Morning Edition - 8/30/06

It’s Blah, Blah and Blah
Sure, the last several months have been fun-filled and exciting for me, but they’ve also been drenched with lots of introspection. I’ve achieved my goal of becoming physically fit and now am at a crossroads emotionally and mentally. As it turns out, there’s nothing worse than feeling that everything is good and you have no reason to feel down – yet still do. For some reason – and I can’t put my finger on it – I’ve been feeling emotionally disheveled. Rather than sulk, I’ve been making myself more and more busy – in a very unproductive way – and am now physically exhausted to boot. I think it’s time to take inventory and make a few lists. Ultimately, the solution is to channel my energies into moving forward.

Idlewild; More Idle Than Wild
Starring Andre Benjamin and Antwan Andre Patton, better known as Outkast, Idlewild is a story of two childhood friends growing up and pursuing their musical dreams in the 1930s fictional town of Idlewild, Georgia. Although Outkast has always been a progressive R&B funk group, their musical talents are muddled and awkward as they take on the soundtrack for this musical. Benjamin, who is normally an outlandish powerhouse, is rendered meek and withdrawn. Patton is depicted as such a sassy young boy, that his adult character seems almost irrelevant. I get it. It’s acting. The problem is the music has a hard time enhancing the story and the story itself is extremely predictable. If you’re the type of person that sees the good in everything, you’ll be entranced by the dance sequences –especially when the intricate moves are put into slow motion. As an aside, I found Andre attractive in a homely, nerdy kind-of way and his intimate scenes found me day dreaming of crushing his fragile frame. At the risk of being accused of poor reviewing, the movie will certainly make a great Sunday matinee.

REMINDER: EOS CLOSE-OUT AT LQs; Friday, September 15
Friday, September 15th, beginning at 5:30 p.m. we’re having our after work summer close out party at LQs (Latin Quarters). LQs is conveniently located between 47th and 48th Streets at Lexington Avenue. Ladies get in free and gentlemen pay only $5 – a coupon link will be forwarded before the event. Mark your calendar and get set to generate enough heat to last through this winter!

On Blast
The best sex ever. Do you recall your best sexual experience? Without detailing who it was with (unless you really want to put them on blast) tell us what made your sexual experience rate as your best sex ever.

Keep passin’ the open windows…

Morning Edition - 8/28/06

You Really Can’t Teach’em
Don’tcha just hate it when a cliché becomes a reality – more like a nightmare reality? A woman in a suburb of Beijing, China decided to teach her pooch a new trick. Apparently, the dog always watched her drive and would mimic her by placing his paws up on the dash. So Ms. Li – I’m serious, her name is Ms. Li – decided to give the dog a driving lesson. With the hound at the wheel, Ms. Li operated the gas and brake. Shortly after the lesson started, Ms. Li and Fido were involved in an accident. No one was injured and Ms. Li is said to have paid all the damages. So, we reiterate this – You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

It’s Not Like I Don’t Want To
I’m very aware that New York has been dubbed the city that never sleeps. Unfortunately, I’ve joined New York and though I’m no stranger to a bed – shut up Clent! – I’m not getting much sleep. It seems that somewhere between the working engagements and social engagements my internal clock has been distorted and jammed on dawn. I mention this because I’m showing real signs of wear and tear – including poor short term memory and a odd bout of Tourretts syndrome. That’s right, Tourretts. Yesterday while on a date I reached across the table during a lull in conversation and snatched my date’s butter knife up. I pointed the knife at my date (who will remain nameless until I’m sure he’s not pressing assault charges) and yelled, “If you say one more word I’m going to gouge your right eye out of its socket!” When I realized what I was doing I put the knife down and laughed it off. He looked at me, first shocked, and then afraid, then bewildered, then he laughed it off and said, “Boy you are just too crazy.” I have to admit, I was disappointed he thought I was joking because he went right back to running his mouth again. Since we left his car parked some distance from the restaurant, he was forced to ride in my car, but not before he read my license plate (which I completely pay no attention to anymore) and like a little kid kept repeating, “K-M 4 ME” again and again. “So what does it mean,” he asked. Annoyed I turned to him and said, “Killing Men for the Medical Examiner!” Otherwise, that date went well… I want to sleep… preferably in a nice fetal position…with my air conditioning on blast… and my sheets over my head.

Breaking News
I’m like a space shuttle reentering the Earth’s atmosphere… no wait, wrong story… hurricane headed for Florida! Tropical storm Ernesto is making a bee-line for the Florida peninsula and is estimated to have 75 mph winds pounding the Miami and Key West areas within 36 hours. Kent, cut your vacation short and bring home the tan as is!

On Blast
Do you believe that a higher power regulates the events in your life OR your life’s outcome is dependent on your personal choices?

Keep passin’ the open windows…

Morning Edition - 8/22/06

Fantasia Barino; Adversity to Adulation
Lifetime, the network created primarily for women – and apparently for those of us with a somewhat sensitive side – aired Life Is Not a Fairytale; The Fantasia Barino story. The two-hour mini-movie recounts the life of the 2004 American Idol and her rise from single-momma-rape-victim to America’s unlikely idol. The story is heart wrenching and gives an incredible ending to a very sad story. I couldn’t help but wonder what happens if you don’t have Fantasia’s talent and can’t get out of the hell she endured. If we’re celebrating the escape from the abysmal ghetto that imprisons so many young women in America, the story is one of redemption, but if we look at the real-life statistics of how many fair as well as Fantasia, we realize that live really is not a fairy tale.

Even When I Come Away From it; there’s Prayer
I was raised in the church with dad as the Rev. and mom as the first lady. As much as my life has come away from many of the teachings that were ingrained in my soul, the Lord has never been too far. Time and again, he’s proven very real in my life. There are still times when I look at my life and wonder what the Lord has in store for me. I sincerely believe I have not touched on my true purpose and maybe when I stop fighting his will, he’ll reveal it to me. That aside, I’m going to ask you to join me in prayer. I’m not endorsing my religion or any specific God, but I ask for your prayers for a couple of friends of mine who are being tested today. One is facing surgery and my prayer is that the Lord will be the head surgeon in charge. The other is facing the heart shattering effects of a broken heart. I pray the Lord uses his skills at piecing lives together. Join me in prayer. We may not be perfect, but he hears. He hears. Ladies, trust you’re in his hands.

On Blast
If your life had a theme song or soundtrack, what would it be? Why?

Keep passin’ the open windows…

Morning Edition - 8/21/06

The DC Delegation
Thank you Vern and gals for a wonderfully different night out in NYC last night – well, this morning. Vern and his girls are up in Gotham for a few days and I joined them last night to knock back a couple and shake our shimmies a bit. NYC took a liking to Vern and his daily work-outs did not go unnoticed by the NYC boyz. My sis Taqua was also in NYC this weekend – looks like DC gave folks free passes to NYC this weekend – but unfortunately I was saddled with babysitting duties on Friday night and missed out on seeing her. I plan to be in DC in early September and hope to see all my DC family then.

Dating, the Untold Story
Although I haven’t quite mastered the art of dating, my social calendar has been quite full the last couple of weeks. It appears I have a resurgence of popularity. Rather than boast, suffice to say that it really is feast or famine. Right now, brother is cookin’ with hot grease and a gas stove. So far I haven’t quite “nailed” down a good candidate for long-term status, but there are still a few dates scheduled for this week, so I’ll keep an open mind. My new-found dating extravaganza is based in part to my giving folks a fair shot regardless of the various “rules” I had set in the past. I don’t intend to compromise on core values, but it won’t hurt me to shake things up a bit and veer from the norm.

On Blast
During this morning’s breakfast discussion, the conversation turned to the down low and whether the phenomenon is brought about by calculating and dishonest men trying to get their freak on OR if the dishonesty is a direct result of women’s inability to deal with a man’s honesty if he stated he also dated men. Are women setting men up to lie OR are the men just dogs that would do it even if they were in a nurturing situation that allowed for full disclosure? Should women accept partial responsibility for the down low? Could you date a man if he is in a monogamous relationship with you, but admits to having slept with men in the past?

Keep passin’ the open windows…

Morning Edition - 8/16/06

Love Is
By Cocoa Rican - Dedicated to you because you helped me through first

I wonder what love is
Is it like the flower that blooms so richly in spring only to wither in fall?
I ponder where love goes
Is it like the ship that leaves your line of sight over the horizon?
I agonize how love dies
Is it like the moth that can’t help but to meet its death entranced by the flame
Love is all these things
Love is eternal

Morning Edition - 8/11/06

One Mo’ Year!
Soul wifey, Marcia R. and I spent an incredible weekend in Puerto Rico, 8/4-8/7. The model-esque wifey charmed my family who attempted to feed her at every turn. Conversely, I didn’t need any coaching and readily devoured mom’s food and all else that wasn’t nailed down. By day two of our trip I had clocked over 48-hours of straight awake time and had more baggage under my eyes than what I brought on the island. The divine Ms. M was the prescription for the perfect birthday and we enjoyed sightseeing, clubbing and beach time crammed into 4 days and 3 nights. Of course, it’s PR folks, so we had to have a couple of dramatic scenes… dare I share two of these… First, wifey and I decided it would be a great idea to drop our first full roll of film off at the Walgreen’s photo development counter on Saturday night. When we returned for our pics on Sunday night, they had been lost. Marcia tore the counter staff and assistant manager at Walgreen’s a new one and I was kind enough to translate each word and add a few of my own. As we pulled back into my parent’s neighborhood we realized all power in the area was lost. Marcia and I sat up telling stories by candlelight and listening to the torrential rains. At 2:30 a.m. the manager at Walgreen’s called back to say they found the pics and had printed courtesy 8x10s of our Caribbean experience. Marcia and I arrived to pick up our photos just before 3 a.m. in our PJs and flip-flops to squeal in delight as we forced the manager and assistant manager on duty to look at each photo with us. Thank you Marcia, for an incredibly beautiful and eventful birthday weekend. You’re the best! Yesterday I shared preliminary pics taken with my digital camera and they were a bit too raw… meaning, I looked like crap! Marcia will share our “good” roll of pics in the coming few days.

Put Down That Coffee and Dump That Hair Gel
Just when I returned from Puerto Rico – unharmed and unbothered by my air travel experience – the British have uncovered a plot to blow-up planes headed for New York, Washington and California. Terror alert levels have been raised – I believe the alert level is about at blue (which is the color passenger’s faces will be turning when they realize how long they’ll be waiting to board). What does this mean for you? Simple. If you’re traveling anywhere, anytime soon, be sure to pack everything neatly in check-in luggage. Leave your tanning lotion, hair gel and alcohol flask at home and give yourself at least two hours prior to your flight to clear the check-point area at the airport. Don’t wear the fancy belt with the big (Hookahville) belt buckle and certainly leave those knee-high lace-up Timberland boots in the closet. Otherwise, continue to travel about as normal – well, as normal as finding out there was a thorough plot to work-us-over-and-not-all-suspects-have-been-apprehended allows.

And Crunch…
In just three short weeks we will bid summer 2006 an official farewell. Well, it would seem that we’ve enjoyed this summer and the weather played nice to help give us some fun in the sun. Admittedly, I cheated on my diet (not my work-outs) and hovered in the 150s – 10 pounds over my target weight – but you know what, it was all good. Yesterday, my first day back in the office, I began my new diet and have stepped-up my cardio routine. The plan is simple – take it to an even 140 lbs. I’ll keep you posted on how this progresses.

On Blast
Give us your summer story…it has to include drama…it has to include one of your summer events and be sure to sock us with that punch line.

Keep passin’ the open windows…