Hang Man; Well, Hang Gay Man
Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni were 17 years old when the Iranian government put them to death by hanging, for what insiders say, was consensual gay sex. Since their July 2005 hanging as many as 14 other men have been put to death for the same reason. Iran has said the young men were put to death for kidnapping and rape to avoid embarrassment at their inability to eradicate homosexual behavior. On July 19, Outrage and International Day Against Homophobia, two groups strongly opposed to Iran’s anti-gay stand, have scheduled protests against Iran and its barbaric practices.
Black Killer
The number one killer of black men and women is lung cancer. It is estimated that black men are 50% more likely to develop lung cancer than their white counterparts. Even more disturbing is that smoking among black high school students has increased close to 80%, while white high school students showed just a 28% increase. Black men in New York City are said to be twice as likely to die of prostate cancer as their white counterparts – don’t ask me why, but just thinking about it makes me sore when I sit. Holding death-spot number two for black women is breast cancer. Here, New York showed black women were less likely to die of breast cancer than white women. Some attribute the phenomenon on better healthcare and screening involving Big Apple black women. Weight also plays a key role in accelerating some of these diseases; 64% of black women are said to be overweight.
Hot Shorts to Chill
Okay, maybe I’m too old to get risqué with the hot shorts and tank tops. Strangely, this summer wasn’t about what I was too old for or what I should drop and let go. This season is a let-go season filled with recapturing fun – well, recapturing it with some maturity. Last Saturday and Sunday the old crew partied like we were 20-something again. True, I should have nixed the Sunday party – especially when it got me home at 5 a.m. with just one hour to nap before getting ready for the office. Normally this would cause a deep-seated regret anchored in exhaustion, but this time around it was an exciting weekend packed with old-school laughs and walks down memory lane that even featured some of the old cast of characters. The weekend ended with a heart-felt conversation that gave credence to the hindsight is 20-20 theory. Looking back on over 20-years of life’s dramatic incidences we didn’t know whether to laugh ourselves into unconsciousness or cry with repentance at some of youth’s ignorant decisions. Saturday night the hot shorts created quite a stir and as I walked passed a full length mirror I saw a man that was having a great time and shucks… I still was pulling-off the look – guess the difference is that the guy looking back at me was a grown man.
On Blast
The man/woman that you are… We’ve come such a long way. We’ve had some incredible laughs and some earth shattering sorrows. If you could identify the one great memory that warms your soul and the one horrific incident that extinguished the flame in your heart, what would you say they are? How have each of those extreme emotions affected you to this day?
Keep passin ‘the open windows…
3 comments:
One memory that will always stick with me was the first time I experimented with “the tab” also known as “tripping”. The government name for this is actually LSD/Mescaline. The effect that this drug gives is hallucinations, a feeling of paralysis and of course with me an uncontrollable laughter. Anyway getting back to the memory, one evening my girlfriend Lisa and I went to the park to buy some tabs. We immediately took them and it was our first experience. It took about 30 minutes for the tab to actually start working. At this time we are hanging out when we saw a couple of our friends walking. We stop to chat and then we were introduced to two guys. Guy number one had 4 fingers and was missing his thumb and the other guy was a midget. Of course under any other circumstances I would just say hello but since I was tripping I started to have this uncontrollable laughter. I could not even look at the midget. I started to say things like “waz up shorty” and “I’ll race you”. Of course these guys knew we were tripping and took it all in. As I was enjoying my trip I suddenly notice that Lisa was crying. I went over to her and ask her what was wrong and why she was crying. She said because guy number one “didn’t have a thumb”. Of course I’m laughing, she is hysterically crying. So when guy number one came over to f*ck with her regarding his missing thumb she went from crying to a paranoia state. She started to run around in circles and screaming that the shadows on the floor were chasing her. Too make a long story short we spent the rest of the night in the emergency room and that was NOT FUNNY!!.
Whew… let’s see…
My fondest memory:
Turning 30 and walking in to my surprise party in MD. There were friends there from NY, DC, MD, VA and PA. I was floored that everyone made their way down to my house to surprise me. I remember being completely overwhelmed by such an incredible showing. Never had a party like it before or since.
My most heartbreaking moment:
After discovering she had terminal leukemia, I stayed by my grandma’s side until the day she passed. I remember receiving the phone call from my sister and can still recall the tone of her voice. I arrived at the hospital to my grandma’s side to hold her lifeless hand. I remember having tears roll down my face, but feeling this eerie calm. I knew she was okay. She looked so peaceful and felt so warm. I remember thinking I had never experienced such an enormous feeling of loss.
Okay Bad Girl... I laughed so hard... I remember those days of trippin' on Mes... Lawd help me I remember... LOL
OMG BAD GIRL! I think that was the funniest story, I heard in a long time....LMAO, LOL
I think my fondest moment was giving birth to my wonderful children, I never realize until they were born, how much I could love someone.
Post a Comment