What I've Been Doing

Early last week was pretty boring haha. So much so that I can't even remember what I did. I probably did nothing but read, listen to music, and try to restart my writing. I have what seems to be a semi-regular case of writers block. Until college I had always considered writing probablky my number one hobby. I wrote poems, short stories, tried beginning my first novel, and in my senior year school I wrote a play.

Then Tuesday I took a little road trip up to Philly. My friends were busy until late so I had to find ways to amuse myself. I went to this SaladWorks which wasn't far from the station where I'd interviewed the week before. I ate there so I could freeload off the WiFi. For breakfast I had a banging suasage, egg, and cheese panini, a hashrown, a coffee, and H20. For lunch I had a delish Mandarian Chicken wrap.

Then I walked around downtown. I stopped by a mall and people watched. Then I sat in this great park which I don't know the name of. It was just a nice break. It had been hot all day but by then it had cooled off so I sat and read my latest pleasure reading book.

Then it was on to the main event which was a screening of "Sex in the City".
A friend of mine in the journo industry got me on the invite list. That was coo. I've never seen a complete epsiode of "Sex in the City" but still I didn't feel as if I was in the dark. The movie was pretty good I agree pretty much with J's review.

After the movie my two friends and two of their friends went and grabbed a bite and a drink at a pool bar a few blocks from the theatre in Olde City which is a nice neighborhood, where a lot of Philly's nightlife goes down. I also had a banging quesadilla and my big sister A whose goal in life is to get me to drink beer, got me a Blue Moon. I was the token guy but it was fun.

After we all parted I got dropped off and took the bus back to med school best friend's house. He probably was none too pleased because I woke him up to navigate me back to his pad. He was impressed that I had managed to walk in the right direction and didn't get mugged at 1 A.M. Almost as soon as we got back to his house I went to bed.

The next morning best friend had an early class. So I walked with him to school and then hopped a trolley to the train station. There I caught up on work confirmed two job interviews for next week. Though that's a story for another day. One's in the journalism industry and one's not. The latter is actually more promising, go figure. Halfway through the day I met up with Matt a fellow intern from the station last summer whose from the Philly area. Matt is now a print reporter for a community newspaper in his hometown. He went from freelancer to full-time in a matter of months. Our other roomie Zach works at a station in St. Louis. So it's cool that we all keep in touch.

Later that afternoon I took the train back to Bmore. I love taking the train places it makes me feel like an urban sophisticate, but no I really love east coast living. I'm accessible to my Philly friends, my D.C. friends, and plan to start making a more concerted effort to connect with my NYC friends.

Thursday I chillaxed went downtown for a bit. Then I made it out to the high school alma mater for a cookout with some of the black students, their parents, and black faculty and staff. That was cool because it allowed me to connect with some folks I hadn't seen in a while.

Friday I chillaxed caught up on mail and bills. Thank God I only have a few of those right now.

Today was a wash because it rained though it's since stopped. I'm not convinced if I went somewhere right now I wouldn't fall victim to some bad weather.

As far as the rest of the weekend I don't know what that holds.

But all in all I can't complain. I'm frustrated that I don't have a job and haven't started my career, but people remind me I have the rest of my life to work.

The time off is giving me time to read, read, read. Last week I finished Charlayne Hunter-Gault's "In My Place" and this week Rebecca Walker's "Black, White,& Jewish". I liked and would recommend both. Walker's story was especially interesting given this recent essay which she also wrote, thanks to Veronica for pointing me in its direction.

Maybe one of my next posts will be a draft of a story ;-)

Peace for now.

Words of the Weeks

Sunday- "I am interested in telling my particular truth as I have seen it." -Gwendolyn Brooks

Monday- "When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak." - Audre Lorde

Tuesday- "No race can afford to neglect the enlightenment of its mothers." -Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Wednesday- "Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it." - James Baldwin

Thursday- "On the merry-go-round all the seats are on the same level. Nobody goes up; therefore, nobody has to come down. That is democracy, as I see it." -Melvin Tolson

Friday- "Not failure, but low aim is sin." -Benjamin Mays

Saturday-"To be free . . . to walk the good American earth as equal citizens, to live without fear, to enjoy the fruits of our toil, to give our children every opportunity in life--that dream which we have held so long in our hearts is today the destiny that we hold in our hands." -Paul Robeson

Nothing Much's Happening in My World

Reading: In My Place by Charlayne Hunter-Gault

Listening: (To an assortment of music from Usher's "Love In This Club" to Alicia Keys "Tell You Something" to The Dream's "Falsetto" to Chrisette Michelle's "Golden" to anything by Jilly from Philly, to Anthony Hamilton's "Pass Me Over"

So folks nothing much is going on in my next of the woods.

It's been about a week since I graduated.

On Monday I went up to Philly for a job interview, saw my friend whose an editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, and had an early dinner with Best Friend #2 aka The Future Doc.

On Tuesday I did nothing because it rained cats and dogs. I sent a text to the latest crush wishing her safe travels abroad.

On Wednesday I went to the library to do some things, had an hour and a half conference call, and fell asleep on the phone the first of many times. I also got called a day late and told I didn't get the job I interviewed for on Monday.

On Thursday I went and had a late lunch with one of my two girl best friends. I call both of them my "little sisters" but this little sister is my first adopted lil sister. She's my ace. So we went to Friday's where I had the Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta. Then we went to the high school alma mater so she could practice, cause she's a college track star. We also went to the mall so she could look around and kill time. Then I went home chilled out, watched Grey's, talked on the phone, and once again fell alseep on the phone.

Then today I went to meet Best Friend #1 who also graduated on Saturday. He, his gf, and I had lunch at Faidley's in Lexington Market in downtown Bmore. I had the Backfin crab cake with fries and macc and cheese. I also had a half and half a Baltimore thang a perfect blend of iced tea and lemonade. We then went to visit the program director for the philanthropic board Epsi and I served on together as young people.

Once again I'm contemplating grad school. Who knows? I don't have a plan right now. I'm pretty much winging it. Yes, I'm winging life. No pressure though, I don't think. I'll just keep telling myself all will be alright.

Now I'm going to attempt to do some writing. I used to write ages ago. Maybe it's a prime time while I have no commitments to get back to my writing.

Graduation in Pictures

Me @ Senior Gala



With "Stretch" @ Senior Gala



With "Stretch" @ Graduation



With Best Friend # 3 aka College Best Friend @ Graduation



With my Junior Year Roommate Jimmy's Wife to Be Britt


With My Italy Travel Buddy Cait


With the Lieutenant haha now I have to call her Ma'am




Lauren and Dex a cute couple 99% of the time (@ Outback @ My Celebratory Dinner)




"My Little Sister" Lauren with her other brother yours truly (@ Outback @ My Celebratory Dinner)




My Homies T-Win and S.J. (@ Outback @ My Celebratory Dinner)

I'm a College Graduate

I'm a college graduate.

I now have a bachelor's degree in communications with a journalism specialization and a minor in sociology.

It's a tad surreal but I think I'm ready for the real world.

Thanks to all those who've offered words of wisdom, words of encouragement, and words of support over the last nearly three years that I've been a blogger.

I'm pretty sure that I'll continue to update the world on my life when there's anything to update.

:-)

-C. Nel

Words of the Week

Sunday-
"What do you take with you from here? A story, a formula, maybe a handshake, a special encounter, a friendship. What will remain except a diploma? Much must remain because when two persons meet, a mystery is born. Take that mystery and respect it, and if possible, invest it with more meaning, with more miraculous significance."
-Elie Wiesel

Monday-
"...... when you dream your dreams, make sure you integrate all these parts so you have total fulfillment. Do you remember it? Come on! Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual!"
-Billie Jean King

Tuesday-
"Although you will never fully know or successfully manipulate the characters who surface or disrupt your plot, you can respect the ones who do by paying them close attention and doing them justice. The theme you choose may change or simply elude you, but being your own story means you can always choose the tone."
-Toni Morrison

Wednesday-
"I say with you, as Earth, Wind and Fire put it so well a few decades ago, "Keep your head to the sky," or as the civil rights movement said so clearly, "Keep your eyes on the prize," not on each other, but on the prize. And as Mahalia Jackson used to sing so powerfully, Keep your hand on the plow."
-Cornel West

Thursday-
"PRACTICE PATIENCE. Whether you sit around like I do, working for that perfect word, or you are working toward a dream job, or wishing for a dreamy sweetheart. Things will come to you when you are ready to handle them—not before. Just keep walking your road."
-Suzan Lori-Parks

Friday-
"They told me that I was too engaged, that I was too emotional, I was too -- too much for the news and so they put me on a talk show one day just to run out my contract. And that was the beginning of my story. So I say, even when things are difficult, be grateful. Honor your calling, don't worry about how successful you will be. Don't worry about it. Focus on how significant you can be in service and the success will take care of itself."
-Oprah Winfrey

Saturday-
"Here is my resume: I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I show up. I listen, I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today, because I would be a cardboard cutout. But call them on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh."
-Anna Quindlen

Bittersweet

So it's no secret I wasn't always happy during these last four years of undergrad.

It hit me though on Wednesday that I'm not just leaving a place which has offered me good, and bad. But I'm leaving people who I call my friends.

Before she walked out of my life I told my friend that I liked her. Too bad she's involved, no I'm not a manwhore, it's complicated, but complicated further by the fact that she's moving to a foreign country next Wednesday.

Anyways this time tomorrow I'll be a college grad.

Just A Prayer Away

The other night I was talking to best friend # 2 on the phone. He was telling me about the joys of med school. I was telling him about the horrors of the job search.

I have $100 in my checking account I just spent $74 on a round trip ticket to Philly for a job interview. So already I'm praying for money in those "Congrats Grad" cards. I have no car, no apartment. All I have is a smile and a commitment to a fresh start.

So, I'll be taking the train up to Philly for an interview on Monday, two days after graduation. If I get it it'll be interesting trying to make this work on an hourly wage, and only six months of employment guaranteed, but it'll be a start. Do they know how rough it is out here for a grad just out of college? I'm without car and sans apartment but I will beg my friend who goes to school up there to let me grab a hold of that couch.

Is this what they mean by roughing it to get the big break? Is this what it means to be an adult?

I'm saying my prayers like Yo-Yo.

And I'm calling in favors.

W.T.F.

I'm likely graduating I've accumulated 120 credits with one class outstanding. Yeah minus magna cum laude or cum ladue, I didn't enjoy the place to put that much effort. HaHa. That's not the W.T.F., yes I digress.

In today's W.T.F., it's Senior Week aka Graduation Week

I'm not yelling W.T.F. because come Saturday it's all over. I'm yelling W.T.F. because of people corrupting traditions. Why does every day of this week give people an excuse to drink? Are we drinking away the misery, the sadness, or the reality of our college experience. In the words of well myself, "Please don't let this be yet another overrated experience."


Here's the breakdown of events:
Thursday-Monday
BEACH WEEKEND
VERDICT: I BOYCOTTED

Monday -
END OF THE YEAR RECEPTION
President's Student Advisory End of the Year Reception
+'s - free wine and cheese
-'s - no din din
VERDICT: ATTENDED

Tuesday-
Alumni Cookout @ President's House
+'s - free food,booz with the classmates on the Prez's lawn(I'll call this booz acceptable booz)
-'s seeing all those ppl u can do without
VERDICT: ATTENDING

Pub Crawl
+'s - get to see ppl act a fool
-'s - you have to spend money to see the foolishness
VEDRICT: LIKELY BOYCOTTING

Wednesday-
Senior Countdown aka Senior 4's cause its 4 Days to Graduation
+'s -Our theme is “Gods & Goddesses” which encompasses an array of themes very much desired by our class: Toga, Favorite Couples/Duos, Superheros, Greek Life, etc. should make for some interesting pictures
-'s - It's $10, it'll probably prevent me from moving stuff home
It's 4 hours
VERDICT: MAYBE MAKING AN APPEARANCE

Thursday-
Senior Gala
+'s- an excuse to dress up
-'s BS music, bs ppl, and umm it's $70
VERDICT: I'M BOYCOTTING
I'm skipping it because I refuse to pay $70 for b.s. and I have an important conference call

Friday-
Baccalaureate Mass
I so want to skip, it's a mass for goodness sakes.
VERDICT: LIKELY ATTENDING WITH MI MADRE

Saturday-Commencement
Apparently my little girl's have picked out their dresses, and can recite the date, time, and location (May 17, 11am, First Mariner Arena), so I guess that mean's
VERDICT: ATTENDING

The Territories and Reservoirs of My Past

You ever find yourself thinking of what could have been?

For some reason a little earlier it popped into my head when I was in an accident back in middle school. I was in 6th grade we were heading to the state capitol in Annapolis but we didn't make it because we were in a bus accident. The bus we were riding in got hit by a truck whose brakes got stuck and we ended up running up on a median strip. Thank God I was just a little sore and nothing more serious happened. What stands out to me from that day was that from where the accident happened, you could see the state capitol building. Instead of visiting Annapolis we got on a bus and headed back to Bmore. Remembering this incident made me think of what could have been?

Have you ever been at that point in life where you were almost there, almost somewhere, you could see it on the horizon and then you just turned back? Something forces you to turn back. I guess it better that than to then be left wishing you could unring a bell.

I texted the former "Cuddle Buddy" earlier today to see how she was. I had seen her a day or two earlier walk past my dorm. One of the things I'll miss about my dorm room is my view. I'm on the top floor but can look across to the women's college next door to my school, where the buildings are old so it looks like a real college. HaHa. No, or I can look down and see the people walking beneath my window. When I saw her the other day my mind wondered what could have been. Not because I feel the same, think the same, see the same as I did years ago. But at one point she did it for me as Algebra sings. It's just it hit me when we say goodbye, and that's if we say goodbye on Saturday, it'll be for a while. And because remember Best Friend #3 believes she is "broken" and this must mean she can't be fixed. Ha. But it doesn't stop to wandering to the territory in my past where she resides and it doesn't stop me from wondering what could have been.

The same goes for a lot of people who either hold or will soon hold places in the territories and reservoirs of my past. Time nor distant sometimes keeps me from wondering.

LoL

Thank God I can laugh at myself.

Life is a hott mess right now. I have to gather the will power, patience, determination, and sticktoitiveness to pack up and move out.

So anyways got to take a break to go to a little farewell reception at the President's House. That's the Prez of the college. Suprisingly it wasn't a dinner it was really just drinks and refreshments. I had me a ginger ale and then decided not to play myself so I had two or three glasses of wine, and some cheese and crackers. I didn't eat any of the other stuff because these fools did not offer forks. I wanted some roasted peppers but in my mind that isn't really a finger food.

So as they took the food away the Prez stepped out. I grabbed a vine of grapes pretended to feed myself and then said, "Hey someone take a picture." I literally posed like this:




You see it's not a bad pose.

Just as I did that the President walked back in popped his head around the people buffering me from him and starred at me. I thought damn I would wait til the last event of the President's Council to make a fool of myself. LoL. I couldn't even blame it on the wine. But atleast we all laughed and laughed even harder when my friend said, "Remember Chris it makes for a better picture when someone else is feeding you grapes." Bada da.

When I shook the President's hand and prepared to leave I promised not to make a fool of myself again prior to getting my piece of paper.

"Thanks"

So before a few of my girls left they got me a card. This card will probably go on my desk or be taped to the cubicle of the first job. It'll serve as a reminder not to take for granted even the smallest of interactions.



The inside reads:

Sir Christopher Nelson,
Thank you for all you did for us this year, from "late night" heart to hearts about boys (AKA floormate hookups) to funny wall posts, which I hope continue to frequent my wall. You have been not just an RA, but also a friend & mentor and for, that we are all very appreciative. You've helped to make our freshman year not only a smooth, easy year but also a very enjoyable one. We'll miss having you around & we'll forever be your little wenches.
E> Always & Best of Luck in the Future,
The Girls

HaHa see they embraced me and their nickname I would always say, "Wench what are you doing?" or "Wench why did you do that?" And they'd laugh and I'd laugh. Some even awarded me a nickname aside from CNEL "Snitch" from Devin, "Baby Boo" from Sassy Parassy, "CNELZ" from most of the guys. Even girls who weren't my residents enjoyed me saying "Wench" with what they said was a country accent.

All my guys learned to call me C. Nel, a few made the point of saying bye, and thanks for a great year. Now you know you've made an impact when you've won over teenage guys cause in many respects they really don't care about anything but girls and booz.

Words of the Week

Sunday-
"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers."
- A Jewish Proverb

Monday-
"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her."
- George Washington

Tuesday-
"Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to 'jump at de sun.' We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground."
-Zora Neale Hurston

Wednesday-
"There was never a great man who had not a great mother -- it is hardly an exaggeration."
- Olive Schreiner

Thursday-
"It is not until you become a mother than your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding."
-Erma Bombeck

Friday-
“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”
-Tenneva Jordan

Saturday
“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”
-Washington Irving

I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can Declare Myself Done

The dorm is now closed:



I clearly laid out the process of checkout:



This was probably the easiest bb to do, cause the powers that be gave me the info:



Look at all the stuff ppl left behind I peeped a microwave, a T.V. a vacuum cleaner


I started to go shopping but I decided it'll be enough trouble packing my own stuff


None of my professors have posted grades. I turned in my last paper, a paper for my independent study on Friday.

Head and eyes lifted to the heavens a prayer said and fingers crossed that no one tries to play games. This time next week I should be a college graduate!

My Faves

Some of my fave residents are leaving. Yes, I know you're not supposed to have favorites but whatever. It's becoming a bit sad. I'm sentimental but not touchy feely. I'm a smiler but I'm not a hugger.I'm not a hugger. Really, I'm not a hugger, ask my Mama, I don't do people invading my personal space. But I've given out a lot of hugs today.

Yesterday, three of my girlies took me out for lunch.We went to this place called Miss Shirley's. It's right near campus and everyone goes there whose a LoCo kid, but it was my first time going. HaHa. Ya'll know I'm so contrarian, contrary Christopher is what they call me.

When I walked in I almost died though because there was this girl I used to have a crush on. My friends told me to get over it quick because she's a gold digging socialite whose out of my league. But that girl was rocking a white sundress that made me want to start singing Ray J's "Sexy Can I".

Anyway back to the lunch date. Ya'll know I'm sidetrack Bob sometimes.But anyway it was great to just chill with my girls, but quick sidebar. Ya'll no my other love aside from journalism is diversity work. So my diversity mentor brought me a shirt because her students were having the "Day of Silence": where you don't speak out of respect for either those who've been silenced or cannot speak due to their sexual orientation. The shirt reads, "Gay? Fine by me."

We just thought it funny to guess what people were thinking cause I decided to rock my shirt and was having lunch with three girls. We were an eclectic group though a Caucasian New Englander, a Cauacasin upstate New Yorker, a Korean from Pa, and a young black boy from Baltimore. We just enjoyed being ourselves not censoring ourselves, and messing with the people's minds.

I know J wants to know what I had. I had the coconut cream-stuffed french toast,

Coconut Cream-Stuffed French Toast

Cream Cheese, Mascarpone Cheese,

Flaked Coconut & Bruleed Bananas

which sat in a bed of strawberries with strawberry sauce, and had bruleed bananas on the side.

Oh and I had a side hashbrown which went back to the dorm and was my after nap snack. Yes, I had the itis after I returned.

But hanging with three of my fave residents before they departed might be one of my favorite moments of the year. I'mma miss my girls and our crazy convos and their ridic comments.

"People love you ... because you have the biggest butt I've ever seen."
-One of em

"You can't make people change their lifestyles just so you can pray in the middle of the day."-Keko

"Talk to God at night during quiet hours so you make it easier for everyone else." - Keko

Love Them

I Love Them

"Teenage Love Affair"

Relationships are so ass backwards sometimes, namely because of the people who are in them. I sure as hell can't figure out why it is that my friends desire to date my other friends. It's asking for a headache and a half.

Example # 1
Friend 1 and Friend 2 date for almost 3 yrs high school into college. From jump you should know Friend 1 is best friends with Friend 2's twin sister. I kid you not. I must go on the record as saying this highly concerned me from jump. Fastforward to now nearly two and half years after Friend 1 and Friend 2 first got up.They decide to take a break. Friend 1 falls for another dude. She decides hmmm instead of returning off of said break when the break is over Friend 2 will just figure it out. Figure it out that she doesn't want to be with him anymore. Do you know I wanted to kick the twit in her forehead? I mean my lil bro did not deserve to be played by her. Then, get this. We all saw it coming, but still. I mean we all know cause she was with ol boy posin in some pics like it was high school prom part deux. We all called her on it, that's how we knew she didn't want to tell ol boy about new dude. Then she finally told him took all their pictures off Facebook and threw new dude up there. Given that you two have 99.9% of the same friends do you know how embrassing that has got to me. I've known both of them for the same amount of time and probably know her better. Knowing her personality not surprised by her actions but I still find them appalling. She better hope we don't see each other in the summer I may go for the forehead. I hope lil bro is not scarred for life.

Teenage loves are sometimes not the hardest to get over.

Example 2
Friend 3 and Friend 4 date after Friend 3 broke up with another dude. Problem # 1 Friend 4 is a shy dude, calm dude, chill dude. He doesn't do those little things like text in the morning, text at night, text in the middle. Problem # 2 But in his defense there aren't that many dudes who can clue him in to the little things, especially when Friend 3 and Friend 4 are trying to maintain their relationship by keeping it on the low. Then Friend 3 is hot in the pants while Friend 4 is a virgin. Don't be mad at man cause he's not throwing the *bleep* around like the man whores which exist, value that ish. But Friend 3 done up and done it, she slept with some other dude. Now that's a wrap. I was all saying give old boy the benefit of the doubt. You have do some maturing and growing in an actual relationship to get from the minor leagues to the major leagues. It ain't always easy the first time out to hit it out of the park.

This just illustrates for me that people need to learn to take it from the development league to the major league from the beginning so says Joi:


And because crap is so complicated I'm staying single and pushing broads far far far back in my mind

Words On A Page

So every now and again when I'm looking for a piece of paper which invariably has something important written on it. Do you know what this means? It means that I actually have to read unbound pages that have all kinds of words scribbled on the page?

Here's what I learned:

"You have to know who likes you and the person who likes you is your friend." -Nikki Giovanni

"And the reporters were like ooh something to do...if you never been chased by a reporter let me tell you its something." - Nikki Giovanni

"We forget rap is a public art...hip hop has its roots in opera, because it's in the public square." -Nikki Giovanni

"If prostitution were a profession we'd teach it prostitution 101." - Nikki Giovanni

"Don't waste time praying for specific things, what you may want may not be what God has in mind for you. Praying for courage and strength is the important thing."- Dorothy Height

"From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached." -Franz Kafka

On the Record: Random Convos in Three Acts*

The journalist in me takes notes on nearly all conversations. Yeah it's not weird for me to stop a convo to grab pen and paper and do some note taking. Maybe I should let people know a conversation with me is always on the record.

I wonder if that would stop them from saying outrageous things to me. Probably not ...

Act 1, Scene 1

Anon. Resident 1: Who do you want to boink (have sex with)?

Me: I don't do freshman.

Anon. Resident 1: But we'll be sophomores in a couple of weeks.


Act 1, Scene 2

Me: You don't like any of them? Are you sure?

Anon. Resident 2 : Oh no they're like my best friends. So I guess you can say they're like my gay friends, except they're not gay. I just pretend they are. That makes spooning with them a little better. I guess you can say I'm playing with their emotions, because I'd never date them.

Act 2, Scene 1

Me: He said something about we can't change it because it's tradition. I wanted to say if we followed tradition I'd probably be a slave right now.

(Friend gives me the look)

Me: What? There was a tradition of slavery in this country.


Act 3, Scene 1
-Best Friend on compatibility

Best Friend #3 (#3 as in acquired in college): I think I'm pretty self-sufficient. I don't know if I want to risk ups and downs...the emotional rollercoaster. I don't know if I want a girlfriend right now, but if I did want one I think I'd ask her out.

Act 3, Scene 2

-Best Friend on crushing

"It wasn't like a physical crush, this was more like a connection."

Words of the Week

Sunday- “I have served as spiritual leader to many people. They in turn have ministered to me. God's work is always reciprocal. “- Bishop Leontine Kelly

Monday- “The race problem in the United States is the type of unpleasant problem which we would rather do without but which refuses to be buried.” – Charles Hamilton Houston

Tuesday- “A tree is known by its fruit.” –African Proverb

Wednesday-“We are questions for one another. And service is exploring and awakening through them.” -Anonymous

Thursday- "That’s the point. It goes like this: Teaching is touching life." –Jaime Escalante

Friday- “He put in your heart certain wishes and plans; in my heart, he put other different desires.” –Sitting Bull

Saturday- “. . . your presence was shore where I rested/ released from the hoodoo of that dance, where I spoke/ with my true voice again.” –Robert Hayden

"Oh My God I Live in the South" Pt.1

I sooooo should be doing a paper that is the key to proving I was actually independently studying, but I don't feel like it.

Instead I'm trying to figure out why the girl whose going to occupy my room next year likes to drop by unannounced. And yesterday about this time she drops by with her mother. Normally I wouldn't care but I cared yesterday and today because I just haven't cared about cleaning so it just so happens that because I'm busy that my room was and is a hott mess.

Child where are your manners?

But then I had a refreshing convo with one of my friends. We were talking about life away from or outside of Bmore. He was talking about how simple it is life in Bmore compared to NYC cause he goes to Columbia. At one point he said, "I never realized how much I'd miss it...how much I'd miss going to mall and not having to buy anything."

I laughed. This boy is too in love with himself not to shop at all times. He needs just the slightest reason.

Then after more ruminations he exclaims, "Oh my God I live in the south."

This means I too live in the south something I've denied, denied, denied.

That could explain my slight accent, my slight twang, and the fact that I have exclaimed out loud, "child where are your manners?"

Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby

Last weekend while away on business my colleagues and I of course had a moment to chill. During our chill session we had a few sips and we chatted about love, life, relationships, and of course the reason we were all assembled, our careers.

A large portion of our conversation centered on what it took for successful people, to be successful in all parts of their lives including relationships. Everyone assembled wanted to have a shot at the work-life balance.

At one point the question was raised if you could get paid a lot of money not to be unfaithful would you take the money or still stray. My response was that I wouldn't stray regardless because even though I don't desire to get married, I believe in being in a committed and monogamous relationships.

Later conversation turned to marriage and children. My friend A said she eventually wanted to get married just not soon, "There's nothing more better than coming home to a dark, empty apartment, not having to talk to anybody"

But then when we began talking about babies A offered up this gem, "I might have one for political purposes."I was like damn, atleast she honest. I don't want kids of my own. I plan to be the best godfather in the world and still get a tax benefit.

But don't despair because my friend who I call little Condi once said to me, "I'm going to take over Wall Street and then give it up and become the best treasurer the PTA has ever seen."

There could quite possibly be a generation of Americans who don't see the American dream as being the one with the white picket fence. It'll be up to us to decide what our American dream in fact is, and by then we'll all be called elitists.

My friend Dana posited, "Everyone wants the American Dream and when you achieve it you're elitist."

For those who are afraid of all of us young professionals avoiding being "Married with Children" a new generation shall replace us.

My little 3-year-old cousin wants a baby. I'm assuming a lot of little girls go through this phase and it's either why they have baby dolls or because they have baby dolls. But her mother, recounted for me the following convo:

My Cousin: "You can't have a baby until you grow up, finish college, and get married."

Her Daughter: "But you and Daddy not married."

Well I have no comment but I am signing up my little cousin to become the next culture analyst for one of the major networks.

And hopefully mommy and daddy will be married and setting a good example, before she really wants a baby, as they got engaged last weekend.


And then just for laughs:

"How Race is Lived in America"

Download Nicole Wray - Stand Up

So I returned to Bmore on Sunday night, and had an early morning breakfast scheduled for Monday. I also knew that I had my internship from 11 til 5. After breakfast, I went back to my room to make my lunch. Then I headed out to take the 2 buses that I normally take to my internship.

Unluckily, for me it was raining. It wasn't a hard rain but a steady rain. I called mi madre to have her check the bus schedules to see how long I'd be standing on the bus stop. As I stood there a woman rolled up in a Volvo station wagon, rolled down the window, and yelled from the passenger side, "You want a ride?"

For a moment I thought I don't know this woman from Eve, and she could for all I know abduct and kill me. Then I looked at her again and said naw I could handle myself. So I went up to the car and asked, "Where are you going?"

She replied, "I'm going downtown" and I needed to get about a mile down the road. So I said, "O.K. I'm going to Hopkins which is about a mile down."

Then she told me to yell for the other kid who was standing on the bus stop like me. I didn't know him from Adam.

So imagine this two black boys jumping into a Volvo of this woman in a pretty nice and bougie section of Bmore. Once we jumped in she said, "I just felt so bad for you guys because it was raining out, and I didn't see a bus. I'm from New York and I'm just used to seeing buses, and then you have the trains. Here they don't seem to come as often."

"They don't," I replied.

As I looked over at her I thought this woman is really brave, courageous, giving, or just really naiive. Imagine the picture white middle aged woman with nice short haircut, D & G eyeglasses, driving a current model Volvo station wagon, with two black boys riding through North Baltimore.

If it seems like I'm harping on race it's because you don't see that picture every day. I was just so shocked that she thought to stop.

When I hopped out at my stopped I thanked her for the ride and went about my business. I called my mom and told what happened, and she said some people just have a good heart, and they have a sense which prevents them from encountering danger.

Throughout the day I thought about the woman and her generosity. Since I work at a T.V. station I said hey, sadly, if something were to happen to her I'd be the first to know because of the scanners and the wires. I didn't hear anything or see anything so I trust she was okay.

Here in Bmore, a city of over 600,000, we're a city of neighborhoods. While there are mixed race neighborhoods like Charles Village, there are also some neighborhoods where you'll find mostly black people or mostly white people.

The neighborhood near my internship is a mostly white neighborhood called Hampden. Now of course not everyone who lives in Hampden thinks a certain way about people of different races, one of my cool co-workers lives there. But when I take the shuttle through the neighborhood to get down to where I can walk back to school, I get looks. I'm walking around with my shoulder bag, lunch bag, and generally shirt and tie. Still that doesn't stock them from the funny looks when I'm often the only black man on the shuttle.

Race still matters. I'm going to forever be a BMW black man working or black man walking.

Race still matters. There's still a need to bridge the gaps and bridge the divides.

It's not bad that we talk about race and acknowledge the elephant in the room, we just need to bridge the divides and not increase them.

Race still matters. We have to acknowledge those stereotypes, prejudices, and other imperfect realities.

It's cool that I've gone from schools which are mostly black to mostly white, that I've migrated through situations which have allowed me to see people for people. Yet, I'll be the first to admit that I still sometimes make my perceptions reality. I'm an imperfect person who just needs to remember to see people for people.