The Beginning of Lent

Well, well, well Fat Tuesday, the last opportunity for partying and excessive indulgences before Lent, has come and gone. And today marks the first day of Lent. While I grew up in a nondenominational church that never really recognized this season of fasting, my new spiritual journey has taken me to a place where I look forward to this time of penance, prayer, preparation for or recollection of baptism, and preparation for the celebration of Easter.

During this time over the past 5 years, I always fast on something that has become unnecessarily important in my life, read the Bible more, and attend more church services than I do most of the year. For me its all about making a real sacrifice to symbolize the greatest sacrifice. This year I have decided to fast on alcohol and red meat and to read the entire book of Job. I chose Job because it is a book about a man who has so much and looses it all but still confesses his trust in God. This month will not only be a cleansing period but also a time of reflection of the difficult year my family has experienced due to Katrina and how material wealth can be easily washed away.

Dear Whitney....

You are really beginning to piss me off. Why do you continue to play with my emotions? You should have stayed with Clive and never married that crack head. At least Clive knew how to hide the ghetto New Jersey side of you. You always get my hopes up with the rehab stints but then you... get out and do some crazy bullshit in Alpharetta. You know them white folks up there are just waiting to say they say Whitney do this and Whitney do that. Move to Stone Mountain if you want to carry on like that. You make one big musical appearance a year or every other year... and I am like yes she is on the path to coming back... and then you pulled this bullshit you pulled in Turino.

Do you know how excited I was to hear you would be performing at the Winter Olympics? When I first read that along side the award ceremonies for the competing athletes, every night there was going to be a show with the best stars of the international music scene including you... I was shocked. Finally someone recognizes that you still have some talent left in you somewhere. Since they weren't broadcasting the concert, I waited and waited for a clip or a news bite of your February 19, 2006 performance. And when I finally hear of your less than stellar performance... where you missed nearly every note... my heart broke once again. And then to hear your reason:

"Why did they choose to do this outdoors? I don't sing in the cold. It makes my voice funny." - Whitney

Whitney I need you to do one of two things.... get it together or leave the scene before you ruin what is left of the memories of one of the greatest voices ever.

Always,
CBW

A Weekend with Friends

If there is one thing I have come to learn about DC, since moving here 6 years ago, is that the residents on DC only need a one reason to party. And today being a federal holiday, making it a 3 day weekend was the reason for this past weekend.

The weekend started for me by going to a small get together to play spades at my boy Tim's house. Most of the regulars were there as well as couple new faces... always the usual. And of course me and my partner ran the table. The party then moved to the Edge nightclub and Darryl Wilson's Bounce Fridays. Darryl had invited the City Gym Boys of NY to do an underwear fashion show and Tyson Beckford made an appearance. In all honesty I only briefly remember any of them because by the time they made it to the stage I was on my 2nd lil blue drink (my friend and bartender Cory is always looking out) and probably my 5th drink since dinner.

Saturday, my good friend from NY, Dizyaboy and his boy Alex, nixed their plans for a weekend getaway to LA (why the hell anyone wants to get away to there I wouldn't understand) and came down to kick it the rest of the weekend. A little shopping.. alot of eating... a little drinking... a lot of sleeping. Saturday was definitely a restful chill day for the all of us.

Sunday I was awaken by the clammer of pots and aroma of food from my kitchen... usually any food aroma from the kitchen is from take out in the microwave. Alex had got up and made all of us breakfast. Pancakes and eggs... (where he found that pancake mix I still have no clue). We spent the rest of the day at the gym and Target. Now everyone that knows me knows I love me some Target (seeing I got about $100 in Target gift certificates for Xmas, someone was paying attention) But anyway I am probably in Target 3 times a month, every month. My cousin, JP, says there is something in there besides Tide that keeps bringing me back. Well as I was going for my Tide with Bounty... I noticed this attractive dude checking on me. We talked and exchanged numbers, with promises to get up later. Maybe JP was right.

We ended Sunday at Love. Darryl Wilson's new Sunday night spot which will quickly put the other Sunday night spots out of commission. A couple of drinks... alot of music... some dancing and socializing made for a pretty damn end to the weekend. I was awaken by Eric this morning as he said his goodbyes and headed back to NYC. (Did I mention him and Alex are only the best houseguets... removing the linens from the bed before they left, washing dishes and cooking... open invite whenever!)

Definitely a great weekend with friends... back to bed I go now!!

ANIMBACK... again

Ok no more emails or IMs asking me whats wrong.... everything is going well, I have just been focusing on different things and have been uninspired to write. But of course that doesn't mean life has stopped... so here is a quick answer to "what the hell has been going on man?!?"

• Back on the road again.... 2006 has kicked off and I recently returned from my third trip so far. Philly was the first trip and was really cool. I reconnected with one friend and met another who has proven to be quite a character so far. I think I will call him Chill for two reasons... he is calming and alcohol.
• Next was off to Chicago.... I was there for a week at the posh W Lakeshore. Always good to see my friends there and lucky for me the weather was abnormally nice.
• And returning this week from my Texas tour. I hit Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Midland. I saw old friends and family and did some work while out there. But like they say it is always nice to go home... and be able to leave again!!!
• I have also been networking like crazy... my desire to switch from the client/event planner side to the hotel/catering side has proven to be a challenge. Lucky I have met some good people in the industry that have gotten my resume to some of the right people. I have been saying prayers on that and hopefully something will open up soon.
• I have also began to look into purchasing my first home. I was preapproved for a mortgage and seeing my lease is ending soon, I thought it was the best time to see what was out there. And let me say the housing market in DC sucks. It definitely takes 2 incomes or at least 2 of my incomes... to be able to afford something nice and spacious. This reason alone has made me start looking for jobs back in Atlanta. If I don't find anything in the next few weeks... I will be rooming with a friend of mine so we can both save money on living expenses and revisit this idea in another year.
• Boys... Boys... Boys.... of course no new entry into the blogworld would be complete without a mentioning of men. Dancerthighs is making a reappearance... after finding out over the Xmas holiday that he had slept with a friend of mine way before I knew him it kind of put me off... but then I realized ummm duh he didn't know your dumb ass then, get over it! Then there is the Blatino... young, dumb and full of cum is the only way to describe him... he is cool people I like hanging out with him. And we can't forget Frenchy... we have went to dinner once and hung out he is cool but seems to be very guarded and likes to be pursued.... which we all know ain't me but he is cool and if nothing more we will be good friends.
• And of course I save the best for last KravingATL .... still has my heart even from miles away. Makes you wonder if things were different... would it be a perfect world?!?!

Cab Ride

Taxi...take me to his home.
I wanna give him all of me cause I'm alone
The world is quiet
I wouldn't mind mere conversation

Can you be my ride?
What's your fare?
Mister can you take me there.

Can you break above
All I ask you is...
Taxi...take me to his home.

I wanna give him all of me cause I'm alone
Turn the radio down a bit...
Would you be so kind
To stop at a station
I see the sign
Cause you need some air
Mister can you take me there.
You can keep the buck
All I ask you is...

Taxi...take to his home.
I wanna give him all of me cause I'm alone
And I know he's watching the time yeah
Told him I would make it
Just get me there safe