I'm Still In Love (with Michael & Diana)

On a memory kick this morning. I laughed my butt off watching a clip of Chris Rock ripping on Michael Jackson, but then... I saw this:



No matter how much he's been through, you just cannot help but watch this man perform and think: "Damn, if I could move like that." (And I'm not 'shamed to admit that I am a back-up dancer in my fantasies whenever I see M.J. working it. Quit laughing. You know you have those fantasies!)

Chris jokes on the contest between Michael and Prince that "Prince won."

Nah. Don't think so. Prince is hot, but Michael was there first and always better.

And, oh... Miss Ross. She's still the boss. We've all called her "diva," but the thing is, she's Diana who taught the divas their game. They aspire, she did it. Quit hating.

Do your thing, Miss Ross:



Who looks this good & sounds this good except for Diana? Everybody else is as water to wine.


And, finally, this one makes me SOOOO happy. ('Course, I'm jealous! But I love you, Diana & Michael.)
I'm lucky I live in a time where I got to witness this kind of talent...

OMGosh!!!

Um, I don't even have a post of my own this morning. Just go over and check this one out at Head of State. I laughed so hard that my insides hurt...

He's doing what he said he would!!!

I don't know why people act so surprised when Obama doesn't act the jerk. He said from the beginning (hell, he built his campaign around it) that he didn't want to do politics as usual!!! So people are surprised that he's keeping his promise????





And notice how they bring up race? Listen, the reason he doesn't have to address us African Americans as a separate issue is because I think he's focusing on the fact that we are ALL in a leaking boat because of "failed policies." Black, white, brown or red - we are all hurting. And Obama does address that.

Help me! I need this recipe, people...

I am hoping that somebody out there has a recipe for something that my mother called "hoecake." Mama was from Texas & she told me that her mother taught her the recipe. When I asked why it was called hoecake, Mama said she was told that slaves used to make up the dough and cook them on a hoe held near a fire. Oh. Okay.

This was a skillet-fried doughy thing that my mother would serve for breakfast with syrup, or for dinner with smothered potatoes and onions. Let me tell you something. This was my favorite thing to eat when I was a kid. Made me feel all warm and filled up.

I know that it was cheap to make because it was something we ate when money was thin (and we needed to be "filled up!"). I never got my mother's recipe for it & it's one of the few things that my sister did not learn to make.

So, if you have this recipe, PLEASE send it to me.

Peace
--Free

Update: Someone emailed me the recipe! (Thanks, Rae!) Yay. **singing** "I'ma have some hoecake, I'ma have some hoecake & you can't have none..." I'm playing. I'll share.

Being Black Might Win Obama The Election

If Obama wins this election, it might be because he is Black. Think about it:

Hillary didn't take Obama seriously (until far too late - and maybe not now). If she had, she would have run a better campaign from the get-go.

McCain could not have been taking Obama seriously if he thought that picking Palin was going to do real damage.

If Obama was a white man, I'm sure that Hillary would have battled him differently. McCain would have too.

I believe that Clinton and McCain thought something like: "Oh, yeah, he's charismatic, but..." I don't believe that they have taken him seriously as someone who is as intelligent as, say Bill Clinton. Plantation mentality is coming out in a whole lot of people.

But you know what really bothers me about this? It is that in not taking Obama seriously, they were not taking the citizens of this country serious. They didn't give us enough credit for being able to recognize Obama's intelligence, leadership, compassion, and call for change. Americans of all races and lifestyles are at least paying attention to what is going on. We have not, in most cases, just herded up like sheep in behind the same old shepherds.

So, yeah, race is definitely a factor in this election. Race is always a factor in just about everything, but this time, race might be a factor in Obama's favor.

Peace
--Free

Why Not A Black Man?

As you can probably tell, this was sent to my email & I just copied and pasted it right over (with my no-formatting behind!) I wish I knew who was responsible so I could give credit...

Why Not A Black Man Why is it that a Black Man can create a tiny piece called a filament (electric light - Lewis Latimer) that allows people to see in the dark? But can't be seen fit to lead a country to the true light. Why is it that a Black Man can create an instrument (clock - Benjamin Banneker) that all people use to tell time? But people don't think it is time for him to run a country. Why is it that a Black Man can design a place for the high authorities to meet in and a place for the president to live in (The Capital and the White House Phillip Reid (a slave) and P ierre L'Enfant)? But not good enough to lead these meetings or live in himself. Why is it that a Black Man was brilliant enough to do the first open heart surgery (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams) and show the world how to get and preserve plasma (Dr. Charles Drew)? But not good enough to put a program in place where everyone can afford this surgery. Why is it that a Black Man was creative enough to design an instrument (traffic light - Garrett Morgan) to bring multiple people (traffic) to a halt? But not seen creative enough to design a plan to bring all this unnecessary and worthless fighting between countries. Why is it that a Black Man could create the soles (shoes - Jan Matzeliger) that people walk on every day? But not seen good enough to fill the shoes of a bad president. Why is it that a Black Man was smart enough and brave enough to teach himself (Fredrick Douglas and Thomas Fuller - both slaves) and others how to read, write and/or calculate math? But not seen smart enough and bold enough to calculate a platform to be President to a country that sure needs another first by us. So you see my Brothers and Sisters what I am saying is let us not forgot our past, which led us to our present and can definitely be the backbone to our future. We were good enough, smart enough, creative enough, and bold enough then, so let us all give Obama the chance to show that we are still these things and more. We all are as s trong as our weakest link, so do not be that weak link that denies our people that chance to show we still can OVERCOME AND BE THE FIRST! OUR NEXT PRESIDENT OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ! LET US ALL CONTINUE PRAYING THAT THIS PRESIDENT WILL ADHERE TO AND BE LED BY GOD.

This needs to be an Obama ad

I'm stealing from Jill once again.

Saw this and had to just sit for a moment and let my soul be peaceful.

Call It Out, Chris! Call It Out, Campbell!

I'm so mad at the Clintons right now. They are showing their (ahem) true colors. So, thank you, Chris Rock, for calling them on that mess



Then, I see from Jill's spot over at Writes Like She Talks that Campbell was on the Palin game with a rant:

Monday, Monday

I spent a weekend with the satellite screwed up for the bedroom television. So, I did some reading and thinking - all t.v.-free. Read Michael Dyson's analysis of the music of Marvin Gaye in the book "Mercy, mercy me : the art, loves, and demons of Marvin Gaye." (Of course, then I had to jump online and have the Loussac Library hold some Marvin CDs for me. I just HAVE to listen again to the songs to get what Dyson got - cause I didn't get all that he apparently did.

Rounding off my weekend, I read some more Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. And because I have mental spasms at times, I got to thinking that Evanavich's Plum stories are a little bit on the... uh, demeaning side when it comes to character of Lula. First of all, Lula is a "former 'ho." Second of all, she is fat and sassy & usually has pink or yellow or orange hair. Probably I'm overthinking it. Probably Evanovich just thought Lula up with no hidden meanings. And anyway, the main character, Plum (a white chick), is kind of skanky at times. And anyway again, the writing is good and the books are entertaining. I just need to get over myself sometimes, or write my own damn books and even things out!

So that was the weekend. Now it's Monday (dialysis day) which means we had to get to the clinic by 6:30. Good thing Walmart opens at 6:00 cause I can always pop in and get some stuff done.

Ran into an old acquaintance in WalMart & it was like seeing a ghost. Had heard a long while back that this person had died (by drunk-falling out of a tipped back chair & cracking his skull). See how rumors get started? Came home to check the news and saw something that tells what others think about Palin:

• British minister says Palin is 'horrendous'from www.breitbart.com "Her politics are horrendous, but actually she's struck a chord with people -- 'I'm a maverick, I'm not part of those powerful people' -- and people identified with that."

Then this (more silliness on the local levels):

• from mudflats.wordpress.com Well, if you’ve been like me this evening, you’ve had one eye glued to the “Obama Sign Cam”. Mudflatter ‘poverty kids’ teacher’ has had an Obama sign stolen from the front yard - twice. So, her son set up a live webcam of the sign in hopes of catching the thief in the act.

Since I'm in a sick-of-politics mood (still), the above was the extent of trolling the Net for more... I moved on to something good (as always) from my web buddy, John Baker:

• from John Baker's Blog by john baker

  At the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival Eleanor Wachtel interviewed the American writer, Lydia Davis. Both of Davis’s parents were writers and her father taught at Columbia University. Wachtel asked her what it was like growing up in that environment:

  It made you very self-conscious. . . But we couldn’t really say anything after a while - I mean after a certain age; I imagine at three I didn’t mind - but at a certain age we couldn’t speak without being aware of how we were saying something, how it was being phrased, as well as what we were saying. So if we made a sort of clumsy repetition, one of them might very well point out, sort of lightly with a smile, but it was a very language saturated household . . .

  . . . my father would consider very carefully what I had said and that made me feel very insecure. I don’t know if this is a good example, but I remembered it just the other day. When he was in the nursing home - you know how you want to say the things that you don’t want to have forgotten to say . . . our family was not, as you can imagine, given to spontaneity - I said to him, “You’ve been a very good father,” I just wanted him to know that, and he said, “In what respect?”

Now my thoughts are all twisted up. I'm thinking about how we sometimes miss part of life by trying to be what others expect (and how sometimes that is a good thing, but somehow it's a bad thing). I'm thinking about how if we just felt free enough to say and do things the best way we know how (no matter what anyone else thinks), we could be so much more for ourselves and for others. I guess this is what makes the great artists, musicians, poets and writers and statesmen great. And I guess this is why there are probably hundreds of people out there with un-shared talents and gifts and thoughts. So many people probably hiding their light under a bushel (is that the term?).

So.

I decided that in addition to ignoring politics for a few days, I'm also going to give up the heavy thoughts. But just for a few days.

Tired of politics

No more posting about politics or politicians. At least until after the debate. I'm sick of it all.

In the meantime, what's everybody else doing? Are you happy or sad? Doing well or not? Feeling up or down? In love or hating on somebody?

I'm feeling nosy and lazy. Give me some gossip or something else to brighten up this day.

Peace

I Got Told

When everyone was chanting about it taking a village to raise a child, I just knew they were talking about my family. My family is a village. We have a big house, but there are eight of us here on a normal day & that can go up to twenty if anyone is sick, graduating, getting married/divorced or is pregnant. We have tribal councils about everything. The men in our family get nervous when the women group up for a chat. They think that we might be having a meeting about one of them (and, usually, they're right).

But I ramble.

Thing is, we're not a family so much as we are a brood of loved ones. On one of those normal days I mentioned, there are five adults and three kids. (One of the adults & one of the kids is not blood, but they are still family.)

Sorry. Still rambling.

Anyway, one of the kids is my nephew Devon. Devon is in the second grade & has the attention span of someone stuck in a boring church service. Everyone around here is always reminding Devon to focus. The other day, I had a serious talk with Devon to explain why it's important to stay focused. I told him that when he's not focused, he wastes time trying to finish homework or chores. Ten minutes later, when Devon was supposed to be doing his homework, he got distracted, lost his pencil and forgot if his worksheet was in his backpack or in another room...

"Devon! You have got to learn to focus," I told him (yet again). "We just had that talk, baby."

Devon rounded up all his stuff and finished his work.

Later that evening, I was fixing dinner and realized I didn't have onions and bell peppers for the spaghetti sauce. I figured I'd just run up to the store. Then I couldn't find my purse. Devon found my purse for me. (It was in the hall closet. I don't know why.) Then I couldn't find my shoes. Devon found my shoes. (They were in the garage instead of on the shoe rack in the house. I don't know why.) Then I couldn't find the car keys. Devon helped me look everywhere until he gave up and decided to get some juice. Devon found the keys. (They were in the refrigerator. I don't know why.)

Finally, I got to the store, got back and started back on making dinner. No garlic cloves. Devon was watching while I substituted garlic powder. People in our village expect cloves.

Everybody got in from work, we sat down to eat and I apologized for the sauce, saying I'd had a crappy day, lost my purse and shoes and keys, blah, blah, blah...

"Yeah," Devon told them. "She needs to learn to focus."

White Privilege and the 2008 Election

Heads up on a Buzzflash article I found on Digg:

Context is everything in politics and journalism, and author Tim Wise has the inside track on white (and male) privilege, a concept that most white voters don't comprehend but whose relationships and decisions are governed by this inescapable concept.

That was someone else's lead in to an article I caught earlier. Summarizes beautifully everything to do with the mess that is 2008 elections... Everything.

read more | digg story

And Sarah Came Marching Home Again...

Big thanks to Mudflats for keeping up on the town hall meeting in Anchorage (where Alaskans got to sound off about Guv Palin). I hear it wasn't pretty...

And Mudflat got us a scoop on how Alaska women feel about the guv. Still not pretty.

Talk radio here is all abuzz with how Palin dissed indigenous Alaskans (and don't forget about the disrespect shown for Juneteenth organizers). But no biggie. Apparently she can't do a whole lot right (pun intended) for anybody but her own ego.

Oh, boy, winter is a'coming...

Peace
--Free

P.S.: BTW, since Alaska is so in the news lately, I highly recommend the Mudflat site for all your political news an info from a real perspective.

field negro: Sarah's sit down.

Beautiful. I can't wait to see what has to say after Part II of the interview. Yeah. Palin's pretty pathetic, but she could very well end up in the Number Two spot...

field negro: Sarah's sit down.Field

My Other Bog (er, I mean, BLOG)

I love computers, the internet, my cell phone. Unfortunately, I am still such a goof when it comes to using them. I mean, I use my computer like it's a part of me and get around the internet just fine, and I have even learned to do things on my cell phone that would be amazing to a time-traveler from, say, 1998.

But (and you knew this was coming) I get caught up when it comes to the finer details of these techno-wonders.

For instance, I have learned to check my email on my phone, but I'm still troubled when trying to do things like adding a signature to text messages. *shrug*

The thing with this blogging hobby is that, apparently, I don't have a handle on all the settings features. I can't get my "feed" to work on both blogs, Technorati is apparently BLIND to one of the blogs... You get the picture.

Anyway, I found out from one of my readers that, even though they have been reading THIS blog of mine from almost the beginning, they had NO idea about my other blog.

Hmmph.

So here's the 411:

My OTHER blog is called BLinks (for Black Links - cute, huh?) and I originally intended for its focus to be on links to resources for Black folk. However... I realized that no matter your race, we ALL like info on resources about things like... Well, like just about anything. So BLinks ended up being my blog giving out links and info to resources about all kinds of stuff - writing, reading, shopping, glamorizing, loving, computing... EVERYthing.

Now, if like my one reader, you didn't know about BLinks, that was the link. If you have ideas for posts - ya know, if you want me to scavenge up some info about some-something or other, shoot me a line. (And, good grief, if you can help me out with getting my Blogger settings under control, don't hesitate.)

Peace
--Free

Money Is Loose

Well today is the day that a whole lotta Alaskans get their Permanent Fund Dividend checks. That's $3269 for each eligible resident of the state. (And, no, I'm no longer eligible since I moved away, came back and have not been back for the 2-year period... damnit.)

Anyway, I have friends who are couples or have kids. Think about it, if you have a spouse and just two kids, that's 4 checks totalling ** $13,076 coming into your house. (**Note: that's the $2069 PLUS a $1200 energy rebate for the first time. The checks go out to 610,768 residents)

Now, I could be the socio-political intellectual and discuss this from a different angle, but I'm just plain old Free. So I'm gonna talk about what it'll be like trying to get my broke ass into WalMart or Costco to do any shopping for the next month... Ain't gonna happen, people.

I've been around when the PFD checks were under 2 grand. Damn near got trampled trying to get to the dairy aisle at Carrs grocery store because of a group of old people buying up from the $5 movie rack. One year I saw a young couple and their three little snotty-nosed, nappy-headed kids pulling a cart through WalMart loaded up with enough televisions, Game Boys and potato chips (yes, Lays potato chips) for four families. All I could think was that Mama and Daddy should have been getting the kids some clothes and hair appointments instead. I can almost promise you that within two months, that same family was broker than they had ever been before the checks came.

It's kind of amusing to watch what people do with their PFD money. Some folks spend wise - investing in their home repairs or putting money away for emergencies, paying off debts, etc - but then you have those folks who can just feel the money burning a hole in their pockets.

Of course, businesses have been in high gear promoting their products for months with special "PFD Sales". Everybody with a business licence has found a way to lure the customers in. Everywhere you look, there are advertisements:" Double Your Fund!" "Double Div Days"...

One thing that always tickled me is how the same businesses that didn't exactly throw out the welcome mat for certain people (minorities, for example and especially Native Alaskans), suddenly get very open-minded during PFD time.

Ah, well. I'm safe this year. Since I'm still one of the broke folk, I did all my errands and stocking up on what I need BEFORE these damn checks came out. Now I don't have to risk my life trying to body-hop my way through any stores. I plan to spend my weekend at the one place that seems to empty out when the PFDs hit: the library.

Peace
--Free

The Republican Rock Star is Ba-aaack!

The bitch is back and people are already talking. I thought what this one guy who observed the welcoming rally had to say was ...

"It's dangerous up here to do any truth telling -- we all want to have a future and she's going to control the state for the next four years whether she's vice president or governor or senator or turning the wheels from home in Wasilla. I mean she's a powerful woman," Jay Ramras, a Republican state representative from Fairbanks, said in an interview earlier this week."

...interesting, huh?

Then he added:
"That's how I regard her is the American Idol of politics, I've never seen anything quite like it," Ramras said. "It's improbable. It's the most improbable thing that I have ever seen in my life and probably ever will. But God bless her."
I should probably mention that the man speaking happens to own a lodge that was just across the road from where the rally was held. Sounds like he's no fool about who you have to kiss up to.

I guess the rally was huge. Hmmm... I remember when it wasn't a good thing (according to the McCain camp) to have "rock star" rallies. Oh, wait. That's only when it wasn't HIS game. Again - whatever.

And in other news, it seems the attorney Palin has dealing with the Trooper-gate mess is now hollering investigator bias. Yeah. Okay. Whatever. You know that's how people talk when things aren't going the way they want them to. No matter. All Palin has to do is stall everything for another 50 or so days & it won't much matter. Once you're crowned American Idol, it doesn't matter when the dirt starts leaking.

Blog List

***Yes, I originally posted this on BLinks, but good stuff bears repeating. Or copying and pasting. Or... Well, you know what I mean.***

The weblog awards just came out and I got to thinking how many good black blogs are out there that I NEVER hear about until I see the list.

Let me tell ya: there are a TON of blogs out there in Blackdom. The problem is, there are so many good ones that I keep adding to my blogroll. Then, of course, there's the matter of time to keep up on them all.

So, today: a HUGE list of blogs for y'all to check out. I may have to do this deal in stages so from now on, just check the tag "Blog Roll". (If I missed any good ones, let me know.)

In no particular order....

• 1969
• 99 Products
• Brokey McPoverty
• Fat, Black & Losin' It
• Me, Myself An Eye
• Conversate Is Not A Word (I LUV the name!)
  
• Yeah, I Said It
• Afrobella
• Blackfolks
• The Field Negro
• The World According to Supa Sister
• The Angry Black Woman
• Miz New Agenda
• Electronic Village
• African American Opinion
• Black Men In America
• Greasy Guide
• The Root
• What Black Men Think
• Black Snob

Whew! That's enough for this morning. I'll be back with more as I pull them up.

Better than therapy

You know, people, I may be on to something with this laughter-for-therapy thing. After yesterday's post, I was laughed so much I burned an easy 100 calories.

Today, tho, I'm going for safer humor. I'm a little nervous about making fun of the Lord's people (or at least they were singing His praises). It's not like I need any more negative complications in my life right now.

I found this video of a guy so happy to be getting married that he had to shout. (This may sound twisted, but I don't think that shouting at the wedding would get me all turned on for the honeymoon. I mean, whatever turns you on, but I wouldn't want to think about my man getting so excited in the bedroom that he might start speaking in tongues or something. I'm just saying.)





This one here made me feel a little bad. I didn't realize just how ignorant some people are. And there are people all over the world laughing at us... Lord have mercy...






Just hope no one is asking to be taken to our leader...



(But HE was "ready on Day One"...)





(You're partly right, Bush - you are a dick)

Oh-ma-goodness, I'm on a Bush kick. I had forgotten just how stupid this man is. Somebody should just slip these videos into a campaign ad for Obama (esp the part about Bush having been a governor...)

The first of this next one reminds me a little of Palin not understanding what it is that a VP does.



All I can say about this next one is, uh... "Woooooooowwww"




Okay, okay... I have toned enough stomach muscles with laughter. I'm stopping now. Right now.

But wait - there's just one more. (The reporter asking the question in this next one is not just being cool in his shades, but BLIND! I'm so embarrassed for Bush with this one):



Now I'm done.

Just For Giggles

I've been needing all the laughter I can get these days. A girlfriend & I spent some time remembering some things that have made us giggle like silly chillins. I call these my "Memory Lane Giggles" since they've all been around for a while.

My all time favorite is one that I'm sure we've ALL seen before (even tho I do believe that I am committing some kind of sin by laughing at this kid). He's SO sincere, bless him. Still, I dare you not to laugh...



Whooo! Wait, wait, wait... Let me catch my breath.

Okay.

Next up, this was only funny to me because of the hosts. One brother was trying hard to hold it together, but Armstrong (the other dude) gave it up right away. I've loved him ever since!




Okay, I do need to quit cuz I can't sing the Alphabet Song, but I bet you won't see me on t.v. or up in the choir stands doing solos either!

This next brother here, bless him, I could have dealt with this if he hadn't forgotten the words & then let it get so good to him that he yells parts of the song, trying to go all Jodeci on us.

My mother would say something positive like, "Well, at least he was up there, praising the Lord." (I'd get smacked for doing it, but I'd have to tell Mama that he was just up there making a racket!)



All right. That's gotta be enough for today. I'm pretty sure that my angels are watching me and plotting to teach me a lesson by having me fall and bust my behind all out in public. Just plain payback...

Keep smiling, people

P.S.: This felt good. I may have to change the direction of this blog...