EPIPHANY

Did everyone watch the first part of the documentary on CNN last night?  I was very pleased with the content and look forward to watching part two!  For those that missed part one, it focused on women and families.  A lot of the information was stuff we’ve heard a million times before, but the stories used to shape the statistics were more touching than the normal sound bites and editorial columns.

Eric Kennedy Jr., a fourth grade boy featured on the program, is saving money for college.  Despite the fact that he’s been homeless before, and might possibly be living in a shelter in Brooklyn as you read this blog, he’s decided college is his ultimate goal.  Can you even imagine??? (–Hold that thought, I’ll come back to that point later.)

Many would argue that America is the richest country in the world, yet one third of all Black children live below the poverty line and Black children consistently score below any other developing country when given standardized tests.  The amount of money we’ve invested into rebuilding Iraq is insane, especially when you look at the number of poor Black people that must depend on the Emergency Room for primary medical care.   

I am reminded of Kanye’s remarks after Hurricane Katrina….. “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.”  While it may be easy to dismiss the problems that plague Black American’s solely on the government, at some point we have to decide to be successful and rise above the stereotypes that constrict us.  While two parent households in the best neighborhoods might contribute to a child being successful, some of those kids with the million dollar sweet sixteen parties and convertible BMW’s in the high school parking lot end up as profiles on Meth addict documentaries.  At the same time, some teen mothers go on to get advanced degrees and put their children through college.  Studies show that people born into poverty tend to stay poor BUT there are exceptions.  Little Eric Kennedy, and many of his classmates, have convinced me they are the exceptions!

Black people don’t own the patent on being poor in America, and contrary to what the media might say most of us have never been to jail, most of us aren’t on drugs, and most of us strive to provide better lives for our children. You can’t control your race.  We were born Black, and we live in America.  Is rising above the negative statistics an option for those that want it?  Can we agree success is a decision, and those that are determined to rise above the stereotypes eventually will?  

JerzeeChick 

As I was writing last weeks blog, the news about Jesse Jackson’s slip of the tongue was just making headlines.  He was apologizing (translation: back pedaling).  His son was heated (translation: letting Jesse HAVE IT), and the anti Obama talk radio pundits were foaming at the mouth.  I decided not the blog about it only because I wanted to see how it played out.  For the record I think there is a little bit of haterade in Jesse’s glass these days.  It has to burn him up a little bit to see a man take the country by storm in a way that he never could. I heard him on the radio talking about how it was an unfortunate situation and how he apologized blah blah blah.  Barack accepted the apology, but wouldn’t you just love to get Michelle in a Hot Mic situation!!!!!  I know behind closed doors she was calling the good Reverend everything BUT a child of God, but I digress….    

I think we can all agree that behind closed doors we say some things that we would never want other people to hear.  It’s not that we don’t mean them, it’s just that we would hate for people to judge us by some of the things we really think!  When the microphone is off, and it’s just you and your boo, or you and your sister/brother/best friend you say things you’d never say to the masses.  If you’ve ever been on a three way call and forgot to disconnect the third party before saying “she is so phony, I can’t stand her” you know the horror of a hot mic!

Epiphany, lets take time out today to remove the horror of the hot mic.  Say those things you would never say in the team meeting, or those things you are even too embarrassed to admit in the barber shop.  I had a very rough week, and for real for real, I don’t care who judges me today!

I am sick and tired of people blaming the “system” for everything that goes wrong in our community.  Yes in some neighborhoods schools are bad, which is why we need to VOTE, and force our elected officials to be accountable.  Jesse said Obama goes into the Black Churches and talks down to the people.  Really?  What exactly is talking down JJ?  Telling men they need to be fathers is talking down?  Telling us to take more responsibility for ourselves and our community is talking down?  I guess a man that crept out on his wife, and got another chick knocked up would have a problem with a man talking about responsibility. 

We finally have a black man ready to speak truth to power and Jesse et al want to hate!  Obama is telling the truth.  We need to stop waiting for the government to save us (because it’s not gonna happen), and take advantage of everything out there to save ourselves!  Once Obama gets in office I am confident he will do everything in his power to make this a better America for ALL people, but everyone has to do their part.

As I continue on this Hot Mic, I want to say I am real sick and tired of people having/wanting to reject and repudiate other people’s comments.  Who started that trend?  Why are we flaunting our S.A.T. words….and since when did “I disagree” become passé?  Let me tell you what I reject and repudiate:

• Girls in low rise jeans and granny panties…..I’d rather see your crack than the seams of your Hanes cotton briefs!
• Poor Customer Service….if one more person in a name tag shrugs and tells me “I don’t know” as they walk away from me, there is gonna be some smoke in the city!
• I categorically reject the notion of hard work being its own reward…..that’s some crap! 
• Married men trying to holler……what part of the game is that?  I know there is segment of the female population that has no shame and will tap dance all over the sanctity of marriage, but that is not necessarily the norm.  Stop going up into the club spending your daycare and diaper money buying drinks!  And definitely stop trying to be Casanova on the email….that lameness wholly repudiated!
• I reject, renounce AND repudiate all this mess passing as music today…..where is Maxwell when I need him?  “Sexy Can I” (Ray J) NO YOU CAN NOT!!!!!!  Can somebody hit D’Angelo and tell him to get in the studio QUICK!  The American Dream…not really!  Will Prince please come out and dance on this fools head in 5 inch heels and a do-rag!

So in spite of the hot mic, I said it, I meant it, and I’m here to represent it!  There will be no back pedal, and there will be no apology.  Your turn…..

JerzeeChick

How do you express yourself?  When someone is delving too deep into my personal business or in some other way annoying me I might roll my eyes or simply hit them with a “whatever”.  I’ve been known to fold my arms and stare blankly when I really don’t want to be bothered. When the NFL’s at work push my buttons I always fall back on the Corporate Hustle. Your methods may be different than mine but I think we can all agree freedom of expression is vital. But on that same note there is a time and a place for everything. Imagine the horror of everyone around me if I were to stand up and shout “that’s some crap” in the middle of a preacher’s sermon. Time and place for everything, right?

Enter Rene Marie.  For those that don’t know, she was invited to sing The National Anthem at a State of the City Address in Denver.  Instead of The Star Spangled Banner, she took it upon herself to sing Lift Every Voice And Sing. No one knew she was going to do that, so a lot of people were quite confused.  When interviewed after the fact, she admitted only her husband and one friend knew in advance what she had planned and that she wanted to express how she felt about living in the United States as a black woman.  I am all for freedom of expression, and I respect ole girls hustle, but was a political event in Denver really the place to break out the “stoney the road we trod” lyrics?  Needless to say the local media ate this up and actually asked Presidential Candidate Obama to comment on her actions (and it deserves to be mentioned no one asked McCain).

In the spirit of expression I try not to do anything that will reflect poorly on “us”.  I went to a predominantly white college and I know the pressures of having the represent the entire race in Political Science or Sociology class.  Aside from an act of civil disobedience involving a racist campus newspaper, my college “expression” was pretty tame.  Now that I’m all grown up and working in a predominantly white office, I am again tasked with pretty much representing the entire race.  I know my brown face is the only black person a lot of these people will ever come in close contact with, so I avoid the inappropriate office attire and stereotypical neck rolling and slang talking in the break room.  I don’t feel my freedom of expression is stifled……as there is a time and place for everything.

As the Rene Marie drama fades, there will still be a few fanatics out there trying to link this to a matter of race relations and “us” getting too big for our britches now that we have a potential black president (You know how those fanatics can be)!  From here until Election Day, anything we do that seems even remotely too “black” or “unpatriotic” is going to be linked to Obama.  If a black man goes postal…….Obama is going to be asked to comment.  If a black woman curses out the meter maid writing her a ticket….TMZ is going to call it racial.   I know we are all excited at the possibility of a black president, but let’s collectively slow our roll before we blow it.  Let’s save our Denmark Vesey activities until after Election Day J

Seriously, freedom of expression is valuable, and should not be stifled, but do you avoid being too free with your expression in the presence of people that don’t look like you?  This is an Olympic year.  In the summer of 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos chose to express themselves by raising their fists.  If the opportunity was presented, how would you fully express yourself?

JerzeeChick

When I was younger I thought by 2008 I would be living like the Jetsons.  I expected robots to be everywhere and flying cars to be the norm.  Technology has given us a lot, but sadly I am now living in Outsourced Automated Attendant Hell….this is definitely NOT the Jetsons.

When was the last time you had a customer service issue and had to call the 800 number?  Were you stuck saying “yes”, “no”, “other options” for the better part of an hour, or did you immediately get hooked up with Ramesh?  Let me apologize to anyone that might be offended in advance.  I am not trying to stereotype…..I am simply discussing my own experiences!  Now, on to Ramesh……

I don’t know whose bright idea this whole outsourcing thing was.  Corporate America is all about making a profit!  So what if the service is shotty…..they will gladly lay us off and replace us with Ramesh and Gupti for a fraction of the cost.  

I almost feel like it’s a bad joke.  It starts when I get that computerized male voice that tells me to listen to all the menu selections before making a choice.  Him, I can stomach….it’s the cheery female that tells me to “just say the word” and she’ll assist me.  It always goes horribly wrong!  I say something like “statements” and she says “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand.  Please repeat your choice”.  I say “statements” like 5 more times and she throws out stupid stuff like “wait times” and “summer tents”!  When I am thoroughly annoyed I might sigh or suck my teeth.  That sends her in a whole new direction and out of nowhere I hear “transferring”. 

Initially I am excited because I will finally get to talk to a real person.  My excitement is short lived when I hear the accent of the person on the other end.  As a person that spent more time in India than should be allowed by law…….I can hear the head bobbling in his voice and am immediately deflated.  I know this is going to be like torture.  I have gone from one dimension of hell to another.  The automated attendant was bad……but Ramesh, who will tell me his name is Richard, is about to send my pressure up for real!  I understand we all have to work, and the customer service centers in the middle east are there ultimately to help me, but they would help me a lot more if they did something other than read from a script!

I called a certain airline today with a question about my frequent flyer account.  I noticed I didn’t get the points for my last flight, and was inquiring about how the matter could be rectified.  After ten minutes of Automated Attendant Hell, I was transferred to a representative.  As soon as he connects, I hear the head bobble in his voice.  He tells me his name is Richard….but I know he’s a Ramesh!  I go through the steps of confirming my identity and ask about the missing miles.  He proceeds to tell me “it is standard policy that it can take as many 72 hours up to one week for miles to post to your account madam” *side bar: I hate madam*.  I tell him the flight was taken in early May.  He repeats his script about 72 hours again.  I tell him my flight dates again.  This time he says “sometimes it takes a little longer than 72 hours madam, but I assure you they are being credited properly to your account.”  Now I am annoyed!  How can he assure me of anything? 

My teeth are very tight when I ask him his name.  “I am Richard, Madam,” he replies *liar*. The fact that I know his name is not Richard only adds to my fury!  “Look Richard, I took this flight 2 months ago.  Do not assure me of something you are not certain about.  Either add the miles right now or transfer me to someone that can.”  Do y’all know that fool had the nerve to repeat that 72 hour line to me again!  I was through!!!!!! 

Needless to say I hung up on “Richard” and took a few minutes to calm down and drink a cup of herbal tea.  When I called back, I did the automated attendant thing again, but this time I got Becky!  I have never been so excited to hear an American IN MY LIFE!  She was kind of dry, but anything was better than Ramesh and them!  As a matter of fact at that moment I would have preferred Boomquisha popping gum and cracking sunflower seeds in my ear over the bobble head crew! Becky assisted me and I am confident my miles will be properly credited.  In the meantime….is anyone else out there living in Outsourced Automated Attendant Hell?

JerzeeChick

I kind of forgot about them for a minute, so thanks BET Awards for dusting them off–JerzeeChick

It seems like only yesterday when I wrote my last article on the BET awards…my  how time flies!  One thing I can say about the BET awards….they will dig in the crates and dust off an old school group.  Did you see En Vogue and SWV?  I don’t know where they found Lisa Lisa, but obviously Cult Jam did not make the flight!  I initially was going to blog about the BET Awards 08 because while a lot of the performances were good (the aforementioned En Vogue/SWV dust off for starters), there was a lot of foolishness sprinkled in there too.  I was pleased with the Al Green tribute (and not just because my other Boo, Maxwell, came out and performed my favorite Al Green song).  I decided against a full BET blog when I realized that I’ve pretty much outgrown BET.  I hate to admit it, especially because I love hip hop, but I think I am a little mature for the likes of Lil Wayne, and Souljah Boy.    Rather than go through a blow by blow of last nights show (which by most accounts was not that memorable), I’ve decided to post about something a little more age appropriate and relevant.  The road less traveled……

If you read my post last week, you know I am a sports fan.  With the NBA draft fast approaching, and SAT scores looming for high school graduates the quandary of Brandon Jennings is interesting to me.  Basically he graduated from high school this year ranked as one of the top five basketball players in the country, but NBA rules prohibit him from entering the draft (you must be out of high school for one year before you can be in the NBA).  With my love of March Madness, I’d love to see him take a team to the final four, but first he has to qualify for NCAA sports…..hence the quandary.

From what I hear, Jennings is no scholastic prodigy.  Knowing that, he’s considering playing in Europe for a year, or sitting out all together and working with trainers.  (Either way he’d be eligible for the draft next year.) Why waste a year “pretending” to go to class, when you can be making money doing what you really want to do? I have long said college athletes should be paid.  These schools rake in millions from televised games and alumni.  Yes the kids get scholarships, but they aren’t allowed to work.  Some say they get money under the table blah blah blah, but when you compare that to what the schools earn…..it seems a little lopsided.  Is the road less traveled a better option?

Most college bound athlete’s dream of going to the pro’s.  They attend schools that have programs that will boost their chances of a professional career.  Many star college athletes don’t even plan to finish….it’s just a waiting game until the right agent comes along and tells them a pro team is interested.  As a parent, do you encourage your child to take the road less traveled, or do you pump up the virtues of a good education.  Let me re-phrase that…..if you knew your child was capable of making millions starting in a couple of months, would you tell him to get an education first?  Hold that thought…..

Apparently Jennings has discussed this with his mom and they are weighing their options.  He told The New York Times “For a person that plays ball, our dream is to get to the NBA. Our real mind-set is that we’re trying to get to the league, take care of our families. They’re making us do college … I told my mom that (going to Europe) was something we should look into.”  So let’s say you have a child with talent and a dream.  Do you encourage him to follow his dream or get an education?  If his dream was building the worlds tallest popsicle stick tower do you encourage that, or drop him off at State U?  If his dream could put you in a mansion and pay off your credit card debt, do you send him to Europe and pray he doesn’t get injured?

If you want to be a doctor, or a Human Resources Administrator a college degree is kind of important, but does a degree equal longevity in professional sports?  I don’t know if the NBA was looking out for the kids when they enacted this one year rule, but I guess a year of college is better than no college at all.  I’m sure David Stern (whom I can’t stand), was not expecting a crafty Brandon Jennings to come along and create an alternate route, but if this was your kid, or your situation what would you do? Is the road less traveled worth it if big money is waiting at the end of that road?

JerzeeChick

Does the name Napoleon McCallum mean anything to you?  Well in 1994 he was injured in the first Monday Night Football game of the season (Raiders vs. 49ers).  That injury will forever live in infamy in my head, as I remember my friends and I being floored while watching the instant replay over and over again.  If you haven’t guessed by now, JerzeeChick loves sports!  Treacherous injuries, great feats of scoring, stupendous dunks, and Cinderella teams MAKE MY DAY!  I participate in no less than three fantasy football leagues a year.  I do fantasy basketball, and I am ashamed to say how many brackets I have floating around during March Madness.  I live for playoff games (NBA and NFL), I love college basketball *go Terps*, and I’ve been known to follow soccer every now and then (Manchester United all day every day)!  Because I’m an avid sports fan, this week was particularly hard for me.  The NBA finals ended, Tiger is on “injured reserve”, and baseball just doesn’t excite like other sports.  I root for the Yankee’s. I boo the Braves, but other than that I am not interested J   

I am not a real fan of golf, but who doesn’t root for Tiger Woods?  Before he stepped on the scene, people weren’t really checking for golf.  Now he has spawned a generation of golfers and golf fans.  No one can touch him, but pound for pound is Tiger simply the best athlete to ever play ANY GAME?  When we look at his career in its entirety, and all that he has accomplished in such a short time, is there any athlete out there as good?  I guess I will give Tiger the golf crown hands down, and look at other sports individually.

Peyton Manning and Michael Vick broke records, but are they better than Joe Montana?  Bill Russell has won more NBA championship rings than any other player, and I doubt if we’ll see that record broken in our lifetime.  Some say Jordan is the best to ever play the game of basketball, but others say Kobe Bryant or maybe LeBron James will eventually surpass him.  Muhammad Ali was the greatest, but before Mike Tyson went crazy, was he on par to surpass Ali?  Venus and Serena brought those beads to the Grand Slam tournaments and upset a lot of folks!  When they are at the top of their game, they are unstoppable, but are they the best?

When it comes to teams, I think those 1990 Running Rebels from UNLV played some of the most exciting NCAA basketball I’ve ever seen in my life.  Of course nothing is more exciting than the last quarter of this year’s super bowl!  Did I mention I hate the New England Patriots?  All year we heard how the Patriots were the best team to ever play the game of football……but when it was all on the line they couldn’t beat Big Blue *go Giants* .  If you almost make it to the mountaintop, are you still the best?  If Kobe never wins a ring without Shaq, does that mean he’ll never truly be the best?  The “simply the best” statement is very relative!  I think Serena is better than Venus.  Walter Payton will always be my favorite back, and yes I chose Kobe over Shaq!

As I twiddle my thumbs and research the hottest rookie’s drafted by the NFL this year (never too soon to start scouting picks for the fantasy drafts), I’d like you to complete this sentence for me: (BLANK) is simply the best to ever play the game of (BLANK)!

Who knew Door Knockers would make such a come back–JerzeeChick

The best part about having a blog is that once a week I am allowed to get up on my high horse and pontificate on a topic of my choosing.  I’ve been told my blogs are a little “girlie”, but I’m a girl so it’s to be expected.  I try to keep it light, but every now and then I have to vent.  So having said that…. Are you kidding me, re: R. Kelly.

How is it that this man still has a career?  To everyone out there that still enjoys listening to his music…..Are you kidding me?  To every DJ out there still spinning his records, and every artist still putting him on their tracks…..Are you kidding me?  How can anyone in good conscience still support this man’s career?  He’s a sick fool with some sort of God complex.  He was feeling himself so much that he had sex with minors (yes I put an “s” on the end of that word because we all know that girl was neither the first or last), and thought he would never get caught.

First of all, R. Kelly is not even all that cute. He stole Aaron Hall’s style (yeah, I said it). Yes he is talented, but from what I hear is ego is ridiculous.  The last few songs he’s written for himself have been garbage.  His collaborations are okay I guess, but who collaborates with a pedophile?  How do you knowingly associate with a man guilty of such atrocities (yes, a grown man peeing on a little girl can be considered an atrocity)! 

We’ve all seen the tape.  Or at the very least we know someone that knows someone that has seen the tape.  We know that is “Kell’s” all up and through that mess, but he has the nerve to use the defense of “it wasn’t me”.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME????????  He could have said he didn’t know the girl was underage…..still a lie, but much better than five years of the “it wasn’t me” defense.  I guess it just goes to show you how arrogant he really is. 

A witness testified last week about how she started having relations with R. Kelly when she was seventeen.  Apparently after several months of sleeping with him, she was invited to a ménage with “Kell’s” and the underage victim at the center of this current controversy.  Per this witness there were three encounters between herself, R. Kelly, and the underage victim.  Did I mention they were all recorded as well?  This man is sitting at the table day after day with the “it wasn’t me” defense.  He has let this mess drag on for five years knowing he had been getting his Francis Ford Coppola on in front of people other than the victim…. Are you kidding me?????  Then to add insult to injury he decides not to testify in his own defense.  What kind of man accused of rape/inappropriate sexual contact DOES NOT testify in his own defense…..a guilty one I guess! They need to throw him under the jail when this is all over!

I am not even going to talk about the scandal of him trying to buy his brother off, or the most recent hot mess-ness of him getting with the young daughter of his business associate.  While that girl was of age, it still screams inappropriate!  Ladies, can you imagine the fallout of dating a friend of your father’s when you were in college?  Are you kidding me…..what kind of man does that?  Like I said R. Kelly is obviously mental.  He is sick, and I pray he is found guilty and sent immediately to jail.  Men, help me out, let’s say you were accused of having sex with a minor and there was a video of said escapade.  If you knew you really did not do it….could you sit in a trial AND NOT defend yourself?

In the mean time, so many people are still supporting him and buying his music.  I heard a radio personality over the weekend say he “hopes R. Kelly can get out of this mess”.  Are you kidding me?????  Society is so quick to judge hip hop for the misogyny and violence in their lyrics, but at the end of the day we all know majority of rappers aren’t pedophiles.  We quickly boycott a song/artist because we deem something he sings about to be inappropriate, but what about R. Kelly.   His whole existence is inappropriate.  His lyrics might not be as bad, but his lifestyle sure is!     

People snap and sway to his music with no regard to the crimes WE ALL KNOW he has committed.  Are you kidding me?????  He topped the charts with I Believe I Can Fly.  Yeah he believes he can fly right over the criminal justice system.  To everyone still stepping in the name of love at the grown and sexy parties, and to everyone still buying his CD’s and going to his concerts……ARE YOU KIDDING ME????  Michael Vick was tossed in a federal prison with the quickness for dog fighting, but sex with minors apparently is a lot less repulsive to some.  Number 7 lost his job, and countless endorsements, but “R” was able to make fifty eleven Trapped In The Closet installments.    Is supporting R. Kelly any different than buying candy from the corner store of a known pedophile?  I know as a community we tend to be forgiving of the misdeeds of celebrities, but shouldn’t there at least be a little contrition on the part of R Kelly?

            JerzeeChick

Well it has happened.  We have seen history made in our lifetime. Barack Obama is the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States *pauses to do the Cabbage Patch*!  I have been a supporter of Obama since before he made his candidacy known, and ever since he threw his hat in the race I have been an Obama Mama (I have the t-shirt to prove it).

While the historical fact of him being the first black man to ever make it this far is not lost on me, I think it is about more than just him being black.  Jesse was black.  Al was black….but Barack is different.  He represents the change that we all want and need in this country!  He came along at a time when we needed something…and apparently that something was not a Clinton.  I know party insiders are going to put the screws to him to make it a joint ticket, but my question this week is: Should he or shouldn’t he?????

If the tables were turned I do not believe Hillary or anyone else would be beating down Barack’s door to unify.  The Clinton machine pretty much believed they had the black vote all sewn up, so she probably wouldn’t need Barack.  Well well well how the mighty have fallen.  Deep in debt, with no real cause to fundraise…what is Tiny Tears to do?  Oh yeah that’s right, talk up her willingness to take the VP spot in order to help unify the party *gags*. 

Yet and still she hasn’t conceded?  Seriously though, that’s tantamount to the Patriots staying on the field after the Giants won the Super Bowl.  Time runs out, Eli and Strahan are jumping around and posing for pictures but Tom Brady has his team in a huddle…..Who does that??????  Trophies are being handed out and confetti is flying but Brady throws a long pass to Randy Moss. Tiny Tears, get a grip and give a concession speech.  Enough Already!!!!! 

Only in this country would they ask a black man to:

1. Defend the church he is a member of, but attends scantily at times. 

2. Explain his spouse’s comments (Did anyone ever make Hillary explain away some of that mess Bill said).

3. Explain his failure to wear a flag pen (Talk about petty!  They needed to be on Hillary for those stiff pant suits.  I was about tired of seeing those on the campaign trail FOR REAL)! 

4. And they would only ask a black man to come out and join forces with his arch-nemesis! 

            Speaking of only a black man……If Bob Johnson does not take his rusty behind someplace and sit down!  Who told him he had any credibility with Obama or his supporters?  Bob Johnson, the great mind that gave us BET: Uncut, can’t recommend a good restaurant to me let alone a VP!

I don’t know Epiphany Blog, should he or shouldn’t he?  For those of us that voted for him, will he lose support if he joins up with Hillary?  I am not taking anything away from her, and she might actually be an asset, but is it worth it?  In my opinion it’s the fundamental disrespect that her failure to just concede shows that should ex her off the list.  I am so tired of all this “unify the party” talk too.  If she had stepped down weeks ago there would be no need to unify!!!!! Does he really need her on the ticket to win, or does selecting her make him look weak and guarantee a loss in November?  In looking at all the possible candidates out there, who would make a good Vice President for Barack Obama?

JerzeeChick

I saw them perform live a couple of summers ago…..they still got it!!!!!

JerzeeChick

I remember the first time someone told me “pressure makes diamonds.” I was feeling somewhat stressed that particular day and in an attempt to help me, they gave me a few words to live by. I recall thinking “yeah, but pressure can also burst pipes!” I then became angry because in my time of need, this person spewed out a line like I was the starting quarterback of his team and needed to run the ball in from the 2 yard line with 6 seconds left on the clock! Who would say such a stupid thing? Well, we all do. We use colorful adages to ease our pain, for encouragement, and to get through the day. Some of use them so much we probably don’t realize how important they are to our vernacular. Being from the South (and trust me people, everyone uses them), I have heard some colorful ones in my day. Now I am wondering, are there any still in use today that I have never heard of?

I use “if the good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise” to describe the possibility of things going my way. Last week, my coworker told me “you can’t keep cold milk on your breath” (that was the first time I have EVER heard that one). We tell young people they are still “wet behind the ears” when they try to get in “grown folks business,” and a friend of mine always tells me “study long, study wrong.” Although I refuse to accept the ideology behind the last one, these sayings add color to my speech and allows me to bridge the gap with just about anyone I speak to. I bet you if I said “a closed mouth doesn’t get fed” each of you reading this would exactly know what I am talking about.

Words to live by don’t always need to come from family members, friends and loved ones. Florida Evans, Papa Smurf and Fred Sanford have changed my life with their words of wisdom. I have saved a few catch phrases from fortune cookies because of the powerful message waiting for me inside. I have even ripped quotes out of magazines and tacked them to the wall of my home office because the message has been so powerful.

The most powerful set of words to live by, for me, came from the poet and feminist activist Audre Lorde:

“I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.”

Although not as colorful as the others, in the midst of both personal and political change, I have read the aforementioned statement to myself 100 times. It defeats the voice within me that says silence is golden and gives me the strength to be an agent for change. I also know not to place all of my eggs in one basket, and thanks to Oprah, that I should quit while I am BEHIND. So, what words to live by do you use to get through your day? What colorful adages do you use when the going gets tough (and the tough gets going)? I have heard quite a few in my day and I would really love to see if I can find one just a bit more captivating than “you don’t think fat means greasy?”

Peace,

kp

Calgon take me away from this mess that is the Democratic Primary. It has become painfully obvious that there is no end in sight and Hillary will do just about anything to win. Before I get hit with a barrage of “leave Hillary alone” comments let me be clear…..I am not beating up on her this time.  She can march around with Hillary in ’08 signs ’til November for all I care!  She can do the running man across the stage at the Democratic Convention and I wouldn’t bat an eye.  Initially I was annoyed because she wouldn’t bow out gracefully, but now I get it. Hillary Clinton has been listening to too many oldies but goodies! 

I know you have to remember that Woman to Woman song by Shirley Brown.  Not sure of the year, but she calls the lady that her man is sleeping with and more or less begs the woman to leave her man alone.  In true desperate form she goes on about how she buys all his clothes, his food, and pays for his car. Sidebar: if you are doing all of that and he still has the nerve to cheat I say get rid of him and throw all his crap in a dumpster!

Poor Shirley Brown! She feels that man is hers, ALL HERS, and will step to anyone that tries to take him: “Woman to woman can’t you see where I’m coming from. Woman to woman ain’t that the same thing you would’ve done.  Woman to woman, now should I just step aside and let her take what’s rightfully mine?”  Enter Hillary Clinton…..

The presidency is like her man y’all and she is not giving it up!  While it wouldn’t be me, I guess I can respect her hustle.  Like Shirley Brown she put all her eggs in that basket, and she is not going to just step aside and let Barbara (or in this case Barack Obama) glide in and take what she thinks is hers!

The rest of us non Hillary supporters are like two of the Jones Sisters (I Just Love the Man by the Jones Girls).  Brenda and Valerie tried to tell their sister to dump her man.  They thought he was no good, and the relationship was a hot mess.  Enter Hillary Clinton….oops I mean Shirley Jones.  She was not trying to hear that mess either!  She said: “I just love the man, and I don’t care what you say”.  She broke her sisters DOWN when she said “He’s my inspiration, and no one will ever understand our relation.”  That has to be some serious love when you are “inspired” by a no good man! 

Herein lies the obvious problem.  We (those of us that want Hillary out of the race) are like Valerie and Brenda.  We never took the time to understand why she didn’t just drop out, but I guess it’s like a woman holding on to a trifling man.  No one really knows what goes on behind closed doors.  When Hillary was in the White House back in the nineties, I’m sure she was going THOUGH IT with Bill, and her shot at being top dog was all she had to hold on to.  So, much like Shirley Brown and Shirley Jones…..she is not giving up on that man that she thinks is hers!  Even when Brenda Jones threw Mama into the mix Shirley said: “…cause when I’m down he’s the one, that makes me feel way down deep inside.  He keeps me going.  He keeps me alive”.   

Having said all that, the fact of the matter is Hillary is here to stay.  She’ll continue to make silly statements (RFK assassination) and jockey for position (how exactly she can say she’s ahead in the popular vote is a little beyond me).  She’ll hold rally’s and use past electoral mishaps to her advantage (I hate it for the people in Michigan and Florida, but how can you in good conscious count the votes in a state where all the candidates names did not appear on the ballot).  Sadly, I don’t think the final primary next week is going to bring us any closer to this mess being over.  Even though we have super delegates, commentators and political elite coming out of the wood work telling her to quit, she and Bill are gonna ride this one until the wheels fall off.  Sweet Jesus be a Teddy Pendergrass song on Hillary’s I-pod!

In the mean time, my eyes have been opened to Hillary’s plight. Some people just can’t take a hint.  She’s not the first, and she won’t be the last so I’ll just sigh, shake my head, and wait for those Teddy Pendergrass lyrics to hit home for her.  “…told myself time and time again, this time I’m gonna win.  But another fight, things ain’t right, I’m losing again.  Takes a fool to lose twice and start all over again.  Think I’d better let it go.  Looks like another love T.K.O……”

JerzeeChick

P.S. For those that might be fans of The Jones Girls…..enjoy!

I love this song-and video-but had trouble finding a version clear enough to post on the site. Let’s just say you get 2 for 1, a trip down memory lane and a chance to learn a new language. Work with me here-kp

Am I the only person that will stop patronizing an establishment because they can’t seem to get it right? I am over the fact that people no longer say please and thank you, but I still struggle with the fact that customer service is not what it used to be.  Let me apologize in advance to anyone I might offend with this post.  Unfortunately I think this needs to be said so feel free to ROAST me in the comments section!

            I hate Wal-Mart.  The layout is not aesthetically pleasing.  There are never enough registers open, and I often see too many children running loose as if they just got dropped there as part of some type of field trip.  You might call me a retail snob, but something about buying paint, panties, and a pork roast from the same store just doesn’t sit well with me.  On the flip side I’ve seen some very cute things come out of Target, so I guess I am a Wal-Mart snob…..with good reason!

            I had the misfortune of being in a Wal-Mart on Saturday night (because Target was already closed).  I was with a friend picking up rings to hang window treatments.  We had a total of seven items.  You would think it would be a quick in and out for only seven items. *rolls eyes*

            Of the thirty available registers, there were only six actual cashiers working.  As is always the case with Wal-Mart, the seniors were at the doors patting people down as they left.  Here is my problem with that: I am all for giving jobs to the elderly, but can we let them do something that might get me out of the store faster?  All that stopping to count items is for the birds!  Put Grandpa on the register, or let him help Shanequa bag the items.  No offense to anyone reading this blog, but generally I tend to assign a very ghetto name to someone I see exhibiting ghetto behavior. (Again feel free to roast me when I’m through)!   

So I am in a ridiculously long line watching packs of Boomquisha’s stroll in with their neck tattoo’s and bad weaves.  No offense to people with neck tattoos, but those wearing bad hair weaves……you get no mercy.  The fact that I am on the 20 items or less line is apparently of no consequence to people in front of me with their loaded carts.  My neck is getting hot as I stand there because I’m so disgusted.  I can not believe it’s this crowded, and there are only six registers open. 

            It was like being on one of those hidden camera shows.  I just knew someone was going to pop out at any moment and tell me this was all a very bad joke….NO SUCH LUCK!  Boomquisha in front of me had a little boy spazzing out over some chips.  She thought his dancing and throwing up gang signs was cute until he started acting like he was possessed.

            I was two seconds away from dropping those stupid ring hooks on the floor and leaving when I spotted another register opening.  I maneuvered around the 3 B’s in front of me (Boomquisha 1 with the asymmetrical blue and black bad weave, her home girl Boomquisha 2 who also had a bad asymmetrical weave except hers was dyed the color of cherry Kool-Aide in the front, and Boomquisha 3 with the bad honey blond asymmetrical weave. Boomquisha 3 was so pressed to get another pair of those camouflage cargo pants out of Wal-Mart, she left her son in the cart while she ran back to find another pair.)  Sweet Jesus be Child Protective Services or the weave police or somebody to do a raid at the Walmart on Old National!  My pressure was up for about twenty minutes after I left that store.  I am not even going to tell y’all about the horror of customer service when I had to go back three days later to return those stupid rings.  I’m sure some people might think I am going overboard and Wal-Mart is not that bad, but y’all can have it.  It’s Tar-Jay (translation: Target), all day every day over here!

            Wal-Mart isn’t my biggest issue.  I think overall the atmosphere at Wal-Mart is a direct result of our society’s lack of good customer service.  I was a college student.  I worked the dumb campus jobs, but in everything we were told to be professional.  What happened to the professional personable employee?  If you don’t want to smile and be polite……get another job!  It is not my fault you are stuck on fries.  It is not my fault your manager scheduled you to close every Saturday this month, and it is not my fault your cousin forgot to pick up that jet black Yaki and thus your weave STILL looks a hot mess!  I just need you tell me where the box cutters are….and if you don’t know ASK SOMEBODY!

            Yes, another issue with poor customer services is the person that is content to say “I don’t know”.  WHAT?!?!?!?!?  “You don’t know and…..”  How does a person, at their place of employment, tell a customer they don’t know the answer to a question and then begin to walk away as if that was a suitable exchange of information?  I’m sorry, but that kind of mess never happens at Neiman’s!   Trust and believe if I ask a question at the Gucci store they are falling over themselves trying to get me a suitable answer. 

            I was in an electronics store yesterday looking for a certain type of camcorder.  I was in the camera section and my natural assumption was the person in cameras would be well versed in the products he was selling.  Unfortunately he was more concerned with my friends Gucci sneakers and getting to Miami for the weekend than giving me accurate information.   He had the nerve to tell me a particular video camera did not take still photos.  When I pointed out the sign right next to the camera that was marked “Digital Photo Capable” he just said “oh”.   I then asked him how many mega-pixels another camera had and he said he didn’t know.  I asked him to show me the box to which he replied “the box is all the way in the warehouse”.  Excuse me?  I guess he was still too consumed with getting to Miami and trying to cop some Gucci sneakers.  I had someplace else to be so I didn’t go into my usual “I need to see your manager” speech.  I politely walked out of the store shaking my head. 

            The list of places that can’t get my money is growing exponentially.  I can’t make them provide good customer service, but I can categorically refuse to give them any of my money.  So for those that are still reading, feel free decimate me for all the stereotypes I exploited in this post, but also tell me how you handle bad customer service!

JerzeeChick

Gotta love that chair move!!!!

JerzeeChick

A typical Saturday morning has me rushing out of the house in hopes of maximizing every waking moment I have to run errands. Last Saturday was no different. I only had a few hours to try to take care of as many items as possible on my to-do list and get back home in time to take care of some neglected personal items. My goal for that day was to multi-task whenever possible. Make a few phone calls during my pedicure, order food from an intercom and eat while driving from one location to the next, send a couple of update text messages and emails at red lights, and send a fax while waiting for the copy machine to collate a document I still needed to finish. When I arrived at my first destination, this awful feeling of dread came over me. I left my cell phone at home. My contacts, my calendar, and my to-do list, were contained in one little device and that device was sitting on my bed. I felt lost and hopeless all at the same time! My options were simple, go back home and retrieve my cell phone or continue with my day. The cost of gas made the decision for me; I did not go back home to get my phone. I did, however, experience something so many of us take for granted, quiet time.

At first, I felt numb, as if I had lost contact with the outside world. I arrived at work, sent my fax, and made my copies… in total silence. I was still thinking, “someone is calling me with some very important information, and I can’t respond to it.” While driving to my next destination, I actually heard new songs on the radio, looked around and noticed the new Lexus parked next to me at the stop light, and even waved at a few people in passing. Once I arrived at the nail salon, I sat in the new message chair and even giggled when my nail technician hit that sensitive spot on the bottom of my foot. Something I have not been cognizant of in a long time.

For a majority of us, our waking moments are dictated by multi-tasking through some type of electronic device. Think about it. One of our many email accounts is constantly alerting us of a new message. Some of us never turn our computers off. Our cell phones are alerting us of a new text or voice mail message. We have our calls forwarded from one phone to another. Our calendars can be accessed with the touch of a button-and I am willing to bet that we have a meeting, a conference call, or some type of group interaction schedule whenever and wherever possible. While juggling all of this, when do we really have time to live and enjoy some much need quite time?

My drive home that afternoon was in total silence. No radio, no “Bad Girl” by Usher playing, indicating a voice mail or a text message, and no empty conversations where I am not paying attention because I am trying to maneuver through traffic. Just total silence. Once I reunited with my long lost cell phone, I realized something. I may have missed a few calls, but it was not the end of the world. There was nothing pressing that required me to respond immediately and definitely nothing that would have required me to burn the extra gas at the start of the day. I was able to take care of a number of items on my to-do list, and rearranged my schedule on Monday to fit the forgotten ones in. I may not be able to leave my cell phone at home often, but I am turning the ringer off more often, or leaving it in my car when I run to the store, just to enjoy that quite time. Now I am wondering, how many of can actually find and enjoy those small moments of quiet time once our cell phones have been “left at home” or “silenced” in the middle of the day?

Peace,

kp

Why is it so easy for us to point out something someone else needs to do, yet we are content to live in a town called “denial”?  You all have read several blogs where I went on and on about Tiny Tears and how she needed to drop out of the Democratic Primary.  In my mind it’s a done deal, and she’s only kidding herself if she thinks she’ll actually win.  While I still agree with those sentiments wholeheartedly, in all honesty there are some things I have been content to kid myself about too!

We all saw Terry McMillan’s hot mess of a husband hiding in the closet long before he admitted it to the world.  When Star Jones married Al, many of us compared her to Terry McMillan and waited with baited breath until the inevitable happened.  Yes, we love love LOVE to boot someone else out of denial, but easily turn a blind eye to our own foolishness!   To everyone that has ever bought a pair of pants in a too small size because they were on sale, and then just KNEW they were about to drop ten pounds with a new work out regime….I’m talking to you!!!!!

Denial is comfy.  Denial is fun.  Denial keeps us in debt, keeps our kids acting like wild banshee’s and keeps too many people in bad relationships…..so why do we do it?  Ask yourself a question.  Do you really believe <fill in blank>?    If the answer is no, please cease and desist with it TODAY.  According to Alcoholics Anonymous the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.  Just to be clear, I am not talking about the things we readily admit to.  If you are chronically tardy, and know it, technically you are not living in denial (about that).  On the other hand if you buy a fresh red velvet cake from Publix every week, but insist you are on the Atkin’s Diet, you are in denial.  If you think it’s NOT R. Kelly on that sex tape (because the creative mind that brought you I Believe I Can Fly and Step In The Name Of Love couldn’t possibly be a pedophile), you are the Mayor of a town called denial! 

Sometimes we stay in denial, because we think it’s easier than admitting the truth.  While squeezing into those size 9 ½  shoes might seem easy…wouldn’t your feet appreciate you more if you stopped denying the fact that you really wear a size 11?  If you know you have high blood pressure and hypertension, step away from the fried chicken and rib tips!  McDonald’s French Fries every other day will not help you shed those unwanted pounds, and you are in denial if you think the fact that you’re ordering small fries will make a difference.  Yes denial is easier, but the road to hell is paved with easy choices!

            So Epiphany Blog, this week’s assignment is “easy”.  We are going to collectively renounce our citizenship to a town called denial.  As for me, I’ve been living in denial….in the shopaholics subdivision.  Yes, my name is JerzeeChick and I’m a Shopaholic.  I always referred to it as having a shopping habit, but it’s pretty much an addiction!  Sweet Jesus be a 12 step program for people that shop too much!

There, I said it.  I’ve taken the first step, and if someone would be so kind as to provide me with the remaining eleven steps, maybe I can kick this thing.  In the mean time, what are you in denial about?  If you are the Rona Barrett of your office, yet refuse you admit you’re nosey…..sorry Boo you are the Alderman of a town called denial!  If you’ve been engaged to the same man for more than three years and really believe a wedding is forthcoming, there is a Denial Chief of Staff position with your name on it! 

Seriously though, we ALL have some pipe dream or bad habit we need to let go of, and the first step is to stop denying it. So come on Epiphany……don’t be shy J.  What have you been denying for far too long?

JerzeeChick

I really need a pick-me-up. kp

I have been working nonstop on a research project all week. No work, no play, barely no food, just research. My mother has called me every day this week. A few times to check on me, a couple of times to update me on the world outside of my computer screen, and of course, the a occasional annoying phone call here and there. For Mother’s Day, she requested that all of her children meet he in South Carolina so that we could spend this special day with her and her mother. A looming deadline on the my research project, a line of morning tornadoes, and driving winds did not deter her from making each of her children brave the wee hours of the morning and make the drive to South Carolina.

Now that I am home, and finalizing the research project, I would like to say Happy Mother’s Day to my “momma” and all of the other mothers out there. I am happy I had the chance to spend time with family today, and I am finally finished with the first draft (with a whopping 5 hours to spare). I guess sometimes mothers do know best.

kp

Once upon a time, kids were scared to cut up in the presence of anybody’s mother!  Even if your own mom was miles across town, you knew Miss so-and-so had unwritten authority to open up a can of “act right” if you got out of line. Now kids will run past you in the mall, step on your feet, and not say excuse me.  They will fight and cuss in your presence and not bat an eye.  They blast lewd music in the church parking lot and make you wonder what pack of wolves raised them.  Sometimes we gasp and shake our heads, but at some point we always think back to our own behavior and confirm that we “knew better” at that age.  Most of us grew up in houses with mother’s that WERE NOT HAVING IT!  Luckily in addition to Janice, I had Aunties that DID NOT PLAY!

As you all know Mother’s Day is Sunday.  To all the Mom’s out there: have a wonderful day.  We appreciate the love (sometimes disguised as discipline) you’ve shown over the years.  For this week’s blog, I’d like to shout out my Fave Five Moms!  BBJ aka Big Bad Jan (she hates it when I call her that) will always have the Mommy Emeritus spot in my heart.  If my life were a T-Moble cell phone plan, my Fave Five would be:

1. Mommy: No matter how old I get, she’ll always make me bread pudding (*hint hint*) and will forever treat me like her personal assistantJ.    
2. Aunt Fern: If I didn’t list her name first after BBJ she’d kill me J.  Also because she is the voice of reason when the drama gets too loud and especially because she taught me “…it’s not about the cowboys and the Indians”!
3. Mary: This one is a little weird because technically she is not a Mom.  But she’s an Auntie, so she made the cut!  Mary is the calm in the midst of the storm for so many people in her life.  She’s a nurturer, and we all count on her wisdom.  To know Dweebie is to know Mary, and knowing Mary has definitely been a blessing for me….and I still want to be like her when I grow up!
4. Miss Linda: Because she makes the best Peach Cobbler EVER! And also because she redefined Strong Black Woman for me!  Where others would have given up, she stayed strong and definitely came out on top.
5. Karen: She’s my favorite Hey Mon! In spite of being a wife and mother she still has time to be a very supportive friend.  We struggle through lent together every year, and share a shopping addiction.  We mourned the end of The Wire, and look forward to the new season of Big Brother!  I call her when I’m in crisis and she always makes time….(now all I need her to do is read that other book) J

Mother’s are a blessing….just ask anyone whose mom is no longer with them!  To all of the Mom’s out there (and especially my Fave Five), thank you for all you do!  I chose the five women that support and inspire me the most. So Epiphany Blog……it’s your turn! Who are the Mom’s in your Fave Five?

JerzeeChick

To everyone out there going through it…….sing along with me!

JerzeeChick

We all have them; that little thing that everyone else can seem to ignore or overlook but for some strange reason, you can’t. Or, that minute detail that on a bad day just drives you crazy. Yes ladies and gentlemen, we all have pet peeves. I don’t know, maybe somebody didn’t get enough hugs when they were younger or someone else may have a short fuse. But, no matter what it is, you know it when you see it. For instance, I was recently at an advisory board meeting for a program at a major university and head of the organization’s cell phone went off. He reacted quickly to silence his phone, but in doing so, set off a number of bells and whistles. Just then, the person presiding over the meeting stopped what she was doing and chastised the person whose cell phone went off. After giggling at her tirade, I paused for a second and thought this is a classic example of when pet peeves get the best of us. So now I ask you, what pet peeves do you have? What small actions committed by other people set you off and how do you handle them?

As a former middle school teacher, I had to make sure my students understood correct grammar and the proper use of words. As someone known to jack up a term or definition every now and then (hey, I just found out that the word is “pashmina,” not “poshmona”), I had to make sure that my students could grasp the basic principles of speech and not make the same mistakes I am so commonly known for making. Therefore, one of my biggest pet peeves is to hear people use a singular noun improperly in a sentence. I know, it’s a trivial item in life that can be overlooked, but this reached a boiling point when I heard Oprah tell her audience that everyone needs a good “pant” or a good “jean.” Come on now, Oprah! A good pant is what you do after exercising. We all need a good pair of pants or a good pair of jeans.

I will admit that I have been under a lot of pressure lately. I am preparing for the summer which is my busiest time of year at work, and I have been slaving away at my computer trying to crank out my dissertation on a tight deadline. Therefore, the small nuances of life are starting to bug me more than usual. I guess this is why I got so irritated when the lady sitting next to me on the airplane decided to talk on her cell phone as if everyone on the flight wanted to hear about the day she was having (peeve #2). And, maybe, just maybe, this could also explain why my best friend and my father snap at me when I pop my gum. Once the passenger next to me on my flight hung up her phone, I had to deal with the man sitting behind me smacking on his ice cubes. As he committed number three on my list of pet peeves (smacking), all I could do was wait for the flight attendant to tell us that we had reached a certain altitude and that it was now safe for me to use my approved electronic devices on the flight.

The one good thing about a pet peeve is that they only last for about one or two minutes, and if you wait them out or ask the person to cease the act politely (a hint to my best friend and my father), they will eventually go away. Yep, I am pressed to write something this week, my neighbor’s car is blocking my driveway again (peeve # 4), and I just got finished clearing my inbox of emails proclaiming a string of bad luck if I don’t forward the messages on to 10 people I love (peeve #5). My list could go on and on, but surely, I am not the only person with a string of pet peeves that drives them crazy, right?

kp

Sweet Jesus be a concession speech because I am about tired of the 2008 Democratic Primary.  I feel like I’m living in a 1978 trailer for JAWS 2 (just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water….DUNH DUNH DUNH DUNH tiny tears is still holding on)! I had my fingers crossed that Obama would pull off an upset in Pennsylvania but I knew it was a long shot.  He finished much better than originally forecasted, but still the media is acting like he is the candidate that won’t go away.  If I hear one more reporter say “why can’t he win the big states” I think I might try to slit my wrists with a spatula.  Is it just me, or has this misery dragged on for far too long?  Sweet Jesus be a time machine to transport me to November 5^th.  SOMEBODY new will be the President, and “W” will be on his way OUT!

At any rate, not only am I tired of the Democratic Primary process as I whole, I am really tired of this Reverend Wright scandal.  Don’t get me wrong, I heard the ENTIRE sermon he delivered back in 2001, and took NO ISSUE with his comments.  I feel that the media took the snippets they wanted and tried to spin this man as un-patriotic, and get Obama on guilt by association.  Even without hearing the entire speech, most of us would agree with what he said, but once you hear the entire speech (and understand part of it was based on someone else’s quote, and biblical scripture) you realize it was a set up.  Let’s be honest, how many of us haven’t heard similar things in our own churches?

Obama was in a lose-lose situation.  He could say nothing, and slip in the polls or he could say something.  I do not think his speech in Philly last month was him posturing, nor do I think he was selling out.  He touched on many valid points without throwing his beloved Pastor under the bus. Some would say he should have gone hard and backed Reverend Wright 100% no matter what.  To them I say: you obviously want four more years of the Republicans in office.

I know Reverend Wright took a lot of unfair heat for his past speeches and maybe he justifiably has sour grapes.  For the life of me I can’t figure out why he would chose now to come out in defense of himself pretty much at the expense of Obama.  Granted he is right in his views, but wouldn’t he still be right after the election? 

This is a free country and we all have the right to say whatever we want (so long as it’s not about bootleg movies J ), but there is something to be said for discretion.  What part of the game is this?  If Wright truly supported this man, truly cared about him or ever called him a friend why would he take a national stage and play him out like that.  To say Obama was being a “politician” implies he was less than honest/sincere.  Why would he come out now to take center stage, when it’s obvious the very last thing the Obama campaign needs is to rehash this mess!

Again, Reverend Wright may have been justifiably upset with the media.  People that know nothing of his service to the community all of a sudden come out to call him unpatriotic.  How can you do six years in the military and be unpatriotic (especially when the current administration managed to shirk their military responsibilities)?  His most recent speeches had valid points which deserved to be mentioned….but did they have to be mentioned right after tiny tears won Pennsylvania?  What about the whole “on November 5^th and January 21^st I’ll still be a pastor” comment…..did he really have to play Obama out like that?  People that never heard the first speech were in no position to judge the man, but he has given us all a new batch of ammunition one way or the other!

On the flip side what if this was all a part of Wright’s bigger plan?  What if he really does want Obama to succeed and knew the only way to truly put distance between himself and Obama was to come out in such a way that would force Obama’s hand?  Maybe he knew the Senator needed to come out in front of the country and separate himself for once and for all if he wanted to win.  As it stands now, all those people that were “concerned” about Obama’s relationship to Reverend Wright can rest easy.  Those two are through….. the only thing missing is a dis record on Hot 97 (with a Jay-Z verse and a Diddy remix).

So Epiphany Blog, timing is everything.  Do you think the most recent speeches of Reverend Wright are the beginning of the end of Obama’s quest for the White House?  On the other hand, was this just the thing Obama needed to separate himself from the controversial Pastor and ease the fears of white America?  Will the timing of all this ultimately help or hurt the Obama campaign?

JerzeeChick

PS: Happy Birthday Leanda!

            If you’ve seen the email you can attest to how cute it is and I’m sure the nostalgic moment made your day. I pretty much smiled as I watched the slide show because it brought back so many good memories. In a world where gas is $3.55 a gallon, where tiny tears has no concept of “bowing out gracefully” and it took Star Jones how many years to see the light…..that little email slide show was right on time!

            I started thinking about those good old days and wondering what it would be like to go back. I wouldn’t want to alter anything just maybe spend a few days as my former self. So my question this week simple if you could re-live a period in your life, what would it be and why?

            I wouldn’t go back to elementary school. Don’t get me wrong playing hide and seek was fun but I’d rather go back to something a little more substantial.  Those transition periods in my life when I was moving from one thing to another for some reason hold particular significance to me. The summers of 1995 and 1996 were fun!  I was pretty much carefree. I could take I-95 to the turnpike whenever I needed to go home, and those were the summers of some of the best hip hop mix tapes ever created. (I still have my DJ Clue mix tapes somewhere around my house)!  *pauses to play the Get Money remix*

            If I knew then what I know now, I might have studied in college a little more, or maybe been a computer science major.  If I could go back, I wouldn’t have signed up for that first credit card freshman year!  The last thing I needed was ANOTHER squeegee bottle in my dorm room, and that first credit card was a slippery slope for me. Like most of us at that age, I had no concept of interest rates, credit reports, and late fees…..nor did I fathom how persistent those credit card people could be when you didn’t pay on time!

            If I went back even further, I might want to visit the summer of 91.  That was the break between high school and college when I was counting down the days until I left for school, but enjoying e