Getting Adjusted

Adjusting to Atlanta has not been as seamless as I thought it would be. I mean I use to be here so it isn't like this is a foreign city. Clubs have come and gone... new neighborhoods and restaurants have popped up... old friends have moved away or vanished from the scene... but it is still Atlanta. I was happy to move back to a city that I was familiar with but yet still new. I was happy to be near my bestfriend after so many years. I was excited about a career that brought me back sooner than I thought, more their fault than anything. I was excited about the new possibility of getting to know someone or even maybe romance that never quite happened, probably some of my fault.

Three months ago I was sitting in my apartment in the District... pretty much content with the direction of my life. I was making connections and contacts to assist me in the next steps of my career. I was in a home search... ready to finally be a homeowner. I enjoyed spending all weekend, every weekend with my friends. I really felt at that time that things were really going right. I thought I would have that here in Atlanta but it hasn't quite been that way... not bad just not GREAT!!!

But it hasn't been all bad... one of my good friends from DC just got a job transfer to Atlanta... so I will have yet another person to add to my small circle of 4 friends (not including the people I have met through my bestfriend, who have been cool but aren't quite my good running buddies). I have also met 2 other people that have been a life line to reality and sanity. Gee and Bee are two of a kind. Their backstories are so similar it is a bit unnerving. We spent this holiday weekend pretty much together, just kicking it eating out, hitting parties and bars... oh yeah and whippin they ass in spades (with the assistance of my bestfriend and partner of course) . I met Gee first a few weeks ago and through him Bee and other interesting people have come through my life (more on that later, maybe) Those three and the occasional conversation and site of Valentino have kept my spirits up and have kept me from running back to the comfort of the known back in DC.

But nothing loss... nothing gained. This is definitely going to be an experience I will never forget.

In the background: "In the Trap" by I have no clue LOL!!

Uninspired....

As I sit here at 11:22pm having a drink debating on whether or not to venture out to a club... I received a message on yahoo commenting on my blog... well as you can see I have been very uninspired to write lately.

But this drink got me feeling woo woo, so I thought I'd just post some random thoughts:

• I have been in Atlanta for a month and why have 2 people I rarely speak to already try to put in reservations for Labor Day weekend...
• Why is my mother loving the fact that I am 2 hours away and now constantly asking when is the next time you are coming over.
• I am so loving my pool... one of the things I missed being in DC was the ready accessibility of a pool.
• After watching Oprah's Legend Ball on Monday... I wanna be Oprah when I grow up. Damn she is the epitome of fabulous. And while I usually think New Money is worse than No Money... she rejects my theory all the time.
• What I would have done just to be a waiter at the Legend's Ball... just to be in the presence of all those amazing black women.
• Do people really feel gold teeth and the like are cute???
• I wonder how New Orleans will fare with Nagin reelected to another 4 years.
• Who won American Idol? Better yet who cares??
• It was interesting and refreshing to see Letoya Luckitt carrying Beyonce's clothing line in her Houston based ladies clothing store, Lady Elles.
• Sad to hear that the King of Ska music, Desmond Dekkar passed.
• Oh yeah did I mention damn Oprah is fabulous.

Oh yeah no club tonite.... goodnite!!

A God of Love not Hate...

Let me preface this entry by saying, I truly believe that anyone and everyone is entitled to their own opinions, beliefs and thoughts.

It never ceases to amaze me how it is ok to spread hatred and ok to judge others from the pulpit when it comes to homosexuality... but only when it comes to homosexuality. But that is not the point of this entry... I just do not understand most homosexuals.

Last month, Alfred Owens, Jr. pastor of Greater Mount Calvary Church in Washington, DC, gave a stirring message about how gays can not worship God and how gay men aren't real men. On this Palm Sunday message, Owens made it very clear that gay men were not welcomed on the righteous path. But yet I can't even count the number of homos I know that serve in the choir, the deaf ministry, and sit in those pews and tithe every week. (Read more about the sermon here)

But again this message is not surprising or doesn't disturb me. Back in 2002 I visited this church for the very first and last time. The co-pastor Susie Owens, wife of Alfred Owens, also gave a very similar message. I recall her stating that they needed real men for a mentoring program... not any gay ones pretending to be men. That was only the beginning of a hate filled service accompanied with a choir and audience full of homos.

Again while everyone is entitled to their own views and able to express them, I do not understand how anyone can continue to allow people to humiliate and belittle them on a weekly basis. The hate filled words of 'fag and sissy' are not the words of God and we should not sit by and tithe to a church that allows such nonsense from its pulpit. I have had several friends attend this church over the years. As of last month 5 of them were attending, and now only 2 remain. One guy who has been converted from being a homosexual and is now engaged to be married next month and another who just hasn't seen the light yet.

I would never ask anyone to accept me, because as long as I accept myself that is all I need. But I do demand respect... the same respect that should be given to any human being.

Another Weekend back in the ATL...

I haven't been writing much since moving back to Atlanta because so much other stuff is going on right now.

Getting adjusted and situated back here has been a little more difficult that I had imagined. And I find myself missing DC and my life there. Friday I talked to one of my bestfriends and the big brother I never had for like two hours... him catching me up on all the drama that he had been facing all week. It was kind of hard giving advice and listening over the phone when we would usually talk over a drink and a meal. It was also hard find out on Friday what he had been dealing with all week... partly because I am here in ATL now. Above anything else my friends are what I miss most about DC.

So this weekend was very much another party weekend. It was my first time going out on Friday to this run down shack of a club called Towers 2. The DJ sucked... but the drinks were nice. Saturday me, my bestfriend, and another friend went to a White Party in midtown and then hit Bulldogs. Which was supposed to be the end of our evening but after a few cocktails, Me and the Best weren't ready to call it a night so we ended up hitting Atlanta Live as well. All I can say is that I miss the Atlanta nightlife of 98-99. Fusions, the Otherside, and Traxx were alot better than the three spots I have experienced since being back. The night life has proven to be so country... so ghetto... so young. But like one friend said... you have been back 3 weeks.. give it some time.

It is definitely different living around the corner from my bestfriend. We have been friends for like 10 years and this is the first time we actually have lived in the same city. I don't think it has really sunk in that this isn't one of my long visits I did like once a year but that we are actually close by.