“ … I’m going to ask you to SHIFT (Seeking His Information For Transformation) ;0) The enemy would want you to focus on what you lost to rob you of the joy of being thankful for another day. In all things give thanks! It’s not option it’s a command. Thanksgiving drives the enemy away because he can’t stand praise. It is a weapon that allows the enemy to back up off you.”
~ Terri B.
3
Random Observation About Nothing #1
High on my list of annoyances are failing to acknowledge folks or over thinking an acknowledgement. I’m not sure what is more annoying; Someone looking down at their phone, looking at their watch, eyes down at their feet all to avoid making eye contact and part their lips to speak or speaking to a woman and she receives it as an attempt to lay horizontally while making animal noises.
To help those that seem detached from common courtesy and in most cases common sense, I’ve included a list of ways to respond when you see folks that you interact with on a daily basis. I wouldn’t encourage these behaviors on the city streets.
Make Eye ContactSmile with your eyes
The Fabled Nod of AcknowledgementUp down or Down up, your choice
The ComplimentBe sincere, even if you have to fake it
The WaveWhatever you do be a man or woman about it, no transference
The SmileNothing is more inviting than a nice set of teeth & a warm mouth
The Hug and or KissNo air kissing READ: Women only, I prefer my kiss on the lips & keep your booty close on the hug, which leads to the …
The Booty SmackBad Boy Baby #TakeThatTakeThat
Mr. “Holla when you see me” TramueL
Photo Credit: Richard Clarkson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Thought provoking, capable of starting a social revolution. Mr. Burrell goes beyond exposing the problems infecting our mental psyche by providing us with the why; Why we feel, think and believe the myth's, stereotypes and generalizations presented to us. Brainwashed provides many teaching moments. For me the BIGgest take away is to not become overly attached to an idea, thought, phrase or image; Because someone or something you trust says it, writes it or prints it doesn't make it real. Remain somewhat skeptical from time to time.
A common theme this week among friends; Relationship(s), The Chase & Defining Roles ... my personal thoughts were of not missing the responsibility or accountability of being in a relationship but missing intimacy. I remembered this post & I haven't written in a while so it's relative ... two birds, one stone. ~Brian Originally Posted May 16, 2010 @ 9:29 P.M.
I ran all up on a book the other day, ‘cause it was sexy! I mean this book had a “tramp stamp” in the small of it’s back that drove me crazy! As I spit my game, trying to get it’s math I realized that it was very interesting how she broke down intimacy.
“The Seven Levels of Intimacy: The Art of Loving and the Joy of Being Loved” By Matthew Kelly
The book breaks down the process of revealing our authentic selves while our “representative” takes a step to the back.
Before you go back to Twittering, Facebooking or picking your nose, this is not a book review. If you wanna know more my brotha’s and sistah’s, you’ve got to buy your own! I ordered a hardback copy from Amazon for under $10en. 99. The book itself was $Free.99 but with shipping & handling the BIG A got me.
Whether consciously or subconsciously we all have our own personal levels of connection or “In-To-Me-See”
Like: “You like me!, You really like me!” … Butterflies, text messages, emails, parking outside their homes in a friends car so they don’t see you, talking & laughing for hours learning each others personality.
Love: Love is “like” to the ‘umptenth power, moving from a physical reaction to a chemical reaction. {Remember? From Seeing Clearly … Physical vs Chemical: in a physical reaction two substances are mixed or ground together without being transformed, meaning both can be recovered from such a mixture in their original state. A chemical reaction, on the other hand, produces an entirely new substance, one that is very different from either of the reactants and does not easily yield the original substances back again.} Science! This is the move from the growing in your groin (Lust) to dreams of you growing old together tweezing each others nose & ear hairs.
Trust: We all have our own definition of trust, but let’s be clear, at this level it is not that high-school game of who cheated on who. You should feel trust … it’s about protection, feeling secure knowing that someone will protect your heart.
Respect: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. … Find out what it means to me. Another word with broad interpretations, levels and degrees. To me It is about understanding each others value, value as a woman, man, human being who drinks water and breathes air, never wanting to disappoint or have that value depreciate.
Honor: This is the deal closer, a virtual badge signifying your commitment. Ultimate understanding of who we both really are. Accepting & protecting all of the like, love, trust and r.e.s.p.e.c.t. that we have for each other.
There are many others I’m sure that could be added, however, this is my list … you’ve got to tell me yours. What are your levels of connection?
P.S. While you are working on that can someone tell me why we stopped using “Obey” in wedding vows? I think if we add it back in there women won’t be so out of pocket, so beside themselves.
Word,
Mr.”You promised to obey, now go in there and fix me a sandwich” TramueL
This is pretty cool, if you are a narcissists.
Create and explore a visual archive of your social life.
The music is full of amsomeness ... "Tiny Piano" (Nijiko) by Takagi Masakatsu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great compilation of Dyson's "Truths" ... hammering out basic principles, effectively communicated in a thought provoking way.
"... pleasure is deep. What matters most is not the world as it appears to our senses. Rather, the enjoyment we get from something derives from what we think that thing is." ~ Paul Bloom, How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like
"No matter how much she understood why her man couldn't protect her, the unnatural code of survival seeded subliminal contempt: You didn't protect me. You can't protect me. I have to protect myself!" by Tom Burrell
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.
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.
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.
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
Posted from WordPress for Android
Initially I sat down to chronicle the sights and sounds of my recent excursion to En Why Cee, however as I started to write the random thoughts, observations and inspiration; direct and indirect that developed from the experience took over …
Read MoreHave 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: 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"
"... 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
"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
"Life is fortified by friendships"
~ Corky aka Roschelle {Ro'Ro'}
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.
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
