I ain't got ish to say

I ain't got ish to say, so I don't even know why I am posting here today. That's right, I said, "ain't got no." It's much quicker than saying or typing, "I don't have anything to say." Aiiiight! Maybe I can think of something to say. Oh yeah, I got it. Tulsa Kinney in the LA Weekly says it's the year of the pussy, and I ain't mad at her a'tall. At least I think it's a she. Would a guy be named Tulsa? Whatever. In case you think I'm making it up, check the link. It reminds me of an article in the Village Voice a few year's back. It was about Mary J, and I think Karen R. Goode wrote it. I still had the article, but I can't find it in my archives, or locate it on VV's site. Basically, the article mentions that Mary, at that time, was often photographed with her legs open. It may have even mused about her crotch-grabbing antics. Anyway, the point was that Mary's vocal abilities are a direct link to the power of the pussy. To the best of my memory, the article stated that when Mary sings, forget about those guttural tones coming from her diaphragm, it's coming from between her legs. That's if my memory serves me correctly.

I'm a little burnt out as of late, that's why I've taken a break from posting. Besides, there are far better things to read other than my goings on and ish. Picked that one up from Bernie Mac, can't you tell? Anyway, I want to share a real good story with you folks. Reading it almost makes me sad I haven't copped the new Wu album yet. The way Jeff Chang put it down in the Washington Post was just incredible. (BTW, the WP link is to Jeff's article on the latest Wu release.) With all the individual projects that crew does, who knew they could get back together and make you believe they are still as tight as they once were. As for Jeff, I've been watching his writings for a little bit now. He'll have a book coming out in '02, and you best believe it will be thorough. Jeff and I started emailing one another when he worked at 360hiphop.com and I worked at BlackPlanet.com. We both were invited to Jamaica to check out Downsound Records' Kingston Signals and write about it. Rob Kenner, Mr. Boom Shots Man for Vibe, also penned a piece on Downsound. Anyway, Jeff is a real righetous dude, and I think he's good people. Respect! If you want to know more about Downsound and my trip to Jamaica, check my archives for the post from 11.13.01.

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Got the Mac blues

So MBNA didn't approve an Apple Loan so I could get that nice Titanium mac truck and silly music listening device — (asking self, "Which came first with that thing anyway — form, or function?). Gotta' stay a sharecropper I guess. (Now asking self, "Wonder what the loan officer used to determine my credit worthiness anyway? Didn't I just purchase an iMac last year around this time — with cash?) That's Apple's loss, not mine. Maybe I should get a Vaio. It's practically the same thing. Well, isn't it? Isn't it? Come on somebody, help me out on this one. I'm saying, I'm a Mac(ie) for life, but if they won't let me have one, what am I supposed to do?

On another note, finally saw the Jigga Man's unplugged performance. That chick Jaguar sure got a fine set of lungs. She was blowing so hard, had Jigga thinking he was up in chu'ch or something. (Asking self, "Why can't hip-hop always sound so smooth?) That unplugged CD is going to get Hova another audience set. How could anyone go wrong with ?uestlove on drums? Mary J turned out and did a little sumthin' sumthin' too. Listened to it again on the Unplugged CD today. His delivery is awesome in the live performance arena. And as for his battle with Nasty Nas, well, the New York hip-hop populace has determined that Nas is the mighty magnificent MC. It's back to the lab for you Jay Peso. But then Nas Esco got a whole lot of other problems resting on his head. He better watch his cap if he's rolling through QB.

As far as my life is concerned, it's still finals time. My friends are so mad at me, and I missed my boy Deshawn's earth day celebration at Spa tonight. My girl, Mellie Mel, ain't feeling me right now, 'cuz well, she ain't seen me in like a month and everytime she calls I say I have to call her back. And then between school work and writing deadlines, I forget, so she calls back with an attitude. Hey Mel, get an attitude adjustment, realize your girl is trying to accomplish big thangs. But it's all love, 'cuz I know you love me ma'.

PS: Finally glad that the silly Philly death row committee lifted Mumia's death sentence. Perhaps 2001 wasn't such a devastating year after all.

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Have you ever felt like you were falling?

Have you ever felt like you were falling? I mean the way that a leaf falls, with no destinantion in mind. Just slowly wavering and descending, until, splat, you hit the ground. Well, if you ever want to know what it feels like, all you gotta' do is ask me. I'm spiralling downward into an abyss, and in the words of Lionel Richie (with no pu'pose). Ok, exaggeration again. But when ish goes awry, sometimes, it's ok to feel like it's the end of the world. Just as long as when you wake up the next day, you adjust your reality and put those rose colored glasses on. Otherwise, there's no survival, and the only way out is well...dream states. Thought I was going to say death, didn't you? Man, where's my kozmic consciousness? Where's my altered state? Where's my otherworldliness? Forget about 40 gigs and an iPod, I just want to sleep and dream dammit!

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I'm sleep deprived

OK, so I am sleep deprived. Don't know my toes from my fingers at the moment. Don't know when last I had a full night's rest. 17 credits of the first semester of an MBA about to draw to a close, and I am overwhelmed. So what I'm an unemployed, freelance slacker. That doesn't mean that life should be easy. Debt is piling up sky high, and still my outlook on life is optimistic. The economy sucks, and there are no full time jobs for someone with my skills — oh wait, there are, just that 200 other people are qualified to fill the posts as well. Not like I'd be able to handle a FT gig with going to school FT anyway.

But I really can't complain, August '02 will come and I'll have an MBA, some nice freelance credits stacked up, and if not at least a published book there'll be a few book proposals with my name on them out there waiting for green lights. Maybe things aren't so bad after all. It could be snowing instead of raining. And since I haven't taken out the winter gear yet, well snow would so really suck right now.

Now it's back to sliding my head into the books and the writing of papers, cuz' there's only about a week more left of this life experienced only in front of a computer screen ish. So if for some strange reason I post no entries from now until the New Year, at least those of you who still check in from time-to-time will understand why.

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I went to Internet World

I went to Internet World today. It was pretty uneventful. The landscape has changed so much in the tech sector, it's amazing. Basically, there are so few Web and tech companies nowadays. Not at all like it was in '99-'00. If I were still writing about the tech industry full time, I'm sure I'd be bored.

The Streaming Media portion of Internet World looked interesting, but I got there late and didn't have time to check it out. I was about to look at some MPEG 4 delivery apps, but then my blasted cell phone started ringing. Of course I had to answer it. It was a very important call. So the lights began to flicker, and it was time to go home. So sorry I wasted my time on that Microsoft Pavilion. Other than Office for Mac OS X, why would I care about what Microsoft is doing? I could probably go back again tomorrow, but those exhibition halls take up too much of my precious time — I've got finals to study for and papers to write. Not to mention those freelance deadlines I have to keep up with. Well it's upward and onward, another day, another dollar. And I could use some dollars, I haven't seen a Benjamin in eons!

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I was a Mad Magazine Junkie

I was a Mad Magazine junkie. My head was always in one of those things as a kid. If it wasn't the magazine it would be one of the paperbacks they put out. I would forego other youthful pleasures just to read the latest Spy V Spy, or other weird novelties found in those books. No one around me could understand why I was so addicted. I can't even say that I do. But between Mad comic books and Monty Python's Flying Circus, those moments of loneliness turned into moments of fun. Sure I had friends, crap loads of 'em, but somehow I preferred being taken away by those books, that PBS series, and then there was also Space Invaders and Galaga that took up lots of my time. It's interesting to reflect and realize how much of a nerd I really am.

Got another one of my writer's perks, Meshell's latest CD. For information on the upcoming CD and to hear a sample check out the Maverick site. She and Prince are coming back real strong this go around.

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Adario Strange's Mars Magazine

Adario Strange, one of the biggest techno geeks I know, sent me an email the other day to tell me that he might be taking Mars magazine to print. That would be cool. Especially since there is no more Artbyte. Mars kind of picks up where Omni left off. Hopefully I'll get to write some cool tech and sci fi stuff for Adario. I did a Q&A with Adario back when I was at BlackPlanet, it was kind of interesting. We talked about future culture, black folx, and web culture. You can check out this link to see what we talked about.

Ok, I know I sound pretty boring right now. Not in a great mood. To be honest, I think most of this diary sounds boring, but folx keep bigging it up and are telling me that I must keep it up. Perhaps, I just don't have the writing skillz anymore. Maybe I am all written out. Can't craft a sentence the way I know I oughta'. To be young and so very overwhelmed by life, oh what a shame.

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It is so summer and...

It is so summer and I'm loving it. Can't love it too much, gots work ta' do. Too much of it to mention. Anyway, not listening to anything new and interesting this week. Although I did get the new Prince disc. Sometimes being a writer has a few perks. Translation, I got Prince for free. Get to review it for NY Press. Hope my review makes the cut.

On another note, last night I saw some beautiful art. Here in Brook'nam, a new spot opened up called Lou Lou's restaurant. It used to be a bodega/mini mart. What a change! It's a beautiful little French café. And when I say little, I mean little. But it was spacious enough for the art showing. nikki terry, an artist I met a few years back and hooked up with writing for Mosaic, is now also a painter. The works are so colorful and well, sexual. At least they made me think of sex. Each painting looked as if it had some part of a woman's anatomy in it. I hope nikki keeps her promise and lets me write a poem or meditation for that one painting we had a discussion about, it's called, well not sure it's what it's called, but when I told nikki which piece inspired me, she said, " blue asses and tits with a yellow sun and a blue moon." So, I guess that's it.

Took the big bro with me, and he had fun. The champagne was fruity and quite bubbly. Yum, yum! The big bro, Brett D. Johnson (aka Duval), is also the producer and director of Mosaic Live, which airs on BCAT in Brook'nam. I think he and Ron, from Mosaic and Bronx Museum, are going to try and get that show on a five borough run. At least in the Boogie Down, since that's where Ron's repping from. They were planning their next episode while we were at nikki's art show. Just hope big bro one day takes that Canon XL1 of his and makes a film. I know he will, he's already turned one of my short stories into a screenplay. Maybe he'll start shooting it soon. After nikki's art showing, we stepped over to the Brooklyn Moon and got my dinner to go. Mike's got these $5 specials he's been running since 911. While there, I ran into Lenny and Terrence, two wonderful photographers. Also saw some cats I went to undergrad with there. Ray Hands, you know the guy with the hats that you see all over the city, was up in the spot too. You just gotta' love Brook'nam, there's no place like it!

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chilling in the nyc

Last night was a blast. Haven't hung out like that in awhile. First, Lexibo — she's the Intelligent Diva behind BlackLoveNow.com — and I went to see Beth Coleman
(a.k.a. DJ M. Singe) mix from her laptop using Logic at Joe's Pub. Thanks Beth for hooking us up on the guest list. By the way, forgot to tell you about the party the Intelligent Diva threw for her launch of BlackLoveNow.com last week at the Remote Lounge. It's a great place for voyeurs and first dates. Finally glad I got to that place. Well anyway, after M. Singe's dope set, we took it over to Ludlow Bar and kicked it with Qool Marv while he was playing his funky-drenched jazzy set for Low Profile Mondays. The party is hosted by my long time homie, Deshawn. We ended up running into Drew there, and what a coincidence that was. Drew is part of the rhythm collective, a group that brings underground party music to the masses. Lexibo said her boy, Baby Blue, was spinning at Sway, so we hightailed over there and caught his set. He did some interesting things mixing rock with drum n' bass, hip-hop, and reggae. Here's a pic of Lexibo, Drew, and I cheesing and having fun. I can't even believe how late we hung out, especially since I am in the last two weeks of my first semester of working on this MBA. Guess I needed to get out. If Donald reads this, he's going to kill me. I have not yet made it to his Axum affair as I promised. I'll be there soon Donald. I will.

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