the DEA teamed up with the CCA...

Cash Rules Everything…

If you have been following the Republican Party over the last 10 years, you would have noticed their affinity for excommunicating gays, creating an amendment to govern a woman’s vagina, demonizing all poor people and sending all Mexicans back to Puerto Rico and the free market.  It’s actually one of the few things that I have in common with the GOP.  But, unlike them (more on this later), I do have limits to my love of Capitalism.  The idea of being able to come up with and execute an idea with blood, sweat and tears and make as much money as possible is most certainly a tenet of the American Dream.  However if your only goal or measure of success is a higher profit margin, it can create an interesting conflict of interest with the people and the world around you.

Thou shalt not judge...

Judge Me Not! (Vol. 1)

Inspired by MTV’s Girl Code

We all have those random thoughts, feelings and opinions that are probably better left unsaid and not shared with the rest of the world.  It’s a little too late for me to not share what I'm thinking so here are the thoughts and opinions that are either too simple or too stupid to write an entire post about.

Take a walk in my shoes...

Green Grass.

I have been a full-time entrepreneur for almost 8 years.  That fact continues to shock me because it means that for nearly decade, my full-time job has been a job that I’ve created for myself.  I don’t set my alarm clock, I work from home, I start and stop my day when I choose and I don’t have to ask for a day off.  On countless occasions, others have told me how great my life must be and how incredible it is to be your own boss.  There is truth to that; being in control of your own career is very fulfilling and satisfying but this perception of my life is a prime example of the grass on the other side appearing to be greener.  There’s a reason why there’s thousands of motivational quips, mantras and mottos created to encourage business owners; in between all of those awesome moments, being an entrepreneur can really suck… a lot.

My mind's playing tricks on me

Brain Damage.

Above is a picture of Adam Lanza as a young boy.

What isn’t in this picture is what’s most important.  What you don’t see is a gun.  What you don’t see is a murderous rage and a desire to ruin the lives of hundreds.  I don’t know why someone would enter an elementary school and open fire on 5 and 6 year old children but the fact is, something happened between the date this picture was taken and December 14, 2012 that made Adam pick up that gun and make that choice. 

If I was black, I would have sold half...

Justin(s).

I didn’t always like Justin Timberlake.  In fact, for the better part of the last decade, I despised him and his career.  Seeing his name in the paper or his face on television warranted at the very least an eye roll or teeth sucking.  Now don’t get me wrong, I recognized that the man had talent and to some degree, was deserving of all the accolades and attention, but I couldn’t stand him.  I won't lie; the biggest reason for my gripe was race.  If he were black, I wouldn’t be writing this.

Don’t worry, I’ll explain.

Pump, pump, pump it up

Pay at the Pump

How much money do you want?  This seems like a simply question because the most common answer would be some version of “a lot”.  However, “a lot” isn’t a number and because items actually cost numbers you need to know how much you need in order to afford the things that you want.  There’s another reason why you need to have a better answer to that question – depending on your answer, you may have to make a lot of major life changes.  For example, if you want to make $10,000,000 a year then you better get really good at basketball, singing or computer programming.  If only $7.15/hour is your goal, well then your options are far more plentiful (but not nearly as attractive). We as a society get so caught up in chasing the money that we never really take the time out to figure what to do when we finally catch some.  My answer to this question lies at the gas station.

Fresh line up for the Fall

The Lineup: September ‘12

What I can’t live without: Experiences.  Material things come and go but experiences provide memories that last far longer.  Earlier this year I wrote a post inspired by Jay-Z’s historic announcement that he was curating a two-day music festival in Philly and thanks to a surprise by my fiancée, I had the opportunity to experience it.  I’m too young to have gone to the 2^nd iteration of Woodstock and probably too old to go to Coachella, but this was perfect.  I saw some great live performances including the return of Run DMC,  hometown heroine Jill Scott (with a guest spot from Eve), Janelle Monae and many more.  I even got hip to some new artists from different genres including Miike Snow and Passion Pit.  They created a whole community for two days on the Ben Franklin Parkway and with an epic peformance from Jay-Z which included a G.O.O.D. music performance and a “B” sighting, I’ll never forget the experience.

Is Tyler Perry a Coon?

King Coon

The concept of coons and “cooning” has been an issue that I have tried to tackle for the past two years; first analyzing the possible motivations for someone who can be considered a coon and then assessing whether being a coon was exclusive to the black community.  This time, I would like to discuss what actions can lead to the accusation that one is “cooning” and there is no better place to start than with the current "World Coon Champion" – Tyler Perry.  Walk into most rooms and start bashing Tyler Perry and you’ll get a lot of head nods and possibly a round of applause.  He’s been the target of many - from comedic satire on “The Boondocks” to famed director, Spike Lee, telling Tyler that he can, “go to hell.”  In response to such harsh criticism, the question begs to be asked, “What did Tyler do so wrong?”

I don't want to help you die...

Almost Non-Hypocritical

It’s been two years since I made my pledge not to text and drive and I can safely say I have not sent one single text while driving in the past 12 months and no more than a couple of times did I pick up the phone to read something – only to instantly notice it and drop it in my lap.  I’ve conditioned myself to only text when the car isn’t in motion (technically, by law, its considered texting and driving but as long as the car isn’t moving, I don’t see the harm.) and if I am driving, I pull over to the side if I need to send or read a crucial text or email.  It makes me happy to know that I've set a goal and have managed to stick to it; especially when I know I could possibly be saving my life or someone else’s.  Having said that, I still have one major flaw…

End of the month. You know what time it is... #Lineup

The Lineup: August ‘12

What I can’t live without: Olympics.  I realistically watched anywhere from 80-100 hours of Olympic coverage.  I was into every sport possible: Judo, Water Polo, Handball, Foil, Beach Volleyball you name it, I was into it (except for Equestrian, I still don’t get that).  Watching Michael Phelps become the most decorated athlete ever, Usain Bolt doing Usain both things and of course Gabby Douglas left me with lifelong memories.  There are few things more exciting than watching someone be the best in the world at something.  Even when they aren’t the best, as in the case of Oscar Pistorius who qualified for two Olympic events despite having no legs, you can still fuel your inspiration.  And if the events don’t peak your interest, there’s always this. 

Scout's Honor...

Boys will be Boys

When the Boy Scouts of America released a statement that they will continue their policy to deny access to homosexual boys, to no surprise, their continued stance angered millions who are sick and tired of dealing with intolerance towards the gay community.  It upset me as well because it’s disheartening to live in a country where we can still be so cruel to our own.  While I will never agree with discrimination against anyone based on their sexual orientation, after some thought, I now wonder if the people who run the Boy Scouts have a point.

Gabby, Michelle & Jay

#Progress

I finally decided to sit down and give Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire a shot.  Being a television junkie, it was weird for people to hear that I didn’t watch two of the most popular shows.  It wasn’t for a lack of trying.  I watched a few episodes of both when they originally aired.  A few reasons made me stop watching each show but only one was shared between the two…  My Blackness.  Watching the period pieces of Mad Men and Boardwalk, which took place in the 1920’s and 1960’s respectively, once again exposed me to images of stark and unapologetic racism.  Racism has and unfortunately will always be an emotional subject for me and I chose not to volunteer to put myself in a bad mood when I wanted to watch some television.  Since binging on my Netflix and DVR, I’m still trying to get into Don (a bit slow) and I got a bit hooked on Nucky (now waiting for Season 3) but both required a concerted effort to ignore the pain and simply enjoy it as entertainment.

Daddy, why don't I have good hair?

The Natural

It’s not everyday that you expect a movie to completely change how you view the world but Chris Rock made that happen for me a few years ago.  When I sat down on the couch to watch Good Hair, I got up off that couch a different person.  I knew that “black hair” was complex but I didn’t realize that my knowledge to that point was essentially the tip of an iceberg the size of Mt. Everest.  Chris made the movie in response to his 5-year-old daughter asking why she didn’t have “good hair”.  He wanted to make a film that not only educated but also made his little girl feel good about herself.  I was asked if I were to have a daughter, would I let her have a perm?  My answer was and still is a resounding “no”.

Line up like you 'bout to run the 100

The Lineup: July ‘12

What I can’t live without: And of course N-A-S are the letters that spell.  Nas has created his best and most complete album in over a decade.  With production that manages to simultaneously capture the essence of the classic “boom-bap” without sounding dated, Nas was able to comfortably weave in his signature rhymes.  In the past Nas struggled trying to make “current” songs that didn’t fit his style.  It’s one of those albums that remind me why I fell in love with Hip-Hop in the first place.  This is truly a classic and a must have in the collection.

(Related: Cargo shorts.  Pretty much wore them every day of the month.)

Asinine, as-a-ten, as-eleven...

Needle Mover

In 2003, while trying to remain ahead of the curve, ESPN launched Cold Pizza – a two-hour morning television show to give sports fans an alternative to Good Morning America.  It was essentially Sportscenter with couches and coffee.  They recapped the biggest storylines, interviewed athletes and celebrities and featured skits and other comedic segments.  In 2007, ESPN gave Cold Pizza a total makeover.  They moved production to Bristol, CT, started broadcasting in high-definition and changed the name to First Take.  Shortly after, First Take added a debate-style segment called 1^st & 10”.  Throughout the two-hour program, Skip Bayless would debate someone on four separate issues.  These hotly contested debates quickly became the most popular segments on the show; so much that the ESPN created a 30-minute spin off that aired in the afternoon.  Slowly but surely the ratings spike during the 1^st & 10 segments could no longer be ignored.  In 2011, the show's entire format was altered to resemble a two-hour version of 1^st & 10.  There's only one reason for this – people couldn't get enough of Skip.

Lineup... 2012 is halfway over.

The Lineup: June ‘12

What I can’t live without: I don’t like repeating myself but I would be lying to everyone if I said that anything meant more to me in June than the NBA Finals matchup between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Although it was only 5 games, every minute had me glued to the TV and I got to “witness” the “King” win his first ring.  The media hype surrounding this series was almost as entertaining as the games themselves.  I hope my boy is right when he proclaimed that Miami and OKC will be the new Lakers/Celtics...  If we could be so lucky.

Getting ready to lineup for the Summer

The Lineup: May ‘12

What I can’t live without:  The Sixers?  Anyone that knows me, knows that I love basketball.  I’ve been lucky enough to grab a few tickets to some Sixers games since I moved to Philadelphia and unlike last season, I decided to buy some playoff tickets.  I had never been to a playoff game before but being able to see basketball played on the highest level when the stakes are highest, was an experience that I’ll never forget.  Game 6 of the Bulls series was undoubtedly the best basketball game that I ever saw live.  They’ve been eliminated but I’m still glued to the TV waiting to see who’s going to win the NBA Championship.

(Related: Inside the NBA is still king of NBA coverage despite having Shaq)

Huey Freeman would be proud...

Take a Stand.

Life is complex.  This isn’t breaking news but worth mentioning because we as human beings, try to do everything possible to combat that.  We use technology to do things faster, we automate anything that doesn’t require our immediate attention, and we come up with clichés and mantras to help simplify what takes place in our lives.  If you really think about it, the entire study of philosophy only exists because life can be difficult to comprehend.  The following statement has always been one of my favorites and explains exactly why I made a particular decision.

I don't wear jerseys, I'm 30 plus...

Growth.

On May 14^th, Jay-Z made a huge announcement that he is headlining and curating a two-day concert Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia.  Essentially, Jay-Z is shutting down one of the busiest sections of one of the most populous cities in America.  These types of announcements were typically reserved for guys named Bono and Springsteen but somehow a former drug dealer from the Marcy projects is making it happen.  Despite the magnitude of this announcement and what it means for Hip-Hop culture, the Internet was also buzzing about another rapper in Philly.

April showers bring, more Lineups baby.

The Lineup: April ‘12

What I can’t live without: AMC Television. Seriously this is getting a bit ridiculous.  I try not to talk about the same things every month but every time I check out a new AMC show, I get instantly hooked.  This time it’s a show that I came in late on… The Killing.  It’s a unique spin on the cop-style crime drama (think 24 meets Law & Order).  The way that they lay out the clues and the suspects, you feel like you’re trying to solve the crime along with the detectives.  It's an amazing show.

(Related: Game of Thrones)