Premonition or Day Dream

I was standing there drinking my long island, a Mill long island so it only took one for the night. It had been awhile since I had been in there, barely a sophomore to the city, maybe a junior.
You walked in, I noticed you right away.. your height, your complexion... I poked Rey and nodded in your direction... you maneuvered your way through the crowd and to the bar but on your way through you passed by... I smiled, you smiled.

I changed from my suit to my sweats... another night of tv, dinner, a few chapters of my book and then sleep. Steak was grilling... potato was baking. I sit down to check my AOL email, just Bloomingdales and Monster nothing important. I move on to check the messages on the popular website, you know the one that is like a gay nightclub online... Third message was from you... I think it said something simple like how are you doing, it wasn't much more. I was shocked, I didn't even know you were on there. I respond. I wonder where this will lead. I think back onto the first time I saw you...

I looked in the mirror... not too pretty boy... not too casual. Head freshly shaved.... goatee manicured perfectly. Incense has nearly burned out, as I close the window. The apartment is filled with fresh, crisp air. There is a knock at the door... I open it. You say hello. I smile. You smile. I wake up.

Premonition or day dream

in the background: Be Without You - Mary J Blige courtesy of VH1 Soul

Ok so now that I am pretty much off of work for the rest of '05... I have nothing to occupy my time but sleep, watching Y&R {sidebar: why haven't I seen this in about a month and the storyline hasn't moved... don't see how people can watch this everyday.} and surfing the web.

I have been lucky to avoid any crowds shopping in Georgetown and Pentagon City for the simple fact that I haven't done any Christmas shopping. My boy Donnie keeps reminding me how I have to stop all my excessive shopping if I am going to afford a house in the near future.. he also mentioned something about giving up my digital cable and dvr {sidebar: we all remember a few entries ago my DVR was one of my favorite things in '05... so that ain't happening}. Other than opening the few gifts people gave me... the only thing I have to look forward to is the recently formed tradition of holiday dinner at my house. A few of my friends that are either not going home or do not celebrate Christmas for religious reasons are coming over to my house for dinner. All the good shit... Ham, dressing, greens, candid yams, mac and cheese prepared by yours truly.
I can be domestic at times even though I hate that type of shit.

Today also marks 10 more days till I will be sitting in seat P 108 at the Broadway Theater watching The Color Purple. While I have a few friends that have seen the show and told me tidbits (wow never thought I would actually have to use that word), I have stayed away from the segment on Oprah and most of the reviews. I want to see this show with fresh, unbias eyes. Me and 2 friends will be hanging out in NY all weekend so if you know of any hot spots to check leave a brother a message.

Conversation on Metro

"RED LINE to Silver Spring... next stop Union Station"

"We have to hit Victoria's Secret today," (20something young white female wearing Ugg boots)

"How much have you spent so far?" (20something asian/white female carrying Louis Vuitton purse, breifcase)

"Probably about $800 maybe a little more not sure."

"How much more do you have to buy"

"Oh that was just for me I haven't shopped for my family yet."

"Maybe we should buy something for that family in Carol's neighborhood whose house burned down."

"Didn't they have insurance?"

Farewell... Richard Pryor

After a 20 year battle with multiple sclerosis, a degenerative nervous system disease, actor-comedian Richard Pryor died of a heart attack on Saturday at age 65. While he was most notably known for his stand up routine where nothing was off limits, for me it was his 1986 film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling.

In one of my favorite films, Richard Pryor stars as a popular comedian's fall from grace. Jo Jo Dancer is brought up in an Ohio brothel, who rises from his humble beginning to become a popular comedian and film star. Who, like Pryor, throws it all away when he severely injures himself in a drug-related accident. In the hospital, he looks back on the events in his life--from his ascent to stardom, to his troubles with women, to the events that caused his downfall. Although Jo Jo, was inspired by events of his own life, he refused to label it as autobiographical.

While he may be remembered for his stand up or his movies with Gene Wilder.... Jo Jo Dancer will always symbolize Richard to me.

Don't Confuse my Lack of Xmas Shopping for Lack of Xmas Spirit

"Are you done with your Christmas shopping?"
"Well seeing I don't do Christmas shopping I guess so."
"Oh why aren't you into Christmas?"

When did going into debt, spending outrageous amounts of money on gifts, waking up at 3am the day after Thanksgiving to go stand outside in some long ass line at WalMart to get that off brand DVD player for $40 become synonymous with Christmas.

While I don't think I will ever raise my child into believing in the entire Santa Claus theme... I believe the aspect of the holiday is only for kids that do not know any better. For me Christmas and the Holiday season is a time to reflect on the gifts that God has given us, and like the Three Wise Men we should bring gifts to him. For me over the past few years these gifts have been volunteering through my church, Metropolitan Baptist Church, raising money at work to purchase gifts for a needy family with young kids, and cleaning out my closets (yes closets its quite sad at times) to donate clothes and shoes to the homeless. I will never forget last Christmas I went to the DC Central Kitchen, a homeless shelter that teaches and educates the homeless in culinary arts and management, to deliver a turkey after hearing on the news that they were short of what they needed to feed all their people. What started off as me dropping off a turkey led to me volunteering 3 additional hours, and became the most rewarding experience of the season.

So while you are out finding a parking space at the nearest mall or typing in your credit card number into the box... don't forget to give a gift in honor of the birthday boy.