The Experience

I've spent the last few days in Washington, D.C. with my brother and his family. This trip, although very short and simple opened my eyes to so much. My brother took me on a tour of the city. I visited this area of DC known as Georgetown - near the university. It was surrounded by designer shops and nice restaurants. I will compare it to ATL's Buckhead area. The area was filled with so much history and class. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I was simply amazed. One day - I'll love there just watch. It was GRAND, just like me. SHADE: After all of this trill and excitement - I woke up only to drive back to Middle Georgia. Yes, it was a little sad - but back to the basics. After a 12 hour commute back to the sticks, I received a phone call from Macon's messiest person I know - AJ. He's messy as hell but you must appreciate the information. If it's good - he'll tell it. If it's bad - he'll damn sure tell it. He tells me that my best fr...

It never ceases to amaze me how much progress I've made in my life. Looking back at junior year - I thank God that I'm still here. I was alone. A crazy little disruptive something. Confused, immature, and as hot as a jalapeno pepper I made several decisions based on uncertainty. I was a free spirit because of my insecurities. Thank God for grace. I wasn't confident in my youth - I would often times second guess my decisions as if I was ALWAYS going to be incorrect. I focused more on correcting the error before I even made the mistake. I was that guy that was stumbling and unsure of himself regularly. (side eye) o_O I know you'd never guess that. The most compelling thing about getting to know who you are as a person is building confidence in this new person that you're getting to know. Yea, I wake up and look in the mirror. I'm still me, but I'm evolving into a more mature, more confident brother. I like him more and more everyday. In high school I wa...

There's always one person that will tell you about yourself in the nicest way and you just can't get offended. There's someone who's only known you for a little while, but has read your ins and outs and has written a summary about who you are. You're content with this person - happy for them to know you. I've met that person. My good buddy Tamika. Now she's an old woman in the kitchen. She will burn the hell out of any dish like someone's grandmother. Her future husband is destined to have gourmet styled cuisine daily. It amazes me how Tamika reads me. She kinda knows what I'm thinking and how to advise me. I feel like she's known me for years. She has aspirations of being a life coach - I definitely see that in her future. She should surely coach my crazy azz. After work, I went over to Tamika's for a late dinner. She was preparing this chicken soup and Johnny bread. She explained that it was a Bahamian dish that she eats back home in the...

So, I am listening to this song as I type this post. I've found that I feel this way about a lot of people right now. I'm not angry - I just choose not to deal in their games. Life is too short, so why deal with them? F@%k them! This particular individual that I was having a problem with - we'll just call her Debra to protect the guilty. Nevertheless Debra is a middle aged white woman with very racist tendencies. It's not uncommon to hear her make comments such as "Nothing but peace and hair grease and you people." She has connection problems with the blacks around her. She makes extra attempts to make herself look good. She's loves to make the blacks look stupid. To make a black person look stupid to her is like cream cheese icing on top of chocolate cake for her. So I just know in the trunk of her Ford Taurus she has the white bedsheets with the eyes cut out. Debra and I had a falling out about a week ago - so I stopped speaking to her. The Klan lady wea...

I spoke with a friend of mine - Jeff, a few days ago and he said, "Zo, I think I'm loosing myself." The very thing that he's always had to complete him or validate his existence was gone - his woman. We talked about it over drinks at local restaurant and I gave him the best advise that I think I ever could. 1. Although she's gone - there are millions on top of millions of other women left - all hope isn't lost guy. The problem with many hopeless romantics like myself is that we invest so much into "ONE" when we should really be making small deposits and investing for total return. 2. Evaluate what went wrong - If you don't know what went wrong here, it's bound to happen again. What were the root causes of the arguments, see could there have been alternative ways to solve things. 3. Step out on Faith - You're 21 years old guy! You have the entire world in front of you - why dwell on the small stuff. I know a year is a long time when you...

Have you every been in a crowded room and suddenly you felt as if you were the only person there? It initially it bothered me, but now I realize that I am different. I am the darker brother that Denzel spoke of in The Great Debaters. I'm completely ok with it. This is the truth that many of them won't speak of and dare not mention. Many would say, ""this is 2010, y'all should get over that - let's move on." My response - "How can we?" I think that the Winter is the most depressing time of the year for me. The weather is usually not its best, it's cold, usually cloudy, and many often find themselves thinking of seasons long past. It's funny how quickly one's life can change. It could be as simple as 1. 2. 3. I still remember winter of 2004. I was 18, still handsome and from what I remember, or in my mother's words - starting to really smell myself. That last winter of my childhood. I remember my father telling me that I was in fo...

After a long days work, one would run to the nearest liquor store to grab a 1/2 pint of the cheapest gin available and drink it until the last drop is drank. Tired moments - let me not go there, but instead I find a safe haven in a little coffee house just around the block from my apartment. The coffee is some of the best brewed in town. The people are friendly and they give you permission to stay as long as you want with no cover charge. If the music was a little better, I'd be willing to pay to sit and let my mind flow. I just finished another chapter of my book. I'm not saying that when I'm done with this book it's going to be a best seller, but I will say that it is truly hard work. My main character, Wayne has been through a lot these last two years. He's matured since I first developed this character. His attitude and outlook on life is constant - but he's really matured. Hopefully, we'll have a ending within the months to come. Winter is here! The cit...

Have you ever been to that place where the drinks are cheap and the party is jumping? Or have you been to the place where there is only one bathroom for men and women and the line is usually longer than the line at the bar? Well I've found that place right here in downtown Macon. Its became an every Friday night hot spot. We arrive, there's usually only one or two seats left. The waitresses bring you a few cups of your favorite troubling beverage for tips and there's ALWAYS a live band. The band serenades you with that good old school. Denise LaSalle, Clarence Carter, Johnny Taylor, Earth-Wind-And-Fire, are not uncommon in this place. The live band makes it that much more spectacular. Not to mention uncle Remus and his polyester gold suits and the matching hat. Aunt Debra and her new husband and her bottomless cup of Long Island ICE teas! If you missed that, maybe you'll see the other black souls full of anticipation seeking something more than what they've receiv...

There must be a chemical imbalance in the stew today. I woke up today - like any other day. My mind was not on it's usual focal point. I was more interesting in the things that I had no control over like the poverty of Middle Georgia than the things that I did - like planning my day or cooking a little breakfast. Sitting at my kitchen table, I wrote in my book today. Just some random thoughts towards one of back chapters. I don't know exactly where they'll fit or if they'll. All I know is that they were thoughts that needed to be expressed. I got a letter in the mail today. It was from a shadow of my past. It was a letter of ill intent - but like dust in a windy field, I let it blow. I'm not concerned with anyone or anything that are not to my good. If your intent isn't with love and prosperity - Fuck off because you're not welcomed here. "You stupid son of a bitch," says an angry shopper this morning. Black Friday - an annual event that pulls spe...

Some people work their entire lives in search of their passion. Some find it and some done. Last night, like any other friday night - I went to the hole in the wall in downtown Macon, Georgia. As usual, I had no expectations as to what was to come or how my night was going to end. I don't remember the name of the band nor the host. I do however remember the music. They were singing so of my all time favorites. I heard a little Etta James - At last, Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools, and many more. I had about 4 Georgia Peach Teas - I was feeling right. A friend of mine, Tamika, wanted to go to the TicToc room, but as I rode by the joint - I couldn't possibly see myself having a good time there. I did however want to chill with Tamika. Tamika is a naturalist, she's 30, fair complexion, full figured, and drop dead gorgeous. So I pressed forward. My destination - the hole in the wall. I send Tamika a text telling her that I would be at the hole in the wall and that after leavin...

The current season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta has gotten off to an interesting start. We have NeNe, Sheree, and Kim from the previous seasons. Lisa Woo Hartwell is no longer apart of the show. With new surprises including the introduction of Phaedra and Cynthia have brought an interesting twist. Phaedra, southern bell, educated and sophisticated attorney has a lot of class and can be properly labeled a DIVA.. She's pregnant, and is married to Apollo. Apollo is an interesting character and has severed time in the past. I'm sure we're in for several episodes of dialogue that will keep us thirsty for more. Cynthia, a former model, though very beautiful - does nothing for me and most other viewers. She has no drama about her. She wants to be married but afraid of commitment - where they do that at. I'm sure this is her 1st and LAST season. Stay tuned. It's going to be right. anditisZo

A little boy walked up to his mother and said, "Momma, are we poor?" The lady looked down at her soon and said, "Child please, we aren't poor, we just don't have a lot. Don't look like you missing any meals. We gots all me we need. Now go and take a bath, it's time to get your butt in the bed." From the time I was a little boy, I knew about the class structure in the United States. I knew that on the Northside of Milledgeville in the more affluent neighborhoods lived the upper class citizens. For those families that were making it, but were one paycheck from the welfare line, those were the middle class families. In the households where we only went grocery shopping on the first of the month, there was only enough money to pay the a portion of the light bill, and where you went back-to-school shopping in your older brother's closet was the lower class. This three class system has ruled the United States for years. My mother told me that we were n...

It has been said that he is the most influential black man in America. The first African American president of the United States, Barack Obama has really stirred up Washington, DC. Policies that were usually agreed upon by the Republican party, are not currently. Quote from PoliFact.com, "When it comes to just about everything we've done to strengthen our middle class, to rebuild our economy, almost every Republican in Congress says no," Obama said. "Even on things we usually agree on, they say no. If I said the sky was blue, they say no. If I said fish live in the sea, they'd say no." - Barack Obama. We worked too hard to get this man in office, to not let him finish. Calling all Whites, Black, Gays, Transgenders, Asian, Straights, and Mexicans to stand up and let's put our president back to work for us. anditisZo

What's going on Cyberspace? According to msnbc.com Saudi Arabia blocks Blackberry Applications because the government is not able to monitor their uses. After reading articles like this, it makes me realize how blessed and fortunate I am to live in a country where FREEDOM actually exists. According to the article, these measures were taken to to prevent terrorist messages that can be encrypted via email. All reports are still pending. I'll get back to you on this story. anditisZo

My younger cousin will be heading off to school in the fall. He is so excited – I am equally excited for him! It seems as though it was only yesterday that I was making that huge step to The Fort Valley State University. Through high school I always had a mentor to guide my success and insure that I stayed ahead of the crowd. Once you fall behind, it could be agony to get back where you need to be. I had a guidance counselor, Mrs. J, who was more like a mother-figure to me. She would pull me out of class to ask about my homework and to ensure that I was getting all I needed. She retired last year. The school system of Clayton County lost one of the greatest then. Mrs. J was a mature graduate from Oakwood University in Alabama. She was a strong advocate for promoting her students to attend HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities), but she did not discourage the advantages of attending a PWI (predominately white institution). There are pros and cons to both – Do your research...