GUEST BLOGGER . . . SHARON JEFFERSON . . . (aka the Old School Mix's "Sharon J.") Part I

Sharon Jefferson in Ghana

standing next to a bust of

WEB DuBois

While the more boisterous types are barking orders, delegating tasks and trying to convince others of their leadership abilities, inevitably, there is always someone like my friend, Sharon Jefferson, who is somewhere quietly getting the job done.

I've always admired people like Sharon. Were I ten to twenty years younger, I'd say, "When I grow up, I want to be just like her." But the truth is, Sharon doesn't have much on me in the age department (smile). And when it comes to wisdom and the spiritual fortitude required to be not just a "reader" but a "doer" of The Word, well, she has me thoroughly beat.

Throughout my four years of exile in the Cleveland area, Sharon's friendship was, for me, a blessing and then some. As the fierceless moderator of the women's group book club at East View United Church of Christ, Sharon's book selections are what ultimately led me to find my Cleveland area church home. Newspaper notices about the club and the titles they were reading caught my attention and piqued my interest. The way I figured it, any church brave enough to read and discuss books by authors like Toni Morrison (The Bluest Eye), Charles Barkley (I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It) and Michael Eric Dyson (Is Bill Cosby Right Or Has The Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?) had to be worthy of at least a visit or two.

Not long after I joined both the church and the book club, I discovered Sharon was also the guiding force behind East View's MLK essay contest, an annual event that awards several sizable monetary scholarships to area students. Being able to participate as a volunteer in this inspirational program was truly one of the highlights of my entire Cleveland experience.

Of course, when I asked Sharon to write a bio for her Old School Mix guest appearance, in keeping with her humble ways, she wrote: "Sharon Jefferson is a writer living in Cleveland. When she's not daydreaming about another trip to an exotic locale, she is doing what she hopes will be the last re-write on her novel and studying creative writing at Cleveland State University." But I would be remiss if I didn't add that Sharon's work has also appeared in the pages of the Cleveland Call & Post and Essence Magazine (Oct. 1990).

Coming next (part II of this post) is a piece Sharon wrote, per my request, about the trip she recently took to Ghana in conjunction with the National Book Club Conference.

IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW . . . IT'S FALL Y'ALL ! ! !

My boy, at age 4, holding what I'd dare say is the finest punkin in the patch! For whatever reason, when I stare at this picture too long, I start to hear music from the "Peanuts" cartoon series.

**To all you puriest out there, yes, I do know pumpkin is spelled with an "m." But in certain sectors of the Deep South, it has long been lovingly pronounced with an "n."

MUSICAL CHOICES . . . SOME OF THIS? . . . OR SOME OF THAT?

In typical old school fashion, I belong to a cd music club. No ipod, mp3 player, pesky downloading issues and premature deafness for me, mon . . . not yet anyway.

Most times, after I've flipped through the music club's booklet a couple of times, one selection will stand out from the rest. Sometimes it's something from the Jazz bin. Sometimes it's something from the wonderful world of R &B. And every once in a while, it's a soft Rock classic or else some of them down-home Blues. Generally though, my attention is seized by only ONE cd.

But after scanning this past week's offerings, I found myself being pulled back to not ONE, but (gasp!) THREE different cd titles. I'm sure, in time, I'll add all of these title to my collection, but practical (frugal . . . okay, cheap) gal that I am, at the moment, I'm only looking to add one.

My choices are: (1) The Police: Hits and Highlights Why? Oh, come on! This is the '80s at its best. "Every Breath You Take" , "Don't Stand So Close To Me." I know I'm not the only one who gets goose gumps and hears something primal in Sting's voice when he screams, "Roxanne!"

(2) Lou Rawls: Live! Hey, don't laugh. Okay, well after you stop laughing, check this out. This is Brother Lou in his prime, before all of that "Groovy People" business. If I'm not mistaken, this is the only Lou Rawls album my parents own . . . which is also the reason why, I never stole it ( See last year's "Holiday Pat Down" post for a list of music I did steal from the folks). Lou Rawls: Live! has classics on it like, "Stormy Monday", "Tobacco Road", "St. James Infirmary" and "The Girl From Ipanema." So, if you don't know, now you know. And last, but not least,

(3) The Very Best Of Chicago: Only The Beginning. Whenever I hear songs by the group Chicago, I think about two things, being a kid and living in Idaho. Thanks to my Dad's ties to the US Air Force, I spent part of the 3rd grade and all of the 4th and 5th grades in Mountain Home, Idaho. Seems like I heard songs like, "Saturday In The Park", "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? and "If You Leave Me Now" on the radio when my Mom would be ushering me off to school in the morning. That period in my life is one of my favorites.

If you'd like to weigh-in on my decision, you're welcome to post your suggestions or thoughts on the matter. Which cd would be your pick? Of, in what order would you purchase the three selections? Like I said, at some point, I'm sure I'll own all three. So, there really are no right or wrong answers.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #5 . . . 13 OLD SCHOOL GAMES I (WE) GREW UP WITH . . . Several weeks ago, I caught the tail end of an HGTV program about the different toys and games kids commonly enjoyed "back in the day." The program led me to ponder the differences in how old school kids amused themselves vs. today's youths. When I look back on the games we enjoyed in the '60s, '70s and early '80s, quite a number of them required more than one or two bodies, involved very little if any equipment and/or gadgetry, were typically played outdoors and more often than not, involved a whole bunch of ripping and running. Of couse, we old schoolers had our share of toys and gadgets, like the Hoola Hoop, Barbie Doll, GI Joe and even Pong and the Rubic's Cube, which could be enjoyed by one or two kids. But for the purposes of this particular post, I'd like to focus on those games I (We) grew up with, which, truth be told, were actually a heck of a lot more fun when the number of kids participating exceeded three. You know, games like . . . 1) RED ROVER, RED ROVER (The worst thing about this game was when the big kid came charging over . . . If you were smart, rather than get knocked down or wind up with third degree arm burns, you and the kid standing next to you simply, let go each others hands.) 2) FREEZE TAG (This was one of my favorite games--probably because of all of the funny and creative poses involved.) 3) RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT (Why was the shortest kid, generally the quickest?) 4) MOTHER, MAY I? (Didn't the bossiest girl in the group *the one who most reminded you of "Margaret" from "Dennis the Menace" or "Lucy" from the "Peanuts" series* always INSIST on being the MOTHER? 5) DODGE BALL (I can only chuckle at those folks who claim this game is way too aggressive and violent for the likes of children. My grandmother, who grew up in rural South Memphis during the 19- teens and the '20s, used to speak fondly of a game they played called "fireball." In this game, kids would collect a bunch of old rags, tie them together, soak them in kerosene, set them on fire and toss them at one another. No, people, seriously . . . I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted too.) 6) KICK BALL (My son informed me that nowadays, all of the cool kids, turn their feet and kick sideways, like the soccer players do. Yeah, kid, whatever. I'm sure we had just as much fun, kicking it straight . . . even though, sometimes the younger kids would end up flat on their backs and staring up at the sky in their attempts to do so.) 7) HIDE & SEEK (The hubby claims the older and more mannish and womanish (more Black Southern ebonics) kids in his neighborhood used to a play a verison of this game that they called, "Hide & Go Get." Of course, he swears he never indulged in such shenanigans.) 8) JUMP ROPE (We've come a long way, haven't we? Back in the day, most guys didn't play this game, the way they do now. But wasn't there always this one guy who could turn the rope, double dutch, spin around and touch the ground better than any of the girls?) 9) HOP-SCOTCH (Yeah, you could play this by yourself. But the more girls, the better the arguments.) 10) SIMON SAYS (You really couldn't play this game with everybody. Because some of the more twisted kids, would try to take the game to a whole another level. After playing with them you'd either end up in traction or needing therapy.) 11) DUCK, DUCK GOOSE! (The hubby claims the kids in his hood never played this game. Probably becasue they were too busy playing "Hide & Go Get.") 12) TOUCH/TAG FOOTBALL (My little brother suffered a broken collar bone while playing this game. Back then, he was skinny, runt of a kid and one of the neighborhood kids--a boy by the name of "Big Junior" fell on him). 13) YOU'RE IT! (Seemed like the slowest, goofiest kid always ended up being "it." Yeah, that would have been me. But wasn't there always this even goofier kid who'd fall down at your feet because he or she wanted to be tagged? Yeah, I always stepped right over that fool.) Okay, your turn. What was your favorite "old school" game? Or, if you prefer, which game did you absolutely hate and only played under duress (smile)? Feel free to mention games that aren't included on the list.

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CHARLOTTE IS SHOUTING Y'ALL . . . Art, Food, Music and a Whole Lot of Fun!

I think I've mentioned this before, but one of the things I like best about living in Charlotte--there's generally always a festival of some sort going on. September marks the kickoff of Charlotte's fall arts season. Nearly all month long, a host of arts, food, fairs, festivals and music programs take place at various venues around the city and under the banner of what folks around here call, "Charlotte Shout!"

Last weekend, my family and I ventured into Charlotte's Uptown and enjoyed some of the offerings of an event called "Blues, Brews & BBQ." At the top of this weekend's "to do" list is "Festival in the Park" which is billed as Charlotte's most popular and longest-running festival. The event, which started on Thursday (Sept. 20) and ends on Sunday (Sept. 23), takes place in Freedom Park.

Not only am I looking forward to the food and the clown fashion show (hey, I'm a kid at heart, what can I say?), I'm also looking forward to checking out the wares of the Old School Mix's resident artist, Michelle of Artventuring.

I met Michelle Davis Petelinz last year at another Charlotte art festival and I've been a fan of her work ever since. Even if you can't make the festival, it's still very much worth your while to visit Michelle's website and take a look at her work. Should you see something you like, why not place an order? Or, if nothing else, leave her a note and tell her what made you say, "Ahh, very nice."

To visit Michelle's website, go to http://www.jordanstreasures.net/

To visit Michelle's blog, go to http://artventuring.blogspot.com/

For more information on the festival highlighted in this post, go to http://www.festivalinthepark.org/

(Written while listening to John Coltrane's verison of "My Favorite Things" from the cd, John Coltrane Gold).

POPULAR LIT (PART III) . . . My "I'll Gladly Pass" List . . .

. . . Faulkner . . . Talk about coincidences. This past weekend, totally unprompted and out of the blue, a friend sent me an email, in which she raved about her love of Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying." As my dear, smart-mouthed son might say, "Well, I'm happy for her (smile)." Sadly and truthfully, Faulker has never done a whole lot for me. I have yet to feel the magic when I immerse myself in his work.

Sometimes I wonder had I taken more English/Lit courses in college, if might feel different about Faulkner and some of the other dead authors, whose works fail to move me. I'm saying, isn't College Lit where they hammer out a portion of your brain and replace it with loads of academic jargon and a bunch of other ivory-tower creations designed to keep you walking the straight, narrow and predictable paths of political correctness? No? Okay, my bad . . .

Anyway, the next author on the list of folks I'm supposed to like and regard with high-esteem, but dont--is guaranteed to draw shrieks and much pulling of hair (whether real, store-bought, processed or au natural) from certain quarters of the African American literary establishment. But here goes anyway . . . Richard Wright.

Black Boy. Native Son. Ah, no thanks. Keep it. Not for me. Really, I don't see the beauty. The angst, yeah, but not the beauty. Never have. Probably never will. To be fair, it's been years since I've read Black Boy. I should (and at some point will) probably read it again, because age has a way of changing things--perspectives in particular.

But I don't think there's any chance of me ever liking Native Son. The movie version of the book, starring Richard Wright as "Bigger Thomas" pretty much killed that for me. It's hard for me to watch that movie without either winching in pain or laughing (when and where I'm not supposed to). Very seldom do I ever say something is horrible, but truly, for me, the movie version of Native Son is just that. Were I ever forced to choose, I'd rather waste an hour of my life watching Flav Flav's ig'nant behind.

And this last one? Heck, I may as well go ahead and turn in my Sister-Girl card now . . . because it's more than likely gonna come back stamped REVOKED! as soon as I fix my lips to say anything negative about this person.

But to be clear, I don't dislike all of this author's work--just the one she's most famous for. Okay brace yourselves now. You ready? The title is . . . is . . . Their Eyes Were Watching God . . . (ducking, shielding my eyes and hanging my head in shame).

I can hear it now. "Oh, but the hummingbird . . . the rich symbolism . . . the love story . . . " Yeah, I know. Sorry, none of it moved me. Not in the least.

Here's the deal--I've owned the book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, since the mid-to late '80s. Nope, I didn't buy it. It was given to me. A number of times over the years, I've pulled the text from the shelves, started reading it, found myself growing extremely irritated and within a couple of pages, found myself tossing the book back onto the shelves.

Part of the/my problem with the work is the dialect. I hate reading books written in dialect, especially that which is intended to represent the way rural, Black Southerners speak. I almost passed on The Color Purple for the same reason. Though, I must say, in keeping with the lonely, politically-incorrect course I've charted for myself, I enjoyed the movie much more than I did the book. Oh, what did I think about the movie version of Their Eyes? Plenty. But I'd best save it for another time (smile).

Let there be no mistaking though, Zora Neale Hurston, the tilted-hat-wearing, Black woman, writer, anthropologist and all-around character . . . Oh, I ADORE her! And the collection of African American folktales she packaged under the title Mules & Men is my kind of reading . . . even though, I'd dare say, like most "good" social scientists, Zora Neale made most of that mess up (LOL)!

On a more serious note, the sad thing for me, as it pertains to Zora Neale is that I didn't even learn of her existence until my final semester of grad school. Had I not been a student of anthropology, a Black female with Southern roots, who had an interest in writing fiction, this might not have mattered . . . But you know, it's been years and I still tear up every time I think about it.

In any case, what's your book? You know, the one everybody and his or her Grandmama praises till the cows come home, but you'd rather take a karate chop to the throat before you read it again? Come on, don't be scared! Fess up! I've already taken most of the hard blows for you . . .

Written while listening to Jaguar Wright's "Free" "Timing" "Told Ya" "So High" "Been Here Before" and "Cell Bock" from her cd entitled, Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul.

POPULAR LIT (PT II) . . . More On "Unpopular" Opinions . . .

On one of our treks through Atlanta this past summer, we stayed a couple of nights with an old friend of the family. Our friend is a professor of Sociology at one of the liberal arts colleges in the the area and, like my son, is also a big Sci-Fi fan. She was in the middle of complimenting my boy on a couple of books he'd brought along, when my son's lack of zeal for the popular boy wizard's world suddenly reared its big head in the conversation.

I listened while my well-intentioned friend took it upon herself to convince my son of the merits of the Hogwarts crew and watched as my son sat and politely nodded. In keeping with his home-training, the boy never said anything flip or sarcastic (he only does that with me & his his Dad), but I could tell by the look on his face he was thinking the equivalent of, "Yeah lady and after you get through singing Harry's praises, I still won't be reaching for Potter anytime soon."

The look on my boy's face, I'm sure, was nearly identical to the one that surfaces on my own when people try to twist my arm into liking some piece of literature that has been deemed by them and others in the know as the best thing since . . . heck, the Ten Commandments or the Emancipation Proclamation.

For the record, I'm not in the habit of publicly bashing or bad-mouthing contemporary authors. Of course, if you are a regular reader of this blog, it goes without saying that I don't extend the same type of hands off treatment to actors, musicians, preachers, politicians and other such folks who make it their business to be all up in the limelight. Sorry, I simply don't consider any of the aforementioned my peers or colleagues and thus entitled to the same type of professional courtesy and/or respect.

Yes, I do think a lot of work out there, particularly some of the literature currently being produced by mainstream African American authors, stinks like ten day old, boiled cabbage. But personally, I see little to gain by pointing a finger at those folks. I'm all too happy to leave that sort of thing to the critics, book reviewers and academic types who get paid and make names for themselves doing so.

Besides, authors who appear to delight in ripping and trashing the work of other authors, writers and everyday hacks, typically come off, to me, as looking mean-spirited, petty or outright jealous. Hey, one person's ten day old, boiled cabbage, is another person's manna from heaven. I'm saying, if it's good to you and it doesn't make you wanna upchuck, have at it.

On the other hand, there are several authors, who, though long dead, are still being heralded and praised for their literary genius, but whose work I don't mind admitting, I'll gladly take a pass on, like for instance . . .

Well, if you REALLY want to know, you'll have to check back later for PART III (smile). In the meantime, feel free to add your comment and/or opinion to "The Mix". . .

POPULAR LIT . . . PASSING ON POTTER . . . (Part I)

My child is a reader. Not surprised? Well, some are, particularly, upon their discovery that my child is a young, African American male.

Yes, the same brown-skinned little boy who loves playing basketball and baseball and who appears to know even more sports trivia than the loud mouths he enjoys watching on ESPN'S "Around the Horn" is also a voracious reader.

The boy's taste in literature changes with the season. At the moment his preference leans toward the fantasy and sci-fi genre. Just about every book he brings through the door either has some kind of dragon, monster or sullen faced (Gothic-looking) youngster on the cover.

Periodically, I'll flip through one of his books or ask a couple of questions about what he's reading just to make sure he's not reading up on explosive technology, world domination or anything that might suggest he's considering pulling a Lizzie Borden. But basically, I let him do his thing-- and in much the same manner my parents did for me--without too much hovering or outright interference. Personally, I think it's best that way.

I must confess to being a bit surprised though, upon learning that my son isn't much of a Harry Potter fan. While he appears to enjoy the movies as much as any other kid his age, he's not terribly keen on reading any of the books. Matter of fact, the one book in the series he owned, he recently donated to a book drive.

During the most recent Potter book craze, I tried to convince him to reconsider. I hyped all of the Potter parties and events being held at area libraries and bookstores. I talked about all of the fun so many kids his ages were having dressing up in customes and the like. My son responded with a shrug and said, "Good. I'm happy for them."

Don't you just love/hate it when your kid turns around and hurls some of your own unique brand of snippiness/snarkiness/sarcasm right back at you? "Good, I'm happy for them," is so classic . . . "Me" . . . I couldn't do anything, but laugh.

Actually, I'm kind of proud that my son refuses to bow to popular opinion when it comes to what he ought to or ought not like, feel or do. More often than not, the price one ends up paying in the quest to please others and keep up with the Jones's (or the Hiltons, or Cruises or the Trumps or any of the numerous other La-De, Da-De, Wanna-Be-Somebodies) is the loss of the ability to truly know what makes one happy . . .

So, that's right young man, keep bucking the crowd, the latest fad, trends and bandwagons, especially if you're really just not feeling them. Never be afraid to do you. And always know . . . mama's got your back.

Written while listening to the songs on Rachelle Ferrell's "Individuality (can I be me?)"

8 THINGS ABOUT ME . . . THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN WANT TO KNOW . . . BUT I'M GONNA TELL YOU ANYWAY . . .

I tried to lay low, but they got me anyway, y'all. First of all, Malcolm (of Pop Culture Dish, presented by Malcolm) gave me the following!

Yea! A Blogging Star Award!

Thanks Malcolm. But just so you know, the buck stops with me buddy. Nope, I'm not passing this baby off to anyone. I will tell everyone that the award originated with Barb at Skittle's Place. I would post the link, but I have yet to be able to access it and I've got this unwritten rule about not linking to sites I can't view. No telling what all might be going over there (smile). I'm sure it's perfectly fine, but still, a girl can never be too careful . . .

In addition, it appears I've been TAGGED by Michelle (of Artventuring). Michelle wants me to list 8 random facts about myself. Hmm. Okay. Sounds harmless enough. Shall we begin?

1) I can control my dreams. Seriously. One reason, I think, I seldom have nightmares is because when things start to go haywire, I say "Nope! Not happening!" and I wake myself up.

2) The sound of my son's laughter has always made me smile.

3) I'm TALL! 6ft or so. And no, I never played or had the desire to play basketball in my youth. But I am the only person who has ever beat my 6'3, b-ball-playing, trash-talking "little" brother in a game of HORSE!

4) I love CATS. I've owned three in my lifetime and I really do think I just might have been one in another life. The only reason I don't currently own one is because the hubby is allergic. But should we ever divorce or God-forbid, should ole boy happen to keel over before I do--it's cat city up in here, baby!

5) The first short story I ever published "New Growth" won first place in Memphis Magazine's Fiction Award Contest and earned me the tidy sum of $1,000.00!

6) I won a couple of awards for my art work when I was a teen. Thanks to my 12 grade art teacher, one of my ink drawings appeared on a local TV show in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

7) My Mama forcing me to eat okra and me gagging, and, in turn, ruining everybody's dinner is one of my earliest childhood memories.

8) I wear glasses and I want to be buried with them on. The hubby once asked, if at some point during the services, I planned on raising up and seeing who all was there. Hey, now that's a thought . . .

When you finish here, hop over to Artventuring and check out Michelle's Random 8. She tagged several other cool artists and you just might to take a peek at their lists as well.

In keeping with the spirit of "no good deed goes unpunished" I'm tagging Malcolm of Pop Culture Dish, presented by Malcolm. Also, I think I'll see if I can't get Radio Girl to play along. If anyone else would like to post a random list of eight things about yourself, leave a link or a notice about it in the comments section.

MORE EVERYDAY MUSINGS . . . OLD SCHOOL STYLE . . .

1) Has anyone, besides me, noticed that Michael Vick bears an uncanny resemblance to that bad dog named "King" that at least one neighbor kept chained up in the yard back in the day?

2) Am I the only one who thinks Flava Flav, Lil Wayne, Tommy Lee and Britney Spears all look like they could benefit from a good scrub down with some of Granny's lye soap? (Granny of "The Beverly Hillbillies" for all you youngsters out there who are scratching your heads and saying who?)

3) Am I the only one who's never seen Lindsey Lohan in anything--besides a news blurb or a clip from a tv tabloid?

4) Does anyone, besides me, wish the media would just let folks like Anna Nicole, Elvis, Tupac, Biggie and Princess Diana rest in peace?

5) Am I the only one who's noticed that men who use the word "sexy" in a song, are generally anything BUT that? (Think about it. Rod Stewart: "Do You Think I'm Sexy?" Ah, that would be a NO! Right Said Fred: "I'm Too Sexy" Yeah, in some alternate world, perhaps. Baby Face: "Grown & Sexy" Well, he got the grown part right. And for anyone who dares say Justin Timberlake: "Sexy Back"--NO, I'M AFRAID NOT . . . First of all, Cute and Sexy are two entirely different things . . . )

6) Has anyone, besides me, caught themselves singing (or humming) along with the "Viva Viagra" commercial? Uh-uh, don't lie. (Ugh, I can't get that durn song out of my head!)

7) Does anyone, besides me, get the feeling that R. Kelly's alleged victim is gonna hit menopause before the case against Kelly ever goes to trial? Dag, the man is still touring, making records, releasing even more bad videos and everything. (All kidding aside, last I heard the poor girl in this case was getting ready to have a baby ).

8) Has anyone, besides me, ever wondered why the folks hired by shows like Entertainment Tonight and America's Next Top Model to critique women's hairstyles and fashion choices are mainly men? . . . (I'm saying, men, who, themselves, typically look like oversized trolls?)

9) Has anyone, besides me, ever wondered who Sweet Pea's real daddy is? (Yes, I am talking Sweet Pea of "PopEye" cartoon fame). Wouldn't you love to see that bad episode of Maury? But rather than the most obvious suspects (PopEye or Brutus), wouldn't it be funny if Olive Oly's real baby daddy turned out to be none-other-than that ole hamburger begging "Wimpy" or even worse . . . PopEye's old lecherous daddy--"Poopdeck Pappy?"

10) Am I the only one who's noticed that people who ask, solicit and/or outright beg for your opinion . . . really and truly only want your agreement and/or affirmation (*smile*)

Yeah, I know . . . on most of those, I'm probably the only one. But if you do have any comments and/or additions, be my guest . . .

THURSDAY THIRTEEN #4 . . . 13 TV KIDS I LOVE TO HATE . . .

It's all Malcolm's fault (smile). Not only did he get me hooked on this Thursday Thirteen meme business, earlier this week he added a poll to his blog (Pop Culture Dish). In the poll, he mentioned a kid (played by Billy Mumy) from one of my LEAST favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone. In the episode, the little kid named Anthony, a little monster in disguise, has the power to make people who tick him off disappear into the cornfield.

Argh! I couldn't stand that kid. In the process of thinking about just how much I absolutely abhorred him, I started thinking about some of the other TV kid characters who've worked my last nerve.

Granted, most of the shows on my list I've only watched in passing (either while channel surfing or because of my own child's appetite for bad television) but trust me, I saw more than enough . . . Anyway, here's the list:

1) Anthony Fremont (That was the fictional name of the evil spawn from the Twilight Zone who made people disappear into the cornfield.)

2) Kenan and Kel of the Kenan and Kel Show (Okay, watching these two goof-balls was sort of like watching a Black version of Larry and Curly, minus Moe. And for the record, I hated the original 3 Stooges.)

3) Steve Urkel from Family Matters (Talk about an insult to smart, Black kids everywhere (smile). But to be fair, besides Laura, most of the characters on this show came off as big doofuses.)

4) Michelle from Full House (Something about the Olsen twins has always given me the hee-bee jee-bees. Seriously, when they were babies they kind of reminded me of a pair of muppets or ventriloquist dummies or something . . . )

5) Lil Earl from What's Happening (The hubby has threatened to put me out if I include Lil Earl's name on the list. Well, I guess I'll be sitting on the curb tonight y'all (LOL). One clue that a show is about to get the ax is when they add some cute, but annoying little kid to the cast. Sorry Sweetie, Lil Earl seriously bugged the heck out of me.

6) Raven, Corey and Eddie from That's So Raven (My son is mad at me about this one (smile). Not that I care. I still say, rather than a show, all three of these jokers should be doing commercial spots for either Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.)

7) J.J from Good Times (This one is sort of a no-brainer, isn't it? Yeah, let's just keep it moving . . . )

8) Tia and Tamera from Sister, Sister (I'm not sure what it was about them. But even today when I see them, I get that awful sensation that generally accompanies the dragging of fingernails across a chalk board . . . shudder)

9) All of the kids from Happy Days (I hated this show. Still do. Mainly because, back when I was a teen, the 3 kids I babysat for during the summers used to make me watch the re-runs with them every doggone day. I have no doubt that being forced to watch this show is some awful level of Dante's Hell.)

10) All of the kids from Barney (Come on y'all. Weren't most of the kids on this show too durn old to be dancing, skipping, singing goofy songs and holding hands with the likes of Barney?)

11) Buffy and Mrs. Beasley from Family Affair (Yes, technically, Mrs. Beasley was a doll. But it's hard for me to imagine one without the other. I'm pretty sure there were days when it took everything in Mr. French not to lock the both of them up in the closet somewhere.)

12) Junior from My Wife and Kids (Talk about a punkin head. *For those who don't know or are simply in denial, "punkin" is Southern Ebonics for pumpkin* Yeah, so, anyway, they made this kid's character so slow, he really should have been hanging out with those big, goofy kids on Barney . . . and wearing a protective football helmet so he wouldn't hurt his fool self.)

13) Greg, Marsha and Jan from The Brady Bunch (Y'all know in the real world, Greg would have grown up to be the office suck-up, Marsha would have ended up being somebody's Stepford wife and poor Jan would have either wound up as some demented serial killer or else a horribly confused astronaut . . . you know, like the type who at some point decides to embark upon a road trip armed with a can of mace and a big bag of of Depends . . .)

So tell me, who did I miss? Which TV kid makes you wanna go all "Homie the Clown" (from the show In Living Color) and just bop 'em upside the head, one good time? I love kids. Really, I do . . . just not the ones on TV.

TIME FOR A BREAK . . . FROM THE MADNESS . . .

I could post something silly today. Being silly is easy. My mind generally tends to lean in that direction and without requiring much by way of provocation. But, as of late, I've been in a reflective, contemplative mood. So, how about a couple of inspirational quotes, instead?

The following is one of my favorites: "If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be too cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got to jump off the cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down . . ." Annie Dillard

And here's one from a song I've been listening to for the past couple of days:

"In the end

There can be only laughter

After the dance

Lies a whole new chapter

So never wait too long to try

Cause you might

You might win . . ."

Kem (from his song "You Might Win")

Be encouraged. Be inspired. Be an inspiration. And hey, if none of those work for you . . . just be quiet (smile).

THURSDAY THIRTEEN . . . 13 INTERNET PET PEEVES . . . Don't act like I'm the only one. Everyone has them, right? The following are some of my pet peeves when it comes to the internet.

1) Sites chocked so full of ads, graphics, photos and the like, they take forever to upload/download . . . Hey, give me a break, you know what I'm trying to say *smile* (In case you didn't know, not all of us have, want or can afford high speed internet).

2) Religious chain letters that attempt to blackmail you into salvation. You know, the "if you don't send this to 33 people in the next 33 minutes, 33 of your teeth are gonna rot" or some other such nonsense. (Does salvation made by way of threat or under duress really even count?)

3) The Nigerian Chain Letter (Come on, Dr. Josc, Mr. Abdoul and all the rest of y'all. Do you really think I was born yesterday? There is no 22.5 million dollars and I am not your dear friend. So, get a new hustle and stop freaking emailing me.

4) Dead, Broken or Unworkable Links (Okay, I must confess--I too have been guilty of this. )

5) Bloggers who respond to everyone's comments except yours. (Dag, it's like that, huh? Well, I'll just take my jacks and go play somewhere else.)

6) People who "reply" to "all" by email when they really only intend for one specific person to see the message. ( May you all be sentenced to an Email 101 Refresher Course.)

7) Pop-ups that sneak by your pop-up blocker. (Grrr!)

8) People who expect you to respond promptly to their emails, but refuse to extend you the same courtesy. (That's all right Mom. What goes around, comes around. Just kidding*smile*).

9) Huge links that take forever to download. (Really, sometimes smaller is better . . . ).

10) Sites with hideous color combinations--like pink on black, or black on purple . . . (Dag, I'm blind enough as it is. Pretty soon I'm gonna have to start wearing my 3D movie glasses everytime I sit down in front of the screen).

11) Bloggers who take themselves way too seriously. (Lighten up and laugh sometimes, why don'tcha? Life is way too short).

12) Forwarded emails, letters, poems, warnings purportedly penned by some authority figure, government official, slave master or Maya Angelou. (Stop the madness people).

13) Folks who pull/fish your name from a group email in order to send you advertising material and/or spam. (Class, can you say, "Tacky?!" Thank you class.)

Okay, did I miss any? Are there others you'd like to mention? Go ahead and vent, why don'tcha? I just did.

***A FEW LATE ADDITIONS***When you finish here, hop over to Artventuring and check out Michelle's "13 Life Frustrations We All Share." Also, Malcolm posted a list of "13 Films That Spawned Short-Lived Series" on his blog Pop Culture Dish.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT . . . BARACK OBAMA . . .

What I like about Barack Hussein Obama extends beyond his charisma, his candidacy or his politics. I read his first book, Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, well before he announced he was running for our nation's highest office. Matter of fact, I can remember saying in the book club in which I belonged at the time, "If there is to be a "Black" president in my lifetime, if will more than likely be Barack Obama."

My favorite section in Dreams From My Father is one entitled, "Origins." In it, Senator Obama speaks candidly about his family, his unique upbringing and his feelings about his racial/ethnic heritage. While writing about his college years, he mentioned a young woman he called, "Joyce." He described her as a "good-looking woman who had green eyes, pouty lips and honey-colored skin." He talked about the day he asked Joyce if, by any chance, she planned on attending the upcoming Black Students' Association meeting.

He said Joyce looked at him funny, shook her head and told him, "I'm not black. I'm multiracial." Then she went on to tell him about "her father, who happened to be Italian . . . and her mother who happened to be African and part French and part Native American and part something else." Then Joyce, who Obama described as being on the verge of tears at that point, went onto tell him that Black people were always trying to make her choose, while White people were willing to treat her as a person.

What Obama conclued about the experience, made me smile, if only because I've often thought/felt the same when I've encountered people like Joyce . . .

In Barack Obama's own words: "That was the problem with people like Joyce. They talked about the richness of their multicultural heritage and it sounded good, until you noticed that they avoided black people. It wasn't a matter of conscious choice, necessarily, just a matter of gravitational pull, the way integration always worked, a one-way street . . . Only white culture could be neutral and objective . . . Only white culture had individuals. And we, the half-breeds and the college-degreed, take a survey of the situation and think to ourselves, "Why should we get lumped in with the losers if we don't have to?" (From Dreams From My Father, pages 99-100)

In part, what I like about Senator Obama is that he appears to have made a conscious decision to cast his lot with those perceived as "the losers." It amuses me that so many (both Black and White) appear to take issue with Obama's choice to identify himself as an African American and align himself with the African American community. One has only to read his book, Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance to understand that Obama fully appreciates all of the various elements that helped make him who he is. In fact, I'd dare say, even more so than his African father, the book is about how his White, mid-western bred mother helped shape and influence his African American identity. I view how Barack Hussein Obama has elected to define himself as both an act of love and one of defiance.

For me, the real beauty of Obama is, one, that he readily and proudly embraces ALL that he is, as well as ALL to which he is connected--his White American mother, his Black African father, his White relatives from Kansas, his Black relatives from Kenya, his Indonesian step-father, his half-White, half-Indonesian sister, his South-Side of Chicago reared African American wife and their two little girls. And two, Obama steadfastly refuses to embrace a solely negative and stereotypical view of what it means to be Black . . . African American . . . or . . . a person of color.

(Written while listening to Lupe Fiasco's "Kick, Push"; "I Gotcha"; "He Say, She Say"; and "Day Dreamin'" from the cd entitled Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor).

A FEW ANSWERS . . . TO A FEW QUESTIONS . . .

1) Why don't you blog more often? Same reason I don't read more. I'm generally too busy writing. There are only so many hours in a day. When I'm not working on a serious project, I like spending as much time as I can doing things with the family and away from the computer.

2) Why don't you have more writers/authors on you list of links? In most things, I'm not one to play favorites. But I must admit to owning a bias for African American writers who hail from the South. With that in mind, at the present time, I've decided to limit my writer/author links to folks with ties to Memphis, TN (my home town) and Charlotte, NC (where I currently reside). Of course, it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind.

3) Why doesn't your blog contain more info about your book? Patience grasshopper. It's coming. I just received a copy of my cover a week or so ago. As soon as I receive the official okay, I'll post it.

4) Why do you blog so much about music? You obviously missed that post (smile). Check it out here, if you're interested or need a refresher. But the short answer is, writing, reading and music have always gone hand-in-hand for me. I was born in Memphis, home of the Blues, Al Green, B.B. King (got his start there), Bobby Blue Bland, Rufus Thomas, Earth Wind & Fire (even though they seldom claim it) Isaac Hayes, Stax Records and Beale Street. Oh yeah, and Elvis too (smile). I grew up in a home where jazz and r &b was purchased, played and partied to on the regular. Quiet as it's kept, and in another life, mind you, I really did want to be a Disc Jockey. You'd best believe, I'm jamming to some Aretha (who, by the way was born in Memphis) as I type this. "Rock Steady Baby!"

5) What's up with those Cleveland links? I lived in Beachwood, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio for 4 long, cold-a$$ years, before I relocated to Charlotte. The links are just my way of showing my Cleveland peeps some love.

6) Will your novel, After The Dance, be anything like your blog? God-forbid. LOL. My novel is simultaneously a romantic comedy and a parody of sorts, in that it pokes fun at various elements of the traditional "romance" genre. My novel is set in Memphis and contains a number of old school musical references. Hmm, I sense a contest coming on. Question #1 who can guess how many song references the book contains? And the prize? I haven't worked that out yet. But I am open to suggestions.

7) What's up with the black & white baby picture? And how come you haven't posted a current photo of yourself? What? You don't like my baby picture? I hate having my picture taken. Always have. But I'll post a more current one soon . . . maybe . . . we'll see (smile).

8) How come you don't have a website? Dag, give a sister a break, why don't ya? I'm slow, but I'm getting there. Really, I am. Soon as it's up and running, I'll let you know.

9) How come your blog contains so many doggone lists? I'm guessing some sort of undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder. LOL. Seriously though, creating lists is something I've done since I was a child.

Any more questions?

I just might have few more answers in me.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN . . . 13 VOICES I MISS . . .

One of my biggest complaints about today's popular music--so much of it sounds alike. Turn on the radio and listen. Now imagine the voice you're hearing without the music in the background. Uh-huh, most of the guys are yelping, grunting or whining, while most of the girls are stuck on wail, scream or purr. Ain't a whole lot of straight-up sanging going on (smile). Yeah, I said it. Meant it too. Where have all of the distinctive voices gone? Where are the songs and the voices we'll want to listen to 10, 20, 30 years from now?

The following is a list of distinctive voices . . . voices of singers who are no longer with us . . . voices that still make me smile whenever I hear them on the radio. My list is in no particular order and in all honesty could continue on well past the number 13.

THIRTEEN VOICES I MISS . . .

1) MARVIN GAYE

2) LUTHER VANDROSS

3) MINNIE RIPERTON

4) LOU RAWLS

5) JOHNNY TAYLOR

6) PHYLLIS HYMAN

7) DONNY HATHAWAY

8) CURTIS MAYFIELD

9) SARAH VAUGHAN

10) JAMES BROWN

11) DAVID RUFFIN

12) TUPAC

13) BIGGIE

So . . . which/what voices are on your list?

After you're finished here, you might want to jump over to Malcolm's Pop Culture Dish and check out his Thursday list of 13 "TV Shows I Would Love To See In Reruns Again."

HAVE MUSIC . . . WILL TRAVEL . . .

I just returned home after having visited 4 cities in 2 weeks. It was fun, though a bit tiring, like traveling with the family can sometimes be. Had it not been for the music, I probably wouldn't have made it beyond a couple of days (smile). Really, I mean, What's a road trip without music? Please, I don't even want to think about it.

When the hubby and I first started traveling together, umpteen some years ago, our musical preferences/differences were something we had to sort out. I like my music loud. He doesn't. While I enjoy a variety of music, I prefer R & B, hip-hop and jazz. The hubby can only take a limited amount of hip-hop, prefers "smooth" jazz, and is even more OLD SCHOOL than am I when it comes to his preferences in R & B.

Moreover, I'm pretty sure, had ole boy been traveling alone, he would have listened to nothing but CLASSICAL music. I don't have anything against classical music. It's all right. I mean, I can listen to it for a good, solid 10 minutes or so . . . before I'm overcome by an overwhelming desire to slit my own wrists or somebody else's throat (LOL).

In recent years, I've managed to assemble a collection of mutually agreed upon cds. These are tunes we both enjoy and have little problem listening to over and over again. On our latest road trip, I managed to sneak in a best of Stephanie Mills collection and that went over well enough to become part of the permanent rotation. But when I dropped a best of Aretha collection on ole boy and tried to get him to join me in a "Freeway of Love" sing-along, he wasn't having it. Though, I think I heard my son humming in the backseat to "Chain, Chain, Chain" so there may still be hope (smile).

The following is currently the mutually agreed list of tunes we listen to when we set out on long road trips:

1) Next Exit (Grover Washington, Jr.)

2) Cache (Kirk Whalum)

3) Hang Suite . . . & . . . Now (Maxwell)

4) Ride (Boney James)

5) What's Going On (Marvin Gaye)

6) Best of Smooth Jazz (Vols.1-4; Various Artists; Warner Bros)

7) When Skies Are Grey (Ron Carter)

8) Bill Withers (Greatest Hits)

9) Kemistry . . . & . . . Kem II (Kem)

10) Bang!Zoom (Bobby McFerrin)

11) Always & Forever: The Classics (Luther Vandross)

Of course, had it been left to me, there would have been some Common, Coltrane, Miles, Badu, Jaguar Wright, Ndegeocello, India Arie, Jill Scott, Raheem DeVaughn, some old Isley Brothers and Al Green, some Heather Headley, Cassandra Wilson, some Lauryn Hill, a bit of T.I and the list goes on . . .

So, what do you listen to when you are on the road?

THURSDAY 13 . . . MY 13 FAVORITE CONCERTS . . .

I've never really had the desire to participate in a meme before, but Malcolm over at Pop Culture Dish inspired me. After reviewing his 13 favorite concerts, music-lover that I am, I decided to list my own 13. The following are some of my favorite concerts, though in no particular order . . . well, except for Prince ones (smile). Unlike Malcolm, I'm horrible at remembering years--so, my list doesn't include any.

1) Prince, Vanity 6 & The Time I was a BIG Prince fan, back in the day. This is probably my all-time favorite concert. Those folks put on one HELL of a SHOW.

2) Prince & Shelia E. The hubby (who back then was the boyfriend) and I camped out all night for this show. We bought tickets for ourselves and about 10 of our friends and relatives.

3) Al Jarreau The hubby and I have seen Jarreau several times. My favorite show was an outdoor concert on Mud Island (in Memphis). There was a light rain and a breeze coming off the Mississippi River that night . . . and I was young, in love and sipping on wine coolers (smile).

4) B. B. King I saw B. B. up close and personal (front row seats) on Beale Street and in a club bearing his name, no less.

5) Phyllis Hyman and Kirk Whalum Whalum is a hometown (Memphis) boy who can blow one heck of a bad sax. I saw up on stage one night with the late, great Phyllis Hyman.

6) Grover Washington I was blessed to see the late Mr. Washington in a small club in Memphis one night. He was extremely personable and a great performer.

7) Rachelle Ferrell, Will Downing and Jonathan Butler Yes, I'm a a jazz fan. Loved the show, but I'm still mad that Rachelle and Will didn't sing their duet.

8) Stephanie Mills I saw her years ago at the Mid-South Fair in Memphis. I don't think she gets the credit she deserves. Sistergirl has some chops.

9) Maze All I can say is, the haze and the contact high was something else (smile).

10) George Benson Another one of those great outdoor concerts on Mud Island.

11) Jeffrey Osborne Even after all of these years, I'd love to see him again.

12) Cameo I still have the poster my hubby bought me at the show.

13) Maxwell and Angie Stone What can I say . . . Angie was cool, but Maxwell is MY BOY!

AFRICAN AMERICANS & TENNIS . . . MORE QUOTES . . .

I subscribe to the NY Times online, but as of late, I've been much too busy to read them. While deleting some of the clutter in the mail box, I stop and read over some of the article titles in the Times Sunday Book Review, dated July 22, 2007. I noticed a review on a book entitled, CHARGING THE NET: A History of Blacks in Tennis from Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe to the Williams Sisters.

The book, which is edited by Cecil Harris and Larryette Kyle-DeBose, consists of 65 interviews and presents an indepth look into the lives of Black tennis stars.

A couple of the quotes in the article, written by Toure, jumped out at me.

Leslie Allen, who participated in the sport in the 80's said the following: "I'd go to a tournament where the family wanted to house the No. 1 seed. But when that family found out that the No. 1 seed was me, then suddenly the housing disappeared."

The editors (Harris and Kyle-DeBose) made the following observations: "The unspoken but persistent vibe that you are not welcome, that others would be happier if you went away, a vibe that black tennis players have sensed on the main tour for decades, makes it difficult to find the rhythm and comfort zone needed to perform at your best."

I'm not a major follower of tennis, but this book sounds like one I'd enjoy reading. I was surprised by some of the details the article shared, particularly, as far as some of the personal difficulties faced by so many of the better known tennis stars. Also,I'm intrigued by the thought that so many African Americans, whose names I've never heard, not only played, but excelled in the sport (smile).

VENUS WILLIAMS . . . SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT . . .

The following is yet another great quote I found in the July 23, 2007 issue of JET magazine. According to the article on page 9, after her recent Wimbeldon victory, Venus Williams said:

"I was really motivated because no one picked me to win. They didn't even say, 'She can't win.' They weren't even talking about me."

I, too, noticed the lack of attention Venus received before, after and during the competition. The news media almost seemed to take an "oh,well" view of this accomplished athlete. I'd like to say, I don't understand . . . but if I did, I'd be lying (smile).

If Tiger Woods goes out on the golf course and breaks a nail, it's deemed a newsworthy item of the highest order. If Tiger were a Black woman (not that he has ever considered himself a Black man, of course *smile*) would he warrant the same kind of attention? Probably not.

I'll even go a step further and say, he most certainly WOULD NOT were he a dark-skinned Black woman. Yeah, I said it. Meant it too (smile).

No, racism, sexism and the "invisibility" of Black women is/are hardly anything new. Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" refrain is just as pertinent today as it was when she first uttered it back in 1851

I can only hope and pray that one day we'll stop being in denial about the "isms" that we've all internalized and that influence how we see or choose not to see certain people . . . and one another.

So, what are your thoughts on the subject?