I've been watching Trigun with my son. Now, because of the theme song, I have the impulse to listen to Led Zeppelin's In My Time of Dying.
I live in one of the most ignorant states in what is increasing ignorant population. I'm generally appalled by the attitude of stupid people who actively resist getting any more intelligent. *smh* I mean, "Damn!" These idiots booed Carlos Santana. I mean, "Wow!" That's like booing Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton. Just how ignorant do you have to be to do that?
"If people want the immigration law to keep passing in every state then everybody should get out and just leave the American Indians here. This is about civil rights." Carlos Santana, 05/15/2011
This is Amurr'ka!
Y'know, every month there are two or three stories about paraplegics who can now walk again. Do you agree with that? Walking is a milestone in human existence. So, what is the first thing that society does to those accused of a crime? Confine them so they can't walk very far without an escort. Monkeyshines!
Playoffs in every sport and people still don't understand on a personal and professional level that you cannot transcend until you're better than your opponent at his own game. Black folks, stop avoiding the issue. If we are going to better ourselves and improve our lot in life, we're going to have to (1) keep the spotlight on the system and (2) get better at using the system at its most profitable levels than those that want to keep us "in our place".
"Keeping it real" as a life philosophy hasn't worked as well as planned. "Keepin' it real" leads to dumb shit like waving your shirt around your head like a helicopter. (Seriously, what THE fuck? And…don't front! You liked that bullshit.) Don't smirk, East Coast Headz. You thought everything should be "like Whoa" right around that same time. Walkin' around with your pants under your asscheeks? Real or not, you look dumb. Extreme lacefronts? Real or not, you look dumb. Abandoning the system cuz "The Man" is holding you down? Yeah…hm…how's that really workin' out for you? And, even if you're makin' out all right, how is your cousin's hustle going?
See, the point is: The system can be used the same way that those ethnicities that claim White use it. But, it needs to be used en masse. We need to pool resources and reach back to help those who are where we used to be whether they are our children or someone else who can appreciate our gifts.
A Mountain Dew and a Coke and I'm still sitting here sleepy.
You know, watching the mainstream media, you'd think that rappers NEVER do charity events. HLN (which I'm fucking FORCED to sit here and watch all day due to the displays near my desk today) is all over Country Music Stars raising money for the Red Cross and tornado victims. I'm sure that it would be considered crass to point out country music's relative silence after Hurricane Katrina though, wouldn't it?
People like to point out how high the odds are that some freak accident won't kill you in their chosen hobby. That's dumb.
SURFER: You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than becoming a victim of a shark attack. ME: Not one person has EVER died of a shark attack in a hotel swimming pool.
A shark jumped out of a WAVE like "GOTCHA!" and bit off a chick's arm.
Although, to be fair, bipedal urban predators have left far more scars on my precious hide than any critter or avalanche ever has.
I'm so fucking anxious, right now. My son has a Bake Sale that he's trying to participate in today. I went to the Walmart Supercenter last night around four am and they were closed. I couldn't get the snack packs he asked for. Now I'm stuck where I am and I can't get the snack packs to him. There isn't a single individual in this miserable State of Georgia that I can lean back on for help.
Shit! I'm gonna let my son down.
…so much for self-containment.
UPDATE: I emailed his teacher to ask if I could get some pizzas delivered to the class, instead. No answer yet.
I got to sit and watch my daughter play powderpuff football yesterday. She was playing for the Freshman team. I got a huge kick out of hearing her name called on the PA system for making a play.
My daughter's coaches in her other sports could mold her into a machine if they had any sense. I showed her some techniques for reading plays as a DB. She eats that shit up like a Great White in a school of tuna. She's competitive. She expressed her frustration with silly-acting girls afterwards. It was only flag football. But, my child wanted to HIT! I showed her how she can legally hit in flag. She was supposed to be the safety, but they had her lined up at corner. *smh* She played too far off of the line and didn't jam her opponent at the line because she wanted to go after the ballcarrier, which is more the way the safety should play than a cornerback.
I was frustrated with the students coaching their team. There are some fundamental plays that they could have run that would've utilized their players very efficiently. I mean, you have sprinters on your team, why would you logjam them at the line of scrimmage in flag football where someone could just reach over and end the play by yanking a flag? Sweeps may not work on official prep teams because you learn to watch out for and to call out sweeps…but, on powderpuff teams? Let a sprinter get a head of steam on a motion play, hand it off to her in full stride and block that corner for her. All day, every day! Triple option? They'd have killed. But, no! Handoffs from noodle-armed quarterbacks who were afraid to throw were the order of the day.
This kid is awesome. I admit to bias. But, I gauge her instincts based on what I saw looking at the play and how I'd react to it. If I was right and she reacted the way I would, then ok. She got tricked a couple times. Still, her instincts are good. Watching her run down a junior was like watching a National Geographic film on some predator. She has this focus, man. I could see it from the stands. As you can see, I love it! I will be working with her on some things.
I've been sitting here thinking about the concept of love, its definition, its limitations and its benefits. I'm relatively sure that a lot of the people who claim to love somebody are "doing it wrong". Y'see, most people make the claim of love in a proprietary sense. They seem to feel that 'love' gives them the right to expect certain behaviors from the object of their affection. Their love is also contingent on the behavior of that person. In a way, these people say, "I will give you my love providing you meet my criteria." But, is love really an emotional exchange? That's more of a transaction than a feeling.
These people seem to feel a sense of entitlement and ownership based solely on their relationship with this person. This is the root cause of domestic violence in all of its degrees. Beyond even that sense of entitlement and ownership is the need for control. This brings us to the innate desire for domination. This is apparently a basic human drive as discussed by the Israelite King Solomon in the Bible book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 8, verse 9. (Wo)Man lords over, or dominates, (wo)man.
So, what does this mean? It means that each and every person who has been in love, is in love, or who wants to be in love needs to really examine themselves. They really need to admit their own shortcomings and understand where they are selfish in their own desires. And, you know what? This does not mean that a person would have to give up all of their selfish desires. But, they DO need the ability to prioritize. This knowledge of self will allow a person to decide what is truly important to them when their desires come into conflict with the needs and desires of the person they love.
*shrug* Anyway…more later, maybe.
Check out Sounds from the Ground's Stampede before you go. I heard it on Nu Jazz today and was instantly infatuated with it.
I know a couple of you won't see it. But, this made me laugh out loud at work.
I work as a graphics designer too, at times. I'd probably design something like this out of boredom. If my client picked it, I would not point out the lewdness. I'd only ask them twice, "Are you sure?"
An overwhelming percentage of the activity that we engage in is in a search for stability and reassurance. Even when the activity is self-destructive, it is usually a person's way of asserting their own individuality, which in turn reassures that individual that he or she is unique and in control of their 'self'. Nowhere in human behavior is this more evident than in the mating rituals of humankind. In increasingly rare circumstances, parents pick their child's mate. Even this practice is followed to assure the parents and other older relatives that their genetic heritage will continue. Stability…reassurance.
Social media, the latest internet rage, puts a new spin on mating rituals. You can build a profile of yourself for others to review. You add relevant, socially acceptable (American custom considers asking a woman's height marginally acceptable, but asking her weight to be unacceptable), statistics and, usually, a description of yourself before placing yourself on display like a canned ham on a shelf. Then, other individuals peruse those e-shelves. They poke, prod and examine the merchandise in hopes of finding that perfect someone. By matching your stated desires with someone's stated qualities, you're assured of finding the person that you are compatible with…at least that what the marketing department says. Stability…reassurance.
The thing is: Nobody wants to think of himself or herself as 'average'. So, women are "purpose-driven" and "motivated" and are "looking for the same in a life partner". Stability…reassurance. *smh* Are those the words that come to your mind when you think about the people that love you? Honestly? Ugh!
Even guys who profess to have that "I don't love them hoes" philosophy live that way in order to protect their fragile egos. Their professed philosophy states that if they achieve a level of success in their chosen enterprise, then they will gain the attention of women anyway. But, because of their success, these males can now deal with females on their own terms. Stability…reassurance.
I just want to be settled enough in myself that I don't need to engage in these monkeyshines. I want to free myself from my own need of reassurance and find my own stability. I function best in a state of detachment. I'm well aware that this is my own form of stability & reassurance. But, like you, I need to be able to live with myself.
