Today was just another day in the sub/urbs. I had an interesting lil' mix of the suburban life and well, I live every day in urban life (you know, streets littered with an equal dose of churches and liquor stores, saints and sinners, "new urban lofts" and old homes falling apart at the hands of the overgrown sons living with, but not taking care of, their mommas).
My voyage to suburbia did not disappoint. My sister lives there so I take the 30-minute drive (well, more like ride--my car's a bit of a hooptie and 30 minutes sans radio or air conditioning or horsepower (my car has more like camel power) in Houston at any time of the year ain't cool so I usually have to hitch a ride with my sister or parents) and venture out that way from time to time. Today I was in her neighborhood, and at quite the suburban event--a one year old's birthday party! I was there with my two nephews (one and three). The party represented the suburbs well, replete with event planners, leis (the theme was a luau), blow up coconut palm trees, hot dogs, fries, pizza, fresh fruit, and suburban parents.
And my urban world never disappoints. Alcoholics and crackheads as neighbors, toothless grins greeting me in the middle of the day, and today, an effort to support Houston's public schools by riding around to collect what school district officials politely calls "no shows"--the kids that common folks who aren't official call truants or dropouts (or for probably a good number of the kids who have to leave school to make money to support a family, just hard workers). The effort was laudable, and while not the most strategic use of community or volunteer power (we were 8 volunteers descending on the homes of 4 kids at 8:00 in the morning), it was cool to traipse about Houston's 2nd ward with the hopes of returning a kid to school (though probably my even bigger hope of hopes was that we'd be returning them to a school worthy of having kids returned). The streets we hopped around were filled with peluquerias, "envia dinero rapido" signs hanging off of homes, and taquerias. It was cool.
The suburbs were filled with,trees, water fountains (not like school water fountains where the water doesn't come out so you almost have to eat the nozzle or slurp from it and your water tastes like metal--but water fountains that are worthy of being a part of the suburban landscape), neatly manicured school (and home) lawns, and families with children who behaved properly in public at the birthday party. My 3-year old nephew who lives with us in urban world acted, well, urban. He played with stuff that wasn't supposed to be played with, he was loud at the wrong times, he MC Hammered to the Bob Marley tunes that were theme-appropriate (but not necessarily Hammer appropriate), and played with the games as the event planners tried to pack them up.
Not much a point to this blog. But I guess that's the joy of a blog. No point needed!!!
Enjoy wherever you live--the suburbs or the urbs.
Love,
Me!
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Friday, August 26, 2005
Rebirth...(Can people really change?)
Videos. They somehow inspire me to write. Bizarre inspiration.
So I'm sitting here watching Mariah Carey (aka Mimi) and i'm wondering--can people really change? [I'm also wondering why the producers of her Shake it Off video didn't edit the many corny parts where she looks like an insecure middle school girl trying out for the pep squad knowing she will never make the cheerleading one]. No offense to all you pep squad folks out there...you had an important role in middle and high schools across America! Anyway, I just started thinking about how Mariah reinvented herself--overcame her nervous breakdown and her white trash image (not that she's white but if folks are calling folks who aren't Black niggas these days I guess you don't have to be white to be called white trash either) to make a hit record. Then I started thinking about how Puffy has actually gone from Puff Daddy to Puffy to P. Diddy to now just Diddy. I mean, in reality he's the same triflin' at home yet hard-working, hustling, money-chasing man regardless of what he calls himself. But the way celebrities--from Mariah to Puffy to Madonna to Gwen Stefani to Mase--reinvent themselves, I'm wondering if people really can change? Or is it really just their image that changes?
It may take me a few days to finish thinking through this one.
Over the past few years I have been subjected to many claims of changed folks--you know, boyfriends who promise to do different, employers who promise to manage different, heck even myself who promises to get more organized, manage my finances more wisely, eat better, drink less, etc...As a Christian I have to believe in the power of people to change, especially with the power of God on their side. I mean, I do believe that people CAN change...I'm just not sure people actually choose TO change.
I guess I worry that most people change, not because they want to, but because they think it'll improve their image (a la Mariah, Diddy, J Lo, etc.). And therefore changes aren't real, they're just surface. I mean, how often do people change when things are going well? For sure I only make promises of improved organization after I miss a flight because I couldn't find my driver's license. I make a pledge of healthier eating after an evening eating lots of chips and salsa and drinking margaritas at Ninfa's.
I've had a few family members of late who have made some pretty serious promises--they'll stop drinking, stop doing drugs, stop having affairs. But the only reason they started making those promises was because they lost their jobs, their families, and much to our (and their) dismay their teeth in the process. I'm not one who needs to believe their promises of change--they don't live with me, owe me money, or have responsibility for anything in my life. Still I have to wonder--should those who need to believe in the possibility of change believe?
I don't have an answer to this, I guess I just have the question.
So I'm sitting here watching Mariah Carey (aka Mimi) and i'm wondering--can people really change? [I'm also wondering why the producers of her Shake it Off video didn't edit the many corny parts where she looks like an insecure middle school girl trying out for the pep squad knowing she will never make the cheerleading one]. No offense to all you pep squad folks out there...you had an important role in middle and high schools across America! Anyway, I just started thinking about how Mariah reinvented herself--overcame her nervous breakdown and her white trash image (not that she's white but if folks are calling folks who aren't Black niggas these days I guess you don't have to be white to be called white trash either) to make a hit record. Then I started thinking about how Puffy has actually gone from Puff Daddy to Puffy to P. Diddy to now just Diddy. I mean, in reality he's the same triflin' at home yet hard-working, hustling, money-chasing man regardless of what he calls himself. But the way celebrities--from Mariah to Puffy to Madonna to Gwen Stefani to Mase--reinvent themselves, I'm wondering if people really can change? Or is it really just their image that changes?
It may take me a few days to finish thinking through this one.
Over the past few years I have been subjected to many claims of changed folks--you know, boyfriends who promise to do different, employers who promise to manage different, heck even myself who promises to get more organized, manage my finances more wisely, eat better, drink less, etc...As a Christian I have to believe in the power of people to change, especially with the power of God on their side. I mean, I do believe that people CAN change...I'm just not sure people actually choose TO change.
I guess I worry that most people change, not because they want to, but because they think it'll improve their image (a la Mariah, Diddy, J Lo, etc.). And therefore changes aren't real, they're just surface. I mean, how often do people change when things are going well? For sure I only make promises of improved organization after I miss a flight because I couldn't find my driver's license. I make a pledge of healthier eating after an evening eating lots of chips and salsa and drinking margaritas at Ninfa's.
I've had a few family members of late who have made some pretty serious promises--they'll stop drinking, stop doing drugs, stop having affairs. But the only reason they started making those promises was because they lost their jobs, their families, and much to our (and their) dismay their teeth in the process. I'm not one who needs to believe their promises of change--they don't live with me, owe me money, or have responsibility for anything in my life. Still I have to wonder--should those who need to believe in the possibility of change believe?
I don't have an answer to this, I guess I just have the question.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
So it's my birthday. YAY! I guess. I don't know how I feel about this whole exposing my inner-most thinkings to the greater world. I mean, if I meet you in person and disclose way more than I should that's one thing. But over-disclosing without being able to look you in the eyes is a whole 'nother matter. Anywho, I've got way too much to overdisclose to be able to do it in this blog so I think I'll never make for a good blogger. Better stick to objective, academic essays that tell you nothing about me.
It's my birthday. I am now 29. I'm sitting home watching BET. Trina and somebody else. "Bad Chick". I'm going onto Itunes to look for the clean version of it. I love it....though I should probably listen more closely to the lyrics before I publish such proclamations. :-) Anyway, I don't think Miami rappers quite have clean versions of their songs--and at 29 I probably shouldn't be trying to download songs called "Bad Chick" but...you know, 30s are the new 20s...so...
Anywho, I just thought I'd start blogging today since it is the start of my 29th year. Almost 3 decades. I'm glad that I believe I've changed more than the world has. As I watch BET I can tell you what hasn't changed---videos (1) ugly rappers still wearing too much jewelry...and more jewelry than they can afford...surely they've got it on loan...one rap song on BET does not a rich person make (somebody better tell all the kids who are aspiring rappers!!!) 2) ugly rappers still gettin' at women who are too pretty for them...and cost more than they can afford...the women'll only talk to them if they think said ugly rapper can help them get an acting career...sadly these women are pretty and somehow somewhere along the way must've learned that pretty must be all they got...cause if they'd learned something else they'd be doing something else cause simple laws of statistics will tell them that video hos more often than not end up as washed up as all the talented 35-year old basketball players who live at home with their mommas but "still got a mean game!!"..and 3) joe (yeah, joe of "stutter", "all the things your man won't do" fame)! he still ain't got his own woman and is still singing about what he's going to do with someone else's woman. So anyway, on my 29th birthday I will celebrate--or mourn--the fact that rap videos have not changed much in my 29 years.
A big shout out of love to all of my friends who remembered...a special shout out to the pre-noon crew (if you're on EST or CST)...that's for those who really, really remembered ;-).
Happy birthday to me. And thanks nifamatic for the song ON the world wide web. WHAT technology!!!!
It's my birthday. I am now 29. I'm sitting home watching BET. Trina and somebody else. "Bad Chick". I'm going onto Itunes to look for the clean version of it. I love it....though I should probably listen more closely to the lyrics before I publish such proclamations. :-) Anyway, I don't think Miami rappers quite have clean versions of their songs--and at 29 I probably shouldn't be trying to download songs called "Bad Chick" but...you know, 30s are the new 20s...so...
Anywho, I just thought I'd start blogging today since it is the start of my 29th year. Almost 3 decades. I'm glad that I believe I've changed more than the world has. As I watch BET I can tell you what hasn't changed---videos (1) ugly rappers still wearing too much jewelry...and more jewelry than they can afford...surely they've got it on loan...one rap song on BET does not a rich person make (somebody better tell all the kids who are aspiring rappers!!!) 2) ugly rappers still gettin' at women who are too pretty for them...and cost more than they can afford...the women'll only talk to them if they think said ugly rapper can help them get an acting career...sadly these women are pretty and somehow somewhere along the way must've learned that pretty must be all they got...cause if they'd learned something else they'd be doing something else cause simple laws of statistics will tell them that video hos more often than not end up as washed up as all the talented 35-year old basketball players who live at home with their mommas but "still got a mean game!!"..and 3) joe (yeah, joe of "stutter", "all the things your man won't do" fame)! he still ain't got his own woman and is still singing about what he's going to do with someone else's woman. So anyway, on my 29th birthday I will celebrate--or mourn--the fact that rap videos have not changed much in my 29 years.
A big shout out of love to all of my friends who remembered...a special shout out to the pre-noon crew (if you're on EST or CST)...that's for those who really, really remembered ;-).
Happy birthday to me. And thanks nifamatic for the song ON the world wide web. WHAT technology!!!!
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