Friends!

Friends...
Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun
How many of us have them?
Friends...
Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun
Ones we can depend on...

It says a lot about the character of a person who has no friends! It really makes me ask “what are you doing with your life?” I’m not saying that someone with friends is a bad person. But I do feel that without strong friendships a person is missing out the quality of life. You can be smart, successful, rich, and everything else but with no one to share it with, in my opinion it’s all for none.

What is your life worth if you gain all these individual accomplishments and have no one there to appreciate you for it? What is it worth to not have someone you can share your deep thoughts with? What is it worth to never have someone there to lend a hand when you are in need? What is it worth for no one to care about anything you do?

I hear people say all the time how they don’t get along with people. Or they don’t have time for friendships. I’m as busy as the next man, and at times I admit to not being as available to my friends as I should. BUT I stand comforted by the fact that I have REAL friends in my life. Friends that trust me with their lives, and that I can trust with anything.

Some people don’t even have friends within their own family.

I know someone who had a birthday party at a club, and not one person showed to celebrate with them. I can’t even begin to imagine how that must feel.

I can’t live that life. My friends are very important to me and a big part of my life.

To all my real friends that are reading this I thank God for you. I thank you for your hearts. I thank you for your ears. I thank you for putting up with me. I thank you for you love and support. Mostly I thank you for allowing me to be ME and still remaining my friend *cheese*

I strongly encourage all of you to mend those broken relationships. Constantly create new relationships. Preserve your current relationships.

The relationships that you create today do not only affect you. I have gained favor in my life based on my father’s relationships. I was never picked on in school based on my older brother’s relationships. And because of my relationships, when my son’s son falls down, there will be a hand there to help him up.

Get up and put on ya Good Drawls!! Life is short. Get everything out of it that you possibly can…

I love you all…

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Legacy of a King

Not until the recent election of Barack Obama can I think of a man who affected the entire world the way Michael Jackson has.

His music transcended time, race, generations, and culture. Never has there been an artist who with his music can evoke joy, sadness, political awareness, and love. With a wave of his hand can move masses into excitement.

Today I am don’t know what to think, I just feel. So many of my memories coming up as a child include MJ. I idolized him for years.

How many of us have memories of doin all of his dances at family gatherings for the grown folx entertainment? How many of you remember getting excited when you first learned how to moon walk? How many of you still go crazy at a party when you hear an MJ classic come on? Who else do you know that can sell 90 million copies of a single album? There is none like MJ.

I can remember seeing him on TV perform “Billie Jean at the Motown 25 Celebration”. It was one of the most electrifying things I remember seeing. I wanted to be just like Mike.
I was sooooo mad when my mom never got my “Beat It” and “Thriller” jackets out of layway!!!

I can remember watching Moonwalker over and over and over again.

Who has ever popped MJ in the deck when they were feeling down? And if so who was able to stay that way? “Off the Wall” is the feel good song of my life. Followed by “Can You Feel It” and “Blame It on th Boogie”.

How many of you really did some soul searching after you heard “Man in the Mirror”?

One of my personal Jackson 5 faves was “Maria”…

Now that he is gone, what will we do? Who will be next?

The man who lives for nothing fears death, but he who leaves a legacy understands that he will never die…

Michael Jackson will never die. He has left us a long lasting unforgettable legacy. He changed the face (literally) of music and dance. He revolutionized the world of music videos. I only wish he got to live the normal life some of us enjoyed…even if just for a brief moment.

My heart and prayers go out to the Jackson Family…

RIP Mike 1958-2009

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Real Life in Animation

Where are all the real CARTOONS! I swear I feel sorry for kids now days. No wonder all they do is play video games…cause cartoons just really SUCK! I swear every cartoon is people that turn in to something stupid, or some damn battle game with monsters and demonic creatures.

I mean where are all the OG cartoons like Woody Woodpecker, and the Smurfs. Where is Voltron and the Thundercats. Where are the real plots. Where are the cartoons that kept kids tuning in every week for them to keep up…

One of my favorite cartoons of all time is Alvin and the Chipmunks! Back in the 80’s cartoons could also be very political. They also sought out to educate children about different issues they may face.

Think about it… The Chipmunks were orphans who were adopted. And kept getting into trouble. There was an episode about bullying where Mr. T shows up to help. There was also an episode where they leave to go find their real parents only to realize they can’t handle that lifestyle.

The most powerful episode however that damn near led me to tears was an episode called “The Wall”. Alvin and company went to Berlin for a concert when they are separated from Dave (their adopted father) on the other side of the wall. It was meant to show children the oppression that exists around the world. At that time is was the Berlin Wall. At the end they sang the most powerful song I have ever heard in a cartoon also called “The Wall”. It was a call for everyone around the world to come together. And even though it was a chipmunk song…I was moved.

Some day the pain of war will be healed.
Some day when we can speak what we feel
Let The Wall come down
Tumble to the ground
And love will live in peace all around…


I love that song even to this day.

With so much more going on today, in Iran, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Pakistan, in Israel, in Darfur, in AMERICA. I don’t want my kids watching teenagers turn into DINOSAURS!

Where is our voice? And how are we giving our young people a voice?

It’s time teach our children how to put they “Good Drawls” on…

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Lakers and Life

Ok while everything in me wants to write the longest most braggadocios blog about the Lakers Championship. I will refrain. This is more about why I love the Lakers so much…

With the influx of bandwagon fans that we have picked up over the years, it’s become really difficult to decipher REAL fans from the fair-weather feathery folks whose loyalty floats them to where ever the next likely championship will land.

A REAL fan stands by their team through success and prosperity as well as lowly sub par years and rebuilding stages. A REAL fan knows the team’s history and accomplishments. A real fan doesn’t make excuses, flip flop, or deviate from supporting their team. A REAL fan is often obnoxious and even pushed to the brink of anger in defense of their team. There is no room for objectivity for a REAL fan.

Growing up I didn’t have much. I was also not raised with a family for much of my life and didn’t have cousins, aunts, and uncles around me. My brother and I were raised by our father on the west coast 3000 miles away from the rest of our family. As a single father he had to work a lot to be able to support his boys.

Without our mother around living with us, there was a lot we missed out on as far as sensitivity and nurturing. As a man, it took dad a while to learn that skill. Instead, our family time and bonding came during what was a family pass time…LAKER GAMES!

We weren’t allowed to eat in front of the TV…so I remember inhaling dinner so that we wouldn’t miss tip off. I remember always laughing at my dad throwing things at the TV when they would be losing. I remember being allowed to cuss with him at the TV. Or maybe he just never noticed. He was much better at it than I was. I remember days being great and we usually got Burger King is they won! I also remember staying out of dad’s way when they lost.

My passion for the Lakers isn’t some fly by night fix. My passion for the Lakers reminds me of times with the only family I had coming up. It reminds me of the times when we forgot about the things we didn’t have. We forgot about all the troubles life offered us and we were all on the same page. There we say at every game huddled on the couch yelling and screaming, cheering and cussing (and getting away with it). I’m reminded of watching Magic go coast to coast, Kareem with his sky hook, Big Game James with his patented spin move, Coop’s socks and tenacious defense, and just the overall culture of SHOWTIME.

So much has happened to the three of us since then. And though life has pulled the three of us in different directions. We are still bonded together by our team. We still cuss at the TV. We are still emotional when we lose. We still call each other to talk about the games. And we still get together when we can to do it all just like we did back then.

More than anything, I am reminded that I am a black man who ALWAYS had a father in his life. So many of us don’t know what it’s like to be able to sit between their father and big brother on the couch and just bond. Or the excitement of scoring tickets to a game and cheering just as hard as Jack Nicholson even though we’re in the nose bleed seats. I am reminded that things can always be worse than anything I may go through.

The Lakers aren’t just a team. And it is never just a game to me. The Lakers have always been and will always be a part of my life…

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers! You got ya “Good Drawls” on…

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No Complaints... No Excuses...

With all the talent and ability we have been given in this life, most of us still manage to make excuses as to why we have not lived up to our potential. Myself included. And I really had to think about it. Why do we make excuses? I find that most people make excuses in order to feel better about THEMSELVES!

We all get the same amount of hours in a day. What you choose to do with those hours however are on YOU! I was thoroughly inspired but a young man’s story. His name is Dan Caro. Dan is an amazing drummer and accomplished musician. He is one of the most sought after drummers in the New Orleans area. He is also a graduate of one of the most prestigious music academies in the south.

It isn’t my love for music that inspires me about Dan Caro’s accomplishments. It is his story and what he has overcome to get there.

You see at the age of 2, Dan Caro was in a horrible accident as a result of an explosion in his home. He was not expected to live. Though he survived, Dan lost all of his fingers.

A young man with no reason to live or survive, overcame the seemingly impossible. He did not let his deformity keep him from realizing his potential. And when I hear him play, I was blown away. And then it made me think… what gives us the RIGHT to make excuses for our lives? What gives us the RIGHT to complain about ANYTHING? What gives us the RIGHT not to succeed?

I work hard. Those who know me best probably think I work too hard. But I say…I haven’t been working hard enough.

If you are not where you want to be in your life… it’s YOUR fault. And my question to you is this… what excuses are you going to make now?

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Stud Love

So a brotha was out gettin his laundry on… chillin. Now even in on my worst days I got the swag dial turned up to 10. GOT TO!

I’m comin out the spot after startin a load cause I really hate sittin in the laundry mat, its not ballin at all. As I’m getting in the swag mobile I hear this voice say… “Mmmm…You gon wash my clothes too?” At that point Playa mode was on automatic. So as I turned to see where this sweet lil voice was comin from I looked in the car next to me and got the damn shock of the week (clearly not the shock of my life. especially if you know some of the things I been through). Who I saw could NOT have been who just spoke to me… so I’m lookin around in the car to see if there was anyone else in the there. Luckily there was a chick in there that was kinda cute…so I responded to her like I didn’t hear what she said… so the voice repeated itself “you gon wash my clothes too?” and I damn near pissed myself in surprise. Cause I coulda SWORN it was a dude in the car. Turns out it was a damn STUD! Sittin there gruntin and battin her eyes and smilin and what not.

I’m not sure how long I stayed there frozen… but after I shook it off and fought myself from sayin AWW HELL NAW! I think I just said “naw im cool…” or something like that. But the swag-o-meter dialed down quickly. I mean I couldn’t really throw on to deep voice to try and be all intimidating. She might have been turned on by that. But then again..i had to ask myself, why would a STUD be attracted to or try to hit on ME?

I started feelin all kinds of funny…

Then I felt a lil bit disrespected like a gay dude hit on me… but then was like, this is a chick hittin on me. But this chick likes other chicks… but maybe she doesn’t… maybe she just looks like a dude… but if she likes dudes why wouldn’t she just look like a chick…

Should I be offended? Or feel kinda cocky cause I’m bringin em back home…

Either way... ima do it with my Good Drawls on...

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