By Joi Tramuel
#BlackLivesMatter
Even under Proposition 215
Legalize it! That’s the chatter.
Every state patiently waiting their turn.
First a little oil then progress to medical conditions and terms.
You people can’t wait to open a dispensary! ...
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They both show up when you least expect it. I have a young child at home so I try to be really careful about what we watch on television. Youtube has been my prefered source for watching videos because I can have better control over what he sees. Or so I thought. One evening, I entered asearch for one of our favorites,“Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear.” Several really cute and appropriate versions popped up. As my son and I were scrolling for THE ONE, there, mixed in for no apparent reason, were videos of women holding teddy bears, dressed in teddies, or AS teddies, and clearly not what a child should see.
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My mother has a great influence on our family, immediate and extended…
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When white people go to Mars, I’m gonna be dancing in the street!
When white people go to Mars, we will finally be free!
When white people go to Mars, another pale face I will not see!
When white people go to Mars, don’t let them come back for free!
Although he is not my biological dad, he is the only father I’ve known since the age of five. He stepped-in, so I took the step out ...
Improve relationships, healthy living, write more, read more (less television), increase income, increase savings, find ways to stay in love, practice humility (intellectually, socially and emotionally), get organized (in general, but also finances, insurance & other important records), smile & laugh more, grow spiritually and meditate.
My “better thinking” goals are just aspects, some of the parts that make up the whole of 2015. Growth and life’s lessons are (were) a consistent theme.
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I’ve expressed my love for music & ya’ll know I’m a bit kooky. I often relate things happening in my life to the music I am listening to. While it is not specific to the song’s lyrics or meaning; a phrase, a verse or the hook may spark a thought.
Life set to And See That’s The Thing, Deja Trimble (DeJ Loaf)
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We all love things that we have no personal interest in doing, but enjoy seeing (in this case hearing) others engage in and succeed at.
Fan.
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“Music can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation.”
Read MoreThis past Saturday I participated in the 2015 DSAGC Buddy Walk at Jerry Richardson Stadium at UNC Charlotte under Carolina blue skies. The event raised $195k, in all regards a huge success, however short of the $220k goal.
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I see you, beautiful black woman with your eyes diverted as to avoid contact.
“Beauty is always strange.”
I hear you, validation hunter.
“I will protect myself from imaginary enemies by repeating saccharine statements that misrepresent reality.”
Read MoreWe were titans
Eternally made
We were lovers
Born against the grain
Why would you wanna die
If you can live with me
But I can't make you stay
We were titans (x4)
I cannot make you stay
I cannot even if you asked
I cannot make you stay
How awesome is this narcissism; sitting on the couch with my iPhone, iPad Air and MacBook Pro everything in sync. Michelle, who is sitting on the couch with me, seemingly annoyed with the simultaneous notifications. & then my Apple life flashed in front of me, my photos are not syncing to my iPhone...
Read MoreBecoming mindful of your thoughts, will make you alert to new perspectives.
Your life, by extension of writing, will define, shape and help you articulate your world view more effectively.
Read MoreA few weeks ago I was inspired by a former co-worker. I had begun to see her in the gym; I noticed she had dropped a few pounds from when we worked together, from my point of view I never thought she was in bad shape. Perhaps I Am biased, because I like grown woman weight. Read: Curves.
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The first chilly morning of the Autumn season makes me reflect on all those summer days cruising (on foot) through the park to see who was playing ball. Remember the old folks used a term… “courting”? That term came from the days when one would sit in the courtyard of a southern home with an intended “sweetie”. Well, I guess the basketball court was a version of that.
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"Set in the slums of Hillbrow, an overpopulated urban area of inner city Johannesburg, Umkhungo tells the story of Themba, a young boy shrouded since birth by paranormal events; most say haunted by the ancestors. When his mother is murdered, and his father dies in mysterious and unexplained circumstances; Themba is rescued by a disillusioned street thug, Mthunzi."
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Vacation and the Art of Presence
My family and I squeezed in another vacation a few weeks ago; a mini reunion in Alabama. I have a cousin who is retired military and he was able to secure cabins for us at an incredible discount. Keyword; Cabins, as you might imagine we were surrounded by the outdoors but this is perfect for me. I Am an early riser and on the second morning after our arrival I sat outside on the cabin’s front stoop; my e-reader opened to Between the World and Me, but I have no desire to read. There was peace and silence.
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My kids recently tested my gangsta’, a package with my name on it arrived at the house. I imagine they waited all day to see what was inside; with all eyes on me they watched in wondrous amazement as I opened it. The look on their face was priceless once they realized it contained socks. They said: “You’ve spent a lot of money on socks.” I said: Yo’ mama. No, I really said “Also on food, clothing, shelter, summer camp, North Carolina Dance Theatre, basketball camp …”
I’m a social drinker, my coffee break partner(s) and I opine about life and all of its ironic twist on a regular. The theme over this past week has been about things living souls are unwilling to do for balance, peace, healing, and/ or love.
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