1972 - I was 3 going on 4. My family went to Kentucky for a few weeks. I was in my uncles living room all alone playing the record player. I started listening to ABC by the Jackson Five. The part of the song came when Michael says, "sit down girl, I think I love you, no get up girl show me what you can do." Following directions, I sit and then I get up. Then Michael says, "shake it shake it baby" I got up and start shaking it. I was in my own world. Pure joy. I was so entranced I didn't realize my entire family was standing behind me watching. I stopped out of embarrassment. Every time I hear that song, I remember that moment and the pure joy I felt.
1988- I came home for Christmas break from San Francisco. My oldest nephew AJ, now 25, he was 4 at the time. He stood in front of the TV watching Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal video. He was in his own world. Dancing, trying to recreate Michael's moves and singing at the top of his lungs, "Are you walking, are you walking, are you walking Annie?" We all stood around watching in tears cracking up. It was the sweetest and purest moment to see a child completely loving a song. He didn't know anything about Jackson nose job, cleft chin or any of the tabloid stories. He just knew how great the song was and the joy it brought him.
2009 - I played Smooth Criminal and Bad on my iPhone and recorded my 2 and 5 year old nephews dance their hearts out. Here in course of almost 40 years many things have changed. Technology, clothing, communication but one thing has remained the same. The power of amazing music and the joy it brings to children. At least the children in my family.
Thank you Michael Jackson
>
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Best Worst Date Ever
I have had many bad dates in my years of dating but the date I had Saturday night will forever hold the place as the worst date in history.
Let's start at the beginning. It began on Thursday night when he tricked me into giving him my phone number. He asked for my cell phone and I thought he was just putting his number into my phone. Well no, he called his phone from my phone, thus recording my number into his caller ID. I found it amusing and harmless.
So on Saturday night we actually talked on the phone. I had no plans that evening and since I figured I needed dating practice, I agreed to meet him for dinner.
What did I learn from him during dinner? First, I still am not sure what he does for employment. Claiming to be a casting agent, he had great difficulty explaining his job to me. He did explain that before the housing crisis he made lots and lots of money as a loan officer. However, he no longer had such money. I am assuming it was lost in what he later described as his bad gambling addiction. Yes, he shared that he use to go to Vegas a few times a month with an ex-girlfriend and run thru thousands of dollars at blackjack.
He later went on to share that his goal wasn't to save money but to make hundreds of thousands of dollars at one time. He said that the first step to this Road to Riches was to first visualize himself with luxury items. He said he was doing this by calling expensive hotels and car dealerships and pretending to be in the market for such items, requesting price information. He even said he called a private jet company once for a price quote to fly him and a few friends to the Caribbean for the weekend.
I sat at dinner listening to this conversation and found it very difficult to keep straight face.
Then the bill came. It sat on the table far longer than it should have. Then he picked it up, looked at it for a few minutes, went through his wallet and asked, "Do you have ten dollars?" To which I in my best black woman attitude voice told him "no." He paid with his credit card and made up some excuse about how he didn't want to use his credit card. Whatever!
The waiter bought his card back for him to sign the receipt and he stepped away to go to the bathroom. His leaving concerned me, as it would most people at this point, so I proceeded to look at the credit card to see what name was on it. Well the card said, "H&R Block Client." My girlfriend later told me that this was likely his tax refund.
He returns from the bathroom and asks if I would like to go somewhere for a drink and to shoot a few games of pool. I had enough at this point so I politely declined the invitation.
As if the date couldn't get any worse, as he walked me to my car, I asked him where his car was parked to which he proudly proclaimed, "I don't have a car. I was dropped off."
Thank you loser guy!!! You were so kind to not only buy me dinner, but you also provided me something far more valuable. A story that I will be telling for the rest of my life.
Let's start at the beginning. It began on Thursday night when he tricked me into giving him my phone number. He asked for my cell phone and I thought he was just putting his number into my phone. Well no, he called his phone from my phone, thus recording my number into his caller ID. I found it amusing and harmless.
So on Saturday night we actually talked on the phone. I had no plans that evening and since I figured I needed dating practice, I agreed to meet him for dinner.
What did I learn from him during dinner? First, I still am not sure what he does for employment. Claiming to be a casting agent, he had great difficulty explaining his job to me. He did explain that before the housing crisis he made lots and lots of money as a loan officer. However, he no longer had such money. I am assuming it was lost in what he later described as his bad gambling addiction. Yes, he shared that he use to go to Vegas a few times a month with an ex-girlfriend and run thru thousands of dollars at blackjack.
He later went on to share that his goal wasn't to save money but to make hundreds of thousands of dollars at one time. He said that the first step to this Road to Riches was to first visualize himself with luxury items. He said he was doing this by calling expensive hotels and car dealerships and pretending to be in the market for such items, requesting price information. He even said he called a private jet company once for a price quote to fly him and a few friends to the Caribbean for the weekend.
I sat at dinner listening to this conversation and found it very difficult to keep straight face.
Then the bill came. It sat on the table far longer than it should have. Then he picked it up, looked at it for a few minutes, went through his wallet and asked, "Do you have ten dollars?" To which I in my best black woman attitude voice told him "no." He paid with his credit card and made up some excuse about how he didn't want to use his credit card. Whatever!
The waiter bought his card back for him to sign the receipt and he stepped away to go to the bathroom. His leaving concerned me, as it would most people at this point, so I proceeded to look at the credit card to see what name was on it. Well the card said, "H&R Block Client." My girlfriend later told me that this was likely his tax refund.
He returns from the bathroom and asks if I would like to go somewhere for a drink and to shoot a few games of pool. I had enough at this point so I politely declined the invitation.
As if the date couldn't get any worse, as he walked me to my car, I asked him where his car was parked to which he proudly proclaimed, "I don't have a car. I was dropped off."
Thank you loser guy!!! You were so kind to not only buy me dinner, but you also provided me something far more valuable. A story that I will be telling for the rest of my life.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
No Shopping, No Peace
Have you noticed lately that since we've been in this crazy economic crisis that shopping isn't the zen experience it use to be?
I am the type of person who likes to do what I call, Window Shopping with the Option to Buy. I simply like to walk around looking with no real plan in mind and if something tickles my fancy at the right price, I'll buy it.
This is my way of relaxing. This has always been a very peaceful and serene way to spend a lazy day.
Well not anymore. With the economy being what it is, no one is really buying anything therefore the salespeople are out in full force. Today I walked into Eddie Bauer just to check to see if they had long jeans. I don't think I was in that store for more than five minutes when I was approached by about six salespeople.
The first lady was innocent enough, she simply greeted me. Next was the guy trying to make himself busy folding shirts, he greets me and ask if I was finding everything I was looking for. I had only been there a minute so I really hadn't had a chance to look. I said yes and continued looking.
Then it seemed that I was the only customer in the store because every other person in the store came up to me in machine gun formation saying hello in a cult-like way and asking "have you found everything you're looking for?" At one point I was still in the middle of telling one lady that I was fine when another women seemingly interrupted my sentence to ask the question of the day, "have you found everything you're looking for?"
Enough! My peaceful shopping experience was destroyed. Too much. I felt like I was in one of those tourist trap swap meets or street markets where all the vendors are overly aggressive and calling to you that it's free to look.
Let's get this economy back on track so I can go on to being ignored in the stores like the good ole days.
I am the type of person who likes to do what I call, Window Shopping with the Option to Buy. I simply like to walk around looking with no real plan in mind and if something tickles my fancy at the right price, I'll buy it.
This is my way of relaxing. This has always been a very peaceful and serene way to spend a lazy day.
Well not anymore. With the economy being what it is, no one is really buying anything therefore the salespeople are out in full force. Today I walked into Eddie Bauer just to check to see if they had long jeans. I don't think I was in that store for more than five minutes when I was approached by about six salespeople.
The first lady was innocent enough, she simply greeted me. Next was the guy trying to make himself busy folding shirts, he greets me and ask if I was finding everything I was looking for. I had only been there a minute so I really hadn't had a chance to look. I said yes and continued looking.
Then it seemed that I was the only customer in the store because every other person in the store came up to me in machine gun formation saying hello in a cult-like way and asking "have you found everything you're looking for?" At one point I was still in the middle of telling one lady that I was fine when another women seemingly interrupted my sentence to ask the question of the day, "have you found everything you're looking for?"
Enough! My peaceful shopping experience was destroyed. Too much. I felt like I was in one of those tourist trap swap meets or street markets where all the vendors are overly aggressive and calling to you that it's free to look.
Let's get this economy back on track so I can go on to being ignored in the stores like the good ole days.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
I'm a super hero
I never realized it until this evening, but I am a super hero because I have a super power. It's called 20/15 vision. Most people are lucky to have 20/20 but through modern medicine ie, Lasiks surgery, I have gone from close to needing a cane and guide dog to 20/15 vision.
I didn't realize that this was a super power until this evening. I was at a night club dancing and there was a small sign on the table. The average person probably couldn't read this sign unless they picked it up. I know that even when I wore glasses I would have had to get super close to the sign to read it. But not tonight, I simply focused my eyes, there were bionic sounds and voila, I read it.
I find myself using my super power alot. Driving down the street, walking in the mall,etc. Many people will request me to use my super power. They ask, "what does that say?" I go into focus and BAM!!! I read it to them.
I must say, its a pretty cool power to have, considering I spent my entire adolescences and most of my adulthood blind as a bat.
Yes, I'd prefer to be able to stop time or even fly, but 20/15 vision, ain't so bad.
Friday, June 26, 2009
It's all about the music
I initially started writing this blog sharing different situations in my life that included a Michael Jackson song. After my first draft I realize how unoriginal it was as well as kinda boring. So I decided to take a different spin on things.
Like most the world, I've spent the last two days listening to Jackson classics and watching some of the most amazing videos every made.
I have always liked these songs but now with MJs death I find myself really dissecting the songs lyrically and musically. Many of them are simply perfection. They are inspired.
Listening to these songs has made me hungry to hear great music so I've proceeded to listen to classics by Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire and even a modern day God-sent Jill Scott.
I find myself asking, what happened to good music and why are we constantly bombarded by such garbage on a daily basis. R&B use to be an amazing art form, now it's complete and utter trash.
How can people call themselves artist and put out such noise. And why is there an audience for madness?
Michael Jackson's music will live on long after his passing. And so will the songs of Motown, Earth Wind and Fire, Jill Scott and a few other amazing performers. Yet the masses and the radio airwaves will continue to bombard us with Blame in on the Alcohol and Soulja Boy.
Twenty, thirty, forty years from now we will not be celebrating Bootylicious but Dancing Machine, ABC and Man in the Mirror will live on.
Like most the world, I've spent the last two days listening to Jackson classics and watching some of the most amazing videos every made.
I have always liked these songs but now with MJs death I find myself really dissecting the songs lyrically and musically. Many of them are simply perfection. They are inspired.
Listening to these songs has made me hungry to hear great music so I've proceeded to listen to classics by Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire and even a modern day God-sent Jill Scott.
I find myself asking, what happened to good music and why are we constantly bombarded by such garbage on a daily basis. R&B use to be an amazing art form, now it's complete and utter trash.
How can people call themselves artist and put out such noise. And why is there an audience for madness?
Michael Jackson's music will live on long after his passing. And so will the songs of Motown, Earth Wind and Fire, Jill Scott and a few other amazing performers. Yet the masses and the radio airwaves will continue to bombard us with Blame in on the Alcohol and Soulja Boy.
Twenty, thirty, forty years from now we will not be celebrating Bootylicious but Dancing Machine, ABC and Man in the Mirror will live on.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Shut up and ___________!
I am a phone person. I love talking on the phone. Always have. I remember when I was in elementary school how we were the first people of my friends to get call waiting and 3 way calling. I remember being on the phone for hours and hours with my friends talking about absolutely nothing.
I still enjoy talking on the phone playing catch up with friends, gossiping and laughing about my dating life.
What I don't understand is why people feel the need to have long extended conversations out in public. Today at the gym, the girl next to me on the elliptical machine got a phone call and proceeded to have this ridiculously long and loud conversation. I was standing next to her and had my iPod paying but I still managed to hear about how much weight she has gained and how her friend didn't notice it at her birthday party because she was wearing a big dress. TMI, I don't care about this girl. Why must I be subjected to her personal conversations? I always thought that if you are really getting a good workout, you should be able to talk but you really don't want to. To this lady I say, "shut up and workout"
But it's just not while working out. It's in the locker room, at the grocery store, in line at Starbucks, walking around CVS, eating at a restaurant, at the movies. EVERYWHERE!! Are these conversations so important that people can't wait until they are in private? Why must the rest of the world suffer through your dumb conversations? And why must you talk extra loud? Shut up all ready! Hang up the damn phone you loser!
I still enjoy talking on the phone playing catch up with friends, gossiping and laughing about my dating life.
What I don't understand is why people feel the need to have long extended conversations out in public. Today at the gym, the girl next to me on the elliptical machine got a phone call and proceeded to have this ridiculously long and loud conversation. I was standing next to her and had my iPod paying but I still managed to hear about how much weight she has gained and how her friend didn't notice it at her birthday party because she was wearing a big dress. TMI, I don't care about this girl. Why must I be subjected to her personal conversations? I always thought that if you are really getting a good workout, you should be able to talk but you really don't want to. To this lady I say, "shut up and workout"
But it's just not while working out. It's in the locker room, at the grocery store, in line at Starbucks, walking around CVS, eating at a restaurant, at the movies. EVERYWHERE!! Are these conversations so important that people can't wait until they are in private? Why must the rest of the world suffer through your dumb conversations? And why must you talk extra loud? Shut up all ready! Hang up the damn phone you loser!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
