DANCING TO THE BEAT . . . OF A DIFFERENT DRUMMER . . . .

I bet you'll never guess what I've been reading. Rather than finish any of the titles (well, I did finish Atwood's Moral Disorder) I mentioned in a previous post, I went and added something new to the "Mix." Drum roll please . . . (brrrrr . . . . bomp) . . . Anita Diamant's The Last Days of Dogtown. Hey, I have my reasons. Even though it's not a title I would have ordinarily sought out on my own, I'm actually enjoying it.

Now, take a guess at what has been spinning around on repeat in my cd player (told ya, I'm old school, no mp3 player or ipod for me). You'll never guess, so, let me just tell ya---Steely Dan, The Definitive Collection. What?! I love Steely Dan. How ya gonna hate soft rock classics like, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" "FM" "Do It Again" "Hey Nineteen" "Peg" "Babylon Sisters" and "Reelin In The Years"?

Strangely enough, even the hubby is with me on this one. We were on our way to dinner when I ripped the newly ordered Steely Dan from it's packaging and shoved it into the car's cd player. Before the music could kick in the hubby was shoutings, "Hey, put it on Deacon Blues! I wanna hear some Deacon Blues!" Of course, I'd been only too happy to oblige (smile).

So, what's that all about? Well, in part, those songs bring back memories. No, not of Memphis, the place I call home. I'm talking memories of some of the other places I've lived like Mountain Home, Idaho and Grand Forks, North Dakota. Keep in mind, I grew up a military brat who got bounced betweeen Memphis and some fairly isolated Air Force bases. Yes, for the first 17 years of my life, I lived something akin to a schizophrenic existence.

But to be fair, I think even if I had spent all of my life in the Bluff City, I still would have danced to the beat of a different drummer. My tastes in literature and music and most other things, are typically all over the place. And if the crowd is saying the "in" color is "orange" you can bet I'm gonna show up in "red" or "green." Hey, I'm not trying to be contrary, "different" is just what I do.

What about you? Is there something you enjoy or do that sets you apart from most of your friends and/or loved ones . . . something that would cause many of them to say, "Huh?" and look at you right funny if they knew? If so, go ahead and 'fess up. I mean, assuming that it's legal and won't it won't get you fired and/or excommunicated.

ALICE FAYE DUNCAN . . . THE MEMPHIS QUEEN OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE . . .

When it comes to adult fiction, I have a hard time narrowing my list of favorite authors to just one. But if asked to name MY FAVORITE CHILDREN'S AUTHOR, without hesitation, I can say, there is only one, ALICE FAYE DUNCAN.

It seems like I've been knowing Alice Faye forever. Our paths first crossed in Memphis, back in the early 90's. Not only were we both members of a writing workshop, led by another Memphis born scribe, Arthur Flowers, we also worked for the same employer, the Memphis/Shelby County Library.

I count myself as one of the proud eyewitnesses of Alice's skillful leap from the ranks of the unpublished to the published. If I'm not mistaken, she was the first of our (now, long defunct) writing group to accomplish the feat in the form of a hardcover title.

In the years since, Alice has published a total of five children's books and earned a number of honors and accolades in the process. Through it all, she has somehow managed to remain both gracious and humble, and as one of the Bluff City's literary shining stars, has largely used her time in the spotlight to illuminate the lives of common, "everyday" folk.

For me, the titles of her books alone--Willie Jerome, Miss Viola and Uncle Ed Lee (my personal favorite) and Honey, Baby, Sugar Child, to name a few--reflect a soulful and loving embrace of all that is uniquely Southern and Black. Whether the topic be civil rights, jazz, love and friendship, parenthood and/or faith Alice Faye has a special knack for "giving us (common folks) back to ourselves" is what I like to say. The poetic language of her work renders it an experience that, by right, ought be shared and read aloud.

Anyone interested in starting a collection of children's books, taking a trip down memory lane or just making a young child smile would be well advised to check out some, if not all, of Alice's titles. What follows is a list of her books and her well-deserved awards. If you're interested in learning more about Alice Faye Duncan or contacting her, visit her website at www.alicefayeduncan.com/

BOOKS(Alice Faye Duncan)

1995 - The National Civil Rights Museum Celebrates Everyday People (BridgeWater Books) 1995 - Willie Jerome (Macmillan) 1999 - Miss Viola and Uncle Lee (Atheneum) 2005 - Honey Baby Sugar Child (Simon & Schuster) 2005 - Christmas Soup (with Phyllis Dooley) (Zonderkids)

HONORS (Alice Faye Duncan) 1995 - Reading Rainbow Award (Willie Jerome) 1996 - Best Book in Social Studies for Children (Everyday People) 1996 - Gold Medal in Nonfiction for Children, National Association of Parenting Publications 2006 - NAACP Image Award Nomination (Honey Baby Sugar Child)

A GOOD MARRIAGE . . . A FEW THOUGHTS . . .

The following is a post I made, not too long ago, on a friend's blog (see Consider This in the OSM's sidebar under The Cleveland Crew) I believe I've been married long enough (coming up on 20 years now) to share this kind of advice. I've also had the benefit of being an eye-witness to several relatively happy and long-term marriages, including my parents, both sets of grandparents and the hubby's folks . . . "Let's Stay Together" (Al Green, 1972) wasn't just a song, it was once something folks actually thought worthy of their pursuit.

Now days, I guess folks are too busy trying to be pimps, gangstas, thugs, rappers, strippers, TV airheads, bimbos, video ho's, ballers, shotcallers, the next American Idol, the next hoochie in Flava Flav's harem . . . Okay, basically anything that will grant 'em quick money (ie. chump change) and 15 minutes of fame. With everybody out here scrambling to be noticed and get paid, who has time for the increasing foreign concept of "love" much less it's antiquated partner, marriage? Then again, maybe this is just what the media (publishing world included) would like us to believe in order to keep selling us all sorts of garbage (smile).

Am I preaching up in here today, or what?! Sorry, it's probably the sugar rush from all the Valentine's Day candy I've been eating. I'll stop (both eating & preaching) and just share some of my, admittedly, "Old School" thoughts about marriage.

An OSM short list of the components and/or features of "A Good Marriage" . . .

1) When the two of you share more "good" remember when tales than "bad" ones;

2) When you can look at him (or her) from across the room and he (or she) knows exactly what you're thinking and vice-versa;

3) When something bad happens, he's (or she's) the first somebody you want to tell and when something wonderful happens, he's (or she's) the first somebody you want to tell;

4) When upon review of your marriage vows (particularly, "the for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part" portion) you still consider them more of a privilege than a hardship;

5) When the sound of his (or her) snoring brings you more comfort than annoyance;

6) When you can both openly comment, praise, outright eyeball the physical attributes and/or attractiveness of another because you know neither of you is interested in venturing beyond a look and

7) When you're comfortable enough with one another to sit in a room for hours in relative silence and engaged in seperate tasks without thinking something is wrong.

Anyway, those are some of my thoughts on the subject. Care to share any of yours? I'd love to hear them even if they differ from mine. In any case, happy V-Day y'all! Don't forget to give a card, a kiss or a box of candy to somebody who needs it . . .

FIVE FAVORITE ALBUMS OF ALL TIME . . . NARROWING THEM DOWN . . .

A couple of weekends ago, the hubby passed me an article from his weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal (January 20-21, 2007). I don't know where I've been, but I didn't know the WSJ published a weekend edition. Anyway, the article was in the paper's music section (huh, the WSJ has a music section too?) and it dealt with Smokey Robinson's top five favorite albums of all time.

At the top of Smokey's list of albums was none other than one of my all time favorites, Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' (1971). I wasn't surprised by that pick. I'd dare say you'd be hard pressed to find any true-blue, socially conscious R & B fan who doesn't appreciate the raw, bitter soulfulness of Marvin's 'What's Going On'. Even as a teen, I seldom made it through the entire album with tearing up at some point.

Now, Smokey's next choice, Carole King's 'Tapestry' (1971) did come as a bit of a surprise. I can't say that I've ever really sampled any of Ms. King's work, but I trust Smokey's taste and if he says it's a winner, I'm willing to roll with him. Also, the fact that the album sold more than 10 million copies and won four Grammy awards, is an indication that a lot of other folks agree with him.

Third on SR's list was 'Talking Book' (1972) by Stevie Wonder. Why I don't own his album or cd is a mystery to me. Actually, I'm pretty sure the fact that my folks never owned it, and therefore I couldn't steal . . . I mean borrow it from them is a big part of why I don't currently own a copy. I do intend to rectify that situation ASAP! And rest assured, I have heard and do love much of the music from that album, including "Superstitution" and "You Are The Sunshine of My Life."

Coming in at number four on SR's list was Natalie Cole's 'Unforgettable With Love' (1991). I can't say that I'm a big fan of Ms. Cole's voice. Some of her early work was all right, but she generally sounds like she's whining and singing through her nose to me. But if I were to buy any of her work, I'd probably choose 'Unforgettable' too.

Last on Smokey's list was an album, I'm ashamed to say, I didn't even know existed! Maxwell's Ascension (Never Wonder) 1996 was released shortly before his platinum-selling, full length 'Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite' (1996). I'm a HUGE Maxwell fan, so how this got past me is a mystery. 'Ascension' only contains six tracks and I've probably heard them, but I need to own that bad boy . . . Anyway, the fact that it made Smokey's top five, is interesting. As much as I truly love me some Maxwell, I can't say that I would put him in my top five . . . possibly my top ten, but not my top five of ALL-TIME.

What would I include on my top five list of albums? Good question. I know I once said if I were ever on a deserted island and could only listen to 3 albums, they would be the following by Marvin Gaye, 'What's Going On', (1971) 'Let's Get It On' (1973) and 'I Want You' (1976). But you know, after reviewing Smokey's list, I think I'd like to make a few tweaks to my own top 5.

Certainly, at the top of my list, just like Smokey's would be Marvin's 'What's Going On' (1971). According to Smokey, Marvin told him the album was written by God. I don't doubt it. Divine inspiration is all up in that bad boy.

Next would probably be something by Aretha . . . either 'I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You' (1967) (I'll be dog if my mama didn't play the heck out of this album when I was growing up) or else Sister Ree's gospel classic 'Amazing Grace'.

Of course, I'd have to have some jazz. My first choice would be 'Kind of Blue' (1959) by Miles Davis, which contains my all time favorite jazz tune 'Blue In Green.' Just recently I learned a couple of interesting facts about the album 'Kind of Blue': it was recorded in just 2 days and it's the best-selling jazz album of all time. As messed up as Miles was, his genius for music is undeniable.

My next jazz choice would be Kirk Whalum's 'Cache' (1993). For those of you who don't know, (you durn well oughta) brother Whalum is a tener saxophonist with Memphis roots. 'Cache' is one of those cds the hubby and I enjoy listening to when we take our road trips. My favorite cuts on the album are 'Fragile' (which was written by Sting) and 'Love is A Losing Game.'

The last selection on my list . . . and I know those of you who have been counting are saying, hey that's 6, but no, I'm counting my Aretha selection as 1 (smile) . . . the last selection is one a lot of folks, even those who think they know me, will find odd. 'Bang!Zoom' (1995) by Bobby McFerrin rounds out my top five. And before you go there, NO, this is none of that sickning, 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' crap.

The album/cd 'Bang!Zoom' is nothing like that. There's something pure and almost tribal about the way McFerrin uses his voice as an instrument on this album. It owns the distinction of being another one of those rare albums that the hubby and I are in mutual agreement about and listen to when we're on the road. When our son was a toddler and we were still cutting his hair and using our kitchen as a makeshift barbershop, we'd always start by popping 'Bang!Zoom' into the cd player. I think because it was soothing. My favorite song on the album has to be 'Freedom Is A Voice'.

The title alone says it all (smile), especially for those of us who have struggled to have our voices heard.

So, think about it for a moment. What are your top 5 favorite albums of all time? If you're open to sharing, tell us about your list in the OSM's comment section.

DWIGHT FRYER: A LEGEND IN THE MAKING . . . PART II

Dwight Fryer

Memphis, 2005

from

Lori's Pic Collection

The following is the second half of a two-part Q & A with Dwight Fryer, NAACP Image Award nominee and author of The Legend of Quito Road.

Q: Before you were published, I understand that you attended a number of different writing conferences and workshops. Why? And could you name a few?

A: Actually, that's been one of the things I think that has been foundational to the level of success I've achieved, so far. I always sought out venues where I could learn about my writing craft . . . Where I could learn how to handle myself as a writer and what I should be doing every day . . ."

The first conference I attended was the Memphis Black Writers's Conference. I also went to the Oxford Conference For The Book. It's an hour drive from Memphis (Oxford, Mississippi) . . . and it's a very literary conference. From there I attended the Hurston/Wright Writers Week as well as the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, where I took a week long advanced writing class. By the time I went to those two, I had completed the book and rewritten it several times . . . I kept going to those type of conferences. Even after I received my book deal, I went to Napa Valley Writers' Conference in St. Helena, California.

Q: Tell me about your involvement with the Memphis Romance Writers of America.

A: When I started writing, I was looking for venues to learn how to write and I joined a romance writers' group here in Memphis, Tennessee called the River City Romance Writers. Once a month, I'd go out to Germantown Library (in the suburbs of Memphis) with 10 or 15 little ladies. We'd sit around and talk about writing and teach each other about craft. I learned so much from them. They were wonderful to me. They were writing romance and I was writing this decadent tale about a 13-year old boy . . . "

Q: Are there any books on the craft of writing that you've found particularly useful?

A: I found a great deal of help in a book called, Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon. I also truly enjoyed and grew greatly from a book called The First Five Words by Noah Lukeman. There was another book that was just written in beautiful language called Writing Down The Bones (Natalie Goldberg ) and it was just a wonderful expose about life as a writer and how it is important to take your craft seriously, but not too seriously to the point that you become so critical that you won't write.

On the business side of writing, two of the books that were most instrumental to me were The Idiots Guide To Getting Published. I used to fall asleep with it at night. I bet I read that book completely, probably, ten times. I also read Jeff Herman's book, How To Write A Winning Book Proposal. Both of those books helped me tremendously in learning how to approach a publishing professional and what to expect and what not to expect.

Q: Who are some of the writers you admire?

A: I really admire John Edgar Wideman . . . Reading some of his writings helped me love books even more. I also really admire two people I met at the Hurston/Wright Writers' Week, Dr. Jeffrey Allen, the novelist who wrote Rails Under My Back and Mat Johnson, who won the Hurston/Wright Literary Award for his novel, Hunting In Harlem.

My former next door neighbor was Rosalyn McMillan (author of The Flip Side Of Eternity and Knowing, among others) and she helped me a good bit over the years by giving me literary tips on how to structure my book and what to look out for in doing business with the publishing world. I admire Marita Golden (author of After and Don't Play In The Sun, among others) who started the Hurston/Wright Foundation . . . and is a great writer. I received a lot of encouragement from her at the Hurston/Wright Writers' Week of 2004.

Q: What's the best advice you received as a new writer and that you'd like to pass along? A: One thing I heard Michael Garret, a novelist who taught continuing ed writing classes at the University of Memphis say was, writer's write, whether you're published, whether you've ever sold anything, whether you have an agent or don't have an agent, writers write. If you are a writer, identify yourself as a writer and even if no one else believes in you, you are a writer.

Writers are most creative when they think of reasons not to write. So, you have to write regardless of what's going on in your life. When my child died, I wrote. When I was on chemo, I wrote. On days I was too blue to notice that the sun was shining outside, I wrote.

* * *

If you have any questions you'd like to ask Dwight Fryer, feel free to leave them in the OSM's comments section and (for a limited period of time) I'll pass them onto him. Also, if you're interested in learning more about the author and his work, visit his website HERE.

The theme for this year's NAACP Image Awards Show is "Youth Create Change." If you'd like to see if Dwight wins this year's award for Outstanding Literary Work From A Debut Author, the show will air live on Friday, March 2, 2007, 8:00-10:00 ET on the Fox network.

DWIGHT FRYER: A LEGEND IN THE MAKING . . . PART I

On first glance, Dwight Fryer reminds you of the smart, but mischievous kid who sat behind you in class. You know, the one with the big grin and the twinkle in the eyes, who, as soon as you weren't looking, reached over and tugged on your ponytail or else playfully thumped you upside the head? But when you turned to confront him, he shrugged and issued you one of those, "What? Who me?" looks.

Make no mistake though, Fryer is man who is all about business, especially when it comes to the art and craft of writing. His first book, The Legend of Quito Road, recently earned him an NAACP Image Award nomination in the category of "Outstanding Literary Works From A Debut Author."

Dwight and I are both writers with strong ties to the South and specifically, Memphis, Tennessee, where Dwight and his family still currently reside. We first met there in 2005 after being introduced, via the internet, by a mutual friend and fellow scribe (big shout-out to Sharon J.). But while I was born in the Big M Town and consider myself a product of it's grittier, more urban terrain, Dwight actually hails from Grand Junction, a small rural town in west Tennessee.

In my opinion, Dwight's unique ability to tap into his southern, Black rural roots are what give his work that special "umpf" quality and helps distinguish him from the "same ole same" of today's Urban Lit crowd. In the short time that I've known Dwight, I've come to admire his drive, his tenacity, his dedication to craft and his willingness to share what he's learned with others.

If you're interested in learning more about Dwight Fryer, author of The Legend of Quito Road and 2007 NAACP Image Award nominee, I invite you to start with the following Q & A.

Q: Your book, The Legend of Quito Road, what's it about? A: The book is a story about a 13-year-old country boy named Son Erby whose religious daddy showed him how to make moonshine. It's a southern tale set in the 1930's, at the height of the depression and near the end of prohibition. The main theme of the book is that "the worst things wrong with most of us were planted by those who loved us best."

Q: Is there really a Quito Road? If so, where is it? A: Yes, it's in south Tipton County, about 30 minutes northwest of Memphis. When I started writing this book, I was living up near that area.

Q: How long did it take you to write The Legend of Quito Road? A: I wrote the first words to this book on a Sunday afternoon in late July in 1998. I was at a writing class in a Barnes & Noble in Wichita Kansas. It took me 4 and 1/2 years. I finished it at Christmas in 2002; it was my Christmas gift to myself.

Q: Wow, 4 years is a long time! Did you ever consider giving up? A: I considered giving up a whole lot of times. Number one thing, writing a novel and pushing through just to complete it is an enormous task. I laugh a lot of times because I'm glad I didn't know how much work it was when I started it, because I'm afraid I wouldn't have . . .

Also, I had so many unique things happen to me after I started writing this book. I began writing the book in July of 1998. In August, I accepted a call to the Ministry. In September, I lost my job and two days later found out I had colon cancer and needed radical surgery and chemotherapy.

So, through all of that and even 2 years later when my youngest child died suddenly of meningitis, I kept writing this novel.

Q: Your perserverance in the face of so much is both humbling and truly amazing. Even now, I know you wear a lot of different hats--author, minister, motivational speaker and manger for a global transportation company. Being that you're also a husband and father, I assume, you have some semblance of a life away from work (smile). How do you find time to write? A: I'm an old guy and I don't need much sleep. So, I'm in bed most nights by 9:00-9:30 and I'm up the next morning by 4:30. I write for a couple of hours before I get ready for work. On Saturday mornings, I get up about 6:00 am and I write. So, if it's important to you, you'll fit it in. And you don't need that much time if you know how to structure yourself . . . All you have have to do is think, 'what am I going to write today?' and look at that part of your outline and write it.

Q: Since you brought up being "an old guy" (your words, not mine *smile*)what's your take on being an older writer? A: Your life experiences, to me, kind of begin to come together between 35 and 50. For me, life is really coming together as I approach 50. When I first started thinking about this book, 16 years ago, I was in my early 30's. This would have been a very different book from a much angrier young man had I written it then.

STAY TUNED FOR PART II OF THE OSM'S Q & A WITH DWIGHT FRYER

WHEN I GROW UP, I'M NEVER GONNA . . .

I'm sure, at some point, as kids, most of us narrowed our eyes at something our parents did and mumbled to ourselves, "When I grow up, I'm never gonna ________ (fill in the blank). I know I did.

During a recent exchange of emails, a friend mentioned that while growing up, his family always drank powdered milk. He promised himself, when he grew up, he'd NEVER drink it again. Lo and behold, he says now that's all he buys (LOL).

How does that happen? How do we end up doing the exact same thing or things we once vowed NEVER to do? I'm not really sure. I do know for me, the blank in the statement, "When I grow up, I'm never gonna________" would be listen to jazz.

I can remember just as clearly the day, I vowed never to get caught listening to the maddening sounds my Dad seemed to love so well. We were living in Idaho at the time. I was probably somewhere between the 3rd and 4th grade. It was a Saturday morning and as usual, my Dad had the stereo on full blast. The song, the one he'd been playing over and over again and for several Saturdays straight, was one entitled,"Compared To What," and performed by Les McCann and Eddie Harris.

I'm not sure if I hated the song or was just tired of hearing it every doggone Saturday. I do know that I found some of the lyrics particularly disturbing, including the following--

"Slaughter houses are killin hogs

Twisted children are killin' frogs

Poor dumb rednecks rolling logs

Tired old lady, kissin' dogs . . ."

from the song

"Compared to What"

by Les McCann and Eddie Harris

The folks killing the hogs and killing the frogs were bad enough, but the old lady kissing the dogs . . . I'm sorry, but for the life of me, I just couldn't understand why anybody in their right mind would want to listen to a song about some old lady who enjoyed kissing dogs. I remember telling myself, you know, when I grow up, I'm never gonna listen to any mess like this. I don't like jazz is what I told myself, not just that song, none of it--Coltrane, Miles, Parker, Dizzy, Lady Day . . .

Of course, years later, after I got grown and lived on my own, what became my radio station preference? Any station that played jazz, quite naturally. And on those rare occasions when I would hear "Compared To What" I'd actually stop, listen, smile and if possible turn that mess up (LOL). I'm not sure at what point it all changed, but now, I really do love the song and consider it one of my favorites.

A love for jazz is one of the more positive things I picked up from my parents. One of the more negatives, I hate to admit, was smoking. I grew up thinking smoking was one right nasty habit and vowed to never indulge. But for a brief period of time during college, finding me with a cigarette dangling from my lips wasn't all that unusual.

So, how would you fill in the blank? What do you do now that you once said, when you grew up, you'd never do?

BOOKS . . . SO, WHAT ARE YOU READING?

I seldom read one book at a time. I'd like to think it's because I'm easily bored, as opposed to attributing it to some sort of obsessive-compulsive or attention deficient disorder . . .

Believe it or not, I'm currently reading (or thumbing through) a total of 9 books. The titles on my list include:

1) MORAL DISORDER (Margaret Atwood) Category: Fiction, Short story collection; Why: I'm a fan of both short story collections and Ms. Atwood's work; Source: Purchased at Park Road Books in Charlotte, NC; Notes: I almost put this one down in disgust after reading the first two stories. But I'm glad I kept reading. I'm a couple of stories short of finishing the collection.

2) WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE (Tavis Smiley) Category: Non-fiction, Autobiography; Why: My interest was piquied after stumbling upon a C-SPAN interview of him talking about his life; Source: Purchased at Urban Knowledge Bookstore in Memphis, TN; Notes: Most folks seem to either really love Smiley or really hate him. I've always been somewhere in the middle. After the C-SPAN interview, I had a greater respect for him and a desire to learn more;

3) PUBLICIZE YOUR BOOK (Jacqueline Deval) Category: Non-fiction, Reference; Why: I'm in the process of forming my own strategy for AFTER THE DANCE; Source: Purchased at Barnes & Noble in Charlotte, NC; Notes: Great source of information for the new author. I highly reccommend;

4) A HAND TO GUIDE ME (Denzel Washington) Category: Non-fiction, Essays; Why: I almost bypassed this one. On first glance, I thought it was just another celebrity biography. Thank goodness it's not. As the subtitle indicates, it's a book about those who inspired various leaders and entertainment personalities; Source: Purchased at Borders, Charlotte, NC; Notes: Proceeds from the book go toward the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

5) THE LEGEND OF QUITO ROAD (Dwight Fryer) Category: Fiction, Novel; Why:

Dwight is a friend and a fellow Memphian. I've been planning to read his book for some time now; Source: Purchased at Barnes & Noble in Charlotte, NC; notes: I try to limit the number of fiction titles I'm reading at one time. So, I'll really get into this book after I've finished Atwood's Moral Disorder;

6) BLACK, WHITE AND JEWISH (Rebecca Walker)

Category: Non-fiction, Autobiography; Why: It's something I've been planning to read for years. When I noticed it on the bookstore's discount table, I didn't have a reason to put it off any longer. Source: Purchased at Barnes & Noble in Richmond, Ohio; Notes: I'm finding Ms. Walker's perspective as the bi-racial, only child of author Alice Walker even more interesting than I thought it would be.

7) TURN UP THE HEAT (G. Garvin) Category: Non-fiction, Cookbook; Why: I'm always looking for new recipe ideas and I'm a big fan . . . okay, groupie of G. and his show on TVOne; Source: Christmas gift from the hubby; Notes: As G. likes to say, "It's all about cooking the healthy Soul way, baby!"

8) HOME: THE BLUEPRINT OF OUR LIVES (Sen. John Edwards)Category: Non-fiction, photos & essays; Why: I saw a Life Magazine write-up about the book; Source: Christmas gift from the hubby; Notes: It's a nice coffee-table book.

9) LETTERS TO A YOUNG ARTIST (Anna Deavere Smith) Category: Non-fiction; Why: I bought this last year for a friend's graduating granddaughter and ended up buying one for myself; Source: purchased at Borders in Beachwood, Ohio; Notes: It's a neat book for a "young" artist. It also has me wondering if Ms. Smith has ever considered doing something similar for us "old" artists.

How does one read 9 books at one time? In bits and pieces. I literally keep books all over the house--living room, kitchen, study, next to the tub and next to the bed. Also, not being terribly interested in television helps. I'm sure there's someone who does this, besides me, right? (smile) In any case, feel free to share your own reading habits and/or list.

JENNIFER BYNUM . . . THE OSM'S SUNDAY BEST . . .

Does the name JENNIFER BYNUM sound familiar? For those of you who answered, "No," my response is, well, it should . . . particularly if you watched Hustle & Flow, the movie released in 2005 about the Memphis pimp who aspires to be a rapper. JENNIFER BYNUM appeared in one of the film's most pivotal and memorable scenes. She sang CHANGED MUH NAME (also known as "Change Muh Name") the spiritual that moved Terrence Howard's character, "DJay" to tears and set him out on the journey to change his life.

In a 2005 interview on the Oprah show, I heard Howard say that even after having viewed the movie a number of times, the church scene still makes him cry. To quote him, "The one scene where I didn't act was inside the church listening to the song. I asked Jesus if He'll change my name . . . To even think about it makes me well-up because it's such an honest place."

Indeed, JENNIFER'S music can have that kind of an effect and believe me, I should know. Before I moved from Memphis, I belonged to the same church, Parkway Gardens Presbyterian (now known as Parkway Gardens United Presbyterian Church) where JENNIFER, a classically trained soprano and accomplished pianist graced us with her talents most every Sunday.

While in Memphis over the Christmas holidays, I saw JENNIFER at church and told her how much I missed hearing her music on a regular basis. Upon my return to Charlotte, JENNIFER was kind enough to send me a sampling of her work, including CHANGED MUH NAME and PSALM 90, a song written by JENNIFER and (similar to T. Howard) one that typcially moves me to tears whenever I hear it performed live.

I do think it's both a sin and a shame (if not incredibly telling) that JENNIFER'S musical role in Hustle & Flow didn't thrust her into the same type of national spotlight that Three 6 Mafia's did. I know who I personally would have rather seen at the Oscars, the Grammy's or anywhere else representing the Best of Memphis . . .

Interestingly enough, the Negro Spiritual (CHANGED MUH NAME) which JENNIFER rearranged and at Terrence Howard's request, performed live during the movie's filming, doesn't even appear on the Hustle & Flow Soundtrack. But I suppose it might have been a tad out of place situated amongst songs with titles like Whoop That Trick, It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp, Murder Game, Booty Language . . . and worse.

In any case, if you'd like to learn more about the remarkable JENNIFER BYNUM and/or listen to her music, I'd encourage you to start here Jennifer Bynum or here.

If and when you do, don't forget to be on your Old School Mix EVERDAY BEST and show MS. BYNUM some love (smile).

PART II . . . THE OSM NOD TO JB . . . STILL NODDING . . .

A few days ago, while waiting in the grocery store checkout line, I picked up the JET magazine with James Brown on the cover. When the cashier saw me with it, she said something along the lines of, "Ain't it a shame, all that mess that's going on with James Brown and his funeral? How come they just can't bury the man and be done with it?"

I said, "Yeah, I think they've had like, what, 3 different funerals now?"

She said, "Uh-huh, 3 funerals in 3 different places with 3 different outfits!"

When I got home, the thought occured to me--Umph, I be dog if these folks ain't got poor James Brown still out here on tour . . .

Of course, just the other day I heard they still hadn't buried the man. They've got him locked up in his home, in a temperature-controlled room. Come on now, I know I'm not the only one who smells a rat . . . Watch, six months from now J.B.'s gonna be coming out with some material, uh-huh, just like Tupac did.

All kidding aside, the following is a list of some of my favorite James Brown Songs. But check this out . . . I only own 1 JB tune and that's a 45 (remember those) that was given to me by my folks. And the song, Make It Funky, isn't even one of my favorites. Go figure.

1) Payback (1974) 2) Say It Loud (1968) 3) I Got The Feeling (1968) 4) Cold Sweat (1967) 5) Santa Claus, Go Straight To the Ghetto (1968) 6) Papa Don't Take No Mess (1974) 7) Hot Pants (1971) 8) Get Up / Sex Machine (1970) 9) It's Man's World (1966) 10) Get On the Good Foot (1972) 11) Super Bad (1970) 12) Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (1965) 13) Talking Loud and Saying Nothing (1972) 14) Licking Stick (1968)

Do you have a JB favorite that doesn't appear on the list or any other comments about the Godfather of Soul that you'd like to share?

AN OSM NOD TO THE GODFATHER OF SOUL . . . JAMES BROWN (1933-2006)

Yes, I did talk bad about James Brown's hair (see #8 on the OSM TOP TEN LIST OF BROTHERS WHO NEED TO LET THE PERM GO). But as far as his contribution to R&B is concerned, I'm willing to give JB his props. The hollering, sweating, process-wearing, camel-walking brother with the South Carolina and Georgia roots was indeed Super Bad (1970) if not a cape-donning trailblazer when it came to soul music, stage presence and showmanship.

Even though I can remember watching my parents and their friends doing the bump and the double bump to James Brown's Payback (1974), I tend to associate JB with the folks of my grandparent's generation. One of the reasons his garbled (and often ridiculed) manner of speaking never really fazed me was because to my ears, he sounded like a lot of my Mississippi-bred grandparents and their contemporaries.

In all honesty, whenever I hear a James Brown beat, a murky image of my Grandmother, standing behind the bar in Binghamton's Tillman Grill is the first thing to come to mind.

Z. M. Hawkins & friend (boss?)

in Tillman Grill

from Lori's Pic Collection

(date unknown)

Tillman Grill, a dark cafe, located (once upon a time) in the heart of North East Memphis's Binghamton community is where my mama's mama worked for a number of years as a cook. The cafe had a jukebox and even though I can't be sure, the mental ties is so strong, I want to say the first time I ever heard any James Brown was on that jukebox. When I close my eyes and concentrate on that cafe jukebox, inevitably, the two JB songs I hear are Cold Sweat (1967) and Say It Loud--I'm Black and I'm Proud (1968). I never asked, but I'm willing to bet my Grandmother's own favortie JB tune was something along the lines of a Please, Please, Please (1956) or Try Me (1959). Those songs have more of a Blues feel to them and to be sure, my Granny (Zenna Mae Hawkins) loved herself some Blues (smile).

Yes, whenever I hear James Brown, I can't help but think about my Granny, a dark Memphis cafe and a doggone jukebox. No doubt that link will grow even stronger since oddly enough, both my Granny and the Godfather made their respective transitions (hers in 2002 and his in 2006) on Christmas Day.

I bet somewhere up there, beyond the pearly gates, JB is on stage screaming, sweating, spinning around and putting on one hell, oops . . . I mean, one heck of a show. My Granny is there too . . . somewhere in a dark corner . . . with a hand cocked to her hip, a grin on her face, her head bobbing real slow like to the JB beat . . . and waiting, all the while, for one of her regulars to call out for another round or place an order for a burger and plate of home fries. After all, who says there's only one way to rest in peace?

Z.M. Hawkins and customers

in a North Memphis cafe

sometime in the 1980's

from Lori's Pic collection

A FEW CHANGES . . . Yes, I've changed the layout. I'm still not sure if this is the one I will go with . . . So, don't be surprised if on your next visit, it's changed again (smile). Also, look for me to add some new links to the sidebar in the coming weeks. I plan to give some shoutouts to the sites and blogs I visit on a regular basis. If you have any comments about the layout (pro or con) or suggestions about changes you'd like to see, feel free to leave them in the comments section or email me at after.dance@hotmail.com

THE OSM WISH LIST FOR 2007 . . . A list of things I'd like to see happen in 2007 . . . but probably won't . . .

1) An end to war, terrorism and all other senseless violence in the U.S. and abroad;

2) An end to the unsightly trend of young men wearing their pants 3 sizes too large, showing their doggone drawers and calling it a fashion statement;

3) An end to young women (old a$$ one's too) exposing their midriffs, thongs, butt-cracks, back-fat, etc., etc., at school, work, church and the like and thinking that mess is cute;

4) An end to parents sending their daughters out on Halloween (or any other time) dressed like hookers, strippers, hoochies and/or the likes of Paris Hilton, Lil Kim or Britney Spears (okay, so I'm being a bit redundant . . .);

5) An end to the televised ignorance of Flava Flav, Jessica Simpson, 3-6-Mafia, The MTV Yo Mama folks, etc.;

6) A successful African American TV drama that doesn't feature Taye Diggs;

7) TV programs with Black actresses in serious roles who resemble the average Black woman;

8) Help for O.J, Mike Tyson, T.O., Michael Jackson, Bobbie Brown & Whitney;

9) A serious commitment to the education of our nation's youth;

10) A national discussion about poor folks and poverty that doesn't involve finger-pointing, name-calling, Bill Cosby, Eric Michael Dyson or any mention of boot-straps.

So, those are some of the items on my 2007 Wish List. Care to share any of yours?

MEMPHIS MONDAY . . . A FEW RECENT MEMORABLE MOMENTS . . .

Court Square,

Downtown Memphis,

April 1988

from Lori's Pic Collection

I went home over the Thanksgiving Holiday (2006). The following were some of my more memorable moments.

THE WORST: For some reason, the folks at Memphis International decided to keep our luggage. Oh, they claimed it had been held over in Charlotte for inspection. Yeah, right. I could almost swear I saw our luggage in the jet-way as we got off the plane. I'd purposely marked our luggage to make it more easily distinguishable from all of the other black bags. Anyway, it just so happened that the one piece that turned up missing had our son's prescription cough medicine in it--not to mention all of his clothes. This isn't the first time we've had our luggage lost ("jacked") at Memphis International. After returning our lost ("jacked") luggage on that particular occasion, a radio the hubby had been given as a Christmas gift turned up missing. Well, this time around, after the hubby had thoroughly cussed out everybody, we got our bags back all right . . . well after 8:00 that evening . . . which might not have been so bad had we not arrived at around 10:00 that morning.

THE FUNNIEST: After leaving the airport, we went to pick up a rental car. We thought we were all set to go to grandma's house when a Good Samaritan pointed out that the car we were about to drive off in had a FLAT. Sure enough, the rear wheel on the passenger's side was flat as all get out. After watching his irate Dad march back up to the car rental office, the young'n turned and looked at me. After heaving a sigh and shaking his head, he said, "You know . . . this is starting to feel like an episode of "GOOD TIMES." This kid is not even a teen and already he's got jokes. I guess we taught him well. LOL.

MOST SAVORY: Okay, when you think Thanksgiving and food, you generally think turkey, dressing, sweet potato pie and all of that. But whenever I go home to Memphis, I'm always thinking barbecue. Yeah, the Thanksgiving grub was cool. But the barbecued chicken, cole slaw, beasn and the buttered roll I had from CORKY'S was THE BOMB! If I thought I could have gotten away with it, I would have wrapped some up and taken it back on the plane with me . . .

MOMENT THAT MADE ME GO "HUH! WHAT THE . . . " While driving down Poplar Avenue, coming back from downtown and right next to OVERTON PARK, I saw a white guy . . . driving a station wagon . . . with SPINNERS. Hey, could be it was Craig Brewer of "Hustle and Flow" fame. Certainly sounds like some ig'nant a$$ mess he'd pull (LOL).

FAMILY-WISE: My Dad, a retired military man, shared several tales from his days in the service with us. The first had to do with his brief stint in a military singing group called the PIPERS. I'll have to see if I can make copies of those pictures and share them one day soon. His other stories dealt with the 3 seperate occasions he had a GUN pulled on him--one in GERMANY, once in the PHILIPPINES and once in VIET NAM. For the record, my dad served in the AIR FORCE and AF folks aren't typically put in position where they have to handle guns, much less get shot at. Also, interesting was how on two of those ocassions (in the Philippines and 'Nam) my Dad claimed that a "guardian angel" in the form of a priest materialized, seemingly from out of nowhere and diffused the situations. Hmm. I may have to share those stories one day as well. What surprised me though was when my father brought up the psychological affects of war. He talking about being burrowed down in a foxhole and/or behind a bunker somewhere . . . and listening to the dropping of bombs . . . bombs that are falling closer and closer ("walking" is what I think he called it) and having to come to terms with the fact that one of those bombs just might have your name on it . . .

MUSIC-WISE: The hubby and I were listening to the car radio while driving back to my parent's home late one night. We were cruising through North Memphis and had just crossed over that stretch where JACKSON AVENUE turns into AUSTIN PEAY when we lucked up on, of all things, a PRINCE-MINI-CONCERT! Oh dag! We turned that mess up and for several long minutes on end we were YOUNG, SLIM, UNJADED and FULL OF DREAMS again . . .

MOST ENTERTAINING: Me, two of my sister-in-laws and a couple of friends went to a play at THEATRE WORKS. For a mere $15.00 I got my money's worth and then some. The play, entitled, THE 24/7 CAFE was written by RUBY O'GRAY and sponsored by the BLUFF CITY TRI-ART THEATRE COMPANY. Talk about "Tyler Perry" funny! We had a ball laughing at the cafe's wacky customers and crew, especially THOMAS (played by JS TATE), RITA (played by DANIELLE CARRINGTON) and MRS. BEA (played by THEREN WOMACK). Collectively, they did an excellent job of serving up a slice of Black Memphis life from the 1960's.

BEST ALL-AROUND: The Saturday after Thanksgiving, the hubby and I took a drive downtown to the MEMPHIS RIVERFRONT and stopped for a stroll through TOM LEE PARK. The weather was perfect and it didn't cost us anything. A lot of other folks apparently had the same idea because families, couples (young & old), kids on bikes, tourists and the like were everywhere. A handful of dare-devils were out on the water, racing each other and zooming around on those little jet-ski boats. The hubby and i had a great time marveling at the big houses on the bluffs, the dark choppy waters of the Mississippi River and just how far our beloved city has come. Afterward, we drove through downtown, past MUD ISLAND, the PYRAMID, the PEABODY HOTEL and the crowds on BEALE STREET. We chuckled at the sight of the condos going up in the spot on SECOND STREET where we use to change buses on our daily treks to and from LEMOYNE-OWEN COLLEGE. And for the umpteenth time, we swore we'd stop one day and actually take one of the horse and carriage tour rides thorugh the Bluff City's downtown district.

Downtown Memphis, TN

1988

from Lori's Pic Collection

As the picture above indicates, this is something we've been promising ourselves since the late 80's. But hey . . . really. . . one day . . . we will.

SOUNDS OF THE SEASON . . . CHRISTMAS SONG FAVORITES . . .

If you stop by my house this time of the year, you're bound to hear some Christmas music. I break out my collection of holiday tunes right after Thanksgiving and don't stop playing them until--well-- sometime in the first month of the new year . . . generally.

The following is a short list of some of my (non-instrumental) favorites:

1) I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (sung by Tevin Campbell on Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration) This is a beautiful song! It's also one of the few that even the hubby doesn't mind listening to over and over again.

2) What Child Is This (sung by Vanessa Williams) VW is beautiful and multi-talented. Don't you hate her? (smile)

3) What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? (The Emotions)

4) Merry Christmas, Baby (Charles Brown) It's hard to resist a song that has lines like, "Merry Christmas, Baby, you've sho'll been good to me. Well, I haven't had a drink this morning , but I'm all lit up like a Christmas tree." Talk about some down home Blues! I can't help but think about Memphis whenever I hear this song.

5) This Christmas (sung by Donny Hathaway) Even though I don't like snow, for some reason, I always think about it when I hear this song.

6) Santa Claus, Goes Straight To the Ghetto (James Brown) Tell 'em 'bout it JB.

7) Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt)

8) Someday at Christmas (sung by the Jackson Five) The J5 Christmas album holds the honor of being the first holiday album I ever owned.

9) Another Lonely Christmas (Prince) The hubby can't stand this song. So, you know I have to play it LOUD and on REPEAT. LOL

10) Bobby O'Jay's Christmas Song (This is a Memphis radio classic, a song cut and released by WDIA's very own disc jockey Bobby O'Jay! It doesn't feel like Christmas until I hear this song.

So, what are your favorites? Or if you prefer, tell me about those Christmas songs that grate on your nerves.

HOME IS MEMPHIS . . . MEMPHIS IS HOME . . .

For those of you who don't know, that's the Mississippi River and the Hernando-Desoto Bridge you see off in the distance. Looks like a postcard, huh? It's not. It's a picture I snapped a couple of years ago from the roof-top deck of the Gayoso House (located in downtown Memphis, TN) where my old friend Stanford Lewis was living at the time.

Thus far, I've lived in eight different cities in the United States and one overseas (Wiesbadan Germany), but I doubt if I'll ever really consider any place outside of Memphis, Tennessee--home. I love the Bluff City . . . The Big M-Town . . . always have and always will . . . warts, flaws and all.

In 1991 I was invited to submit an essay to Memphis Magazine's 15th Anniversary Issue. Seven other Memphis-connected writers and I wrote about "the power of place." I was both tickled and honored to be included in the company of folks like Norm Brewer, Joan Turner Beifuss, Jerome Wright, Edwin Howard, Miriam DeCosta Willis (who went on to co-edit the ground-breaking EROTIQUE NOIRE), Levi Frazier and Margaret Skinner.

My essay was entitled "From Springdale to Walker." In the piece, I delved into how my experience riding the city bus to and from LeMoyne-Owen College forever shaped my view of both Memphis and my world. It comes as no surprise to me that much of what I wrote then still holds true today, fifteeen years later, including the following . . .

"I see Memphis as a kind of montage, a multitude of elements which coexist and which fall in and out of balance as we strive for more of some and less of others. It is the coexistence of poverty and prosperity, of splendor and squalor, of the lies of yesterday and the promises of tomorrow, of dreams fulfilled, dreams denied, and dreams yet to be realized, of Black and White and Blues all rolled into one. Yes, Memphis is a montage, painted in vivid, sweeping colors and strokes--a montage that I have come to recognize as home."

Quote Source ("From Springdale To Walker" by Lori D. Johnson; April 1991 Memphis Magazine).

'TIS THE SEASON . . . TO COUNT ONE'S BLESSINGS . . .

Ahh, the holiday season is upon us. I LOVE this time of year. Okay, the busyness, the weight gain, the mindless spending and shameless commercialization, I could easily live without. And the years I spent exiled in the cold Mid-West put a huge damper on my bliss, to say the least . . . But thankfully, this holiday season finds me back in the South and joyfully reconnecting with all those things and beings I know and love--among them, sweet potato pie, Blue Bell Ice Cream, day-time temps in the 60's and 70's, Memphis and visits with Mama and 'nem.

Besides Thanksgiving, Christmas (Chanukah/Hanukkah for those of you who celebrate) Kwanzaa and the coming of the New Year, this season marks as well the birthdays of my two December babies.

My life's journey wouldn't be the same without these two guys. The two sounds that bring me the most comfort and joy during this season, if not throughout the year, are the hubby's voice and our lil boy's laughter. Even when they've worked my last good nerve, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank the Lord for having blessed me with them.

So . . . what are you thankful for? After all, despite what the advertisers say about shopping and buying, above all else, 'tis truly the season to count one's blessings. Dontcha think?

THE HOLIDAY PAT-DOWN

The "pat-down" is one of my family's holiday traditions. It typically takes place just as my brother or I am about to leave my parents' home after having visited for more than a day or two. Before we can say our final goodbyes, my Dad will turn to my Mom and say, "Did you check her/his/their bags? Every time one of them leaves from here, some of my cds and albums turn up missing." We all laugh, but everybody knows my Dad is only halfway joking. He owns a huge collection of vintage jazz and r&b records and cds. And for some unknown reason, he thinks we STEAL his music.

Now, I can only speak for myself. The only cds I have from my Dad's collection are the ones he's given me. But when it comes to vinyl, I've gotta confess, yes, I do own more than a few of THE OLD MAN'S albums. (Yeah, I can hear him now, See, see I KNEW they had my stuff!) In my defense, I didn't really steal them. These were records I used to listen to on my old stereo componet set (the one with the turntable, the cassette player and the 8-track!) before I went off to college. I had them in my room and well, they just sorta, kinda got packed up with all of my other personal items when I left home. For years, my Dad never said anything about them, so I figured he didn't really miss them.

For the record, I NEVER took any of the old man's vintage jazz. I don't have any of his Miles, Coltrane or Bird. Okay . . . I did take an album entitled "Soul Makossa" by Afrique, but I don't really consider that vintage jazz. Anyway, the following is a "near-complete (smile) list of titles.

THE OSM LIST OF ALBUMS I BORROWED (STOLE) FROM MY FATHER . . .

1) THE MAGNIFCENT 7 (The Supremes & Four Tops) 1970 I'm not sure, but Dad might have given me this one. Back in elementary school, me and my friends, Lori P. and Leeda, used to play this album in my room and pretend we were the Supremes.

2) GREATEST HITS II (The Tempations) 1970 Remember the Temps song, "Ball of Confusion?" I can still remember me and my friend Lethea singing that song to the top of our lungs while swinging on her backyard swing set. "People moving out, people moving in, why because of the color of their skins. Run, run, run, but you sho'll can't hide . . ."

3) SKY'S THE LIMIT (The Temptations) 1971 My two favorite cuts from this one were, "Gonna Keep On Trying' Till I Win Your Love" and "Just My Imagination."

4) *WHAT'S GOING ON (Marvin Gaye) 1971 Who doesn't like this album? Let me just say, if I were ever stranded on an island and could only listen to 3 albums for the rest of my life, they would have to be the following three by Marvin.

5) *LET'S GET IT ON (Marvin Gaye) 1973 I bought this album as an anniversary gift for my folks, but ended up keeping it for myself.

6) *I WANT YOU (Marvin Gaye) 1976 The title of my novel, AFTER THE DANCE comes from a song by the same title on this particular album.

7) INNERVISIONS (Stevie Wonder) 1973 There isn't a single bad song on this album. My Dad used to play it to death, before I got ahold to it.

8) FULFILLINGNESS' FIRST FINALE (Stevie Wonder) 1974 I have no idea what the title means, but just like Innervisions, every song on here is worth listening to again and again.

9) SOUL MAKOSSA (Afrique) 1973 The only song I really ever listened to on this one was "Soul Makossa."

10) LET'S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER (The Stylistics) 1974 What ever happened to this group? Dude's falestto was something else.

11) DRAMA V (The Dramatics) 1975 As much as I liked this album, I must admit "cuteness" was also a factor. Ron Banks had some right dreamy eyes and Lenny Mayes had a nice 'fro and a pretty smile.

12) GRATITUDE (Earth, Wind & Fire) 1975 Yes, I did talk bad about Maurice and Verdine's hair. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate their music. I love me some EW&F!

13) PERSON TO PERSON (Average White Band) 1976 Did you know these guys were originally from Scotland? Whenever I'm in the mood for some vintage blue-eyed soul, I reach for this album (or my The Best of Teena Marie cd). My favorite cuts are "School Boy Crush" "Cut the Cake" "Person to Person" "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" "I'm The One" Oh hell, just about all of them (smile).

All right y'all, don't act like I'm the only one. I know some of y'all left home with some stuff that wasn't yours (whether records or something else). So, who wants to 'fess up first? Seriously, any comments about the list are welcome. Do you think this list says something in particular about me? ( I mean, besides the obvious)

STRAIGHT-TALKING TUESDAY . . . IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING . . .

In case you're wondering or haven't yet figured it out, I don't have an English Lit or English Comp background. To be honest, when I was in school I found those kind of classes incredibly boring and I only took the minimum required. I might also note that even though my work has appeared in a number of literary journals, newspapers and magazines, I only lasted a couple of weeks in the one journalism course I opted for in college.

So, no, I don't always put the commas in the right places, I can't spell worth a gosh durn and I wouldn't know a split infinitive if one walked up and hit me upside the head. Of course, those of you with more discerning eyes already know this (smile).

But here's a little something you might not know--I also don't have that internalized sense of fear that seems to besiege quite a few of the more "grammatically savvy" when it comes to writing. I don't agonize over the technical aspects involved in the creative placement of words onto a page. That's not to say that I think grammar, punctuation, spelling and the like are unimportant. They are extremely important. My thing is, I simply refuse to have some disapproving nymph of my own making (much less someone else's) peering over my shoulder and whispering reprimands and/or inappropriate advice in my ear when I sit down in front of a blank sheet of paper or computer screen.

My approach to writing is largely intuitive. According to Mom, when I was a baby, she and others would routinely hand me a book turned upside down and watch me cry until someone turned the book right side up. Besides being amused, my folks couldn't help but marvel at how I seemed to sense that something about the book just wasn't right.

Perhaps this intuition, this gut approach, if you will, is something I inherited. I come from a family of storytellers (at least on my father's side) and folks who seem to derive an inordinate amount of pleasure from a well told lie. Similar to Langston (and so many others), my appreciation for what is generally referred to as the African American oral tradition was born at my paternal grandmother's knee.

Ethel Virginia Johnson, (yes, that's her in the picture, seated on the porch of the house my granddaddy built) also known as M'Deah and/or Ethel V. to those who knew and loved her, could spin a tale like nobody's business. Her stories, which could best be described as a bubbling mixture of humor and pathos, generally centered around the folks and family members who live in "Johnson Sub"-- the 40 some odd acres of land in South Memphis (TN) purchased by my great-great grandfather, Prince Johnson.

My M'Deah's voice and her laughter are integral parts of the "music" I strive for in my own work. I will be forever grateful to my Mom for ecouraging me, way back in the day, to sit down with my grandmother and record both her memories of Johnson Sub and our family's history. I still have those tapes and every now and then, I pull them out for a listen. In my grandmother's voice, there is a rhythm and a cadence that both stirs my muse and speaks to my soul . . . Yeah, I know. I'm going way too deep for some of y'all. So, let me just back up off it a bit . . . at least for now (smile).

To simplify it for you--what my M'Deah did so effortlessly and with such verbal finesse, is what I attempt to do on paper. No more and no less. Through the telling of my own stories, I hope to honor her memory as well as pay homage to all that is Southern, Black, female and inherently Good in me. So, if I misspell a word or misplace a comma or two in the process, try not to be so hard or take it too personally, okay? And if you notice me making the same doggone grammatical faux pas time and time again, by all means, step in and school a sister. I'm open to learning . . . just so long as you don't try to turn my words upside down in the process (smile). Nuff said? All right, then.

THE SATURDAY EVENING STROLL . . . NEW GROWTH REVISIONS

Just so you know, I didn't forget. But for those of you who don't recall, I said I'd share with you what changes I'd make in that last posted excerpt of New Growth, (Tuesday, October 10, 2006) had I to do it over again.

Well, for one, I'd probably divide the material into shorter pargraphs. Actually, I went ahead and took the liberty of doing so in one section of that particular excerpt. I think shorter paragraphs are a little less daunting for the average reader and a whole lot easier on the eyes.

The second thing I'd probably change would be Jackie Ann's Sunday Morning Dance routine. I don't know too many old school grandmothers (from the South in particular) who are going to put up with that kind of showing out on a Sunday morning. Jackie Ann most certainly WOULD NOT have been allowed to be all up in the living room getting her groove on to some loud secular beat. I'm not really sure how I could have rewritten the scene, but I'm thinking maybe I would had J.A. in her bedroom with the door closed and the music turned waaayy down (smile).

One of my undergrad English Comp professors once told me that you never really get finished with a piece. The more you search, the more likely you are to find something else that could a use a bit of tweaking or could have been written another way. But eventually you have to turn it loose and move on. The key, I suppose, is knowing when . . .