So in an earlier post I typed about creating your own opportunity. Back in March, I approached a couple buddies who have a local bar and we talked about the potential of bringing comedy to St. Paul and how there's nothing really like it in the city. They decided to give it a go every third Friday. I stressed promoting and they got a sponsor(Yaaaay)! Our first show was in July and I had a good turn out. My dad even came out and introducing him to the comics has been one of the highlights so far. He's been to all but two. I booked over ten folks and it ran well over two hours. Couple "names" stopped by unexpectedly and I felt like crap because I couldn't give them time. I really wanted to, but I didn't have the onions to tell comics that I approached when I needed comics that they couldn't go up now. The people had a good time and the bar said it was one of the best nights in 3-4 months.
There are opportunities where I feel we can take advantage of, I know it's going to take persistence. Now, I have 6-7 comics I know the crowd will like and am saying no more often and it aint that bad.
I did a show up the road at a spot called Walking Jax and I wasn't really nervous. What helped is that I knew the other comics except for the headliner who was so nice! I kept thinking that I was the only comic that didn't have a head shot for the poster outside and couldn't help but wonder what the reaction would be once they got a load of me. I did well and returned back to some feedback by the older comics, jotted down on some paper. It actually helped. Then I sensed a disturbance in the force and noticed that this man walking toward me with that familiar walk was my dad! I told him I didn't expect him to show up and he said he knew. Easily one of the best moments of my life.
After hosting the Capitol City Comedy Show, I felt something was missing and it was bugging me the following day. That night I was hosting another show, but this one was special. Another comic had asked me to host his birthday show and it meant a lot to me. I took on an entirely different mindset. It was also a fellow comics first time doing 30, so this was a big deal all around. Before the show, my friend was telling me how nervous he was, having never done this before. That made me unecessarily nervous for a little bit, but I got over it a lot faster than him. I had to.
Minus the comics there were a grand total of 5 people looking to laugh! I ran through my set and saw I still had time, so I did some crowd rap. I had never done that before and it felt good. Afterwards, the feature told me that he didn't have a good feeling about going up until he heard the crowd open up. I was honored just be a part of the show. I had more fun at that show than my own!
One show was fun because it was in a nice setting, the host was cool and I was a fan of most of the comics. An old friend came to see me at a show. We caught up for a bit and he said that it encouraged him to keep following his dream. That meant a lot.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Chili Bowl
Ok, so every year when the Vikings play the Packers, I have my friend come over and cook her famous chili, which is the best I've eaten, so far. I feel that way because it's just spicy enough that you can still enjoy it. The plan was to cook up the chili and let it simmer overnight. Now, I have to use some discretion because if you come over, you need to be about the game and/or the chili. So I invited some folks over that I knew would meet the criteria. More importantly, they had to mesh personally. Most important, they had to be Vikings fans and sing along with our fight song, Skol Vikings. The only exception would be Bill and that's because him being a Packer fan is just one of the rare things we disagree on. That and the use of steroids.
So my friend and I are on the way from the grocery store, coming around the corner I see there is a hole in my bedroom wall.
{I still have to sort through all my stuff to find the cord to link camera to computer, because you really have to see it to believe it. The pix are coming soon.}
My whole body went numb, like when your foot starts to fall asleep, not yet that prickly feeling. I was speechless and that aint easy to do. I was shocked, but not surprised and here's why.
(Back story)
I have a crazy neighbor who has a ridiculous history of just walking into people's apartments for whatever reason. She's done it once since I have lived here. she came frantically knocking on my door once. She came in breathing heavy, with a worried look on her face. She desperately claimed to need help zipping up a coat that she wasn't even wearing. She will go into her garage, which is located directly across from where I lay my head at night( A-Ha!), start her car and rev up the engine. Like she wanted to leave but it was in neutral. She'll then turn the car off and come back inside. It's not like it was winter and she wanted to warm the car up, she just was losing it. Even the other neighbors tell me that she's touched in the head.
(Back to now)
I knew that she was a threat to not only herself, but to the other tenants and this was even more proof. I spoke with eyewitnesses that said they could see her from the other end of driveway. She said she came at it full go and saw that something was broken. She then pulled back into the garage just as fast. I noticed she sure did, but left her bumper in my bedroom. As my friend contacted the lady's next of kin and police, I checked inside. I never felt so vulnerable, as I went through the damage and could hear everything going on outside, like I never left. As I was taking pictures of the outside, the old lady wanted to get back into the car to see if it worked. My fiend and the eyewitness talked her out of it. I used my camera phone to record it. I wanted to document everything I could.
The cops couldn't believe it when they checked it out and took pictures. One of them told me that she clearly has dementia and shouldn't have had keys to a car. She has had the cops called on her before because of a disturbance. Her son came and looked grizzled and ashamed. He barely looked me in the eye or even offered an apology.
After the initial shock and anger of it, I took a step outside of myself and realized that this guy has to deal with his mother who is now a shell of her formal self. He is seriously gonna have to look into assisted living for her and he didn't look like he could afford it. As I am typing this, she still lives in the complex and still puts a rock down to hold the door open while she gets her mail...one day, I decided to kick that rock.
Everyone that came to The Chili Bowl took snapshots of the wreckage and it was the conversation starter, ice breaker and go to moment of the night! For a temporary inconvenience, I got new A/C, windows and carpet out of the deal. Was also able to take care of some bills!
So my friend and I are on the way from the grocery store, coming around the corner I see there is a hole in my bedroom wall.
{I still have to sort through all my stuff to find the cord to link camera to computer, because you really have to see it to believe it. The pix are coming soon.}
My whole body went numb, like when your foot starts to fall asleep, not yet that prickly feeling. I was speechless and that aint easy to do. I was shocked, but not surprised and here's why.
(Back story)
I have a crazy neighbor who has a ridiculous history of just walking into people's apartments for whatever reason. She's done it once since I have lived here. she came frantically knocking on my door once. She came in breathing heavy, with a worried look on her face. She desperately claimed to need help zipping up a coat that she wasn't even wearing. She will go into her garage, which is located directly across from where I lay my head at night( A-Ha!), start her car and rev up the engine. Like she wanted to leave but it was in neutral. She'll then turn the car off and come back inside. It's not like it was winter and she wanted to warm the car up, she just was losing it. Even the other neighbors tell me that she's touched in the head.
(Back to now)
I knew that she was a threat to not only herself, but to the other tenants and this was even more proof. I spoke with eyewitnesses that said they could see her from the other end of driveway. She said she came at it full go and saw that something was broken. She then pulled back into the garage just as fast. I noticed she sure did, but left her bumper in my bedroom. As my friend contacted the lady's next of kin and police, I checked inside. I never felt so vulnerable, as I went through the damage and could hear everything going on outside, like I never left. As I was taking pictures of the outside, the old lady wanted to get back into the car to see if it worked. My fiend and the eyewitness talked her out of it. I used my camera phone to record it. I wanted to document everything I could.
The cops couldn't believe it when they checked it out and took pictures. One of them told me that she clearly has dementia and shouldn't have had keys to a car. She has had the cops called on her before because of a disturbance. Her son came and looked grizzled and ashamed. He barely looked me in the eye or even offered an apology.
After the initial shock and anger of it, I took a step outside of myself and realized that this guy has to deal with his mother who is now a shell of her formal self. He is seriously gonna have to look into assisted living for her and he didn't look like he could afford it. As I am typing this, she still lives in the complex and still puts a rock down to hold the door open while she gets her mail...one day, I decided to kick that rock.
Everyone that came to The Chili Bowl took snapshots of the wreckage and it was the conversation starter, ice breaker and go to moment of the night! For a temporary inconvenience, I got new A/C, windows and carpet out of the deal. Was also able to take care of some bills!
It's been a while....
So, my last post was back in July and I had a little over 400 "friends" on facebook. Well since then, that number has gone up at least 200, so I have obviously been whoring myself around, being anyone's "friend" and letting them poke me. I have seen and done some things, hopefully making me a little better than the last time I typed.
It's been many moons since you last read about me. I have since, hit a milestone in my comedic journey. I started a monthly comedy show back home in St. Paul and there's nothing like it around! I got a job moving & selling dirt at a landscaping company and I'm convinced that it's the only job where the customers are as dumb as the product(I'm here all night, folks). An old lady drove her Plymouth Sundance through my bedroom wall, but it didn't keep me from hosting another kickass Chili Bowl... the next day! Tried improve, didn't do nearly as much writing as I should. Got interviewed about comedy for the first time and have met a few more people that can help me get to the next level. I even met a man who asked me if I beleived in spiritual gifts and proceeded to tell me that I'm here for a reason. I'm telling you, it was like The Oracle came to me instead if me going to her like in the movie. Needless to say, I've made a few revelations since the summer.
It's been many moons since you last read about me. I have since, hit a milestone in my comedic journey. I started a monthly comedy show back home in St. Paul and there's nothing like it around! I got a job moving & selling dirt at a landscaping company and I'm convinced that it's the only job where the customers are as dumb as the product(I'm here all night, folks). An old lady drove her Plymouth Sundance through my bedroom wall, but it didn't keep me from hosting another kickass Chili Bowl... the next day! Tried improve, didn't do nearly as much writing as I should. Got interviewed about comedy for the first time and have met a few more people that can help me get to the next level. I even met a man who asked me if I beleived in spiritual gifts and proceeded to tell me that I'm here for a reason. I'm telling you, it was like The Oracle came to me instead if me going to her like in the movie. Needless to say, I've made a few revelations since the summer.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Status of my Status
At the time of this blog, I had 434 friends on facebook. I think the word "friend" gets thrown around as loosely as the word "love" and I hate that. I'm waiting for the day when you can put your "friends" in the "acquaintance" box. Or even a "I know your face" box. You will be stuck in Facebook purgatory, if I don't recognize your name and don't know your face. I mean, I can't be friends with strangers. I also don't wanna be friends to babies, even if you are proud of having a kid, I better know your name or you get ignored.
A lot of folks you haven't seen in years, have found you and want to be your friend. Excuse my hesitation, but I'm in a mode where I have to ask, "what do ya bring to the table?". Then I'd just be adding you to be adding you...like on myspace. Remember Myspace? On the other hand, somebody will find me and I'll get a sense of nostalgia of when we shared a simpler time in our lives, when we were kids and I'll wanna catch up. That's a fun aspect of this networking website.
What stinks is that people actually type in their status as if facebook is an actual person. Like they care. It's as bad as Twitter and txt. It's overkill and to a degree impersonal. I mean, I don't care how you feel while you're stuck in traffic or that you yawned or any stupid everyday thing you go through. I mean, a lot of things can get lost in translation. That'll lead to miscommunication and missed opportunities.
Now the flipside of that coin is that when you don't feel like hollerin' at 434 people individually, send a mass message and be done with it.
This has basically been a bunch of BS I like to call a double standard. While I feel Twitter is a vain tool, used by those who seek acceptance by having a following, I guess all sheep need a Shepard! It's gonna get to the point where we're not talking to anyone on the phone anymore and we can't let it get to that!
Thanks for reading my babble.
A lot of folks you haven't seen in years, have found you and want to be your friend. Excuse my hesitation, but I'm in a mode where I have to ask, "what do ya bring to the table?". Then I'd just be adding you to be adding you...like on myspace. Remember Myspace? On the other hand, somebody will find me and I'll get a sense of nostalgia of when we shared a simpler time in our lives, when we were kids and I'll wanna catch up. That's a fun aspect of this networking website.
What stinks is that people actually type in their status as if facebook is an actual person. Like they care. It's as bad as Twitter and txt. It's overkill and to a degree impersonal. I mean, I don't care how you feel while you're stuck in traffic or that you yawned or any stupid everyday thing you go through. I mean, a lot of things can get lost in translation. That'll lead to miscommunication and missed opportunities.
Now the flipside of that coin is that when you don't feel like hollerin' at 434 people individually, send a mass message and be done with it.
This has basically been a bunch of BS I like to call a double standard. While I feel Twitter is a vain tool, used by those who seek acceptance by having a following, I guess all sheep need a Shepard! It's gonna get to the point where we're not talking to anyone on the phone anymore and we can't let it get to that!
Thanks for reading my babble.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Moment of Pause #1
So it's been a little over a year since I grew a pair and stepped on stage at Acme. I have been to numerous and various open mics. Spoken to dozens of comics and have taken in close to a terabyte of information. The one thing I found common in everyone's offerings was not to listen to everyone's advice. I found that amusing..."Everyone trusts no one" same message, yet different ways of hearing it.
I continue to be a sponge and take in as much as I can, taking a humble approach to this art. You go to enough open mics, see enough of the same acts, talk to enough "students", weed out enough posers and you see why it is an art. One could only make the argument of it being a science when someone is "discovered", then people wonder how somebody got on, as if there was a formula. There obviously is no formula, at least not for me. I have always had quick wit and a keen insight on life, I feel I should use my powers for good. The pure experience of using your mind to create an image that the world can understand, but most importantly laugh at is unimaginable at this point, but a goal I'd like to accomplish. That'll obviously take some work on my part, to develop a voice. Figure out who I want to be, continue to grow and not become a victim of my anxiousness, because I have big plans and want to implement them NOW!!
I typed earlier about people being discovered. Now it's one thing to be the right person at the right time at the right place. I'd rather earn what I get, it's more rewarding that way. I love doing what I do and I will get better at it, by any means. I listen to the old heads, who have been where I have and obviously see something in me or else, they wouldn't waste their time talking to me. That means a lot, because I wanna go up to the funny people and say," Wanna write some jokes?" That's just not how it works. Their graciousness is much appreciated. I have no problem showing whoever I need to that I do belong here and I'll bring people in!
As you seek opportunity, you realize that it's gonna take work and you'll have to create your own, but it can be done. Patrick told me that his blog forces him to write more and I am gonna take a similar approach.
Even though it's clear what needs to be done, It's good to take stock of how far you've come and how far you have to go.
I continue to be a sponge and take in as much as I can, taking a humble approach to this art. You go to enough open mics, see enough of the same acts, talk to enough "students", weed out enough posers and you see why it is an art. One could only make the argument of it being a science when someone is "discovered", then people wonder how somebody got on, as if there was a formula. There obviously is no formula, at least not for me. I have always had quick wit and a keen insight on life, I feel I should use my powers for good. The pure experience of using your mind to create an image that the world can understand, but most importantly laugh at is unimaginable at this point, but a goal I'd like to accomplish. That'll obviously take some work on my part, to develop a voice. Figure out who I want to be, continue to grow and not become a victim of my anxiousness, because I have big plans and want to implement them NOW!!
I typed earlier about people being discovered. Now it's one thing to be the right person at the right time at the right place. I'd rather earn what I get, it's more rewarding that way. I love doing what I do and I will get better at it, by any means. I listen to the old heads, who have been where I have and obviously see something in me or else, they wouldn't waste their time talking to me. That means a lot, because I wanna go up to the funny people and say," Wanna write some jokes?" That's just not how it works. Their graciousness is much appreciated. I have no problem showing whoever I need to that I do belong here and I'll bring people in!
As you seek opportunity, you realize that it's gonna take work and you'll have to create your own, but it can be done. Patrick told me that his blog forces him to write more and I am gonna take a similar approach.
Even though it's clear what needs to be done, It's good to take stock of how far you've come and how far you have to go.
My Birthday
So I wasn't looking forward to my 28th at all. It felt the same as 27 did, but with less hair. AND IT WAS ON A WEDNESDAY, C'MON!! My father was in Germany and so I wanted to do something with mama. She didn't wanna miss a bit of church, so our schedules didn't match. It did hurt that we couldn't even come to a compromise, but hey, that's where we're at now.
So she comes by unexpectedly stops by the house with balloons and a McFlurry. I hate balloons. I liken them to flowers in the sense that at first they may be nice to look at, but after 2-3 days, they wither and become an eye sore and now you gotta deal with throwing that crap away. But she was right on time with that McFlurry though, Oreo flavor! Mama knows the heart. That honestly made everything better.
So I go to Grumpy's as I normally do. My boy told me that he was bringing some folks to watch me do my five. It was the debut of my tickle bit and I got some laughs. It was an overall strong set and was the perfect end to an unforgettable birthday.
So she comes by unexpectedly stops by the house with balloons and a McFlurry. I hate balloons. I liken them to flowers in the sense that at first they may be nice to look at, but after 2-3 days, they wither and become an eye sore and now you gotta deal with throwing that crap away. But she was right on time with that McFlurry though, Oreo flavor! Mama knows the heart. That honestly made everything better.
So I go to Grumpy's as I normally do. My boy told me that he was bringing some folks to watch me do my five. It was the debut of my tickle bit and I got some laughs. It was an overall strong set and was the perfect end to an unforgettable birthday.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Livin' Just Enough For the City
So after ignoring a txt about going back to Leopard Lounge, I caught wind of a nice little party at Trois, downtown across from Shout on 14th st and Peachtree. Classy joint with three floors of loud music and a bunch of folks. You know how it goes. At one point your arms are tired and you're out of breath from holding your drink up and saying excuse me trying to get to the other side of the room. Now, the party was supposed to go until 3am, but it was over at 2:15. I guess they need everybody out by 3am. It wouldn't have made that big of a difference, but I was only there for a little over an hour! I was with a group of fine women who you can see on my facebook page. You can imagine how long they took to get ready.
I went to a few notable places while in Atlanta. Thumbs Up Cafe was ultra good! I mean Salmon chunks in my eggs...heaven in a plate! Well they were my cousin's eggs, but she shouldn't have let me try them! Even saw the original Waffle House...which...looked....like the Original Waffle House. I went to the Cave in Decatur which stays open until the sun comes up. I know this, because a couple of my cousin's friends wanted to keep it going one night and the Cave was the only place to go. I even went to the club that T.I. owns. The name of that club escapes my mind at the moment, but it's wild, what goes on in there. I'm definitely going back! I went to the Lennox Mall on a Friday afternoon and unfortunately, it wasn't as packed as you'd expect it to be. I feel that the retail industry will be next to be "restructured" like the Auto Industry.
I did go to Utopia and caught a little comedy. The guy running it told me to let him know next time I was in town and I would get some time. That was good to hear. What I took from the comedy scene in Atlanta was that at least seven clubs had open mics on a Wednesday and I wasn't sure how this environment was as far as growing young comedians. You could go to a club and chances are, you could run into a big name and be discovered. Now, that caught my attention, but I'd rather become a big fish in a small pond(Minneapolis) then go to Atlanta when I have something substantial.
Oh, before I forget, I went to Piedmont Park for the Dogwood Festival and it was cool. Now the park is in Midtown, so you really need to have a progressive mindset going in that area.
I suggest Piedmont Park or Little Five Points for lunch and shopping.
The night life in Atlanta is great and really can't be overstated! You got the four major sports and plenty of stuff to do for whatever your interests. The Finale was at Opera! That place looked a little like a castle and the layout inside is nice. The DJ was on another floor overseeing his puppets, making them dance. The VIP looked nice, but got as full as the first floor and the only difference between the two were the couches nobody was sitting on. A guy was even making it rain...I swallowed my pride and became a rainwater collector and paid for parking!
I went to a few notable places while in Atlanta. Thumbs Up Cafe was ultra good! I mean Salmon chunks in my eggs...heaven in a plate! Well they were my cousin's eggs, but she shouldn't have let me try them! Even saw the original Waffle House...which...looked....like the Original Waffle House. I went to the Cave in Decatur which stays open until the sun comes up. I know this, because a couple of my cousin's friends wanted to keep it going one night and the Cave was the only place to go. I even went to the club that T.I. owns. The name of that club escapes my mind at the moment, but it's wild, what goes on in there. I'm definitely going back! I went to the Lennox Mall on a Friday afternoon and unfortunately, it wasn't as packed as you'd expect it to be. I feel that the retail industry will be next to be "restructured" like the Auto Industry.
I did go to Utopia and caught a little comedy. The guy running it told me to let him know next time I was in town and I would get some time. That was good to hear. What I took from the comedy scene in Atlanta was that at least seven clubs had open mics on a Wednesday and I wasn't sure how this environment was as far as growing young comedians. You could go to a club and chances are, you could run into a big name and be discovered. Now, that caught my attention, but I'd rather become a big fish in a small pond(Minneapolis) then go to Atlanta when I have something substantial.
Oh, before I forget, I went to Piedmont Park for the Dogwood Festival and it was cool. Now the park is in Midtown, so you really need to have a progressive mindset going in that area.
I suggest Piedmont Park or Little Five Points for lunch and shopping.
The night life in Atlanta is great and really can't be overstated! You got the four major sports and plenty of stuff to do for whatever your interests. The Finale was at Opera! That place looked a little like a castle and the layout inside is nice. The DJ was on another floor overseeing his puppets, making them dance. The VIP looked nice, but got as full as the first floor and the only difference between the two were the couches nobody was sitting on. A guy was even making it rain...I swallowed my pride and became a rainwater collector and paid for parking!
The Albatross
So while I have been here, I have been dying for some nightlife, so I can evaluate the talent...and visit some comedy clubs. Since my cousins are newlyweds and are pretty much home bodies, I had to make some connections and quick. My Uncle, told me about a little night spot in Stone Mountain called the Albatross. We heard about a female DJ that was nice on the 1's and 2's. Her name is DJ Tiff, a young up and coming DJ. She didn't get a chance to show off, because we listened to some live jazz. This guy was getting his Kenny G on hard!! I mean this guy was walking through the crowd, getting the women open. I am so pissed my parents didn't just make me play an instrument.
Anyway, once Mr. "Sexy Sax" was done, we got to dancing. They played the Cha-Cha Slide, but the southern version and that's what got me on the floor. I surprised my uncle and soon he had to join. He keeps it smooth and controlled on the floor as some uncles do. Other uncles, like the one I am about to explain, are the ones we like to laugh at, cause they're crazy. This guy was seriously letting the music move him...in any direction his body would move! At one point he had two women with him and he wore them out! He did surprise me at times with his girations, being surprisingly nimble for a 50+ guy. I had this slim, mature lady. She was the best looking lady in there, now that I think about it! Real pretty eyes and slick back hair. You know ladies, the slickback 'n go! Too bad she was married or else I would have flirted hard, playing cool until I think I have a shot and then BAM, denied! That's usually how it goes, but anyway...............
I had more fun there with my uncle and an older crowd(34+) than I thought. Driving around the place, we saw it was a converted from a Arby's. Who woulda thought I'd have that much fun in an Arby's without my Big Beef 'n Cheddar.
Anyway, once Mr. "Sexy Sax" was done, we got to dancing. They played the Cha-Cha Slide, but the southern version and that's what got me on the floor. I surprised my uncle and soon he had to join. He keeps it smooth and controlled on the floor as some uncles do. Other uncles, like the one I am about to explain, are the ones we like to laugh at, cause they're crazy. This guy was seriously letting the music move him...in any direction his body would move! At one point he had two women with him and he wore them out! He did surprise me at times with his girations, being surprisingly nimble for a 50+ guy. I had this slim, mature lady. She was the best looking lady in there, now that I think about it! Real pretty eyes and slick back hair. You know ladies, the slickback 'n go! Too bad she was married or else I would have flirted hard, playing cool until I think I have a shot and then BAM, denied! That's usually how it goes, but anyway...............
I had more fun there with my uncle and an older crowd(34+) than I thought. Driving around the place, we saw it was a converted from a Arby's. Who woulda thought I'd have that much fun in an Arby's without my Big Beef 'n Cheddar.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Easter Trip to Alabama
So I decided to pick my younger cousin down in Tuskegee on my way down to Mobile, Alabama for Easter with the fam. This dude was just glad to get out for a bit and I understood. I love kicking it with him, because I find out something new about him every time and also find something else that we have in common. One thing I would learn we did not have in common, is that he shaves his legs. We'll address that later.
I hadn't been to Tuskegee in a very long time, but it hadn't changed that much. College town in the middle of nowhere. Almost 45 min. from Montgomery and an hour and some change from Atlanta. We get down to Mobile and our Aunt almost did backflips, she was so happy to see us.
Oh, before we got to our Aunt's place , we stopped by my cousin's barbershop and it was like any other barbershop, my cousin giving shit to whoever he makes eye contact with and I wouldn't have it any other way! He never lets me get too high on myself. He's my favorite barber. His older brother came by a bit later. He has a landscaping business on the side. Some would argue that he was a slave driver with his pay though. Whenever I come back into town, I will offer my services, because basically I just like being around him. I treat these clowns more like brothers, than cousins. The boys were reunited and it felt soo good!!
We ate VERY well. We always do. Whenever I come down, I never expect the red carpet treatment, just a place to lay my head and some food. The same can be said for my little cousin, but I swear he could sleep through armageddon. This boy is a pain to wake up. He was always last to eat breakfast when we were younger. You know I never missed a meal.
It's always good to see the family. You gotta make the most of it, especially when it's only once a year. I got a bunch of cousins that I enjoy being around. We catch up and I give them as much shit as I can, simply because that's what I do. It's all out of love and they know that. Don't get it twisted, whenever I get out of pocket it won't last long, because someone will call me out.
A perfect example would be when my older cousin woke me up to show me my other cousin's legs. He said, "Yo cousin done shaved his legs!". Now, he has always done his own thing and I will forever admire that about him. I said maybe he took up swimming or wants to cut down on his 40 yd. dash time. It was insisted that I see it. I saw cotton swabs, but what really threw me was that my poor cousin used duct tape y'all! I mean not a single band-aid, but dammit if he didn't have some duct tape handy. It did look like he was treating gunshot wounds. I was more than happy my cousin woke me up for this! I dunno if any of you have ever woke up and just began laughing your ass off, but it is one of the greatest feelings. My uncle got in on it and people broke out their cameras. I left mine in Atlanta or else you would have already seen them on facebook, C'MON! Remember, I told you my cousin could sleep through armageddon.
It got real interesting when the other women in the family came by and started asking questions and all my cousin could do was shake his head and ignore them. I didn't feel bad for him because if ya wanted to go down that road, you easily could have asked one of our aunts for "how to" tips on shaving your legs. You always were her favorite! On the way back, I had to ask him what the hell was he thinking and he told me that sometimes he just wants to groom his legs. There really is nothing like family!!
My uncle put some meat on the grill and slow cooked some pork, which was outstanding and tender(just how I like my women)! He cooked all the meat early, so when church was over, it'd be ready.
The Sunday program was real nice. There weren't too many bright easter suites and I kinda missed that. I got to see some of my little cousins perofrm and they did well. Baby girl will steal yo heart in a second, boy! She is seven I think, and is missing her fronts. It was so cute, because no matter how many teeth a child is missing, they'll still smile big! She's as sharp as she is cute. Her brother is a 12 yr. old who's body finally caught up to his head. Probably one of the biggest 12 year olds in Mobile county. He's on his way to 6 feet easy. Real good kid who was trying to grow up too fast, but is gonna be a teenager soon and we all know what that means.
You know how Easter services go, so I bounced early and got an early taste of the food....sooooo goood. The only problem with going down there is for some reason, my bowels move in slow motion and I keep packing my stomach with food. You try not to when you are faced with all your favorites.
So after we ate, we went to watch my cousins play some softball at the local park. Their team is pretty bad, but the fellowship is what it's truly about. My face was familiar to a few who recognized me from when I used to come down every summer and it was fun getting reacquainted, usually over a beer. I got reacquainted with a lot of people that night.
Monday comes and I'm trying to leave by 12pm to avoid traffic. Unless you have a flight to catch, you'll never leave when ya want when you're enjoying family. As I stated earlier, my cousin is hard to wake up, so you have to plan accordingly. The plan was to leave at 12pm, but we didn't leave until 3pm.
I hadn't been to Tuskegee in a very long time, but it hadn't changed that much. College town in the middle of nowhere. Almost 45 min. from Montgomery and an hour and some change from Atlanta. We get down to Mobile and our Aunt almost did backflips, she was so happy to see us.
Oh, before we got to our Aunt's place , we stopped by my cousin's barbershop and it was like any other barbershop, my cousin giving shit to whoever he makes eye contact with and I wouldn't have it any other way! He never lets me get too high on myself. He's my favorite barber. His older brother came by a bit later. He has a landscaping business on the side. Some would argue that he was a slave driver with his pay though. Whenever I come back into town, I will offer my services, because basically I just like being around him. I treat these clowns more like brothers, than cousins. The boys were reunited and it felt soo good!!
We ate VERY well. We always do. Whenever I come down, I never expect the red carpet treatment, just a place to lay my head and some food. The same can be said for my little cousin, but I swear he could sleep through armageddon. This boy is a pain to wake up. He was always last to eat breakfast when we were younger. You know I never missed a meal.
It's always good to see the family. You gotta make the most of it, especially when it's only once a year. I got a bunch of cousins that I enjoy being around. We catch up and I give them as much shit as I can, simply because that's what I do. It's all out of love and they know that. Don't get it twisted, whenever I get out of pocket it won't last long, because someone will call me out.
A perfect example would be when my older cousin woke me up to show me my other cousin's legs. He said, "Yo cousin done shaved his legs!". Now, he has always done his own thing and I will forever admire that about him. I said maybe he took up swimming or wants to cut down on his 40 yd. dash time. It was insisted that I see it. I saw cotton swabs, but what really threw me was that my poor cousin used duct tape y'all! I mean not a single band-aid, but dammit if he didn't have some duct tape handy. It did look like he was treating gunshot wounds. I was more than happy my cousin woke me up for this! I dunno if any of you have ever woke up and just began laughing your ass off, but it is one of the greatest feelings. My uncle got in on it and people broke out their cameras. I left mine in Atlanta or else you would have already seen them on facebook, C'MON! Remember, I told you my cousin could sleep through armageddon.
It got real interesting when the other women in the family came by and started asking questions and all my cousin could do was shake his head and ignore them. I didn't feel bad for him because if ya wanted to go down that road, you easily could have asked one of our aunts for "how to" tips on shaving your legs. You always were her favorite! On the way back, I had to ask him what the hell was he thinking and he told me that sometimes he just wants to groom his legs. There really is nothing like family!!
My uncle put some meat on the grill and slow cooked some pork, which was outstanding and tender(just how I like my women)! He cooked all the meat early, so when church was over, it'd be ready.
The Sunday program was real nice. There weren't too many bright easter suites and I kinda missed that. I got to see some of my little cousins perofrm and they did well. Baby girl will steal yo heart in a second, boy! She is seven I think, and is missing her fronts. It was so cute, because no matter how many teeth a child is missing, they'll still smile big! She's as sharp as she is cute. Her brother is a 12 yr. old who's body finally caught up to his head. Probably one of the biggest 12 year olds in Mobile county. He's on his way to 6 feet easy. Real good kid who was trying to grow up too fast, but is gonna be a teenager soon and we all know what that means.
You know how Easter services go, so I bounced early and got an early taste of the food....sooooo goood. The only problem with going down there is for some reason, my bowels move in slow motion and I keep packing my stomach with food. You try not to when you are faced with all your favorites.
So after we ate, we went to watch my cousins play some softball at the local park. Their team is pretty bad, but the fellowship is what it's truly about. My face was familiar to a few who recognized me from when I used to come down every summer and it was fun getting reacquainted, usually over a beer. I got reacquainted with a lot of people that night.
Monday comes and I'm trying to leave by 12pm to avoid traffic. Unless you have a flight to catch, you'll never leave when ya want when you're enjoying family. As I stated earlier, my cousin is hard to wake up, so you have to plan accordingly. The plan was to leave at 12pm, but we didn't leave until 3pm.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Welcome to Atlanta
So my trip down south started Wednesday. On my way through Wisconsin, I was constantly reminded of how boring, lame and stupid that state is and I was fortunate not to have to stop. I had an empty bottle on the ready if it came to that. With all the detours I had to take, it didn't help. I was so happy to get to Illinois, I paid $2 at the $1 toll. Illinois was a nice state to drive through. They love Abraham Lincoln there. They make a huge deal about where he slept or ate...c'mon, can you even prove it anymore?? You can tell it's a tourist ploy, but hey, they gotta make money like every other state! I also saw wind turbines and I tried to take a picture with my phone AND drive. Not a good idea, but if we are smart about placement so they don't become an eyesore, let's do it. I decided to take Highway 39 south to Bloomington and cut over to Indianapolis on 74 to avoid Chicago traffic.
The sun set somewhere between Bloomington and Indy and it was like God kissing America goodnight.
After spending the night in Indianapolis, I had to replace a tire, then it was back on the road. I ate McDonald's one time and snacks and that's all I needed. It's tough to measure time with all the detours and the missing of exits. I blame that on the distraction of a kickass playlist y'all! Anyway, I made it Thursday night and it was good to see my cousin and husband.. I got in just in time to catch some of The Office.
I caught up with my boy from school and he took me to the Leopard Lounge. Now my dress was horrible by Atlanta...well most people's standards, so we put a few things together and I was presentable. We get there and the doorman looked at my boy and said, "Tennis Shoes? $20!" I started walking back to the car, because it wasn't looking that great inside. We managed to persuade the doorman to let us in. The club was alright, the floor was kinda small. Bunch of guys watching the game. It got kinda tight in there and I told my boy that we could do this at the crib and he agreed. We posted up outside and did some people watching. Now anyone that knows me, knows that people watching is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WORLD. I will go deeper into that subject, as I post more.
Friday was spent riding around town. I went to Atlantic Station and bought some jeans, because I was told that I needed to step my game up if I wanted to be in Atlanta. I decided to do the driving, so I can figure out the streets and how to get around. So after all that shopping, we built up an appetite and went to Fatburger. It was my first time and it will not be my last. They can put an egg on your burger, y'all!!. I don't know where you can get that in Minnesota.
I love how people try and tell you what to look for and how to act around these parts. You know they have your best interest in mind and it does show that they care. Thanks to this blog, I can be on observe and report mode, so that as I go, so does this blog and you reading it!
The sun set somewhere between Bloomington and Indy and it was like God kissing America goodnight.
After spending the night in Indianapolis, I had to replace a tire, then it was back on the road. I ate McDonald's one time and snacks and that's all I needed. It's tough to measure time with all the detours and the missing of exits. I blame that on the distraction of a kickass playlist y'all! Anyway, I made it Thursday night and it was good to see my cousin and husband.. I got in just in time to catch some of The Office.
I caught up with my boy from school and he took me to the Leopard Lounge. Now my dress was horrible by Atlanta...well most people's standards, so we put a few things together and I was presentable. We get there and the doorman looked at my boy and said, "Tennis Shoes? $20!" I started walking back to the car, because it wasn't looking that great inside. We managed to persuade the doorman to let us in. The club was alright, the floor was kinda small. Bunch of guys watching the game. It got kinda tight in there and I told my boy that we could do this at the crib and he agreed. We posted up outside and did some people watching. Now anyone that knows me, knows that people watching is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WORLD. I will go deeper into that subject, as I post more.
Friday was spent riding around town. I went to Atlantic Station and bought some jeans, because I was told that I needed to step my game up if I wanted to be in Atlanta. I decided to do the driving, so I can figure out the streets and how to get around. So after all that shopping, we built up an appetite and went to Fatburger. It was my first time and it will not be my last. They can put an egg on your burger, y'all!!. I don't know where you can get that in Minnesota.
I love how people try and tell you what to look for and how to act around these parts. You know they have your best interest in mind and it does show that they care. Thanks to this blog, I can be on observe and report mode, so that as I go, so does this blog and you reading it!
Intro to an old friend
Throughout this blog, you will witness my random thoughts and feelings on whatever topic comes up. My parents always told me to write stuff down and I am...kinda. So whatever happens from here on out is relatively their fault.
I have decided to take this and use it as my outlet like so many have done before and will continue to do. If this serves as a vehicle of entertainment to you, then so be it. I love feedback, but I'm also a huge fan of the Golden Rule y'all. I'm also trying to get this to as many people as I can, so if you offer any tips on how to advertise to those that care, that'd be great!!
Alright, let's get started.
I have decided to take this and use it as my outlet like so many have done before and will continue to do. If this serves as a vehicle of entertainment to you, then so be it. I love feedback, but I'm also a huge fan of the Golden Rule y'all. I'm also trying to get this to as many people as I can, so if you offer any tips on how to advertise to those that care, that'd be great!!
Alright, let's get started.
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