Vegas

Las Vegas... It was wild out there last weekend. I had a blast observing it all and getting in the middle of a couple parties and nonstop craziness.. I meant to write about it when I returned last Sunday but for some reason I just didn't feel that compelled to do so. I arrived in Vegas really early on friday morning around 9:30am after an all night drive that I actually enjoyed. They hooked me up with a room right away at the Monte Carlo. I had reserved it last year when they first announced that the NBA Allstar game would be in Vegas. I'd been looking forward to it ever since because I knew it would be a sight to see.. I never expected the amount of women that I saw.. Whoa, that town was filled with the finest, wildest, beautiful-est women you can imagine and then some... Seemed to me like the ladies out numbered the fellas but then again, my head was turning everytime I saw some fine lady and that was every half second. I ignored words like "there go Jay Z!" or "Jamie Foxx got a room up here somewhere.." or "checkout Kevin Garnett at that table..." Nah, I was amazed by the amount of women just parading around.

Anyway, all week long I've been hearing the reports about how things got out of hand in vegas. All the arrests, the fights, the stupidity in the stripclub, the foolishness in parties and nightclubs... I saw a lot of ignorance portrayed by everybody, all people of all colors but the reports I've been reading of late only points fingers at black folks. I heard they're considering taking the Allstar game to Europe next year.. I guess they figure all the rappers, bloods and crips, pimps and ho's and regular black folks ain't gonna buy a plane ticket to go out there! Nah, we probably wont but despite all the so called trouble, I bet Vegas still made a ton of money over last weekend...

But anyways, enough of that... The highlights for me last weekend were the incredible performance by Prince over at his club 3121. Whew.. talk about a blessed and abundantly talented brotha! he opened the show with an old obscure but personal favorite of mine called "Something In The Water" from the 1999 album and closed the show with some great guest performances by Will I Am, Natalie Cole and Celo performing Crazy with Prince's band. he never sounded better! I also love the way they slowly get the crowd going inside that club by having the DJ play a mix of tunes at a low volume. Then they increase the volume and the amount of songs until before you know it, you're watching a really cool live Prince video followed by the man himself coming onstage and blowing everyone away... He was all over the place interacting with the crowd and making a few ladies very happy by reaching into the crowd and pulling them up onstage himself. Incredible show...

Anoher highlight was the surprise conversation I had while waiting on the tram to take me from Mandalay Bay hotel to the Excalibur. I noticed these two brothas dressed in black suits. One had a hat on and I instantly recognized him. It made me proud to see him. It was Terry Lewis. Then all of a sudden I noticed Jerome Benton. For those not knowing, they are original members of The Time and of course you may remember Terry Lewis producing all those incredible hits with his partner Jimmy Jam. Without those two, janet ain't making no kind of musical noise... Jerome struck up a conversation with me after I jokingly said "why aint you over at the Rio?"(3121 club is there) He smiled and said "we been there a bunch of times.." After that we just had a real cool conversation as the tram took forever to get there. Those two were very down to earth people.

Other highlights included the various ladies who approached me thinking I was a basketball player, striking up nice conversations and making me feel like I had it going on. Ha haaa... *smile* It was cool.. I told them I was retired but still had the money... yeah, they laughed at me too... *smile* It was fun... I got in a lot of walking and had some bomb pina colada's at the Paris Hotel. It was hot in Vegas so those drinks came in handy... Other mentionable highlights also include the slamdunk competition and all the really cool exhibits and NBA stuff at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. It was a cool but wild time... Viva Las Vegas... I was actually glad to get out of there because by saturday night I was tired of it.. My vote is that they have the Allstar game in New Orleans next year!! Yeah!! Ha haa....

Life Meets Fiction Meets Life Finds Love...possible

Art imitates life and fiction is a dream in the making. Sometimes they collide, revealing the true essence and power of the human spirit. You ever willed something to happen? You dreamed about it or perhaps as the case with me, wrote a book about it? You ever made a mark on someone's soul and knew that one day they'd be a part of your life again when it was time and when you were ready? I question whether my life the past years has been preparation for this moment. I answer that question before I even finished asking it. The answer ripped right through the package of wonderment. Y-E-S I count my blessings. I never forget the past. I stay within the boundaries of wisdom. I step head first into this new chapter. I remain open to all possibilities as I bring from those years of preparation the courageous ability to say no when it's necessary. I am here for a certain someone to join me in happiness if she's ready, willing, and daring enough to step out of a situation and into bliss because the connection we share is what many will search a lifetime to find... It's all about this..right here.. be still and dont run away. Everything is possible...

Compliment of the year so far...

This is the compliment of the year so far as I received it from a very insightful woman from across the pond, representing sistahs all over the world from her home base in the United Kingdom, London..

"I feel that you are perhaps a very easy man to love but a difficult man to live with? I am sure you frustrate us women because of your quintessential feminine energy. It sure would rival the woman in us. And it is such a creative force, to be reckon with!!!"


Thank you Meserette. I'm looking forward to more frustrations..lol.. in a good way of course... Perhaps I'll be blessed by M..A.. Either way, this is a great journey...

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day to everyone that had a blessed day... Mine was very interesting.. I actually forgot to wish a certain person a very Happy Valentines day as I hugged her while standing in front of an elevator. The hug was special, familiar, forgotten because it's been perhaps 15 years since we were in each other's presence. Today was mindblowing to be reunited with someone from my past.. A very important someone.. She saw me first, coming down a hallway. I saw her too but I didn't recognize her from the distance. I was only thinking about how beautiful this lady looked wearing green. I didn't realize at the time who it was. Then as I walked past where she stood, she said my name and there she was.. wow.. still beautiful after all these years. She told me about her daughter who I also haven't seen in a very long time and hearing the great news that her daughter is doing so well expanded my heart. Her beautiful angel was always special to me. I dedicated my first novel to them both called Daughter By Spirit. This moment today made for a very special Valentines eventhough it lasted but a few minutes. It was incredible seeing you Pookie.. *smile* If my memory serves me correctly, you once told me that was your nickname.

What will be remembered from today with fondness?

What do we have to hold on to and remember? Seems like times gone by provide us with are fondest memories. What will be remembered from today with fondness? I listened to a great interview with Al Bell who is the former owner of Stax records in celebration of black history month. That man’s life was/is full because of the remnants of his journey. He can recall some incredible moments and experiences. He can relive conversations, music, faces, spirits that still affect him today. That’s the beauty of living. Carry your memories with you and learn from each experience. Pay attention to your life; each moment is very significant. Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t fall into the automatic pilot zone of just blowing everything off and saying “same old, same old…” Most folks that say that look tired before the words come out of their mouths. Saying or perhaps claiming those words only compound the problem.

As I listened to Al Bell today, I felt his journey and I felt proud to listen to this man who basically came from the same era as my father. Then I heard Mr. Bell mention the name of a man who as a small child I saw on two occasions when my father took me to a Black Radio convention one time in Houston and another time in Los Angeles. This man’s name was Dave Clark, a well known promotion man back in the day. I shook his hand a couple times too and kind of looked up to him because everybody seemed to smile when he was around. They all had a certain fondness for this man simply because of who he was, who he represented, his accomplishments, etc etc.. Then I heard several people tell the same story about Dave Clark, how he never would fly on a plane but instead would drive to wherever he needed to go. I think eventually he had someone driving him as he got older. Looking back I guess that’s also one of the reasons everyone greeted him with such joy because he’d travel such a long distance to get there and when he arrived, whoever he spoke to listened and basically absorbed this man’s spirit. I feel blessed because of the memories I hold inside of me and marvel at my own journey; the conversations, the faces, the spirits, the stories, the music, the love(s)… life.. and the best part is that I didn’t just let time slip by without paying attention to each moment.

A friend of mine(Shelia Goss) tonight used the word "goldmine" in reference to someone who by most standards has it made when it comes to success, status, and the power to get things done. I admire this person that we spoke about. I admire this person's success and all that they accomplished on the trail to get where they are but at the same time I find this person missing out on the true gifts of the goldmine in which they sit on top. The gold is tarnishing/fading as the days go by because they allow really silly, nonsensical things to invade the importance of the bigger picture in life.. To help, influence, inspire, and affect others by example. EGO gets in the way and thus the goldmine fades in the worse kind of way... It resembles or transforms into karma... that, what goes around comes around scenario waits patiently close by... But, this person is on their own journey and I hope they pay close attention as I always wish them the very, very best..

Speaking of goldmines or what I would rather refer to as blessings.. I have to give thanks to great conversations shared with Meserette, a very insightful woman living in the United Kingdom. I've shared a couple of emails with her and I so look forward to the next one as we discuss life back and forth, debating about all it's possibilities so to speak.. I also send a warm smile and thanks to Tomo from Japan for what she likes to refer to as "power," which is her way of saying positive energy or aura shared between two people. I've enjoyed her enthusiasm and desire to accomplish.. And many thanks to the beautiful teacher and good friend of mine named Kattrina in St. Louis for all her help, her wisdom, and spirit... That's the best kind of goldmine to have at your feet.. Sharing and not taking for granted, wisdom, vision, memories, dreams, accomplishments, aura, spirit, life... For Black History month I'd like to honor love because despite the sometimes ignorance that we may witness from time to time, the most powerful thing that has sustained us throughout our history is love... So let us pray that people, that everyone finds the strength to follow love rather than ignorance... For some reason, these days ignorance is like a magnet that some just can't help themselves out of... they follow blindly...

VDAY Performance...

I had a great time today watching some very talented ladies perform the Vagina Monologues.. That was some deep stuff to listen, watch and be a part of..no pun intended with the word "deep." Respectfully, there was some really serious things presented but also a lot of fun and humorous moments too. The best performance put in by Rolanda Watts who really acted out her parts in a powerful way. Jessica Holter of the Punany Poets fame was there. She's a small woman with a very soulful, sensual, sexy spirit and voice... And the always infamous Zane was there and did a great job.. Kym Whitley was beautiful and funny as always... There were others but those were the standouts for me... I just wanted to give a shoutout to this very powerful stage show and salute everyone involved.. and ultimately, salute women as a whole..