to create my own destiny and secure my own legacy. I am not perfect, I am far from it. I have not yet gotten to where I want to be or even where I need to be, but at night I pray that one day I will reach my height. And each day I look up, I stand up, I step up, and I speak up, because I refuse to let anyone put a limit on my purpose and my destiny.
For some reason I feel that in the next few weeks and months I will be tested. I feel as if I will have doubters, detractors, and quite frankly haters, but they can't stop me, and they won't stop me. People wonder why I am the way I am. I am this way because it's how I'm supposed to be. I can't live my life wondering and worrying about others. I must my live with the hope that I am being true to myself, my faith, my family, and my friends.

I am who I am and who I am is strong.

Leadership in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina

On Friday, September 9, 2005 I had the chance to make the short trip to Morgan State University in order to hear radio and television host Tavis Smiley speak to an assembled crowd as part of his "Tavis Smiley Presents: Talented Tenth HBCU Tour". Mr. Smiley has plans to travel to some of the nations Historically Black Colleges and Universities to address students, faculty, staff, and other members of the community about the need for leadership, especially leadership amongst young African-Americans, who he sees as the new" talented tenth". The reference to the "Talented Tenth" is a reference to the writings of W.E. B. DuBois, a sociologist who was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Mr. DuBois wrote that the "talented tenth" aka the educated (college educated) members of African-American community would thus be responsible for encouraging the growth and development of the black community. DuBois wrote, "The Negro race, like all other races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men." While both Mr. DuBois's and Mr. Smiley's target audience were African-Americans the lessons offered by these men benefit us all.

In his talk on Friday evening, Smiley discussed the importance of meaningful leadership in the midst of the national tragedy which is Hurricane Katrina. He said to those assembled, "It's clear what the challenge is to your generation, you don't even need to study history, just look at what happened over the course of the past week." The events of the past week have not only impacted African-Americans, but all Americans here and abroad. Smiley offered that "a natural disaster has been turned into a national disgrace." No matter what your race or ethnicity, no matter what your political affiliation, no matter what your economic status, the sights and sounds of the past week have probably pulled at your heart strings. As this nation and as the world, as we watch as the Mississippi Gulf Coast tries to salvage what it has left, and as they then try to rebuild and reconstruct their way of life, we all look for leadership. We all look to those who we've elected, to those who've been appointed, and to those who've been anointed as leaders for us all. We look to them and hope that they will do what is right. We hope that they will do what is best for us. We hope that we won't be hurt, we won't be shamed, we hope that we will be protected, and we hope that we will be safe. We hope against hope that we will be led in the right direction. But we must all remember that we must first lead ourselves in the right direction.

-CNEL
P.S.
There is more to come on Smiley's talk, I am still taking it all in.

My Life

Wassup Errbody,

As I write this it is now Saturday, September 10, 2005, 12:10 pm. I just got back from an Open House at WLOY, our campus radio station, which is directly behind my dorms. I went to the Open House in hopes of getting more information and possibly obtaining a position as either a DJ or a News Anchor. Things went well as I was offered the opportunity to train next week, make a demo, and then hopefully get a spot as a News Anchor. I hope that it all works out and within a few weeks I am once again anchoring the news.

I am so relieved that the first week of school is over. It seems no one told me that sophomore year would be this challenging. Already I feel as if I'll have to be on the grind. It's probably because I know that I'll need to balance school, work, extra curriculars, volunteering, and family time, with taking the time to do me. I know that's what's expected of me, but there is so much I want to do, which means it will take a lot for me to keep up. So far so good though, nothing really to complain about. I like my suite, though once again Student Life shafted me and gave me a mini-room. My roommates all seem cool, and my direct roommate seems to understand me or is attempting to begin to understand me, and I him. I don't know if coming off as a no nonsense, don't take no stuff type of guy will hurt me or help me, but it is me and I won't apologize for it.
So far, so good though. It's Saturday so I'll spend some time doing homework and then I'll probably try and head off campus, go down to Hopkins for an exhibit or take a bus or shuttle somewhere. So hope all is well with all of you. I will keep you updated on me as best and as often as I can.

Later,
CNEL

On My Mind: Tavis Smiley's talk from last night @ Morgan State
The victims of Hurricane Katrina
The anniversary of 9-11
My life, my family, my true friends, my potential

Thoughts for Today: "All my skinfolk, ain't my kinfolk." -Zora Neale Hurston
"When and where I enter, the whole race enters with me."- Anna Julia Cooper

How Old Am I?

I think I'm 19 and a sophomore in college, but I can't tell these days. Last fall I was asked if I were in the eighth grade, because I wore my blazer when I was at my alma mater acting as a tour guide during their open house. This fall while helping with the freshman orientation I was asked if I were a 10th grader, the woman then said she knew I wasn't a freshman, cool beans, not! In between last fall and this fall I was carded while running errands around town. And today I was at work, and one of my coworkers who attends the same school as me, asked if I was a freshman. I'm a friggin sophomore with the age and the migraines to match. It's only week one, but why does it seem as if this year will be a little more intense than last year, if so that means I'll get an up close and personal preview of hell. I guess it's better to get a preview than to have to take the trip.

That's my rant as I prepare to type my first paper of the year.

People please, please, please keep me lifted up in prayer.

Thanks,
CNEL :-)

Calling A Time Out

I am calling a time out.

So earlier today I had my first day of school as a college sophomore. I had three of my five classes, mistakenly went to work though I start tomorrow, and felt as if things here at Loyola had gotten a lot better. Last year quite frankly was horrid, so I felt as if I had nowhere to go but up.

When I went to sleep last night I was really feeling my suitemates, but as I go to sleep tonight I may end up loathing my direct roommate.

Here's what went down:

So I come back to my room after a long day of classes, mistakenly going to work, handling some other business, et cetera, et cetera. I come back only to find I'm locked out of my room. I'm okay with that I'm thinking maybe my roommate is changing, maybe he's taking a nap, maybe he needs a really quiet environment so he can study. So I get lost for another oh hour and a half. I spend time in the comp lab (mine still hasn't arrived yet), I spend time watching TV (though there is nothing on that interests me), and I spend time just wandering around my building(what else is there to do to kill time).

When I go upstairs to do some homework dude finally let's me in the room. It turns out he wasn't changing, unless it was positions, wasn't napping, unless it was the after sex nap, and he wasn't studying, unless biology and anatomy are part of his courseload. Dude had his girlfriend over. How was I supposed to know?

I mean I have problem with him trying to get it in, I just need a little heads up. I won't be jumping through any hoops to help this man get his on the regular, but I can respect the need for both space and privacy, but come on be considerate. Dude, didn't ask me if he was intruding on my space, on my time, and taking advantage of my kindness. He better not push it, because as I told my former roommate, "Don't make me go Baltimore on you."

I'm flexible but you dick around with your partners and not mess with CNEL. Don't take the "kindness for weakness", cause you don't know me.

As with everyone dude deserves another shot but he better not push it. I am from Baltimore, and I do come correct. It's not about me being a tough guy, it's about me making his life tough.

I know one thing if they did the do they better air my room out and spray some friggin air freshner, atleast I know they didn't use my bed, that beats high school when people asked that you volunteer your bed for their usage. People are so nasty. Let's get it together people. Let's get it together.

Ever End Up In A Place You Never Thought You'd Be?

Well that is exactly what happened to me, I'm in a place I never thought I'd be.

A year ago I had just arrived on the campus of Loyola College in Maryland. The experience was surreal not because it was college, but because it was my college. I can remember for years driving by the campus and saying I would never go there, yet it is where I found myself. I had always imagined myself taking on college in DC, Philly, Atlanta, somewhere just not good ol Baltimore, yet it is where I ended up.

I admit for quite sometime I was bitter, I was distraught about not ending up where I thought I would. I wanted Howard, I wanted Temple, I wanted Clark Atlanta, I wanted anywhere but Baltimore. My first year was bad I had the roommate from hell, for the first time in my memory I was disenchanted with pursuing my education, and I just didn't try. I was fed up with not getting what I wanted. I was so fed up, I didn't see the lesson that was being taught to me. The lesson was very elementary, "We don't always get what we want, but something is better than nothing." If my freshman year in college taught me anything it was not to work the latest computer program (my worst class of freshman year), or how to write an a good easy (though I'm damn good at doing so), it taught me to make the best with what I have been given.

As I approach my sophomore year which commences when I move onto campus in just a few hours, I find myself a little bitter again. I find myself uninspired, a little tired from working two jobs for five months, and not really having any vaca, but I'm blessed. I'm blessed to be pursuing a quality education, I'm blessed to have good family and friends, I'm blessed to be alive, and I'm blessed to be me.

We don't always end up in the places we thought we would, but we do all learn to do things we didn't think we could.

I'mma do the dang thing this year because I can, because I must, and because I want to, but on my own terms.

This will probably be my last blog for a minute (my new comp won't be here for a minute, I'm told because of the Hurricane), but who knows I may be inspired and I may pop up before you and know it.

Keep me in your prayers, and I'll lift you up in mine.

Thanks to all.

Christopher (This is my name, I love my name) aka CNEL$ (My most commonly used nickname) bka Chris (This too is a nickname, it's not my name) aka Sherman (I was chunky and looked like Professor Klump of the Nutty Professor) bka Goody (my childhood nickname, it sure beat "baddy" and reverse psychology worked on my crazy @!) aka Visa (As was said I was chunky and according to friends "My butt [Insert Visa here] was everywhere you want to be."

"You Can Either Live For A Cause or You Can Live Just Because"

So much seems to be happening right now.

The world is in fact changing before our very eyes.

Late last night (9-3-05) it was announced that William Rehnqusit, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States succumbed to thyroid cancer. The Chief Justice had been battling the disease since last year. The Chief should be mourned just like every other person who dies.

Oftentimes it seems we pay more attention to those in positions of power and prestige, but we should mourn all people, because we never know the potential we lost, we can never know just how much that person meant to another. Too often it seems we try to judge the lives of others, and equate it with greater or lesser value. The truth is all life is valuable and all life is precious. I always remember this one quote that I heard from Tavis Smiley one day, "You can either live for a cause or you can live just because." I hope that most people out there find something, they find someone they believe in, and they live for that cause.

Chief Justice Rehnquist found both his cause and his calling, and his cause and calling was the law. He used his impressive educational credentials, his life experiences, and his beliefs to help shape the legal fabric of this country. While some may not agree with his politics we should respect the fact that he found his cause and his calling, and he devoted himself to interpreting the laws of this land as best he could.

His death will leave a void in an important place, and that place is the Supreme Court. I still don't think people realize the importance of the nine men and women who serve on the high court. The decisions that those justices make do impact our nation. They are in effect some of the most powerful people in the world. While we all like to think that our prerogatives matter, their prerogatives generally last for decades.

I'll let the world in on a little secret. I once aspired to sit on the high court. From the time I was 10 until I was 17 I idolized Thurgood Marshall, and wanted to follow in the footsteps of my fellow Baltimore native, but then I fell in love with the news. I still love the law, find the study of the law interesting, find the judicial branch of government fascinating, and still believe the job of jurists to be among the world's most important.

Where else could I get a job which would be guaranteed for much of my natural life?

The high court is out there, maybe I'll cover it one day, or who knows maybe I'll end up there after all.

Responding to Hurricane Katrina

In the last twenty-four hours or so attention has begun to turn from rescue and recovery efforts in the city of New Orleans, and elsewhere, and shift toward the proverbial blame game.

On Friday (9-2-05) members of the Congressional Black Caucus came out blasting the federal response to Hurricane Katrina which has devastated the Gulf Coast Region from Florida to Alabama to Mississippi to Louisiana. One thing worth noting is that Representative Carolyn Meeks-Kilpatrick of Michigan (Yes, she is the mother of embattled Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick) noted that evacuees should be not be called "refugees," because as needed to be noted they are all American citizens. It's easy to forget after seeing the images that this disaster has indeed taken place on American soil, but it has, it happened in our backyard, but has now moved to our front porch.

Back now to the matter at hand the blame game. While members of the Caucus made some excellent points, their comments started a discussion which it is too premature to be having, the discussion about who is to blame. It's important to keep our eye on the ball because what really matters is that the lives of so many are forever changed. No matter what happens in the days, weeks, months, and years to come, it's important that people remember, this tragedy came as people were living their dreams, and now if we don't all stand up and help, people will continue living nightmares. The focus should remain on the rescue and recovery efforts, the focus should be focused on saving and restoring lives, but I will however comment on the blame game, because there is certainly enough blame to go around.

On Friday evening (9-2) I sat in my room cleaning up, packing up for school, and continuing to monitor news coverage of Hurricane Katrina and her aftermath. I was struck by one comment that of Boston Globe columnist Tom Oliphant. The transcript is included below:


TOM OLIPHANT: Well, I think the key task for someone in my line of work at a moment like this is to try to analyze whether what counts is the president himself or whether the president himself is emblematic of something else. And at this point I don't think there is any question that Bush is emblematic of this larger, deeper failure of government. I don't think he's any worse than government in general has been. I don't think he's any better. And as a result, I see him more as a symbol of what has gone on for years, again, and it's not one party or the other party or one ideology or another ideology; government has failed here. And what Bush didn't do before the hurricane or didn't do right away after the hurricane is only emblematic of that failure.

Oliphant was on to something. If we truly had a government which was of the people, by the people, and for the people, this type of disaster may have been avoided, or atleast the response would have been more significant. What Oliphant alluded to is right on, there is too much apathy involved in our everyday lives. Some people don't care, some people won't take a stand, and some people are too afraid to make some noise. I care, I will stand, and I ain't never scurred to make some noise. Part of the reason I aspire to be a journalist is to hold the government accountable on behalf of the citizens by asking the right questions, I want to inform the public about the answers to those question, and I want the dialogue to be ongoing.

Now the blame can't be placed solely on the shoulders of President Bush, Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff, or FEMA Director Mike Brown. Some blame has to be placed in the hands of Louisiana's Governor Kathleen Blanco, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, and other leaders who should have at different times acted more swiftly to do the following:

1) Maintain the already devastated wetlands, which would have provided a certain level of protection (This fell into the laps of Blanco, Nagin, and other local players)
2) Improved the levee system (This fell into the laps of local and federal players)
3) Devised an efficient evacuation plan (This too fell into the laps of local and federal players)
4) Put their plan to the test

As can be seen at this blog (http://www.dcthornton.com/?p=2047) no one's actions have been perfect.

When all is said and done I hope that lives are saved, and that those in power learn to do right by citizens, but most importantly that citizens learn to stay informed, stay aware, and stay vocal.

That's all for now in regard to Hurricane Katrina. My thoughts and prayers remain with the many victims and their families.

Hurricane Katrina - Part II

For the last several days we have all been witnessing the destruction of one of America's finest cities. The city of New Orleans is slowly and surely disappearing, but already hundreds of thousands of people are committed to rebuilding the once great city, the still great city. Other cities in Mississippi and Alabama have also been impacted. Hurricane Katrina has left in her wake hundreds of thousands without shelter, without food, without clothes, without running water, without medicine, and without other basic supplies and essentials. As I watch news reports I can't help but feel pain, because people are suffering through no fault of their own. While many are disappointed that aid is coming in so slowly and so sporadically, we must all hold onto the hope that people will get what they need.

This disaster has led to a few observations on my part:

1) Disaster Planning isn't at all comprehensive- In the wake of 9-11, the glaring intelligence failures, and other threats to homeland security, greater attention should be paid to other potential naturally occurring disasters. We (the US) did conduct studies, which said that New Orleans was at risk, that it would devastate the city if a high level hurricane hit. We are now all seeing just how right researchers proved to be. This was #3 on the list of worst things that could happen in this country that was non-terror related. The #1 threat being a nuclear weapon being unleashed and #2 threat being a powerful earthquake striking California.

2) Race and Class still matter- While many try to say that race and class should be forgotten concepts, think again. Race and class have undoubtedly impacted those living during these times, and are factors which are impacting those in the disaster zone. What you look like and what you have do matter? While everyone impacted by the storm black, white, yellow, brown, or blue will suffer, those most impacted are members of underrepresented backgrounds AKA minorities. Other groups who are suffering disproportionately are the very young, the elderly, the disabled, and the working poor.

3) Leadership- The leaders of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are all having to deal with disaster situations, but when you run for public office, when you take a position of responsibility you agree to place the needs of others before yourself. It's personally upsetting to every five minutes see another politician on TV asking for patience and understanding for an inadequate response to a disaster. I would submit that those leaders need to be marshaling the resources needed to save hundreds, no thousands of people, and their first priority should be the safety and well-being of those in the hardest hit regions. While the public needs information we need the politicians to get away from the cameras and be more concerned with deeds than words.
We must all donate if at all possible, but most importantly pray for those who are suffering due to Hurricane Katrina.

-CNEL$