Practical Intelligence: The Art and Science of Common Sense ~ Karl Albrecht

Practical Intelligence: The Art and Science of Common Sense by Karl Albrecht

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Work and Play. Karl's approach to encouraging us to think "inside" the box to apply critical thinking, practically is written with a balance of childlike and adult behavior. The use of language skills to discuss, deduce and judge so that we may reason logically and accurately. Science! Yes, science is true ... don't be misled by facts.

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Harlem Is Nowhere: A Journey To The Mecca of Black America ~ Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts

Harlem is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America by Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great read, very colorful. It was if I stepped back in time, I appreciate the "overheard" conversation style of the book. Current copy was borrowed, it is strong enough that I will purchase my own.

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Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self ~ Danielle Evans

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well put together series of completely unique short stories, a perfect way for me to refine and broaden my emotional palette. The common theme to me was about choices and how our environment; immediate and extended effects us. Family and community are often the BIGgest deterrent when faced with insecurities about ourselves. I appreciate that Danielle didn't write only about girls and women, she tells the stories of brothers and fathers.

Another take away for me is that she tells the Black perspective in a non stereotypical way, presenting an intelligent Black experience.

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I Blame "The Fall"

Men are often afraid to admit that it's much more than sex keeping us in a relationship there is a deeper hunger, for which sex is merely a symptom. There is a hunger for joy, a hunger for unconditional affirmation, a hunger, in the end for love.

~ Dyson

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Harlem Sweeties

Have you dug the spill   

Of Sugar Hill?

Cast your gims

On this sepia thrill:   

Brown sugar lassie,   

Caramel treat,   

Honey-gold baby   

Sweet enough to eat.   

Peach-skinned girlie,   

Coffee and cream,   

Chocolate darling   

Out of a dream.   

Walnut tinted

Or cocoa brown,   

Pomegranate-lipped   

Pride of the town.   

Rich cream-colored   

To plum-tinted black,   

Feminine sweetness   

In Harlem’s no lack.   

Glow of the quince   

To blush of the rose.   

Persimmon bronze   

To cinnamon toes.   

Blackberry cordial,   

Virginia Dare wine—

All those sweet colors   

Flavor Harlem of mine!   

Walnut or cocoa,   

Let me repeat:

Caramel, brown sugar,   

A chocolate treat.   

Molasses taffy,

Coffee and cream,   

Licorice, clove, cinnamon   

To a honey-brown dream.   

Ginger, wine-gold,   

Persimmon, blackberry,

All through the spectrum

Harlem girls vary—

So if you want to know beauty’s   

Rainbow-sweet thrill,

Stroll down luscious,

Delicious, 

fine

 Sugar Hill.

~

Langston Hughes

God Never Blinks

God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours by Regina Brett My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Don't think ... Feel. This book will help you do so. Amazing, heartfelt stories {personal, true life} stories that you are able to relate to. Draw upon the experience, pain and endurance to help you move through "life's little detours"

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He Said, She Said ... Shade(s)

"... I don't see the men bitching about this dude lighter than me and I hate myself for it! I think all of us Black women ought to be locked in a room with a bunch of racist bastards and see if they'll treat any shade better than the other."

~ Ms.Nikks

Photo Credit

He Said, She Said ... Commitment

"Your level of commitment directly correlates to the depth of passion you demonstrate for God when you are no longer under your parents' roof ..."

~ M. Harrell

He Said, She Said ... Friendship(s)

"Life is fortified by friendships"

~ Corky  aka Roschelle {Ro'Ro'}

A Love of Beauty

I don’t recall the first time we met, our history goes back as far as my memory serves. We grew up in the same neighborhood, I’ve known her all of my life. I credit her for my progression in school, she has helped me grow spiritually, as well as physically. Always there to provide assistance, providing me with enough information to make an informed decision to seek and find my own way. I do recall when we first became intimate. I love everything about this woman, her smell, the way she feels in my hand, her skin tone. I start at the front and turn her over ensuring I don’t miss any part. I must admit that certain parts of her fascinate me; the way her body curves when she is open, the crease in the small of her back. I can tell she appreciates me and is excited by my touch; she shifts, bends & folds begging to be turned over & over & over & over again until we finish.

I love you Book(s) … you are a thing of beauty.

The Week of Depth

A reprise to “Four Letter Words Beginning With L”

Of Loss

A wife lost her husband, children lost their father & a grandfather, a church lost a member, co-workers lost a friend and a community lost a steward. Mastering fear & anxiety, I’ve learned how to respond to death by being open, honest and sincere. Don’t suppress affection, tell others how you feel constantly and show them often.

Rest in peace Frank, you will be missed.

Of Life

Filtering out negative and pessimistic emotions lead you to positive thinking; more options and possibilities exist.

Of Lust

I went dancing, we had a great time but we will not become permanent partners. I think it was something we both needed.

“Sex is fire, Celibacy is water … both can purify”

My truth? Afterwards the void was still there, there is nothing like dancing with someone you absolutely adore, cherish and four letter word beginning with L and ending in E.

Of Love

I’m open.

Mr. “Be Responsible But Don’t Forget To Dream” TramueL

He Said, She Said ...

"One of the reasons inequality gets so deep in this country is that everyone wants to be rich. That’s the American ideal. Poor people don’t like talking about poverty because even though they might live in the projects surrounded by other poor people and have, like, ten dollars in the bank, they don’t like to think of themselves as poor. It’s embarrassing." ~Jay-Z, Decoded {Where I'm From}

He Said, She Said

" Even though I have a feeling that sooner or later it's all going to crash, I still accept Richard's [Pryor] friendship. He is irresistible."

~Paul Money, Black is the New White

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He Said, She Said ...

"So now it's time to move. From who you were, who they said you were, even who you thought you were, to the man or woman with a new plan, a divine plan." ~Kirk Franklin, The Blueprint

He Said, She Said ...

"All truth is local to the brains in which it resides." ~ Karl Albrecht, Practical Intelligence

Raven's Brew

Raven's Brew by Christina P. Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My copy arrived this morning. I skimmed through the contents to get a feel for the book. The titles are creative and grabbed my attention, the actual poem(s) held it. I began reading on the ride to work (Mass Transit - Never read & drive),while at lunch, break and on the ride home. I was unable to stop reading, I read each once, twice and thrice. First to gain an understanding of the writers intentions, second to gain understanding of my own interpretation and lastly to relate that understanding to my personal experiences. I love poetry and appreciate the way writers effectively communicate by colliding words through thought onto paper. This is a book review, so Raven's Brew inspires creative thought through a series serendipitous occurrences ...

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A Change Is Gonna Come

A_Change_Is_Gonna_Come.mp3 Listen on Posterous

I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

I go to the movie and I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me, "Don't hang around"
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say, "Brother, help me please"
But he winds up knockin' me
Back down on my knees

Oh there been times that I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

Sunday Shout Out!

Mom’s are sweet, with a cherry on top!

Happy Mother’s Day to my Social Media Queens~

Melzie, Goddess, Sunny, Nikks, QB, Ro’, Miz, Blaq, Je’, September, JenDiva …

It is a Be You Tiful Day, celebrate life & your ability to give life.

He Said, She Said …

“A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.”  ~Some Irish Dude

Mr. “I LOVE My Mama” TramueL

Mr.TramueL is a Musicophile ... Aloe Blacc "Good Things"

I was first introduced to Mr. Blacc’s music through what I believed to be a McDonald’s dollar menu commercial. You may have seen it on Centric, it truly sounds like a McDonalds commercial in support of their dollar menu. “I Need A Dollar” is the lead song from Good Things, as the tune played I heard a familiar, soulful voice that immediately grabbed my attention. What I found was that it was not an infomercial but a “Spotlight” as Centric Selects / Featured Artist. In any event, it put to mind the Coca-Cola Commercial featuring Tyrese, where he has on headphones and really feels the music or him-self and begins singing aloud. I tried that once but when I opened my eyes instead of thunderous applause I got a bunch of gas faces.

The music is very soulful, reminiscent of greats from the past. Mr. Blacc, born Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III is hailed by many as "the voice of the recession" … I’m neither a music critic or reviewer but a fan so I will leave that for the Music Bloggers & Editorials. There is however an undeniable conscious; a political soul that truly reflects our current state.

He Said, She Said …

“ … my master plan is to use music to expose what needs exposing” - Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III

4 out of 4 Headphones

Mr. “If my name was Egbert I would find a clever moniker too”  TramueL