What My World Sounds Like: “Devil In A New Dress”
September 4, 2010 | Filed Under Listen, What My World Sounds Like | Leave a Comment
The Kanye West I learned to love and respect released this amazing album called College Dropout in 2004. I can’t say I was an early adopter; he had to win me over. But that he did. Actually, I began to like him and his music so much because he’d earned my respect–I didn’t just give it to him. What I didn’t know about Ye was that his work ethic was sickening. That he would get better. He would grow as a person, and subsequently, he would grow as an artist and a musician.
He’s slated to release his fifth album this fall. In the meantime, he’s having a jolly old time being creative again and I’m enjoying it. He just released “Devil In a New Dress” at midnight. Apparently, I’ve played it 70 times since then. It reminds me of all the reasons I fell in love with hip hop. This song is a late night conversation with a good friend about something that you’re kind of down about, but feel better talking about it to someone you love. It’s a long embrace before saying goodbye. Quite simply, it’s amazing.
Your inner world rules your outer world
September 4, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Pay attention, Thoughts | Leave a Comment
Life is calling you. All the time. Do this. Do that. Don’t do anything at all. There’s always a fork in the road. Sometimes you don’t even know it’s there, but it is. Sometimes you hear it, see it, feel it…this urge…this moment that comes to visit briefly. It may whisper, it may shout, but it’s always saying something. Are you listening?
The perpetual, invisible fork is the following question: how are you going to respond? To what? To everything.
We allow the outer world to control our inner world because we don’t understand that the more we control our inner world, the more we control the outer world. It often acts the other way around, but we’re so much more effective in our lives when we understand this. The past few weeks have proven this to be true.
Out of nowhere, my job suddenly became a place I slightly dreaded. I wasn’t even fully aware of it, but I noticed it when I realized time was my obsession. “What time is it?” and “how much longer will I be here?” Sure signs of danger. Everyone and everything was a problem and I played the victim to all the haphazard incidents and wrongdoings.
When somebody/everybody else is always the problem, maybe the problem is really you.
“Challenge!”
August 26, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Watch this | Leave a Comment
I recently saw this clip from the movie Tap starring Gregory Hines and featuring some of the greatest tap dancers including Sammy Davis, Jr. and Sandman. It’s amazing how easily we discount people who have a troves of talent we don’t know about.
Missing In Action: an update and a thank you
August 18, 2010 | Filed Under Random | 5 Comments
Without much notice or explanation, I sort of disappeared. No blog posts, few tweets or updates otherwise; life has taken me away from the computer. In all honesty, this was a good thing. As a writer and an Internet junkie, I can really spend a lot of time isolated in my own world and in my thoughts, sitting in front of a computer screen wreaking further havoc on my eyes (if you have glasses, wear them!). Periods of solitary refinement are necessary for us all. And sometimes, so are immersions into life—the good, the great, the gritty. That’s precisely where I’ve been—away from the computer and the virtual worlds I’ve made myself home in and submerged in the real thing, walking my talk and gestating ideas.
Thank you, my readers, for checking in on the blog and checking in on me. I’ve gotten emails, direct messages, and tweets questioning my whereabouts and urging me to post something new. Not once had I forgotten about you or the blog; I just had to live. I suppose I should publicly say now that I’m working on a book. My first book! Ever the idealist, I have a vision I’d like to materialize as close to what I see or better, so I’m being careful to test my ideas and theories on myself in my life first. I want it to be great because I want it to inspire millions of people to be great and to continue to become greater and grander versions of themselves.
I’ve missed posting and I see that so have others. I hear you. I’m here. 
Cheers! :)
August 16, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Inspiring, Rewritable words | 2 Comments
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things.
They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create.
They inspire.
They push the human race forward.
Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?
Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written?
Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?
While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
smiles lead to happiness
June 8, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Health, Inspiring, Watch this | 3 Comments
Source: The Science of Happiness
to be or not to be…a genius?
June 8, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Rewritable words | Leave a Comment
Source: TheThinkMovement.com
‘Best Personal Blog’…?
June 2, 2010 | Filed Under Plain cool | 1 Comment
This just in: Vernon from High Roadism nominated me for a Black Weblog Award in the ‘Best Personal Blog’ category. I’m thrilled, I’m honored, I’m humbled…I’m psyched!
If you read and you agree, I’d appreciate your vote for me here.
Either way, I’m excited and grateful and, as always, thank you for reading.
How to use your* prostitute. (*yes, you have one regardless of your sex)
June 1, 2010 | Filed Under Challenge, Consider this, Pay attention | 8 Comments
I’m different. I’ve always been different, always felt different, but didn’t always have peace with it. Sometimes I fought it, bumped heads with others because of it, and even embraced it. It’s a sordid past I share with it. As I matured, though, I began to appreciate the fact that I was different. I eventually found it odd that most of us spend so much of our youth trying to fit in before usually spending the rest of our lives trying to distinguish ourselves. After all, aren’t we all different?
My official occupation for the past five years should read “nomad”. I’ve lived in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Antonio, St. Louis, and even in an L.A. suburb. Right now, I’m on my way to South Korea. Each line of my resume places me in a different state and/or in a different industry so it’s quite likely that most companies seeking a long-term employee will immediately discard it upon review despite my qualifications; it doesn’t exactly scream company loyalty. Here’s the thing: I’m okay with that. Why? Because I’m different. That fact is evidenced not just by my thought process, hairstyle, interests or style of dress; my journey and choices are highly reflective of my individuality. My path hasn’t always been easy or glamorous, but it has been true to my essence as a free spirit.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s a little something else: you’re different, too. You have dreams you haven’t followed, thoughts you haven’t shared, passions you haven’t explored. In short, you have a life you haven’t lived.
What My World Sounds Like: Simply Red
May 29, 2010 | Filed Under Inspiring, Listen, Moment of Truth, What My World Sounds Like | 1 Comment
Simply Red – “Your Mirror”
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