Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Morning Edition - 2/21/07

Weighing On My Mind
In January 2006 I began working out again and have done a good job at staying faithful to my lunch-time regimen. I’m pleased with the results and am comfortable with the way my body looks today. As with anything we focus too much attention on, I’m now competing with myself. It reminds me of a program I watched on the WE channel that highlighted stars and their obsession with maintaining a certain size. Last month during my routine physical, the doctor mentioned that I weighed 165 lbs. When he noticed my disappointed pout, he pointedly said that I appear to be at an adequate weight for my build and that I’d benefit from a Body Mass Index (BMI) test that would set my fear of fat to rest. Yeah doc…thanks. Instead, I took matters into my own hands, cut out that blissful 3 o’clock Starbucks Espresso brownie and reduced the number of carbs I take-in throughout the day. As if that wasn’t enough, I increased my cardio workout to 30-minutes on the treadmill at 7.5-8.0. The result…drum roll please….a loss of 12 pounds, bringing me to a more svelte 153 lbs. My new goal is to reach 145 lbs. by summer. As I spoke to a close confidant about my decision to drop-it-like-it’s-rot, I realized that although I may look more appealing at a slightly thicker weight, I’m more emotionally fulfilled at a smaller size.

Movin’ On Down; Delayed
The $20 million move that would place the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights non-profit, in Washington, DC has been delayed due to their inability to sell their current North Baltimore building. Now a ripe 98-years old, the organization moved from New York to Baltimore in 1986. The objective is to have the NAACP squarely in the mix with major media outlets, lobbyists and government officials.

Momma Did Raise A Fool
After working in corporate America for some time, I’ve conditioned myself to curb my comments or tailor them to my listeners. There are times when you want to reach across the conference room table and slap Suzie to the floor, but you realize that it’s best to smile and simply say, “I see how you would think that Suzie, but I believe we might want to take another approach.” When former NBA star Tim Hardaway went on his tirade about “hating” gay men, it was only a matter of time before the backlash would drown him. Late last week NBA commissioner David Stern banished Hardaway from the NBA All Star Weekend in Las Vegas citing the disparity in Hardaway’s and the NBA’s view toward homosexuality. Who knew? The truth is that bigotry toward homosexuals in virtually all sports – outside of, maybe figure skating – is widely commonplace. The vilification of Hardaway is simply hypocritical rhetoric intended to punish voicing what has always been the belief of the majority of individuals who call major sports their livelihood. Hardaway mentioned how uncomfortable he and most NBA players would be with a homosexual player in the locker room with them, but the truth is gay men are in your locker rooms, board rooms, bedrooms and lives every day. For the record, we [gay men] are desensitized to seeing your nude physique, which would explain why none of John Amaechi’s teammates were ever confronted with a rock-hard penis jabbed in their unsuspecting anuses. Just as men don’t normally rush up to a woman in a skirt, and lodge their penis in their vagina, we [gay men] have enough sense to differentiate between an intimate setting and another day at the office.

On Blast
"As an African-American, I know all too well the negative thoughts and feelings hatred and bigotry cause I regret and apologize for the statements that I made that have certainly caused the same kinds of feelings and reactions. I especially apologize to my fans, friends and family in Miami and Chicago. I am committed to examining my feelings and will recognize, appreciate and respect the differences among people in our society regret any embarrassment I have caused the league on the eve of one of their greatest annual events." - Tim Hardaway; last Thursday via a statement released by his agent.

Is this a true statement by Tim Hardaway or do you believe it to be a last-ditch attempt to clean-up Hardaway’s media disaster?

Keep passin’ the open windows…


** PLEASE SEE ASH WEDNESDAY DISASTER IN COMMENTS TODAY **

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Attmpt to clean-up. I think the only reason he has said this is because he was probably told too. He said it, he might as well man up to it. Makes me wonder where the hate he has comes from. hmmmm

Just A Thought

C. Baptiste-Williams said...

regardless of what it is... we are condeming him for judging homosexuals... now we are judging his motives for his "timely" apology.

just because someone apologizes doesn't mean you have to forget... take it for what it is and keep it moving.

j_shanlin said...

I put this apology in the same file folder as I put "Kramer's". I am NOT impressed.

Unknown said...

Well Dayne, I’ve never been fat (actually had a GREAT bod when I was younger) but have always had body image issues stemming from wanting to maintain a body that, as I age, has matured into my daddy’s body. To be more clear, I am 5’ 7” and have always weighed between 140-150 lbs. This weight keeps my legs thick, my waist tiny and my stomach flat. Over the years, the Latino man genes kicked up, the metabolism slowed down and I reach 177 lbs. I still wasn’t fat, but was what brothas refer to as “thick.” I panicked and began frantically working out 7 days a week and deprived myself to the tune of 500 calories a day. The exaggerated plan (carried on for over a year) nearly killed me and I deteriorated to a mere 118 lbs. Weak, tired, haggard and still not satisfied, I returned to New York where friends and family helped me reestablish a more realistic view of myself and my body. I gained weight… FAST… and sponged to 170 lbs. within a year. Which lands us back at January 2006… I decided to work-out, be healthy and have a body I was happy with without reverting to my Anorexic ways. I know what you’re thinking… I’m obsessing again… but in reality, I’m very conscious of not falling back into my Anorexic patterns and have great friends who are now keen to signs of my relapsing. I don’t wish to be smaller than 145 lbs, but accept even 150 lbs as an accomplishment.
In your case…you’re young, beautiful and naturally thin… enjoy your crack whore metabolism… hopefully it’ll stick around for life. LOL


Oh and Tim needs to stop the ranting and raving... he's gonna piss off his boyfriend!

Anonymous said...

I will say that to be true is to speak whatever is in your heart. This is how Tim feels and he has that right. Just as you may hate french fries, or gays not liking women or "suzie", you are just expressing what you dislike.

The problem is not what Tim said. The problem is how he was forced to conform to a neutral stand by not pissing homosexuals off. That is what I disagree with.

Unknown said...

Like sands through the hour glass so are the days of Cocoa's Life...

Today's episode is hysterically funny - IN RETROSPECT....

After leaving the gym this afternoon, I stopped off at St. Patrick's Cathedral here in New York City. I should probably preface this story by saying that I'm not Catholic, but kept seeing everyone with the ashes on their foreheads and figured it would be the trendy thing for me today - no disrespect y'all. Anyway, I get in line behind an old Irish woman who turned to say that she was running late for an appointment and that she was glad the line was moving quickly today. I was distracted digging in my bag for my Trident White Spearmint gum and didn't realize we were slowly, but surely, moving forward. Suddenly, I'm face to face with His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan (the Archbishop of NY!!) his arm extended, ready to place the blessed X of ash on my forehead. Just then, I grabbed his wrist and said, "Do you have anything hypoallergenic, I'm really allergic to everything." I tried to smile, but as he snatched his wrist out of my hand, he extended the same Ash encrusted finger to point to the door and yelled, "Get out!" I dropped my bag in the embarrassment and to my horror, I forgot to close it when I retrieved my gum, so my sweaty red gym underwear now sat on His Eminence's holy feet. I grabbed my drawers and ran for the door... I could hear the gasps behind me and as I shut the large doors of the cathedral and sat on the front steps, I finally caught my breath and began laughing so hard my stomach muscles are still contracted. As I walked back to the office, I thought to myself... only you boy...only you....

HisLoveCoversMe said...

I'll admit I did not waste much energy on any of it. So I definitely agree with J_shanlin.
Cocoa Rican, thanks for visiting my blog. Your comment was an answered prayer. Please feel free to visit again. Updates are posted on a weekly basis. Just a kewl laid back brother tyring to offer some hope and inspiration to the SGL community. Pass the word.
www.loverofoursouls.blogspot.com

life said...

I don't know what Tim was thinking. Why do you want to be so thin. Am I mistaken or are you like 6 feet? 165 was perfect for someone around your height (5'10-6'). I'm want to gain weight and everyone wants to lose it..what's going on.

Unknown said...

Life, you're mistaken... I'm 5'7"... enough under six feet to remain under 160 lbs... LOL