Words That Mean The Most...

Soaring... 

Sometimes you find people in your life whose words, thoughts, and even their approval mean the world to you. It's like when they say something in the form of advice, it gives you that extra incentive to proceed with a big ass smile on your face and a strong dose of dedicated sincerity in your heart... In this case I'm speaking of my little big sister named Jamise L. Dames. I can't resist sharing this little bit of advice because it's right on point and I love being schooled by someone who truly cares... These words come on the heels of my letting her know that as another friend so cleverly put it, I've got butterflies in my stomach aka a very special crush on an amazing special somebody...
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You deserve to be happy and have a good woman who appreciates you. I think that has been the problem for you, unappreciative women--girls, really. Because girls don't know how to appreciate a good man, they want hardheads; if a good man comes their way they run or treat him badly. Just because someone has reached the age of an adult doesn't mean they're a woman. Actions are the definition of a woman, knowledge and a good heart are also definitions. It's not the age, the career, the kids, the body; it's how a female lives that makes her a woman. Remember that! Not to school you, but hey, your sister has to look out, right?
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I love these words above.. I've been floating lately so its nice to be blessed with thoughts from someone so grounded... *smile* And of course I gotta throw in a plug as I say, checkout the novels written by Jamise L. Dames... Pushing Up Daises and Mommas Baby, Daddy's Maybe. Both are incredible reads....

Motivation To Fly...

Motivation To Fly 

The deepest of thoughts inspired by an innocent moment got me motivated to fly... I'm topping high speeds on the interstate trying to get back... Gotta get back for one more moment, one more smile, one more sound of her laughter, one more look in her eyes that shows she cares... I can see it... I can feel it and I pray she feels it coming from me too. This aint a practice run.. Every moment is based on something real and at the same time, just hangin together is hella-fun!! *smile*

Like I said, I'm topping speeds just to get back. I stop every once in a while for gas or a sugary pick me up. Damn, 2.96 per gallon at one station and 3.39 at another? I brush that off and get back on the road... I'm motivated to fly. I'd hungout at this cliffside spot overlooking the ocean earlier in the day before hitting the road. There was this one bird that kept flying in front of me. I took several pictures. Maybe it was used to being photographed because it kept spreading it's wings so wide as it came near me. It was beautiful to see but once again I kept drifting back to the reason why I wanted to return and relive a moment that I'd experienced the previous night. It was the first time and it meant the world to me... This kind of motivation makes you stronger and gives you purpose, especially when you're testing your eye strength and trying to stay awake.. Did I make it back? Well, you've read these words so the answer must be yes! *smile* But that moment? Whew... I'm still there! *smile*

Deep Thought Collaboration

Copr.2005 She-Driven Photography 

Much props to my good friend Kim Roseberry and her incredible photography. Check her out at www.She-Driven.com. She's a brilliant photographer and a sister to me... Looking forward to collaborating on a lot of creative endeavors in the future and just to get it started, here's a little deep thought collaboration... Kim's photographic vision combined with my own landscape of thoughtful words. Hope you enjoy it enough to think emotionally and feel it...visually, mentally...

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Something found me unexpectedly.. All I was doing was sitting there, having a drink, and waiting on some food. Dreams floated by; I couldn't help but appreciate the view. My time seems to always be tested by those that appear to be what could make my life better. But that's imagination and not reality.. The best moments come when I have no clue. She says hello and my words dont come out clear enough. She leans in closer and my heart skips a beat... She leans even closer as time works in my favor. The chemistry is there. Everything is obvious despite her fear of the potential that we share... Maybe she's been stung before by another who put a negative twist on trust but there's nothing more pleasureable than each earned step she allows me to take toward her heart... Creativity, sincerity, a passion for wanting to be the right choice for her gotta keep her thinking she may need to take a second look...a third look... she got me on her mind and then... ya never know... She got me wishing for days to go by faster and my phone to ring, revealing the sound of her voice on the other end. I found a new joy in my life. I aint never done it before on such a deep level. It moves me to consider every opportunity to do something for reasons other than myself. I recognize the gift of listening and the reassurance of patience... I just hope she knows I'm here and everything I'm about....I'm sincere...

Speaking from inside...

Cancer... 

An ugliness reached inside me and pulled at my spine... My head is twisting like it wants to vacate my body... My eyes want to curl up and see no more..They tell me the only help I can get is from God but it seem like he trying to call me home... I dont really want to go...not yet, anyway.. Now I find myself lying in pain, screaming for another chance at yesterday. I wish there was a way for us to close our eyes, imagine really hard and wake up to relive those days we put off doing something else because of some crazy excuse. But it dont work and besides, when I close my eyes, I'm just trying to lessen the pain. My whole body aches. I want for my entire inside to leave my body and somehow have God make me new again but that ugliness wont go away. It just gets worse... and worse.... I lie here now with my mother's tears dripping on the blanket that covers me.

-Cancer

Time out for the eyes by way of the soul..

Inspiration for the eyes and then the soul... 

Celebration over here too!! I'm borrowing from a fellow blogger who took out a moment to give praise to his personal choice of lovely ladies... I wanna give a shoutout to the Hustleman Leon over there at http://listentoleon.blogspot.com/ Check him out sometime because he is hysterically funny and brilliantly creative...

So, here I sit putting my mind on cruise control and thinking about the lovely ladies.. What a beautiful way to escape on an Sunday night.. I'm taking a break from a little remodeling and also from watching the Raiders get handed another loss. It's gonna be a long season for those fellas but I can brush it off 'cause I'm in LA.... But anyway, on to the dreams in full motion... These ladies represent why having eyes is such a blessing and why being able to take in such magnificent beauty can do wonders for your heartbeat...your soul... And there's no real order in my appreciation of these ladies though there is one on this list that gets a longer, slower special-errr wink than all the others...*wink*

1. Garcelle Beauvais- I've been diggin this lady for a long time.. Her beauty is fabulous. Her smile seems to always accompany some cool laughter. She seems like she'd be fun to hang with... I've actually bumped into her three times at the same location in the last ten years. I'm speaking of the Beverly Center in LA. Each time she was never dressed up but she always looked incredible. And one of those times she actually saw me, made eye contact, smiled and said hello. I said "hey, how you doing?" all the while not making it obvious that I recognized her. She laughed gently, seemingly in a blushing sort of way and then said "fine." That was it.. The moment was definitely appreciated... Gorgeous lady...

2. Angela Bassett- Incredible star who should be doing her thang in a lot more movies.. It's a shame we dont see her that often any more. This lady got incredible class matched with tremendous beauty and personality... And funny thing, I had an Angela moment too.. Maybe it's the benefit of living/working in LA; I dont know... I ran into this incredible lady on an elevator at a doctor's office building near Cedars Sinai Hospital. Again, I didn't make it obvious that I knew who she was but God smiled upon me with this moment as she and I rode up the elevator alone. Not that anything substantial happened but being in her presence was definitely a feel good moment. She smiled and said "hey..." I said "thanks.." She laughed and said "what for?" I said "for saying hello..." She laughed again and then we reached the eleventh floor. I held the door open for her and she walked out still with the same smile.. She seemed like a woman with such a peaceful presence that all you can do as a man is stand back, watch her walk and witness the glow... Inspiring...beautiful...

3. Danyel Smith- This is one of my favorite authors.. She's off the hook kind of cool.. Beautiful.. She's got style! (hmm...I'm hearing Nate Dogg sing that line from a new DJ Quik song that's getting heavy rotation in my ride these days) Danyel seems to always be creatively busy and I love that about her... Just watching as a fan and admirer she definitely keeps me inspired.. She's got a blog that the whole world should be watching 'cause she's so darn cool..lol.. Check her out at http://nakedcartwheels.blogspot.com/. Her latest book is called Bliss... fabulous! Great lady...

4. Gabrielle Union- Oooh yummy, another lovely lady whose beauty goes deeper than the skin. Gabrielle seems like she got some serious brain power aka intelligence but at the same time she could probably be silly, let her hair down and be the woman a brotha could wrestle with in front of the fireplace. I like her style though I'd like to see her get into something deeper film-wise... She's lovely...

5. Rosario Dawson- Sssssss..lovely.. I've liked this lady for a long time.. Everybody likes to bring up the fact that she was in that strange movie years ago with all those weird kids when she was a kid..lol.. Yeah, I saw that and she was cute but the grown up version is what puts her on the map for me. Lovely... beautiful.. gorgeous smile...eyes so wide you'd prefer her not to wink 'cause you dont want to miss all that beauty.. I love her voice when it's thick with that accent of hers like it was in that Spike Lee basketball movie that Ray Allen and Denzel Washington starred in, He Got Game. It's too bad her character was all about the money but hopefully in real life this lady is all about love and blesses any man in her life with a million hugs... She's fine...beautiful..

6. Layloni- This is a one named beautiful star in my book.. An angel, a queen, a woman destined for the kind of greatness that comes when you match wisdom with beauty.. That's when she'll really be off the hook incredible... She's hot... Got tons of style... I've been blessed to hear her laughter and its like music! Talk about a million hugs, I'd wish for two million.. Watchout for her gracing the cover of something wonderful in the near future.. She teaches dance and got that kind of spirit like Angela Bassett to where you just want to close your eyes(preferably while in her arms) and vibe off of her energy.. And when you leave her presence, the memory of that moment keeps you smiling for days as you linger in thought, wishing you could call her up and say in your most sexiest voice after you clear your throat a few times "hey, what you doing right now..." And then she says teasingly, "hmm..wouldn't you like to know.." Beautiful lady...

7. Claudia Jordan- Yo, this lady got style... I've seen her with different looks like she's transformed herself into a whole new way of looking incredible.. Even her conservative moments on the Price Is Right had her shining with beauty... Hopefully she'll hook up some cool movies in the near future.. Show a little shine from within 'cause that's where it all counts despite being such incredible eye candy... One of my favorite moments of seeing Claudia look fabulous was in the beginning of a Joe video. I think it was "I Wanna Know" where he was trying to get her phone number in an alley way. At the time, I was trying to use power of thought and make a switch. Have Joe sit at home watching me trying to get Claudia's phone number! Ha Ha! I wish this lady much opportunity for success....lovely..

8. Syleena Johnson- Whoa..this lady got style and she got soul... Her soul drips like maple syrup, thick and rich... She takes you back and moves you inside... And on top of being blessed with such a powerful soulful voice, she looks lovely... Whew... I'm glad she's able to continue putting out her own special brand of music that everybody needs to checkout.. And when you see her on the cover of her latest, all you can say is dayum! Whew.. she make you conjure up all sorts of thoughts with the title, Chapter 3: The Flesh. Now what ever could she be talkin bout lookin so incredible and no doubt sounding fabulous!?!? lol.. It may be a chapter you want to repeat over and over... yummy kind of lovely.... beautiful rich soul... The lady can sang too! lol.. *smile*

Much respect and sincere admiration for all these lovely incredible ladies... This was a good esscape for a moment... Now back to some realness cause I got chapters of my own to explore... *smile*

Escape from the same ol ish..

Escape from the same ol... 

Tired of the same ol words, day in and day out... Who's to blame, slow response, etc etc.. things we already know and pretty much shouldn't be surprised of... I'm glad Kanye to da...dropped his thoughts on an unsuspecting audience... Words that needed to be heard just so people can think, wonder and maybe do something for a few months before complacency sits in again... It's a shame that we always need reminders about appreciating life, about life being too short, about the potential of disasters always being so near, so close... But, allow me to take a break for a moment... To turn CNN off... To do a little something different today(Saturday)... It's the weekend and I wont stray too long because I'm worried about folks close to the Gulf Coast.. I love those areas and the people.. I've got memories that could inspire many lifetimes and looking forward to taking a journey back sometime soon... But! Like I said, its the weekend and I want to switch channels just for a little while...

Today I went to Loews... I stood in a long ass line to get some paint... I'm doing one of my rooms and turning it into a lounging style, cafe style, romantically influenced and inspired room that's gonna have some nice artwork, some photographic memories, some creations of my own and just a cool vibe that whispers....come inside and relax...relax..relax....yeah, like an echo.. Whew.. it's gonna be nice.. And how about this for new words to add to your mental landscape... Cider Toddy and Fragrant Cloves... Those are the colors that my walls will become... I have no doubt it's gonna be beautiful especially when I can get to the part where I begin adding accents to the room like candle sconces and a little rug that looks wonderful on top of the hardwood flooring... After I escape into the painting, the plan is to take a drive and go relax with friends... Gossip, tell stories and watch dreams float by... And after that I'll hit up Ralphs for some of my favorite ice cream, Breyers, Dolche De Leche flavor... I'm hooked on the stuff!! It'll be a great way to conclude my escape from CNN and the same ol words... same images... same song...

Well, that was the plan and for the most part it all happened but I skipped Ralphs and instead spent time with an angel. I've got her scent all over me and it's a cool way to end the night. I've got the memory of her hugs imprinted inside my arms; its an incredible way for this night to end. I've got the sound of her voice, her laughter inside my head...damn, it's a special way for this night to end... And I laugh at the way someone described us tonight as we entered the room together "ooh look, there goes Kobe and Brandy!" Hmmm.. I prefer to play the part of Shaq but this lady? Nah, she needs to be just who she is because nobody compares... My escape was unexpectedly beautiful thanks to her.

New Hero?

Da General... 

Is this a new media hero right here? Usually when disasters strike folks latch on to somebody and elevate them into hero status. Right now it seems to be Lt.Gen. Russell Honore. I can't say much about him but I have no doubt he will have his fifteen minutes and possibly thirty minutes of fame. I'm willing to bet folks will hold up signs and say "Honore for President!" He'll gain from this attention as media based America loves a man that curses and gets things done. I have no doubt he's being himself but its funny how this happens.. I hope he remains true to the cause of helping people and continues to remind his military why they are there.. If he can keep that up till the very end and use his energy to help make sure they rebuild that beautiful city of New Orleans he'll have my vote as a hero... President? Nah...that would only change him and probably make him into something he's not or wants to become. That Louisiana spirit of his drips from his soul... You can hear it in his voice and I hope he never loses that..

Another tag going on...

VAR 

I've been tagged again to do one of these here question thangs... It's a welcome escape from CNN for the moment... Thanks Shelley Halima. *smile*

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Natchitoches, Louisiana
2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING? San Diego State, Marshall Faulk Jersey
3. THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT? Kanye West, Late Registration (limited version)
4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? 9:30am
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE? Tie between Love Jones and Eve's Bayou
6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Guitar(I can play)
7. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Black
8. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV? Hard to say..depends on the vehicle itself..
9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE? Yes and a lot of times I feel like I'm living in it now!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK? None..
11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? Fall/Winter
12. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? LOVE
13. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT? Dont have any...
14. CAN YOU JUGGLE? Nope
15. THE ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO? My grandfather, Virgil Rivers Sr.
16. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY? Tuesday
17. SUSHI OR HAMBURGER? I'm stubborn so I'll say, neither... *smile*
18. FAVORITE FLOWER? Tulip
19. DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT? Yes, but I think most folks are afraid of the feeling.
20. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM JOB? Photo Journalist
21. FAVORITE MEAL? All things barbecue!

Why..

New Nawlins... 

I'm in the shoes of struggle wondering how I got here when things are supposed to be so advanced to where resources can help somebody in the most remote part of the world. Yet I'm feeling like I've stepped back in time. This is New Orleans when hundreds of years ago, families were separated cause of slavery; auctioned off in Jackson Square and here we are waiting for the buses to come take us away from the city we love. A week before all this craziness happened we was acting all proud because Ludacris mentioned this town in a song. Now we trying to escape. Outside the Superdome the buses came and everybody rushed forward. Little kids losing grip of parental hands. The wave of desparation sweeping families apart and then you got people on buses headed to Houston. Some happy to be out of New Orleans and others praying somebody help the loved ones they left behind. When nightfall come in the city its so dark you only see a glimmer of light in the distance but it aint hope, it look more like hell. You hear gunshots and screams for help. Aint nobody laughing. Mothers yelling out names every so often to make sure all children are accounted for. Men trying to stay as strong as they possibly can but its hard when you aint slept, aint eat, aint done nothing but wait for three days straight. Heads snapping back and forth trying to stay awake but its hard to submit to sleep when daughters need protecting. And its hot. It's hot as hell as we sit in an American city waiting on mister man to help us like we refugees... That's what they label us as, among other things...

I guess we cant find food, we loot food. Next up a bullet will find us and to them its justified because we got anarchy written on our soiled white T's; this is crazy.. I mean, we're sufferimg from a natural disaster follwed by a natural reality that to give a shit only comes after we take shit.... Mom's, pop's, sisters, brothers, children, babies lying bunched together in the convention center waiting on somebody to help. Bring us salvation, a school bus, a greyhound bus... Take us away from this place... You know who got massive troops coming in. Mister Fema guy talking about burly men and women coming in to show folks they shouldn't get out of line because as someone so proudly stated, they will shoot to kill. Why not help and heal? Why not organize efforts to get people out of harms way, to clean up and handle with care the loved ones floating lifeless in the streets of the Big Easy. Love and concern seems so far away when you look at all these folks on television flexing their power talking about what they can do to stop anyone not cooperating... In my eyes, the pressure is on those folks with good sense to step forward and try to move life in the right direction. Lets not allow tragedy to defeat this so called country that's supposed to lead the world by example... Lead like a nation that's strong enough to care. Help...

Thoughts on Nawlins

Nawlins before Katrina 

Sending out prayers, positive thoughts and more prayers to the folks down south... I've been sitting glued to CNN for the past couple nights watching the devastation left behind by the Katrina. I think about how I was just in New Orleans seven days before the hurricane hit. I love the Big Easy. I always have a great time, eat great food, people watch, etc etc... I love the spirit of the city and how sometimes you're not too sure if certain folks standing in the shadows on corners are real or not... Now as I see the devastation I wonder if even those folks made it out safely... It is such a contrast now. When I was there it was beautiful skies and hot muggy days. Now its just plain ugly and tragic with the water rising and homes flooded... So much loss... I send out a very special prayer to my good friend Darrien Lee's family trapped or stuck somewhere possibly in New Orleans still. And prayers go out to Eric Peete and his family as well as other folks I was either blessed to meet or smiled at in passing... I love New Orleans and I plan to return as often as I can. Right now I just hope that the city can return to being it's wonderful self though I have no doubt for a long time now, things just wont be the same.... God Bless..