My Weekend

Hey, I think I'm an hour early today!!!

Well my weekend was nothing special! On Saturday, it was take my little cousins to their DAPCEP classes and after that....you guessed it, more studying for the dreaded test! I actually got the chance to complete the book this weekend, which is definitely a good thing!



On Sunday, I went to church and dragged my little cousin with me! The message was about being the salt of the earth! The pastor wanted to remind us that we are the salt of the earth and to never lose our saltiness!!! He wanted us to know that we are all very distinctive in our own right; however, if we were to lose our saltiness, how effective could we be in our seasoning for others and ourselves. Losing your salt was not indicative of being saved, but just not being as effective as we could be in our lives or the lives of others. Similar to having bland food, it still nourishes, it's just not as good! Salt effects what it touches and being children of the Lord, we should always retain our saltiness! Hopefully that wasn't too confusing. Anyway, it was a good message and service was enjoyable as usual! No guess speaker this week, just good ole Pastor Johnson!

After church, I was planning on taking my little cousin to McDonald's, but I called a friend and he told me that they were going to Coney Island for breakfast. So, we decided to join them at this little restaurant! Unfortunately, the service wasn't the best and the menu was even worse! They didn't have pancakes! They didn't have sausages. It was a lot of "didn't have's"! Heck, one of my friends wanted a newspaper out of the machine, so he asked for change and take a guess....they didn't have change either! After all of that, they didn't even have our business! Needless to say, we got the hell up out of there! We joined my brother and his friends at another restaurant about ten minutes away! The switch was definitely a good thing. The food and service was great! Good looking L George's!



After breakfast I watched those damn Lions lose another one! They just gave this game away at the end! I give a lot of the blame to the coaching because they don't have the heart to take a stand on Defense or Offense. For the sake of football, please call decent schemes!!! The offensive play calling is just plain bad! I credit Garcia for trying to make the best out of this ill fated scheme. The defense couldn't take a quarter from a second grader! It's all on the Defensive coordinator!! Call a damn blitz, you coward!!! Okay, enough of that!! Hey, gotta vent sometimes!



The good thing about the sports scene was that Michigan State and Michigan won their football games. Who thought those damn Northwestern Wildcats were gonna actually win...you aint gotta say a thing!! And the Indiana Hoosiers, I think their still getting the S off of their helmets! Way to go Wolverines and Spartans, so long Wildcats since you're out of the top 25! As Nelson from the Simpsons would say

"Ha-ha....I said ha-ha"

That's pretty much it!

RENT

Me in NYC getting ready to hit the streets!!


A few years ago I had the chance to spend a summer in Ithaca, New York! During my stay there I took many trips to NYC! I had the opportunity of catching Rent on Broadway; to my surpise the play was wonderful. I don't know if it was real good, because of my low expectations, or because of its genuine quality. Anyhow, after all these years, the industry has decided to make the play into a Movie which will be in theaters in mid November! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how it is compared to the play. I know what people say about the adaptation of books to films, generally they don't translate as well! Hopefully, the same won't be said about Rent the movie!

One Disgraceful Word

As a race, have we ever stopped to think about a certain word that we let out of our mouths? How far back we are slowly putting ourselves? Or how our ancestors might be hurt and disappointed in us for using this one word? Maybe we should.

Our ancestors fought long and hard just so we could get respect, the jobs we needed, the cars we ride, the jewelry we rock, and a life of our own. Some fought for a title used against our race to be “destroyed” and never used again. Apparently that fight is more lost than won.

It is taught in school that only white, racist people would call anyone of the black race a “nigger.” If a person was white and helped, loved, and stood for a member of the black race that person was deemed a “nigger lover.” Truth is there were more than openly racist white folks degrading us. There were plenty of black folks using the term also. Sad but true.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, majority of our own people use the word “nigga” everyday. Pay close attention to how we are degrading ourselves and our ancestors.

Almost every rapper in and out of the industry will let the term “nigga” slip out their mouth. Go to the hood-hell anywhere in the states and you will see that almost everyone says “nigga.” Now I hear a lot of people try to justify the difference in how it’s said and who can and can’t say it. I hate to be the one to let be known, but there were and are a lot of white people who will say and use the ebonic form of nigger-nigga.

Truly we are hypocrites when we say that one race can’t use this term but we’re using it freely. We get pissed if we hear certain people say it. Hell, we even have the nerves to give other people of other races the permission to say “nigga.” Examples:
Jennifer Lopez said nigga in that annoying song “I’m Real.” We hollered she can’t say that. Fat Joe says nigga all over his cds and it’s cool and we don’t bitch. Eminem, before he was known and while he was foolish and after some stuff went down, he used the term nigga in some song. A lot of us had a fit. Yet if you’re black it’s straight for you to holla’ nigga 24-7.

I admit when I was younger I used to say it more than I should have. Then I just stopped one day. It was as if I was told that I better not by one of my ancestors.

As an individual, we’re degrading ourselves and as a race, we’re degrading each other. We say things need to change still. So who’s to say that we can’t start the change with eliminating the use of this one word from our own vocab? I overstand, (not understand, overstand), the freedom of speech. I’m not saying that we have to censor ourselves with everything we say. I am saying that it doesn’t make sense for us to complain about other people using the term, no matter how it is spelled. Especially if we are constantly calling each other and ourselves one. Now sit back and contemplate that.

AISHA CLABON

Rosa Parks: Thank You

In 1956, Rosa Parks's arrest and the bus boycott that followed was big news!

1913-2005

For those who have not heard yet, Rosa Parks died yesterday at her home in Detroit! Mrs. Parks is credited as a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement! Detroit was fortunate enough to be blessed with Rosa Parks residing in its city for as long as she did!

CREDIT: Associated Press Photo. "Woman Fingerprinted. Mrs. Rosa Parks, Negro Seamstress, Whose Refusal to Move to the Back of a Bus Touched Off the Bus Boycott in Montgomery, Alabama." 1956.
New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.

First Day of the GMAT Study Plan!

Okay, so I've been studying my own way, so I figured I'd actually use the schedule my book has outlined! I was at if for about 3.5 hours today, so that's a good thing. I believe I'm on track to finish my schedule and have plenty of review time left over! It's 9:30pm and I'm heading for home!

I guess I have to deal with this cold Michigan weather! It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't rain today, and the wind wasn't blowing as hard! What can I say, it's Michigan, where one moment it's 82 degrees and the next it's 45...gotta love it!

holla back

Music-Check It out

Syleena Johnson / chapter III

Spiked with soulful samples and dateless beats, all tracks (mostly slow jamz or mid-tempo) may remember on Kanye or Common's latest CDs - and that means a lot - escpecially for an highly underrated artist like Ms Johnson ...

Tracklist:

01. The Flesh (Intro)
02. Hypnotic (feat R.Kelly & Fabolous)
03. He Makes Me Say
04. Special Occasion (feat R.Kelly)
05. More (feat Anthony Hamilton)
06. Bull's Eye / Suddenly (feat Common)
07. Classic Love Song (feat Jermaine Dupri)
08. Phone Sex (feat Twista)
09. Slowly
10. Time
11. Still Open
12. Another Relationship
13. Leave Me Alone
14. Apartment for Rent
15. Only A Woman
16. The Flesh (Outro)

Please support this artist by picking up a copy of her new album at your nearest retailer!!

Does it ever end!!

Okay, well I'm back at the library trying to get my study on for the test from down below! So, my day has been pretty good so far! I managed to get my lazy butt out of bed and attend church this morning, be it I was running late...but I made it! Service was cool; the message was from Acts 10. It was about how God makes "a new thing"! The pastor was saying to always be prepared for the opportunity, even if you don't realize there is one coming! Referring, particular to Cornelius and Peter! Anyways, the service and the message were good!

Okay, so I gotta hit the books for a lil while!

By the way, all you Cleveland Brown fans....the Lions won...ha-ha!! I mean, what do you expect when you send a Lion into a dawg pound!! Michigan Wolverines beat Iowa yesterday! Pistons beat Miami last night, albeit preseason...they still won!

I'm rooting the White Sox to win the World Series....Boy does it feel good not to have the Stankees or the Dead Sox in with all that over hype hoopla!!

Until next time

keep smiling

Typical Saturday

Okay, so today is the norm for my Saturday's! I've been up since about 7am so I could pick my lil cousins up for this program called DAPCEP. It's kind of tricky dropping the kids off because they have the program at different locations, but the program begins at 9am. It's a really good program so I don't complain about making the runs, but the gas is no joke!

Anyways, I guess I better get to studying for the GMAT, so I can act like I'm ready when the time comes for the test!

Also, today we have our Family Reunion Meeting so we can be prepared for next July 2006, seeing how Detroit will be hosting it this time. The only bad thing so far is that we get the same handful of individuals at the meetings, and we know when it's time to actually put things in motion everyone is going to have their opinions! Oh, well! they should have their lazy butts at the meeting so they can give input!

Well, I'm off to the study room!

Free Write

Time is of the essence if this test is a lesson
then patience must be a virtue if I'm to get the blessing
without the stressing,
but rewarded for the message!
so my life is lived
with a part to keep & a part to give
but only if things remain still
I will see it all
before the curtain falls
and if the hurting is the lesson
I gotta get up again and re-study it all

How it all started

My friend
Well my friend in Japan put me up on this blog thing, so now I'm trying to see what's it about!

I'm trying to work a lil bit and live at the same time! I just found out that Kaplan just changed my location for taking this practice GMAT test that I was ready to take in the first place!!! (good thing it's practice) I think I need to start a testing business or something, because academic institutions place so much weight on these studid tests by making them requirements!!

Nose to the Grind

Okay, so it's been since March that I've actually paid any attention to my site. I'm in the process of studying for the GMAT so I can apply to these business schools. The studying is going....not so good. The stupid test cost $250.00 to begin with, but I may have to pay an extra $80 to reschedule because I don't think I'm prepared yet. Anyway, I have to put my Nose to the Grind so that means, less time for everyone else.

If anyone has any tips on taking the GMAT I would love to hear them. I've gathered alot of stuff off line, but I'm always open to more help! My test is on November the 15th, which means I have less than a month to get ready. Keep your fingers crossed and some prayers wouldn't hurt either!