Busy in New York City, Venus and Serena Williams are at it again.    Busily working their way through the Women’s Single and Doubles tennis matches…truly they are a force to be reckoned with. 

Though injured…Venus  limping and  with a heavily bandaged knee…yet a true fighter all the way, she is  refusing  to give up…or in.   Determined to not let a little thing like severe pain or a weak knee stop her from attempting to take yet another grand slam tournament  title.   While all the while…her little sister is hoping  for the exact  same  thing.

Currently ranked Number 2 & 3 in the World of  Female Tennis players…clearly Venus and Serena can be ranked right up there with all of the top all time tennis greats such as…Althea…Martina and Christie…and Billie…as being not only highly talented athletes…but gifted as well.  

They really should be making lots more money for  what they have managed to accomplished… not to mention for the beauty and excellence that they both have brought to the game of women’s tennis.    Venus and Serena are truly endowed with that something.   And I think that Billie Jean Kings says it best in the article linked below…if you care to read it.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/08/29/2009-08-29_10_years_after_us_open.html

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-us-open3-2009sep03,0,2200533.story

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/32658936/ns/sports-tennis/

UPDATE (September 7, 2009):  Venus is out in the 4th rounds of the US Open…and Serena is still in after having won her match.

There is no doubt that going in…Venus knew that her shot at another championship was going to be an up-hill battle…due to the problem with her knee.  But she didn’t let it deter her. 

She went for it…and took the pain fighting her way through every round…every point…and every game.   She didn’t cry about it.  She went out there on the court knowing what it was that she had to if  she wanted to make it into the finals…and she almost made it.

http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2009/09/06/aged-venus-williams-will-compete-again/

http://tennis.fanhouse.com/players/wta/serena-williams/168339

Packaged as the ‘all American girl’,  Melanie Oudin an attractive young blonde from the deep south…is being touted at as ‘the Great White Hope.’    A tennis power house who may be able to do for those too shallow to feel that they can cheer whole heartedly for 2 young sisters born and raised in a ghetto in the worst side of Los Angeles, CA…known as Compton.

Yeah, they come from Compton…though they currently live in Florida.  Compton with police helicopters patrolling the neighbors night and day…one of the toughest and most dangerous areas in L.A.  The home of  hard core rappers like Snoop Doggy Dog, Ice Cube, NWA…etc…etc.   But yeah…it was the place of  their humble tennis beginnings.  And some how they beat those mean  streets of southern California.

It is sad that since the days of  Jack Johnson the heavy weight boxer of  the 1930’s. ..many white people in this country still feel that it goes against their grain to totally except and celebrate anything or anyone but someone who looks like them.    The same is even quite evident in how many in this country feel about Barack Obama.  Many have yet to truly embrace him as President of  this country.  And are strongly oposed to him…and intended to do everything they can to make it as hard on him and his administration as possible…with a sincere desire to undermind his ever move and effort.   This kind of thinking is truly sad…and quite sick.

Oh, sure they love to win the games and do take to the athletes who possess the skills to make it happen for their favorite teams.  But it is the white players  on the team that they make the coaches…move to the front of the team…and put in front of the TV and newspaper cameras…etc.

It is sad that as much as Venus and Serena Williams have managed to do…and from very humble beginnings…without the benefit of  suburan country clubs and well kept tennis courts.  They are a true American success story…and well worth celebrating and holding up before the world as the stars and champions that they truly and really are…and gracious and humble young women regardless of  their vast success both on and off the tennis courts.

You can read the below story on Oudin by CLICKING the LINK below…to clearly understand my statements regarding this issue of  ‘the Great White Tennis Hope.’

http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2009/09/08/oudin-serena-final-would-be-love-american-style/?icid=main|hp-laptop|dl5|link3|http%3A%2F%2Ftennis.fanhouse.com%2F2009%2F09%2F08%2Foudin-serena-final-would-be-love-american-style%2F

UPDATE: (September 8, 2009)  Serena is on to the Semi-Finals…and the predictors are saying that she is on her way to taking her 3rd Grand Slam win this year…having take both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=tennis+serena&aq=f&oq=&aqi=http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen09/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=4458868

Turning 28 on the 28th of this month, Serena has won 11 Tennis Grand Slams, 2 Olympic gold medals and over $25 million…having become the first woman athlete to win over $22 million a few months ago.  To date Serena has won the US Open in 1999, 2002 and 2008.

She and Venus are on their way to taking the Women’s Doubles at US Open, Wimbledon  and the Australian Open…etc…etc…  Venus who is 29 years old…and yet they continue to keep reeling in the wins.  And as a team they are unbeatable.  CLICK the LINK BELOW to the full stop and to see video footage of the Open.

Didn’t know though that Venus and Serena are part owners of the Miami Dolphins.  Wow…they are really smart.  Not to mention being authors having written some books…Serena working on a screenplay…and Venus working doing interior designing and fashion.  And I almost forget…Serena designing and selling jewelry (as you caught in the video above).  But check out their videos below and Serena will tell you all about it herself.

I am really happy for them.  I like to see successful people…and they also give back to their community via their tennis camp for inter-city youth.  Bravo!

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/usopen09/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=4458868

UPDATE: (Women’s Semi-Finals…September 13, 2009)   Evidently Serena  had some type of melt down today during her semi-final match  against Kim Clijsters.  Maybe it was bound to happen at some point or other.  I mean how long can you just sit around…or go out one game after another…come out the winner and never get the claim or fame …or the real big bucks for having done so?

How many times can you get called the “N word” during a tournament…heckled…boo-ed…or look into the eyes of  your opponents knowing what and how they really feel about you.   On  top of   that…to be ignored by the tennis world in general…who run after the young blond haired girls with  their batting blue eyes…with their microphones and cameras…and can’t  seem to get  enough of  them.  And they didn’t have to do half  the work  or  win a  game…but reap all the fame.

How long can you tolerate that…and not experience some type of  emotional melt down?

http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/serena-knocked-out-in-bizarre-finish/

http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/serena-williams-calls-it-quits-with-disgraceful-eruption/?icid=main|hp-laptop|dl5|link3|http%3A%2F%2Ftennis.fanhouse.com%2F2009%2F09%2F13%2Fserena-williams-calls-it-quits-with-disgraceful-eruption%2F

http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/serena-williams-fined-10-500-for-tirade/

http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2009/09/serena_williams_outburst_will.html

It is unfortunate, because it is what they had been waiting.  Something to tarnish your squeaky clean image…taint your name…some character fawl to justify why they haven’t cover you the way they cover your white opponents…plastered your face over all the popular magazines…or offered you some of  those major big dollars advertising contracts.  

Oh, they were waiting alright.  And finally the right button was pushed…the straw that broke the camel’s back…and the flood gates burst open.  And all those nasty little words started flowing out…and when the flood gates opened up…all you had been trying to hide and hold back for months just came rushing out.

It is not like melt downs haven’t happened during tennis tournaments before.  

Who could tell you more about that  than John McEnroe?

Who by the way said what amounted to that Serena’s behavior was shameful.   This from a man who never walked out on the court without wild outbursts and one swear after another.

I am certainly not condoning Serena’s behavior…but I have seen a lot of black folk who after awhile just got plain fed up.  And once they did… Well…you can figure out the rest.

Baby, it is just hard to contain them…until they get it all…and I do mean all…off  their chest.

Serena’s apology…

I don’t know…I guess as we all get older we start to think more and more about our health.   Maybe it has something to do with seeing others go through some many different kind of  health issues…that we suddenly begin to think about our own mortality more and more. 

Whatever the cause that brings us into a mind that we need to start taking better care of  ourselves…it is all for our good.  And hopefully for a better and healthier future…or for our continued good health.

As women our schedules, families, jobs…and various other choices all sometime supercede us taking care of us.  But the truth of the matter is this…if  we’re not in good health…nothing else can operate well either.   And everything comes to a halt.

So, before that happens…now is a good time to start caring for you. 

I now find myself  listening to my body.  Mostly, because my body now has began to make me listen to it.  Whereas I used did not…I now have to.  Otherwise, my body will put me out of commission for days…and  I  do mean days.    And in a way it is like listening to your car.

Who doesn’t listen to their car?

Only a fool wouldn’t. 

And that is how we should fell about listening to our bodies when it starts sending warning signals out to us. 

In the link below…listed are some warning signs that women  should pay close attention to in regards to on-coming heart attacks.    One of  the  first  keys  to  prevention is being informed.  Information is important…then paying heed to it can be essential. 

http://www.aolhealth.com/health/senior-health/heart-attack-signs?icid=main|main|dl5|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolhealth.com%2Fhealth%2Fsenior-health%2Fheart-attack-signs

I set my glasses down the other day…then carelessly knocked them over onto the ground.  While searching for them…I stepped on them.   Now, I am working with a pair of  broken eye-glasses.   What a cross to bare…when I have so much work to do.   And can barely read a thing with these lopesided glasses.

Spent my whole day…well, most of  it  outside today on my parent’s front porch reading.   Well, as best I could…considering my delemma with my glasses. 

But the weather was great…and I am trying to soak up as much of  it as I can…as I believe that we will be in for a very cold winter this year.   Sorry,  I know your probably did not want to hear that. 

So, I am already laying my plans for it.  I only wished the fireplace worked.  And it does…but I am afraid to lite a fire in it because I don’t want to burn down my parent’s house. 

I have read and heard too many stories about faulty fireplaces to want to risk it.

Still looking very much forward to the day that  my book, THE BISHOP’S WIFE, rolls off the press.  

So, I am going to go back to working on my website now that  I have completed my book trailer for youtube.  And I will also finish the radio commercial that I intend to air in  various markets to promote my book.    Since I have to wait…I might as well use this time well.  Because when my book is finally pubished…I will have to hit the ground running.  And I won’t have a moment to spare.

Well, God bless… and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2009

Finally, I am up and out.

We just flew back in from Tampa on Sunday afternoon, and I have been drained of  any energy every since.  I have barely eaten a thing.   All I have wanted was sleep…and more sleep.  But finally today I decided that maybe I needed to get out and get some fresh air to clear out the cob-webs from all that compressed air I was forced to breath in during our flight down and back from Florida.  And maybe…just maybe…I was right.

I feel better already.

Florida was beautiful.  It rained most of the time while we were down there.  But I loved every minute of it anyway. 

My plan was to write my blogs during the evening while laying around in the hotel…as we were in Tampa for the AIM conference with our church.   But our hotel did not have a business room where I could access a computer for free.   Instead they had an UPS store with computers that could be rented at a rate of  59¢ per minute.  Needless to say, I was livid.  And my son had failed to bring our lap-top computer on the trip. 

So, it meant that during this whole Michael Jackson thing…and Palin resignation…and the whole of the 4th of July weekend…I had been computerless.  And unable to voice any opinions on anything to anyone accept to the walls of  my hotel room…how boring.

So, alas…I am happy for this opportunity to be able to once again feel the rugged curves of  the keys of my keyboard.  And now able to voice my voice…but I have forgotten what it was that I had wanted to say.

Though through the whole week last week…I had much to voice…I now, however, find that maybe I am just too tired to say anything.  Though I did think that Palin has committed political suicide…not to mention that there most be something bigger behind her quick decision to resign at this time.   And then… frankly, I believe Michael may have been murdered.

If  Michael was in the mental state that those around him claimed that he was in…then any contract signed by him for 50 concert dates would be null and void…as he was not mentally competent to sign anything.  My other point to this is…is this.   When an artist signs a contract…and particularly an performing artist like a Michael Jackson…the promoters would have insured him.

I am curious just how much the owners of the Staple Center in LA had Michael insured for…as they were the ones promoting the 50 concerts in England.

My second point…is this.  No talent in their right mind would have ever signed a contract for 50 consecutive concert dates.  Most entertainers can barely make it though a couple weeks of  performing without becoming exhausted. 

At 50 years of  age there was no way that any out of shape performer who had not been on the road or on stage for at lease 8 to 10 years…such as Michael… could have possibly pulled off  the 50 concerts that Michael Jackson was said to have been booked for.  Not without battling complete exhaustion and/or possibly killing himself  by dropping dead on stage while attempting to do it.  

It was simply an impossible fete that even the King of Pop would not have been able to pull off.

Had Michael died during the time of  his rehersals for his 50 concert gig…it would have meant a big pay day for the promoters of his supposed 50 concert dates.   Had he died while on the road or any time during his 50 concerts…also meant a big pay day for his promoters.  And having died while under contract…which Michael was…also meant a tremendous pay day for the concert promoters of his 50 concerts.

But had Michael gotten up on the stage and not been able to fulfil his concert dates…for reasons due to exhaustion…burn-out…fatigue…drugs…etc.    This would have meant financial disaster for the promoters…and demands for rememburstments for all tickets of the shows which had to be cancelled.  Something which no promoters wishes to ever face.

http://www.michaeljacksonlive.com/memory.php

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29676050

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/29676991#29676991

Michael Jackson’s untimely demise has left many questions.  And among them are questions as to whether or not Michael superseded the law in the aquisition of  his children?

In perhaps, the biggest baby-mama drama ever…if  Michael had aquired the first 2 children, Price Michael and Paris, legally…then why had they not been legally adopted by him?

No legitimate lawyer would have allowed that to get pass him or her.   He or she would have counseled Michael on the merits of  legalizing those children as being his.  And it would have had to have gone through Probate Court.

Then there is the issue of  Blanket.  

What happened to his mother?

Why is she not named on the birth certificate for the child?

Was this legal?

Since Blanket had to have come from some woman…or girl…somewhere…who was she…and what happened to her?   As  Blanket did not  just materialized out of the  air and just came to be.  Why was his mother’s name omitted from her son’s birth certificate?

I have never heard of any such a thing before…and the matter really sounds quite fishy to me.

The lawyer…or lawyers involved in Michael’s acquisition of  his children really should be questioned…because it seems to me that they…or he…or she…overstepped some boundries of the law.   Even though California laws vary so much from other states…perhaps it was all legal and aboard board.   But I think not.

Having money you get whatever you want.  And I think that Michael Jackson having money managed to find the right people who for a nickle or a dime would deliver to him whatever he wanted. 

And in the end…it is those very people who you cannot ever trust.

So, it is not a mystery to me…that papa Joseph is crying foulplay in the untimely death of  his son, Michael Jackson.  It is sad and becomes highly unsafe for anyone who becomes worth more dead than alive.

We await the autopsy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196332/Michael-Jackson-Debbie-Rowe-biological-parents-of-children.html

Hope that you are enjoying this weather.

I got up early this morning to read my Bible on my mother’s very large front porch.  The sound of the birds chirping and feel of the early morning breezy on a beautiful sunny summer morning…made it an absolutely beautiful experience.  Just me…my Bible…and the beauty of the Lord.

Enjoy your day.

I am still twiddling my tumbs waiting on the publishers to finish…but the hold up this time is kind of my fault…in that because of the money I had already put out to publish my book, THE BISHOP’S WIFE.  You know when I gave over 2 grand to Xulon Press…which I go into more in-depth in another blog…and got nothing back in return.  So, when I finally decided upon another company…I had to do it on a payment plan because I just did not have all the money to pay for the printing of  my book all at once.  Which was really one of the main reasons I chose the company that I finally decided upon. 

Four payments in the amount of $175 for the package that I chose…which with a special they were running gave me 20 advance copies of my book for free.  And they should have given me something out of the deal…as I had done all the work for my book including designing  my cover and the layout of my interior pages…plus the editing of the my text, as well…which what has been the hold up. 

I just keep finding another error…and I am such a perfectionist.  It would kill me not to put out a work that is not quality.  So, please continue to bare with me.  THE BISHOP’S WIFE will soon be out and available for your purchase soon.    the time when my book will soon be made available for sale.  God is good…I am so happy to finally  have gotten it done and out…and into the final stage of the process…besides getting out to aid in selling it.

And I am still working hard on my book trailer for ‘youtube’ too…and my radio promo.  All of  which I shall premiere right here on my blog site first.

 Well, enjoy the rest of your day and I have so much more to tell you.  It’s coming. 

God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

They say that it always comes in 3’s. 

First…Carradine

Then…Farrah

Then…Ed McMann

Now, Michael?

I had thought about writing today…then got tired and decided not to.  But then the phone rang…and word came of  Michael’s passing.  And I have been in conversation after conversation trying to find out exactly what is what.  And all the while thinking…how sad.

I had heard about Farrah earlier today…but then had forgotten about it.  She had battled hard against cancer…but perhaps it was her battle with drugs…that had taken a bigger total on her.  Once the body becomes weaken…there is not much that it can do to ward off  too much of anything else.  And drugs had definitely weaken her.

Classical example of  ‘bad boy/good girl.‘  From the time she became involved with the wrong man…she just never recovered.   Though she had proven that she ‘really’ could act…all of  it  was blown to the wind when drugs became to her…a soul mate.

Michael at 50, just days away from his next birthday,  had years ago began  fighting his own addiction…surgery to his head, body and face.  It seems that once he got started…he could not stop.  It became perpetual.

Then on top it…I guess the injuries…to his back and knee… that he suffered while shooting that Pepsie commerical and after falling off stage…just never went away either.  So, down went the pills…and on came the addiction.

It is sad really…a life filled with so much promise should have such an end.  One can not help but to think about how much he seemed to romance the  idea of  becoming  ‘the next big thing’  behind Elvis after death.  So, much so that he even married into that family.   The King of  Pop vs  the King of  Rock & Roll…knocking at heaven’s gate.

But it is sad when you reflect and think back on Michael’s life…how he just never seemed to connect with life.   Somehow, it all seemed beyond him…just out of his reach… a real life… with any kind of  normalcy.   How he just never appeared to have felt comfortable being who he was.  How much he must have really hated himself… to ruin his face and body in the way that he did.  How sad he and lonely he must have  really been…that he only sought solace among young children.

How sad a life Michael had.  Never was allowed to be a real child…growing up in school…with real friends.   Once he had been sitting on top of the world…but over the course of years that world began to crumble from under him. 

He was king…because he wanted to be.  He could dance and sing his way into anyone’s heart.  And he did for years… years ago… but today was a new day.  Though…yes, he still had plenty of adorning and loving fans…who remembered Michael ‘when.’

Amid years of allegations of  child molestation…Michael lost most of all he had behind one legal battle after another.  And like R. Kelly…quietly paying parents off.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31554982/ns/entertainment-picture_stories/displaymode/1247/?beginSlide=1&beginChapter=1&beginTab=1

It was not hard to see that Michael had problems.  Much of  it started when Michael started listening to the handlers who caused him to separate himself from his parents and other sibling.  Filling his head with big ideas… how he didn’t need them.  And how he could make it on his own.

And he did.

He made it on his own.  And blew up…and became as large as life.

But through it all…all the money…platinum records/CD’s… sold out concerts… big record breaking contract deals… large real estate holdings… etc… he… he lost it all…and was hoping for a final horrah with plans for a final tour.   But it was not to be.  

Even when it seemed that he had it all…way up there on top of the world…you sensed that he was not happy.  And no amount of  famous names collected around him…or who he had managed to encase himself with…seemed to off-set that fact. 

Yes, Michael was never really happy.  Which is why he probably poured himself into his musical projects… and his talent the way that he did.  To some degree working… and performing… became hislover… the seat of his happiness.  The place where he forgot… he was Michael…isolated…and shut-up away from the rest of the world.

But he seemed to like being shut-up and away from the rest of the world…much like Howard Hughes.  But then life comes closing in on you.   It did for Elvis…it for Howard…and I suspect it did for Michael Jackson, as well.

Al Sharpton following the corners reporting…called Michael Jackson a trail blazer.  And that he truly was.  With more than 750 million albums/CD’s sold worldwide…13 Grammy’s…and tons of  other alccolades.  Eccentric at times…even down-right weird at others…he was nonetheless Michael Jackson…and perhaps the greatest entertainer of all times.

The whole music video industry would be nothing without the vision…foresight…intuitiveness and creative energy of  Michael Jackson.   He saw how music and videos could be merged and used as a creative medium and selling tool. 

Then there was his music…and with the on-slant of pop music…   Yes, I guess you could say he was the undisputed King of  Pop. 

Who could beat him?

Who could move like him?

Who had perfected their art the way he did?

During the MOTOWN 25th television special he stole the show with a single move…called the ‘moon walk.’ 

They say…he was frail.  

They say…it was the medication.

They say…it was the addiction to the pain pills.

I say…he found this world cold…and unaccommondating.

Elvis may have  impersonators…but Michael Jackson has spawd a slew of  ‘would be shinning stars.’

I am just sorry that I could not do anything to helf  him.  What a great loss.

One can truly say-

“He gave his life to his profession.”

http://www.popeater.com/music/article/michael-jackson-dead-at-50/544453

http://www.spinner.com/2009/06/25/artists-reflect-on-michael-jackson?icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spinner.com%2F2009%2F06%2F25%2Fartists-reflect-on-michael-jackson

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31552029?gt1=43001

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31555400#31555400

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31562509#31562509

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31552029/ns/entertainment-music/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529103,00.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31571531#31571531

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31568341/ns/entertainment-music/?GT1=43001

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31573698#31573698

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31568341/ns/entertainment-music/?GT1=43001

I am still twiddling my tumbs waiting on the publishers to finish.  I am counting down the time when my book will soon be made available for sale.  God is good…I am so happy to finally  have gotten it done and out…and into the final stage of the process…besides getting out to aid in selling it.

I am working hard on my book trailer for ‘youtube’…and my radio promo.

 Well, enjoy the rest of your day and evening. 

God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

Just DOUBLE CLICK to see the videos BELOW…and ignor the text which will appear.

I had a conversation with my son who was telling me that Chris Brown’s girlfriend, Rihanna, should not have started it.  Then he commenced to tell me that she had hit him first…as if my son had been in the car with them and seen the whole thing.

I was irritated that my son under any circumstance would find it okay for Chris or anyone of the male species to do what that boy did to that girl.  He beat her…and one could say it was almost unmercifully done so.

I have really been trying to stay away from the subject because I do not know either him or her…nor much about them or their careers outside of this incident.  But what did bother me was my son’s attitude and position on the subject.

I did see the pictures which had been released by the police showing how badly Rihanna, a young singer, had been beat at the hands of her boyfriend, Chris Brown.  As young role models for thousands of teens who follow them closely…the incident sets a bad example and sends all the wrong messages to young teens regarding dating, abuse, power and acceptable male/female interactions…as well as, how to resolve issues and problems in a relationship.

Rightfully so, everyone with endorsements behind Chris Brown should drop him…as I have heard that for the most part they have.

I have no doubt that it has made  Chris Brown think twice about his actions concerning taking his fist to fight his girlfriend…when males possess more than enough power to restrain and resist any attack against them from most women.  So, yes…I believe that loosing all those endorsements have given Chris much to pause and consider.

So, much so that I have no doubt either that it has  mostly been him trying to re-unite with Rihanna and get back their little relationship…because when you loose the kind of money I hear that Chris has lost since the story surfaced…not to mention his music being pulled from radio stations…and police charges. 

If they don’t play you over the radio…your videos…it is all that is wrote for you…it is goodbye from there…the career is over. 

You have got to have air time in order to sell music or anything else.  Not to mention the legal charges.  Yeah, I am sure…Chris went running to patch up that little miss understanding between him and Rihanna.  I am sure…and real quick. 

I wonder if he bought her a rock the size of the one Kobe bought for his wife?

Clearly, the type of anger exhibited by Chris Brown, a very young man of about 19 years of age…shows that he is indeed in need of intervention before it is too late…because someone at such an early age like him who exhibits that kind of rage or anger…may kill the next woman.

And my son has it all wrong…and I don’t care what he says.

And I better not catch him out there trying to beat up some woman.  Or he will have to fight his mother next.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2009/03/20/rihanna-abuseawareness.htjhtml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/deadlineusa/2009/mar/16/rihanna-usaml

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1607405/20090320/rihanna.

http://www.buzz7.com/entertainment/chris-brown-rihanna-stuck-in-los-angeles-due-to-police-investigation.html

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/entertainment/2009/feb/Why-Has-Chris-Brown-Lost-Deals-and-Radio-Play-So-Soon-After-Arrest-.html

And will people please leave Will and Jada alone.

I think they are a beautiful couple. 

Stop trying to  bad mouth them with a bunch of nasty little rumors.

The Bible says…we can speak life or death into any situation…by the sheer power of the tongue. 

What do they have to prove to us?

There are some people just jealous…and they seek to destroy any and everything thing  or anyone they envy.

Out of all those Hollywood families…and Hollywood types…you do not see Will or Jada hanging out…or getting into trouble.  Nor is there any bad press about them anywhere…or has there ever been.  And then…along comes these ugly rumors. 

Well, if you can’t find anything bad…I guess you just want to create it.

I admire and respect the Smith’s…Will and Jada…and their beautiful family.  They are wonderful parents and excellent role models.  I guess that might be why…the real reason why the rumors are flying. 

Can’t believe that there are decent people in the world.  But there are…look at the Obama’s another example of a great black family.

We do exist.

Now, on to Lil’ Kim.

I really have paid little attention to her lately.  Though I did read that she and Biggie’s mother are currently going at it.

Biggie’s mother said, “Lil’ Kim is a white woman in a black woman’s body.”

I guess that really must be the way Lil’ Kim thinks…as my son was telling me that she wants to look like Barbie (you know the doll). 

How sick is that?

Since, Lil’ Kim showed up on Dancing with the Stars…with her new nose…people have been buzzing.  In my opinion she has already wrecked the good looks she used to have…when she did the other things that she had done…including the oversized boob job.  If she keeps it up…she’ll be another one who won’t be able to leave the house without people running from her in fear…like Michael and some others.

Personally, I think Lil’ Kim’s best years were when she was with Junior M.A.F.I.A…after that it has all been down hill.  And she has been fighting to stay afloat ever since.

Who in their right mind would really want to do this to themselves?

Talking about Biggie’s mother…what mother makes a movie about her deceased son showing him having sex all over the place?

I didn’t see the movie…but my son is pretty good critic when it comes to some things.  And I just happened to overhear a conversation about the movie…and everybody was agreeing on the same things.  So, it has to be true.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1603801/20090129/lil_kim.jhtml

And yes, the women on the tennis circuit have a good reason to be concerned over the 22 year old German, Sarah Gronert, who was born having both the male and female sex organs.  Though a couple of years ago she had the male organs removed…she still remains stronger than any average woman because of her biological makeup.

Because of her bilogical makeup…having been born…both male/female…she does possess greater strenght and endurance than
other woman could possibly have.  And this would, therefore, give her a greater advantage over all of her contenders.  Though they state that she has only won 2 tournaments since becoming a pro-player…it doesn’t mean that she wasn’t holding back her added strenght until she really stepped into the big time…as she is only listed as being seeded as #619, compared to Serena being #1…and Venus #4 in the women’s world of  tennis.

This reminds me of that story I shared with you a while back in another blog about the woman…who was really a man…who came to Salsa Soul, a lesbian organization, and joined…well, sort of.   She had gotten really involved in the organization for a few months before the story of who she really was got around to all the members.  Or I guess I should say…what she really was got around to all the members. 

Though like Sarah has done…she was planning on having the operation.  But unlike Sarah, however…she had not been born having dual sex organs…what they call in the new articles…male and female genitalia.

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/03/tennis_gender_controversy.php

http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=351579

As I mentioned in my original blog on that story…the reason I refer to him as ‘her’…is really because that is what I met him as.  Up until that point I had not met anyone like her.  He was highly confused as I have come to now know and understand…as well as, I was.  He wanted to live his life as a lesbian.  

Yes, that is what I said…you have to read my original blog to come to understand the story.

But it was when she was appointed to become a board member of Salsa…that is when all the sisters and what was left of the founding mothers of the organization flew into Salsa one night and demanded a special meeting.  They were not having it…and finally had it voted upon…that no one other than a ‘biological female’ from birth could become a board member of Salsa Soul Sisters, Inc.

Though she looked on the surface like a woman…I have no doubt that she possessed superior strenght…but mentally could never really think like a woman…because it was not who she really was.  All of her experiences had been different etc…etc…   And besides…legally he was still a man…at that time.

My opinion on the subject.  God does it best. 

Even in regard to all that plastic surgery…God does it best. 

The body is in constant evolution…from the time we are born until the day we die…our features change…age…mature.  Sometimes for the best…many times for the best…but to some who would like to keep what they have…sometimes for the worst.  But yet…God does it best.

Finally, I found this article to be highly bias and racist.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/02/13/equal.pay.tennis/index.html

Here it is a woman journalist writing that women’s tennis has become boring and that women should not be paid the same amount of money as the men players.  Had the top female players not been black…er- African Americans…I wonder if anybody would be complaining about the amount of money they were paid for winning tournaments?

I highly doubt it.  These issues only come up when it is about us.  It is a shame that we cannot celebrate each other…and our gifts…without biasness and racism showing its ugly head.

Following her win in the Australian Open…the female champion, Serena Williams…took home $1.3 million.  Now, is anybody but me and Serena happy about that?

And oh, yes…Dexter King signed EMI to rep him.  Yes, I did say ‘him.’   He signed a deal for EMI to police the licensing of his father’s likeness, his intellectual property etc…etc…  

And he signed the agreement without the knowledge of his 2 other siblings…Martin the 3rd and Bernice King.

So, yes…little greedy Dexter is still at it.  

How unfortunate for the other 2…but it is a wonder how the mother, Coretta Scott King, had removed Dexter from the foundation following several disputes with him over the direction he was tryingto take the Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Center for Non-Violence… at that time of which she was highly not in aggreeiance with.

Why would she have restored him as the head of the center if she knew then the type of disagreeable and selfish spirit that Dexter possessed?

Bernice and Martin the 3rd have a very long battle…that frankly without God…they are very likely not going to win.  But it is when things seem the bleekest that God loves to step in. 

So, Martin and Bernice…never become discourage…fight to the end.  And even then continue to fight…because the tide always turns.

There was a point in our family matters…that I was told by my son-

“Ma, you’re not going to win.  You should just go back to New York.”

At that time everyone on the planet would have agreed with my son.  But God turned the table around.  All the road blocks and stumbling blocks were swept away…and I am the one left standing.  But for more than a few years it seemed that everything and everyone was against me.  But it is true…you don’t need anybody else as long as you have the Lord on your side.

But I had considered what my son said…but conscience wouldn’t let me do it.  It would have been far easier to have turned and ran from what was going on with my parent’s estate…and I figured-  No, I knew…I was part to blame as I had never tried to intervene from the on-set though I was aware of the problems.  But it was easier for me to look the other way at that time…until I was forced to come home and confront all the issues and problems that I had tried to avoid and had looked upon blindly for years.

I have had to pay for my errors…and have to work to build the bridges to bring our family back together.  But I am the oldest and it is my responsibility…to not allow us to all fall apart from one another.  Families are important…not really should they be allowed to be torn apart.  But there comes a time where every ill thing must be addressed and corrected…and fallout does happen.   In the end the family will be a lot stronger for it if it survives.  But it has to happen…if indeed the family is to survive at all.

I have been so busy working on building my web site.  As Fridays have rolled by…I have pushed hoping that by that weekend I would have at least posted a page or 2.  It is not that I have not completed more than a few pages…but I am just such a stickler about everything.  Everything has to be right…perfect…correct…the music…the photos…the navigation system…the color schemes etc.   You name it and I become obsessed with it…but at the end of the day…you will not only like the site…but enjoy it.   And that is all I will say on it for now…and hopefully by this Friday…I will have some pages posted.  I’ll be working on it…believe that.  Enjoy…

God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on “

www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

By now you may or may not know that I am highly repulsed by some of the things that teens today are doing.  But this really turned my stomach…it is a story which came up over CNN.com regarding 2 Arizona teenaged girls who turned themselves into prostitutes then  set about pimping other girls.  

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/25/teen.pimp/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/25/teen.pimp/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

The grandmother is outraged…but there is only one problem.  She doesn’t believe that her little darling is guilty of such a crime…and so therefore she is anxiously awaiting her day in court.  Perhaps it is not the little darling but the grandmother who should be up before the judge.  And dare I ask…what of the mother and father of this child…these 2 girls?

How is it that they would put themselves into such a situation?

How could 2 high schoolers get themselves into such as situation…where they were indulged in such a business as prostitution?  

And had other school mates working the streets too?

Two 16 year old girls…involved in sex for hire?

Madams?

Though the article called them ‘pimps.’  

What could be going on?

 I am sick to my stomach today…I hate reading these kinds of stories.  

Can you imagine…that that man operated a day care center? 

How old were his victims?  

Three?  

Four…or maybe 2?  

….my God.     

I am truly sick to my stomach.

In a 29 city weekend sweep law enforcement officials arrested more than 500 people involved in a child and adult prostitution ring.  They had some 48  juveniles, 464 adult prostitutes…and how many of them do you think had been children before becoming of age?

They arrested 55 co-called pimps…with many more out there somewhere.   And some just like those young girls in Arizona anxious to take their place.  I can think of nothing I feel is worst…than turning children into prostitutes…and ruining the lives of children.  There are some things which I think we should not even waste tax-payers money on…such as taking certain people through the judical system.  Just lock them up in jail and throw away the keys.

 But the problem is…all the wrong people mostly end up in jail.  The crooks and criminals somehow always seem to get less time or little to no prison time at all.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498287,00.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/23/national/main4821772.shtml?source=RSSattr=U.S._4821772

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/27/child.prostitution/index.html

There is something about these kinds of stories that just turns my stomach.  Perhaps it is because I am a supposed survivor.  I don’t know.   I just hate these type of stories.  I hate to hear about children being abused…or used in such ways as these.  Or children because they had been abused continue the cycle of abuse in their lives.

When I was trying to determine what I wanted to do with my life…you know…the kind of things you think about as a child.

“What do I want to be?”

I had read this book called “The Throw away Children.”

The stories in that book were terrible.  I don’t believe any child is a throw away…or should be considered as such.  But there are some children deemed by society as not having the same value as some others.  And this is absolutely wrong.

So, as I thought about what it was I wanted to do I started discounting things.  Like…becoming a doctor.  I knew I would never be able to stand the sight of blood.  So, that was out.

Then I thought of some other things…and I discounted them too.  Can’t remember what they were…but I knew whatever they were I did not want to be them.  But I soon fell upon becoming a lawyer.  I wanted to do or be someone who would advantageous to my people…black people.  Something that we needed the most…that is why I thought doctor at first…then somehow came to lawyer.

And so I set about to make that happen.  When it was near time for me to enter into the 12th grade…I had already begun thinking about and applying to colleges…mostly black colleges…though I would have loved to have been accepted at University of California Berkley.  The Black Panthers were there…Angela Davis was there…the Soledad Brothers…  Yeah, that whole black thang was going on…and I wanted to be in the midst of it. 

But that book, ‘The Throw Away Children ‘ by  Lisa Aversa Richette…motivated me to want to become a criminal lawyer working in juvenile court.  It was at the time my desire.  I think because I have a passion for children…with particular children who feel lost and have no voice.

While I was a teacher in the high school system…I was often in tune and engaged in trying to encourage my students…as well as other students…some of which I would catch trying to sneak into my classes from time to time.  It was during my time as a teacher that I came to realize just how tough some kids really have it…and there is little wonder why they end up doing much of what they do. 

During the time I taught…I had never been aware of  just how many students were involved in the foster care system before.  For some children this was a great alternative to their own families…but for some (many)…it was not.  It seems that many people turn to become foster parents solely for the money.  And that is very sad.  They never see the greater reward…and that is pouring something of value into the lives of those children…by showing them love and kindness…paying attention to them.

Then there are those children which are left to grow up on their own.  They are like wild little animals…and many people observing them wonder why?  But if they knew where these kids lived…or how they were living…or under what circumstances…and what sexual and other abuses they were subject to…then they would know why the child was acting as he or she was acting.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/25/teacher_student_found_in_w_va/

I have no idea as to what is going on with these female teachers becoming involved with young grade school children.   It makes me sick…yes, to my stomach.  Because I can’t see what any grown woman…or for that matter…grown man would see or find interesting in a child.

I know that children become infatuated with their teachers.  I had my share of admirers.  I never realized it at the time…but later on I did in particular one.  He even proposed to me  time after time.  I never took any of it seriously…nor did I indulge him.  But after I had left the teaching profession…this boy began calling me in New York. 

I found out that he had gotten my number from my son.  I wasn’t overly concerned at first…but then he started calling every evening.  It did not frighten me…but I really wasn’t interested.  By this time I didn’t even think it was cute.  I could see that this boy really had an interest in me.  So, I just stopped answering his calls.  And I think he got the message.

What kind of conversation can I hold with a young boy?

Even one graduated from high school…come on, now.

In ‘95, I went to L.A. to shop my screenplays.  I had forgotten all about Ojay and his trial…it was months after the shooting had happened.  So,  though when I used to ride the bus from Woodlawn Hills into downtown L.A and see all the remote TV trucks with their huge satellite dishes…tons of them sitting outside of that court.  But I didn’t at the time realize what I was looking at when the bus would drive pass.  It is so funny…because I used to think-

“Wow, there must be a big case going on in that court.”

And what made it even funnier…was that during the whole time of the Ojay case…I was glued to the TV.  I didn’t miss a beat…from day to day…I wast locked in and tuned to every episode of the Ojay Simpson trail saga until they signed off from day to day.

 But when I could not get an agent to represent me or my work…because everybody in L.A. is about who  you know…who referred you…who are you connected to.  And being connected was all they cared about.

It was like you talked to tons of people all in the right place…but if you couldn’t give a name and didn’t have any ties…the conversation stopped right there.  Years later, when I initially went into pre-production with my film, LIFE 101: da real skool…(which is where the 101 in my name comes from)…when I went into pre-production…I started getting all kinds of calls then talking about-

“Let’s do lunch.”

I hated L.A.  

I became so frustrated with L.A. that I decided to give up and not leave the hotel room anymore.   But my friend…whom I had gone to L.A. to spend some time with while her job had sent her there to audit some banks…she kept on encouraging me saying-

“So, what you couldn’t find an agent.  And nobody wanted to see you or read your scripts.  Go see a show or go to one of the movie lots.  You know that is what you are interested in.  So, go check it out.”

And finally, I did.  Only because she kept trying to cheer me up.

It is so funny…because you may not believe this.  The one day that I decided to go the night before I saw an expose on Prime Time or some show like that…about some male teacher who they tracked from New York to a motel down in Las Vegas.  He had taken some very young Jr. High School girl and ran off with her across country.  The television segment on the story was very detailed.

So, the next day, I visited Universal Studio’s movie lot…where a lot of television programs are shot.  At the time I arrived the only thing going in was the audience for the “Leeza Show.”   It wasn’t anything that I wanted but (well, because really I have never watched much television).  But…I was there…it didn’t cost anything…and they were letting people in.

When they tape these shows you never know what topics are going to be featured or discussed until the show begins taping.  To my surprise that guy…that teacher who had gone to Las Vegas with his little school student was the topic…and he was there.

I never went into that taping with any intentions of saying anything or being  a part of any program.  But it is very funny how things just seem to happen.

I sat quietly listening and watching taking in everything about the production…how they had someone warm up the audience before the show…the size of the studio…where the cameras were…all the people who worked in conjunction with the show…just the whole behind the scenes thing.  This is what interested me…but of course, I was also listening to all the  discussion and the questions coming up out of the audience.  But there was something that disturbed me.

As that teacher talked about the young girl…her family…and how he just felt sorry for her…how he was trying to help her out…etc…etc…   The audience all seemed sympathetic to him.   They were eating that garbage up like candy.  Here it was…and that girl was very pretty (and it doesn’t matter what she looked like…she was a kid)…he had engaged in sexual activity with this girl…had kidnapped her and taken her across state lines.  And they were all just sucking it in like he was some kind of hero…a divine saviour.

“Why wasn’t anybody looking at the whole picture?”

“Did he have any responsibility in this matter?”

“Hadn’t he taken advantage of that young girl?”

He was her teacher.  And as described on that expose show by other teachers who had also worked at  that school with him…he was a male teacher who was a little too friendly with many of the female students.

Between segments of the taping they would stop to allow for the commercial break time frame to countdown then resume with their taping.  At this time the program host would walk through the audience searching out the best questions to feature during the resumption of the program taping. 

Finally, the cameras went dead…and Leeza started walking through the audience looking for her next audience questiones.  She came up my aisle seeking for questions.  I wasn’t going to do it…but they had made me mad.  I put up my hand and Leeza walked over to me and said-

“Yes, do you have a question?”

And I said yes.

And she said, “Okay, what question would you like to ask?”

And I told her.   Evidently, Leeza liked my question because she did not move from me.  When the cameras came back up…she said what she had to say and asked me stand and ask my question.

Before I knew it…that guy and me where firing off against one another…and I was winning.  And I did win.

I had made him mad.  But I just could not stand it.  And he was nasciating to me.

He was a teacher.  He did not have any business…no matter what may have or may not have been going on in that girl’s life to become involved sexually with her.  She was an under age child…and he was a 30 or 40 year old man.  I didn’t care how he tried to justify it…there was no justification for it.  And how dare…anyone try to make a movie out of that story. 

Yes, he…that man…ex-teacher was out of jail walking around and making the television rounds because some production company had paid big money for the rights to his story.  This is why the world is in the state that it is in.  This is why many people are doing some of the craziest things…men killing their pregnan wives…teachers running off  with grade school children.  It is sick.

Everybody wants their 15 minutes of fame…and they are willing to do anything to get it.  It is truly sad.  When they see the TV coverage and movie…and book deals coming up out of these sick acts…people with copy cat mentalities figure…why not?

And what is sadder…is that there is a market for this.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9271398/Report:-Haynesworth,-Redskins-reach-deal?MSNHPHMA

A guaranteed $41 million…included in his $100 million deal.  These guys make tons of money.  You would think that the people who really work for a living could earn at least a tiny portion of it.  It would look nice.

And Michael Vick is soon to be released from prison. 

Sometimes it takes losing something…even if it is for a little period of time to have an appreciation for it and other things…and to look back and reflect on your blessings. 

Not everybody gifted…or fast…or good at something gets a contract.  Millions dream such dreams whether it be a music deal…or a sports deal…a movie deal…whatever…they dream of.  They work hard to make it happen…and yet it doesn’t.  So, for those that it does materializes for…   Well, they really ought to feel blessed.   They should make the most out that blessing…not only for just themselves but for others around them, as well.

Well, it has been beautiful here for the past 2 days.  I’m feeling spring in the air.

And…oh, yes. 

I was not only on that Leeza Show giving it to that teacher.  But Leeza and her production must have really liked me.  They started featuring me in their commercial for the show, as well. 

You will not believe how many people stopped me in grocery stores to talk about that show with me.   I never would have thought anything like that would have happened to me.  And I certainly never set out to be on anybody’s show…much less in their commercial.

Talking about 15 minutes.  Well, I guess I have had mine now too.

Well, God bless…and enjoy your weekend.  And I have not forgotten that it is still Black History Month.  I celebrate our achievements all the time.  Can’t help but do so.  Don’t know what it is.  But I love me some black folks…(smile).  I really really do.

And oh yes,   I have just added my real photo to my “ABOUT” page of this blog.   Sorry, if it isn’t what you were imagining…but it is what God gave me.    And on that page you can find out more about what I am doing…besides giving you my opinions on things in these blogs.  I am truly a highly opinionated person…just can’t help it.

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009

Last night I started thinking about something and it began to strike me as being funny.   And yes, the funny ha-ha kind of funny.   I thought -

“Wow, if I told my gay friends this they would fall over and die laughing.”

And they would.

So, then I tried to call one of them…one of my gay women friends but she wasn’t home.

So, then I thought to call another friend…and finally I called a cousin of mine who I knew would understand what it was that I had found to be so humorous.

I should preface this first by saying…I have never been funny.  I couldn’t tell a joke if they gave me all of Oprah’s money to tell one. 

This is what I felt was so humorous.  As you may or may not know I am saved and have been so now for at least six  or so years.  But during this time…I have run into some very strange things in the church.    Here in lays the joke…when I was in the club and hanging out I understood what it meant if I exchanged my phone number with someone.  It was one of the main reasons we hung out. 

Since having come out of gay life…I do not find it necessary for me to want to exchange my phone number with any woman and particularly any woman I don’t know.  Don’t know her name…and do not share anything in common with…just somebody out of the clear blue sky.  No.  

 And if you have ever been stalked…you too soon learn.   No.

While in the school library computer lab a couple of days ago, this woman who has stopped to talk to me on a few occasions came and began a conversation with me again…near the end she asked me for my phone number so she could call me.  Before I could think about what it was I was going to say…I blabbed out-

“No, I’m not giving you my number.”

To which the woman just grinned at me and asked me why not?

I had not meant to sound so…I don’t know what.  But I thought I had been a bit harsh in my response so I soften a bit.

Then the woman offered me her number…grabbed up a piece of paper and wrote down her number and gave it to me…to which I told her I would not be calling her.

But I recanted…somewhat and said…

“But if you want here is my number.”

And she gave me a piece of paper to write it on.  While I tore up her phone number and handed it back to here saying-

“Here.”

And with that the woman was gone.

I never thought anything of that incident until last night…and then I started laughing.  I have all of my life been naive.  It is something that all of my friends can clearly tell you about me.   It had never dawn on me from the moment that woman started talking to me…I don’t even know how long ago…that she was trying to hit on me.   It is funny but last night…while doing something…I can’t remember what…but that woman asking for my phone number came back to me.  And I started laughing…it struck me humorous.

Once while in church, I was called into one of the church hallways by a very older church mother.  I had no idea what she wanted to say to me.  From the point I had joined this church I had been friendly towards this very older woman.  I respect and have a great love for older women.   I loved my own grand-mother very dearly.  But the thing that this older called me into the hallway to discuss with me horrified me.  I was shock…and …and…   And…oh, I don’t know…insulted.  

Yes, I was insulted…that some woman older than my mother and grand-mother could have possibly thought that I was interested in her.  A woman who was very exceedingly old…with…with…     Well,  false teeth…and…wrinkles…and…   And…she was real old…and a church mother too?

 How could she have possibly have thought such a thing? 

This was so far fetch…that it was absolutely appalling to me.  When this conversation ended I went immediately to my friend, the one I wrote about in a blog earlier who passed, another church mother in this church with whom I had become very close to.  She was friend…confidant…counselor…and ear to me and for me…and I to her.  The blog that I wrote about her was back in August 2008…if you go back through the calendar to the right of this blog you can go right to it…if you would like to read it.

At any rate…I told mother about what the woman had just said to me.  I had thought about telling it to the pastor.  But mother said no.  She counseled me to not tell anyone and she told me to stay away from that  woman.  There is something which can be said about wisdom…it is wise….and wise always.  I did as mother told me…and have continued to do it even though that older woman seems to changed towards me somewhat…and though my friend has since passed.

In another blog I told you of another church woman…whom following the end of an evening service I offered her a ride home along with someone else.  I have always offered people rides…I do it as this is how I have been trained.  When we were growing up before church service my mother had us up and out picking up people from the nursing homes and nearby towns to bring them to church.  And at the end of the morning service those people would go home with us to have dinner and then return back to church for the evening service…after which my mother had us take them back to their nursing homes or homes in a nearby towns.  So, if I am driving and I know I am going to pass near somebody’s house and that they do not have a car…I offer a ride to them and to as many people who can fit into my car.

But as I told you in a prior blog about this woman…as I drove up to her apartment.  And it was just me and her in the car…as she started to get out…this woman turned back to me and gave me this kiss that even when I was in gay life I never allowed anyone to kiss me that way.  You know that all in the mouth…  No.

So, last night I thought of the woman who wanted to exchange phone numbers with me…I thought of the very old church mother…and I thought of that woman whom after service I had driven home…and I started laughing.  I thought-

“If my gay friends only knew this they would die laughing.”

Here it was I had gotten out of the life…meaning gay life.  And this was happening to me.

So, I called my cousin because none of my gay friends were home to hear this story…and I…I felt that I just had to share it with someone who could…and would understand what I was talking about.  So, I called my cousin.   And yeah…she understood.

She enjoyed hearing it and began to share some things with me as well.  And by the time I had laid down to go to sleep following my conversation with my cousin I had started to regret having called her at all.

She had taken too much pleasure in my little stories. 

But here is one of the stories she shared with me.

She told me of a church she used to go to where there were a group of older women just like the old church mother I had told her about in my story.  The only difference was…was that they had all become involved with a very good-looking young male who also went to their church.  As time went on the young male died…and he died from AIDS.   Thus the story broke about his involvement with some old church women in the church who were in their latter 70’s and 80’s.

Since Viagra…I understand that the nursing homes have gone crazy.   But the church too?

If you have been really reading any of these blogs which I have written…then you would know I find all of this absolutely shocking…appalling really.  It is unthinkable to me…that such older women would be behaving in such a way.  And the other part is that they are so loose…that they don’t care who knows.

In hearing this, I said to my cousin-

“You know some people are just in church because their mother is or was in the church…or their father was in the church…or because they just grew up in the church and have nothing else to do.  Some are in the church because they want to find a husband…some because they want to find a good wife…some because they view it as a great networking opportunity.  So, they are just sitting in the church but they have nothing in them…they are just there.”

And I came to find out as we continued to talk that was also true of my cousin.

I had oftentimes admired her for how she could quote scripture and knew where stuff could be found in the Bible.  But I found out last night that that was about it…she could quote it.  Because she sure wasn’t living it.

Awhile back, she had told me of a guy in her church with whom she had a flirting relationship…but she kept saying-

“I just thank God for keeping me.”

This guy sent her pictures of himself…in the nude via their cell phones.  That right there spoke volumes to me as to character of the guy.

So, last night since my cousin had not said anything about this guy for a while, I asked her about him. 

 Yes…the flirtation was over.  She had done it…and that in of itself was not what was shocking or appalling to me…because I knew it was going to happen.  She had told me how she had gone to Victoria Secret…well, need I say more?     She had all the while been preparing to do it.   This mind you while she was thanking God for keeping her from doing it.  Yet, she prepped herself to do it.   So, yes…I knew she wasn’t going to do it…sooner of later she and that guy were going to end up in bed with each other.  And they did…and evidently not with the results she had been hoping for either.

She is in her 40’s now…and she sometimes speaks about how she would like to get married.

It seems that very few people save themselves for marriage any more.   And that is quite curious to me.  I would think you would only want to give your husband the best.  Not something used up and all ran through already. 

Isn’t that suppose to be part of the beauty of marriage?

I guess I am just old fashion in my thinking. 

But then my cousin went on and commenced to tell about her female supervisor for which she would love to go to bed with…and that is when I started regretting having called my cousin. 

It is hard to believe that she is an active church member and is readily carrying on in such a way.  But her state is not unusual only to her…there are many fallen pastors to go along with all those old church mothers who seem to not be too old to want to get enough of sex either. 

It is disheartening to me…but it does not sway me.  I intend to stand.   I know that everyone may not know what that means…but there are many who do.

Talking about something that is somewhat appalling.  Blagojevich.

You do remember him don’t you?

Well, he is rather hard to forget since the guy is popping up all over the place.  If we thought he was insane for trying to get paid-off for selling off the Obama Senate seat of the State of Illinois.  We  know now for sure that he is. 

He seems to be getting a charge out of his 15 minutes of fame that is what is really unbelievable to me.  It just goes to show that some people have no shame.  And Blagojevich is one of the biggest of them.   What a…a…(I hate to say this)…but what a fool.  And everybody is inviting him on their show…and he is loving every minute of it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/02/04/VI2009020401667.html?sid=ST2009020301282

And yes…   Why is it that people who know that they have issues which will probably be found out…such as having not paid their taxes. 

Why do they accept positions which they know that this information is going to be sought after and checked?

Is it that they secretly hate the people who approach them and say-

“Hey, have I got a great job for you.   And I believe you are the best person for it.”

Do they really hate these people so much to want to embarrass them for having asked them in the first place, Tom Daschle?

I don’t know who Ann Coulter is but clearly she either has issues or she lacks a large amount of understanding.  I had heard this interview with her on the View before…but at last I get a chance to comment on it.

It is interesting to me to hear any white person be critical of a black person for celebrating their blackness…being African-American…a non-white person in America or anywhere else in this world.  Or celebrating the lives and legacies of other black folk.   

After years of black folks trying become more like ‘them’ and less like us.  I think it was great for Halle Barry to accept the Academy Award in remembrance of all the black women who had stared in movies and never received anything…not even a nod in their direction for their great work.  And there were some truly highly fabulous and talented black women actors who had done some outstanding work…both on stage and screen..and now are little known for those efforts. While everybody knows Bette Davis and their other white counter-parts of the screen.

I also think that it is equally as great for Barack Obama to celebrate his blackness and to be proud of who he is and the forces behind him which have all aided in him getting to where he is today.

If Ann Coulter had grown up as a Halle Barry or a Barrack Obama…when people looked at them and didn’t see screen actor or president…but a little black girl or little black boy whom they didn’t want their little children associating with…much less playing with.   Then maybe Ms. Coulter might have a clue as to why they celebrate their blackness…which has and has always been a prominent part of their everyday lives.   (Also just DOUBLE CLICK on below screen to see and hear Halle make the best acceptance speech of the Academy of all times…and ignore the text that appears.)

Wow, having said all of that…and I am just realizing that it is “Black History Month.”   February will never be the same.

Well, I had to shovel some more snow today.   And I am not tired of it yet…though it was very cold out today.  But it is winter…and we haven’t had a real winter in such a long time.  This winter is making up for those past few years.  And I just love…just wish I could lite a fire in our fireplace.  But I rather be safe than sorry.   For now I will just enjoy looking over at my parent’s fireplace and dream ‘fire.’   Smile…and enjoy.

Well, God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009  

I have gone into court on many occasions and felt that I should have won where a Judge decided against me.  In life there are many battles.  Though we have to pick and choose our battles…as it is not possible to fight everything all of the time.  And when fighting them…we always have to be prepared to loose.

Loosing is as much a part of the process as anything else.  There are times in life when we loose and there will times in life when we win.  It is a fact.  And if you are in sales…they will tell you that ‘it is the law of averages’…meaning sooner or later either is bound to happen.

Bernice and Martin L. King III were recently in court with their brother Dexter who sued them to have their mother’s letters released to him.  As he claimed his mother’s letters are part of his father’s estate.  Since he negoiated a book deal for $1.4 million for his mother’s memoirs it stands to reason as to why he would want those letters to be in his possession.

At this particular hearing the Judge sided with little Dexter.

http://www.ajc.com/cherokee/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/10/31/coretta_scott_king_letters.html

One of the best things the court has incorporated in it…is the appeal process.  It is not often used as it can be a much harder battle…just preparing the proper paperwork and submitting it as the court requests it to be formatted can be overwhelming in of itself.  But the state Court of Appeals are a near final step…you can always go back into court and ask the Judge to reconsider his discision by setting it aside.  Which many times though you may get a court date, some Judges just won’t change their minds…not unless you really come up with some evidence which can really sway them to the other side…and that is provided that the Judge is willing to listen to it in the first place.  Some Judges can be very difficult and quite hardnose. 

Then, if you are still not satified because the Judge failed to change his mind, you may inform the court that you are going to appeal…and BAM!  You submit the court with your Notice of Appeal.  And you are on your way to the state court to appeal that decision, verdict or whatever the argument or contested matter is of that case.

Now, little Dexter has been busily selling off as much of the King estate as he can while lavashing himself with million dollar property in California…LA to be exact, as he desires to enter into the movie business ad plans on relocating.  Well, he has pretty much actually done that…moved from Atlanta for the sandy beaches of LA.  And also for the stage lights of the Hollywood sets…well, this not quite.  What he doesn’t understand about the movie business…is that he looks too much like his father to make it in Hollywood.  The only person he could possibly play would be his father…and I do understand the magic of make-up and all of that…and there are not enough movies being made about Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. to bring his son’s dream into reality. 

The point I am making regarding casting of movies….Martin L. King’s face is known around the world.  No one would belive or accept a character who looked like Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. as any one else outside of being Dr. Martin L. King, Jr..  In order for it to work his son would have to be able to beat Densel acting, where he could assume a role and make  that role, or character come  so alive in a way that in the viewing of the movie the audience didn’t see Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.  but whatever character Denzel…I mean Dexter was   playing.  And that is not an easy task. 

So, Dexter will never make it in LA as an actor…and you can tell him…I said it.  If it were possible Yolanda King who studied drama and was an actor would have been able to find success in the business.  But even as woman…she looked very much like her father.  In a business where people suspend reality…it is hard to do that when you are looking into the face of Civil Rights icon and trying to imagine or see him as anything else but that Civil Rights icon…and that is exactly what Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. was, and still is…a Civil Rights icon.

The current letters which the court gave Dexter access to are letters written to their mother from their father during the Civil Rights Movement.

Because Rev. Bernice King is supposedly legally over their mother’s estate, it is interesting to me that the Judge would have awarded Dexter with that decision.  And Dexter is in control of the Martin L. King, Jr. Center for Non-Violence and his father’s estate.

You have got to have the right lawyer or lawyers.  And I am going to tell you something that lawyers hate.  Sometimes you have to kick the lawyers to the curb and better go in fighting for yourself…if you have the skill and ability to do it. 

Who better to represent you…than you? 

But without the proper verbal skills or confidence…and the ability to restrain your emotions…you better not try it.  At times in court I have been good…but during family matters I many times  just break.  Family stuff hurts.

I don’t think that I am all that confident…and believe me when you start standing in front of the Judge having to defend yourself it is even worst.  They have terms…legal terms that will fly right over your head.  And I should know…because a few of them have flown over mine.

There were times when I wish I had done or said that…at the time it came to me but I didn’t do it.  Later afterwards…I could have kicked myself time and time again for not having done so…because it cost me the case.  Or I wished I had been smarter.

The first case I ever won was a case I took into Small Claims Court.  I had bought a car.  The ad read ’great running condition’ etc…etc…  And when I tested the car it ran beautifully.  But the next day when I went back to pick it up and give them my money…the car never ran properly.  I have no idea what it was…or what they did to it…but I ended up buying a beautiful looking vehicle…but mechanically it was not the vehicle I had tested. 

I quickly found the newspaper ad and file my complaint in Small Claims.  Small Claims Court is very much like Judge Judy’s show presents it to be.  You stand up there and tell your side, show what you have to back it up…then the other side talks…and after a while the Judge ususally says you’ll receive your decision in the mail…whereas on TV…Judge Judy renders a decision during the show.

So, I presented my complaint before the Judge and I got my decision in the mail.  And guess what?

The Judge was very nice to me.  I had won.  But I not only won my money back…but the Judge let me keep the car too.  And those people who had sold me the car they paid me all of my money back sending me weekly amounts until I had totally received it all back.  And I got the car fixed.  It was a beautiful Bonneville convertible, 1968.  I could not get out of the car without finding notes on from people interested in buying it from.  But this ended being a very expense lesson for the people who sold me that car.

Judges as a rule are not that overwhelmingly kind or generous.  So, for a very long time I walked around thinking how I was so smart because I had won…and won like that.  But now I have come to realize…that I am not that smart at all…but just exceedingly blessed.  I have a very dear and good friend who sits high and looks low…and sees and knows everything.

I never won that case.  God did…He won it for me.  And many times you go into court…you should really consider Him.  I have had many different outcomes in court…but each one whether I have won them or lost them…I knew that God did it.  If I didn’t win, I knew that there was something in that case that God desired to show me…or have me consider.

I almost always take everything as a learning experience.  I may not always like the outcome of the set of events…but the lessons behind them have lead me not to do somethings again…or seek to do somethings a lot better.  And each time I have always found that they were setting me up for the case…which oftentimes were bigger and more important…like our Appellate case in Carolina now.

The lawyers have a this saying, “Only a fool is his own lawyer.” 

And unless you are a very quick learner and can adapt quickly…and also…this is a very important point…have the ability to speak up for yourself…and can be quiet while the Judge is talking or listening…unless you can do these things think twice of going into court ‘pro-se’…which means representing yourself.  You have to be concise, to the point and extremely well thought out…and certainly able to prove your case for real evidence…whether a paper trail or bills or some type of contract etc…  You must be able to prove your case.  And need to definitely pick your fights.

And if it is a case that you get to make a decision as to whether the jury decides or the Judge…go jury.  Twelve or 6 people give you a better chance at winning.

Recently, I had a case thrown out of court.  I brought it against a local doctor and hospital here.  I knew the probability of my winning the case was low…but I just could not let it go.  For what that doctor did to me…he definitely deserved to be sued.  And though I knew I was entering into a very steep up-hill battle…I decided to file my complaint any how.  Which is what I did…because the way I figured it out even if I lost…and here is another point. 

You have to really be careful at bringing a case that you might loose because the other side will turn around and levy all their court fees, lawyer fees and everything else they can against you.  And you could end up having to pay a lot more than what you thought. 

But I decided to go forward with my case against that doctor.  The case never got very far because to get specialist and all of that costs money…but I knew one thing.  I knew that all legal cases become public record…and that is what I sought to do.  I knew I couldn’t probably win one way…but I got him the other way.  My complaint against him was and is public record.  Now, any lawyers seeking to bring a case against him and are looking for amunition against for another complaint…well, they will come upon my case and be able to read in full detail why I bought that law suit.  That is why I did it.

We are hoping that everything works out well for the King Family with regard to their current battles.  It is very difficult dealing with family matters.  And not all times does the right or the truthful party win.  But one thing is for sure God will work it out for your good.

God bless…and be encouraged all.

Talking about God.  If you read my blog on my parent’s furnace almost exploding.  Yes, I am suppose to be in cold…as the furnace is gone.  But God gave my parents the wisdom not to have the heat and hot water tied into one.   The hot water tank is separate…which mean I still have hot water.  So, if I have to go through the winter without the furnace…I can.  Because I still have electricity and I still have the stove. 

So, God is soo soo good.  And I cannot thank Him enough.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/books/04arts-RULINGISISSU_BRF.html?ref=arts

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/race_relations/jan-june97/king_1-15.html

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/05/cant-stop-a-movement/

http://blogs.bet.com/news/newsyoushouldknow/mlk%E2%80%99s-youngest-son-calls-his-siblings%E2%80%99-lawsuit-ludicrous/

…pass it on…’ www.bsmith101.wordpress.com

Since speaking with my son last night…who when I called him said-

“Oh, I thought you were calling about Jennifer Hudson.”

I said, “What about Jennifer Hudson?”

“You didn’t hear it over the news?  Somebody broke into their house and shot her mother…killing her.  And they shot her uncle and then kidnapped her little nephew?”

I said, “What???”

And I turned off the music I was listening to…and thought about it for a while.

I can’t believe it.

Here she is working hard trying to establish herself and find her way around Hollywood…and this.  What a tragic event that should happen…simply divastating.

The world is full of evil people…and this you should know if you don’t already do.

At some point after hearing about those murders in Chicago, I started thinking about how parents have always taught their children not to talk to strangers.  I don’t know why it came to mind…except some time ago I saw on television where the schools along with parents were aggressively teaching young children not to talk or walk off with any strangers.  All of this following a rash of strange cars near schools and a man trying to entice some children to get in.  Then there was those laws passed…they carried the names of the young victims of certain crimes.

No one ever said it…but as a young child, I was taught you did not talk to strangers.  They did this because they knew that the world is full of evil people and they wanted to protect us from them.  But in the recent years we have seen the level of evil escalate.

Oh, yes we are accustom to hearing stories of people breaking in and killing people…but we had never heard of the type of events that caused 9/11.   There was even a point where we had never heard of people who put razors in apples and then gave them out to children during ‘Trick or Treat’…or tainted candy.  But the world is full of evil people…and their numbers are multiplying. 

Or it could be argued…we are just hearing more about it now than we did before.  Take for instance that father in Austria who had imprisoned his own daughter in his basement for over 20 years and fathered some 7 or so children with her. 

How could that be classified as anything else other than sick…and quite evil?

That story sicken me so badly that I have until this very time had not said much on it.  But it was evil.

When I think of what I read on the once very popular DeBarge family…sicken me in the same way.  In that case it was a father destroying the lives of his many sons and daughter.  That story too…turned my stomach.

Life is hard in many ways…but these type of undue interruptions that cause even greater hardship of emotional conflict and personal hate…can have and  leave indelible marks and effects upon the lives of many who have had to endure the traumas of them.

I have a friend who was born in Chicago…during some time very early in her life she was gang raped by some boys in a vacant apartment across the hall from where she lived with an aunt. 

This aunt had been forced into the position of caring for her…as she had come into the world some time during the incarceration of her mother.  The whole story is quite sad…but following that rape she was later regularly sexually abused by her aunt’s boyfriend…all this while she was a very young child.  The trauma of her history has marked her entire life…and often when I speak with her…she talks of suicide.

There is  evil in this world.  And Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and 7 year old nephew all came face to face with it.

We can only say… 

“Jennifer be encouraged and seek solitude in the word of the Lord…for joy will again come in the morning.”

It is probably hard to believe that right now…but it is quite true.

After hearing the news regarding Jennifer Hudson’s family and then thinking about Obama’s grandmother…I started to cry.

It seems sad to me…after raising him that Obama’s grandmother…a woman he says-

“She poured all of what she had into me.”

It seems sad to think that she might not live to see him become President of the United States of America.

I can only reflect upon the times that once were…while living in the heartland of America an elderly white couple left to raise their daughter’s 2 non-white children.  I can imagine the stares they must have received while going to school conferences and while stepping into the dentist’s office or doctor’s offices with her little dark skinned non-white grand children. 

It was the times…when white parents were against their children having black friends…much less marrying someone black as brilliantly protrayed in the movie starring Sidney Poitier “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” 

It could not have been easy…they were probaly ostrasized and whispered about behind their backs about those 2 little black children that…yes, probably at first they probably didn’t even want…but through time grew to love and cherish as they grew to love and cherish them.

It is sad think that she is sick and might not live to see it.  Because there had to have been something in them that made her the way she was…and ultimately him who he is today.  God bless them all.

Well, have a blessed day.   And enjoy your weekend…it looks as though it may rain over this way. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27372012#27372012

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27366072/ 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/10/25/illinois.shootings/index.html

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20235862,00.html

http://extratv.warnerbros.com/2008/10/obama_we_need_to_pray_for_jenn.php

[youtbe=http://www.youtube.com/v/GyT_R1Hr-J4&hl=en&fs=1]

And I still love you, Willis Kattrell.

Smile and have a beautiful day.

Please be sure to share this blog site with all your friends…family…just….just….everyone!

Have a beautiful day…and thank you for reading.

…pass it on…’ www.bsmith101.wordpress.com

God bless…and thanks for reading ©2008

ahhhh….alas….

I have been doing nothing but smiling and glowing deep down inside since this past weekend…(it is a girl thang). 

It is kind of like going to church and hearing a sermon that really seeps down deep into your soul.  And you leave church feeling…feeling good all over…and glowing all through the week whenever you think about it.

I experienced one of those this past weekend.  It was at a school reunion…Black Alumni Conference for my college…and since the moment I received an email from a very unexpected person…well, I had been looking forward to seeing him.

The email that was sent to me was out of the clear blue sky…and it said-

“See you tomorrow.”

It could have been written directly from a suspense thriller. 

It had me on the edge of my seat.  It intrigued me. 

It had been some mere 40 years since seeing that wonderful smile and those teeth of life…but I remembered them well.  And that face which they lit from day to day.

Midway through the evening the following night upon not seeing him, I whispered to someone…

“Willis said that he was coming. But I guess he must be running late.”

And to my surprise she informed me by poking out her little pinky finger saying-

“That’s Willis right there.”

He had been sitting directly in front of me…and…  Well, I had not…well…he-he…  Well, he was clean shaven.  He looked corporate.

Gone was that big afro that marked his time in American history.  He was bald…but when he turned and smiled in  our direction.  There it was…that smile…those teeth.  They…they had not changed.

Upon getting the opportunity to speak with him…I did not fail to tell him of all that I had thought of him while we were in school. 

Though he too had failed to recognized me…and that was okay,  I still disclosed my undying love, my admiration, my appreciation and my respect for him.  And he stood before me so gracious, so humble and so kind just politely thanking me all the while for every kind word.

To think that I would ever grow up to be able to tell Willis all of that…oh, alas….

And Willis, he was…   He still walked like Willis.   He still talked like Willis…his voice tone was the same.  He was still pretty much basically his same size…and he still had that…that wonderful laugh. 

Yeah…I may not have recognized him at first…but he was still very much Willis.

And near the end of evening he walked over to me and turned my chin upward towards his…oh, so unexpectedly…and he kissed me. 

I have no idea how I reacted…but I have been smiling ever since.

Willis kissed me.

Did I tell you…that Willis kissed me?

Willis Kattrill kissed me.

He kissed me.  And now I know how Peppermint Patty must have felt when Charlie Brown…excused me, when ‘Charles’ kissed her.

I can’t believe it.

Oh, alas…

Willis Kattrell kissed me.

And I have been smiling ever since.  I have been feeling happy way deep down inside…because that…that…that Willis Kattrell…he-he kissed me.

Are you sure that I told you….that Willis Kattrell kissed me?

Well, he did.  And my world shall never be the same…because alas…that…that Willis Kattrell…he kissed me. 

Now, nothing will ever be the same…because….well….because Willis kissed me.

And then he introduced me to his wife saying-

“Tell her all the things you told me.”

I groaned saying-

“Awh…Willis, she already knows.”

But just in case she didn’t…I tapped the table a couple of times just to emphasize the point saying-

“Baby, you got the prize…you got the prize.”

She got Willis Kattrell…and my what a prize.

And he loved it.  He laughed.

He was standing behind me…and oh me, oh my…       

I was suddenly propelled back into the 70’s listening to that laugh.  My mind went back to when Willis had a big afro, when on occasions I would see those beautiful teeth appear from up under his wonderful warm smile.  

That Willis Kattrell…he was one of the best looking guys of the campus…par none.  And he was always a gentleman.  And then, of course, he was the guy who took the time to teach me everything I learned in radio that had to do with basic board operation in the beginning stage of  what would become my profession.

It was Willis…and I was so happy to see him.

And now…I am still smiling because…  Well, because Willis Kattrell kissed me.

This is for every wallflower, plain Jane and fat girl out there who has stood around wishing she were like all the other girls.  Remember this…Willis Kattrell kissed me.  I never dreamed it.  Well, this should give you all hope…time is the great equalizer, baby.  And don’t you ever dare forget it.

I…I love you, Willis Kattrell.

Smile and have a beautiful day.

“Hey, are you sure?”

“Are you sure that I told you that…that…   Well, that…that Willis Kattrell…that he…that he kissed me?”

“Did I tell you?”

Please be sure to share this blog site with all your friends…family…just….just….everyone!

Have a beautiful day…and thank you for reading.

…pass it on…’ www.bsmith101.wordpress.com

God bless…and thanks for reading ©2008

For some reason I just can’t get out of my head how John Edwards had me completely fooled.

It has to be the biggest political con job in the world.

I will tell you this…if I had known anything about that video footage that that woman had shot of John behind the scene…I would have been able to tell that he was not what he projected in public…on the political stage.

Where I had thought him quiet and comtemplative…in the footage he is chatty and laughs a lot…such as the time where he is in the car and tells how he told the television host that if he were going to run for President then he would announce it on his show.  In that sequence…you see a John Edwards who marvels at his own craftiness…something that you totally would not expect of him.  Then there is another sequence where he looks into the camera playfully teasing with the woman (Rielle Hunter) and calles her ‘camera-girl.’ 

 Yes, in that footage of him behind the scenes…you do see a side of Edwards that you didn’t know was there.

It would seem that the person whom I thought he was…was really just a fake.

Media is a great tool…but you better know how to use it.  And use it wisely.

If you are going to have a camera following you shooting behind the scene footage of you as a mean of aiding in people getting to know you…you better not forget that there is a camera there catching your every nuance and word. 

In fact, if a camera is there…you better remember that you are still on stage.  Something that Jesse Jackson, I think, recently just learned.

But Edwards…I thought he was a family guy.

I thought his wife was his childhood sweetheart…and the only woman he had ever known. 

Well…that is what he made it sound like every time I ever heard him tell the story.

The Nightline interview was a disaster for poor John…whom you got the idea that maybe his wife told him she wasn’t going on the show with him.  When he tried to explain her not being there…he stammered and studdered through it…which is something he did through much of that interview. 

Finally, poor John just broke down saying he was a man who needed to do it alone…talking about the interview.  And I am sure he was right…as it seems he had no problem doing a lot of other things alone…I mean without his wife.

A novice filmmaker whom Edwards met in a bar in New York City, Rielle Hunter managed to land a job on Edwards’ staff during his 2004 bid for the White House.  And he paid her $100,014.00 to do it…to shoot behind the scene video footage???

Hiring that woman…putting her upon his payroll was more than a one time thing…she got to fly around the world with him pretending to just be shooting behind the scene video footage.

For Edwards to claim that being 99% honest is not enough…shows just how far off the mark he really is.

What kind of a dumb statement is that?

Ninety-nine per-cent?

His claims of no affair…and not being unfaithful to his wife…were 100% untrue.  He wasn’t even 1% honest.  So, how could he lay claim to being 99% honest…when he was not being honest at all?

What a con job.

What a con job.

To read and see more on this CLICK the 2 LINKS below and then check out the youtube footage.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=9217808&ch=4226716&src=news

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=9217808&ch=4226716&src=news

How do you throw away everything just like that?

People do it everyday…they just take everything and flush it down the toilet for something that later on they mostly all come to regret…all for a few moments fleeting of supposed ecstasy.

Being in media as a woman you come in contact with a lot of men.  Sometimes it can be quite sickening.  There seems to be something inside men that can’t stop them from trying to chase down women…young and old…or no matter what they look like.  And, of course, the opposite can sometimes be equally as true of some women chasing down men…particularly rich and powerful men…or men in the arts and media.

But lets stick with men for the moment…maybe it is a thing of trying to see if they still have it going on.  Who knows.

Sometimes it is just about seeing how many women they can get sexually.

I recall getting into a cab and the cabby telling me out of the clear blue sky that he was not one of those 30 second men.

I acted as those I had not heard him…and never commented on the subject.

He was not a bad looking guy…but why bring up something like that?

I recall once in New York City having to rush a package to Fedex on 42nd Street…as it was the last Fedex office open any where in the city at that hour…and my package needed to be in the mail and postmarked by midnight.

I jumped into the cab in the Wall Street area and asked the cabby to rush.

Through the whole ride, from Wall Street to mid-town, the cabby was trying to seduce me.  He would not hear anything I was saying…no matter how many ways I said ‘no.’

When I was getting out of the cab to rush inside Fedex, he took my money asking me-

“Do you want me to wait?”

And I said, “No, it is going to take me a while.”

“That’s okay.  I don’t mind waiting.”

That cabby waited and waited.

Once I was through getting my package off…I stood inside wondering what I was going to do…as I could clearly see the cab outside throught the window of the Fedex office…he was really waiting on me.

Of all the women in New York…why me?

Luckily that Fedex office stayed open through the night and there was a bus stop right outside it’s door.

A group of people were waiting on the bus…and as the bus pulled up…I dashed out of the Fedex office and leaped on the bus to the nearest train station so I could jump the train to Brooklyn.

Talk about ‘Sex n da City.’

But why are men like that?

I once got a job offer to do radio…I forget where really but it was somewhere South.  The radio station manager/program director and I were talking on the phone trying to work out all the particulars for my arrival…when I asked-

“So, where will I be staying?”

“I thought you could stay with me until we can find you a place.”

He went on to tell me about his house and how much room he had.

There went that job.

That was it for him.  Needless to say…I never set one foot in that radio station or his house.  But thank God he had be truthful in saying what he did…otherwise I may have been stuck.

Enjoy you day.   and God bless….

Oh, yeah.  I’m usually excited about the Olympics but this year for whatever reason I could care less.  Haven’t turned on the television one time to watch anything…and probably won’t.  May regret it…but for some reason I am just not interested.

Can’t believe that Issac Hayes, 65, just died.  And right after Bernie Mack, 50.  They say that death comes in 3’s.

I have 2 funerals this week that I must attend.  Thursday is the funeral for my friend whom I informed you in earlier blogs that we believed that she was in the process of passing.  The following day after she had passed I received a call that a cousin in Florida had just passed, as well.  I am happy for them both to released from the cares and pain of this world.  As I know that in the end they both were suffering and had lingered in states that they really didn’t want to be in. 

It is so hard to loose love ones.  It is hard to see someone suffer…and get so far down that they can nothing for themselves. 

My friend whom we had believed was passing had gotten into a state where she could not walk, eat or talk…and had become bed ridden.  It was hard seeing someone who had been so active and alert in that state…someone with whom I had shared some much and her with me.  I wanted to take her out of the rehab center and take her for one last drive around the city…but I was told she was unable to leave.

All I could think about was giving her one last time out in the fresh air.

When I was in LA…one morning we went for brunch on Sunset Blvd at some vegetarian place.  We were seated at the table…and I heard a voice.  The voice caught my hear and it was right beside me.

I knew immediately who it was…I afterall had played his music over the radio airwaves for years.  And at college when his ‘Black Moses’ album came out…if you worked overnight…or late into the AM…we would just put it on and let the whole side play.

When I heard the voice I didn’t dare look over.  I looked down instead.  And there to my surprise was this long leg stretched over near me…with a loose sandal on its foot.

I knew that voice anywhere…and had often debated who was greater…more talented…him or Barry White.

It was of course, Issac Hayes.  He was seated at the table with a white woman…who I thought was an agent or PR person…as they were talking business.

I could not believe that I was in LA…and seated right next to me was Issac Hayes…the Black Moses.  And when I say seated next to me…he wasn’t even 5 inches away.

I didn’t say anything to him…we never interrupted him…as I made everyone at the table aware that I was sitting next to Issac Hayes.

You don’t interrupt the Black Moses.

Then a few weeks after getting back into New York…there was that voice again. He was now on my radio…aiding in doing the KISS-FM morning radio show…Issac Hayes, Linda Tripp and the whole 98.7 FM morning crew.

Sorry, but I don’t have any Bernie Mack stories except I liked his TV show…the few times I had an opportunity to watch it.  It definitely was an intelligent program that not only entertained but tried to pass along a lesson or 2…Bernie style.

There is much death all about.

The Bible says…we know not when…or where.

Thanks for reading.    and pass it on…share this blog address with all your friends and family…and anybody and everybody else…. www.bsmith101.wordpress.com   pass it on…and have a beautiful day.  

Don’t forget that if you are not registered to vote…please get out and get registered…and take everybody with you who you know is not…or bring them back the registration forms to get registered.  And we will see you all in the voting booth come November…Obama…all the way!

Let me apologize to all the office workers out there…because the worker who was trying to help me…well, she was right.

I had it all messed up.  Sent them the wrong forms and everything.

So, office worker’s of America…I apologize.  It is not always you.  Nor is it always your fault.  But sometimes it is us.  (you can read my last blog to get the whole story)

I was talking with a friend most recently who told me that I rarely think that I am ever wrong.

Which is definitely not the case.

Only a fool would think that.  And there are a lot of people who believe that they are never wrong…but I am not one of them.

Not only can I be wrong…but I have done some stupid things in my life.  Said some things…that I should not have.  Acted in ways…that I wouldn’t have liked to acted but did.

That is why growing up is so important.  Accepting responsibility is a very necessary factor…and just being able to say-

“I was wrong.”

Or yes…even, “I’m sorry.”

Sometimes if you just say it to nobody but yourself…

“I was wrong.”

It is better than never saying it at all.

But here is one that really should be said as often as you can.

“I love you.”

And to as many people as you can say it to…with truth.

The Olympics start tomorrow.  I understand that there are some issues with smog.  Some of the athletes are even wearing facial masks in order try to keep out the pollution.  Though the Chinese Government says that there is no reason for alarm or concern.   They, however, placed a ban on their over 3.3 million vehicles on the road by drasticly cutting the number of vehicles they will allow to operate on the roadways during the Olympic Games.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-ioc-pollution&prov=ap&type=lgns

Just a little tidbit on the effects of bad quality air. 

When I was in LA for the first few days it didn’t bother me…but as the days worn on.  I started feeling continuously dehydrated.  I could not get enough to drink.  I didn’t know what it was.  Then physically I started feeling sluggish…like my energy level was way down. 

It was the smog.  And LA is loaded with it…you can see it. 

When you are accustom to breathing that in everyday…of course, it won’t have any effect upon you.  Because your system is use to it…and your body has adapted to it.  But coming from the East Coast….no, baby. 

It bothered me.  And the effects of it were very real. 

Well, thanks for reading.    ….and God bless.

Oh, yes.

I’ve got to get you ready for November.  Please at some point just drop by City Hall and double check your voter registration.  There is nothing as frustrating as waiting in line to place your vote…and then being told that there is some kind of problem.

One time it was because I hadn’t filled out some consensus form which had been sent to the house.  And another time…I can’t even remember what that was about.

But both times I was prohibited from voting.  These are the kind of things which come up and can make a large difference in whose votes get counted and whose don’t. 

So, before November run into your local Voter Registration Office and just double check your status…to ensure that you vote gets into the mix and is counted.

And while you are in that office grab up some voter registration forms to pass out to all your relatives and friends…get it back from them and take them to the voter registry yourself.  Lets get everybody registered and out to vote this coming November.

And don’t forget to pass it on…. Why not share me with all your friends and family etc…etc…?  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com   ©2008

I recently wrote how shocked I was to find out that Yolanda King had passed last year at the age of 51. 

In fact, I woke up this morning thinking just how blessed I am.  And it is not just that I am alive…but I have a son, I have a slew of fantastic nieces and nephews, a wonderful and encouraging church family, the best of friends, cousins etc…and then I was gifted with the very best of parents…and have always had the best of everything.  So, yes I awoke this morning thinking…how blessed I am.

Though I was shocked about Yolanda’s passing, I am not, however, shocked about the problems the siblings are currently having.  When you listen to Bernice King speak at Yolanda’s Home Going service,in the youtube footage in my last blog…there was a sense that something was going on among them.

 That is very unfortunate.

Bernice kept expounding on ‘listen to the voice of the Lord and give no heed to another.’

When people die there are a mixture of emotions which surface…among them are greed, selfishness and a sense of ‘I’m going to get mine before anybody else does’…just to name a few. 

When you are forced with having to deal with loss…greed and selfishness are not 2 things…along with anything else negative…that you want also on your emotional plate of loss and grieving.

For some…death brings their families closer together…but for more it drives them apart.  The court is loaded with families seeking legal relief regarding family issues which arose upon the heels of someone dying.

Just a few seconds ago I was chatting with a friend…the one who is hooked on youtube  and is emailing all those old R & B/Soul singers…and she informed me that Bernice and Martin, the third, had filed a law suit against their brother, Dexter King, for mis-managing family funds and the funds of their father’s center, the Martin L. King, Jr. Center for Non-Violence, in Atlanta, of which Dexter now heads.

There is nothing like death to bring out the absolute worst in people.  You will see and hear things you never would have thought would be coming from people you loved, trusted and never would have expected would be acting as they are now acting.

Estate matters hurt.  And more often than not they have to be dealt with through the courts…either Probate and/or Civil Court.

Regarding our own estate affairs on several occasions I have had to go into court to pursue some sort of action, such as becoming the Executor of my parent’s estate.  I needed to become the Executor of the Estate for one reason…because somebody has to be over the property….the property simply cannot regulate itself.  And the other reason that really prompted me to seek the Executorship of my parents estate was this.  Somebody had tried to take out $40,000 against my parent’s property…which was luckily declined.  This and worst are the kind of problems you can come face to face with when people start dying…and greed, selfishness and I’ve got to get mine… all enter the picture. 

It is hard to be at odds with family members…but it happens…and often.  And these fights are never kind.  No, on the contary they can be downright hateful and vicious…and surprisingly so.  But someone has to maintain the high road…the right road.  Somebody has to stand for truth and what is right…yet forsake the spirit of hatefulness and viciousness…though it is being showered upon you.  Otherwise, you will become just like the wrong party or parties…and no one will be able to decipher you one from another.  And that they might not be able to do anyway by the time the other side gets through dragging your name through the mud.

Just look to be demonized…if you are the one trying to do the right thing.  By the time you are really in the midst of it…they will…or he or she will…have you looking like the culprit to anyone who will give them an ear.  And everybody will come to you…and ask what are you doing?

Why are you tearing apart the family?

You will be the thief the robber and everything in between.

It will take much crying.  Many nights of soul searching…and living in isolation.  But prayer can conquer anything.   And lots of it.

And one other thing…having someone who will listen to you…who can offer wisdom and counsel you through it.  Someone who will not prosecute you…because they have already become contaminate by buying into what the other side was saying…because they bought into the lies.

I have found that you have to be able to voice you pain…your strife’s…the turmoil’s that you become faced with during life which keep you up all hours of the night…or all night. 

Just to be able to have one somebody…to be able to tell it all to.  Unloading verbally your problems can be an awful good feeling and somewhat of a healing tool in a time of need.  That is what my friend whom I have shared with you that we believe is in the process of passing.  When I coundn’t find anybody else with whom I could discuss it with…she gave me her ear…and she counseled me through it.  And I never once found her counsel lacking.

My problem was that I was in New York…and I kept saying-

“Oh, I’m not there.”

So, I allowed them to do what they were doing without me interfering.

I had no idea what was going or to what level…until I was forced to go home…even I was constantly questioning family members about it.

And God made it so I had no choice in the matter.  I was evicted…so, I had to go home.

Once there I came to find out that the very person I relied upon to keep me inform about matters at home…had been lying to me.  In fact, I came to find out that he was one of the culprits and he became one of my biggest antagonizers.  And that he had apparently never heard that inheritance comes after death.

Following the passing of my mother, my father took it very hard.  And it doesn’t help anything seeing your children clamoring for everything they can get…grab and snatch from you…and you haven’t even closed your eyes yet.

That has to hurt…after working all of your life for a bunch of people who suddenly become like strangers to you…can be, I have no doubt, devastating.  Yes, he became quite devastated…my father just eventually shut down and gave up.

Money and things can make people change…and go crazy.  And my parents had money and they had things…and nothing they had was cheap. 

We grew up living very well.

And I know I said it in my other blog on estate issues…but maybe we had too much.  One thing for sure we had no appreciation…and those who had some didn’t have enough of it to make difference on my father’s behalf.

If you would care to read more this story CLICK the LINKS below.

http://www.bergproperties.com/blog/dexter-king-pays-416m-for-one-malibu-house-lists-another-for-3495-million/465/celebrities/movers-and-shakers

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/07/12/dexter_king_lawsuit.html

Some people may not understand why Bernice or Martin are going after Dexter.  But I do.

Dexter just bought a 4.16 million dollar home in Malibu…that’s Cali…in a ritzy suburb of LA…if you want to get specific.  But he heads the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in Atlanta?  

It really doesn’t sound like Dexter intends to spend much time in Atlanta…doing his job and assisting in keeping the family legacy going.

No, it sounds more like Dexter has the glitter of Hollywood more on his mind…and a highly expensive pallet to go with it. 

On the surface it sounds more like little Dexter is out to deplete the family estate of all its funds…and is acting like he can’t understand their lawsuit against him.

I don’t know why not…since he is the one spending the all the money.  And has probably been more like they have been trying to call him. 

I have seen some of the best…they grew up with me.   And when I stood in court beside them and heard them speak…if I hadn’t been privy to what we were in court for…forget the judge…I would have believed them.  And they were in court talking against me.

If they, Bernice and Martin, don’t stop Dexter…he is going to run straight through every nickle and dime they have and everything else.  And whatever is left after he gets threw trashing the all the funds…that will go up on the auction block…just like it is in our situation.

It hurts…and people may not like it…may sit on the sideline surmising the situation…those outside of the King family.  And even them themselves, Bernice or Martin may not like it.  They might like having to do it…in fact I know they probably don’t.  But if they don’t do it they will have to reap the consequences of the reckless disregard of their brother…as I now am after turning a blind eye to the situation until I was forced into it and had no choice but to deal with it…and try to get this upside down situation…rightside up again.  

Many might not understand it…and may never understand why Bernice and Martin are doing this…filing a law suit against their brother.  In fact, people will say-

“Dragging the family name through the mud like that.”

But is there a cause?

You get a relative…a sibling…or relatives or siblings…who is out to plunder and destory everything that your parents worked for…and/or out trying to ruin your family name…and lets see how you would handle  it.  Short of going to jail…the only other way is by going to court.  And that becomes public even if your name is not King.

Thinking about my last blog where I discuss my friend who had MS.

I really felt a bit guilty.  I think I made it seem as though I had been some kind of great friend.  When in fact I had not.

After writing that blog, I laid down and thought about it.

During our first year on campus we had been great friends.  But during that second year…well…

I had become some kind of radio super star.  I found some new friends and rarely even spoke with my friend other than in passing.  But yet she continued to be nice and pleasant towards me.

Where we had hung out together before during our first year on campus…during that second year and beyond we did not.  I didn’t have time for her…I was…well…too busy making a name for myself at the campus radio station.  And when I wasn’t there…I was…well…sitting around clowning and playing cards with my new friends.  And I never thought of my friend much during those latter years…until I found out she was sick.

I think about that now.

If I could rewrite that history…I would.

I didn’t value our friendship.  For that matter…I didn’t value her.

I made mention of this to another friend of mines this evening.  And I said-

“You know I really need to write that…because really I wasn’t a good friend.  And I think I made it sound as if I had been.”

And she said-

“Yes, but we were all 18…20 years old then.”

Treasuring people is not something that should come with maturity.  But it should be iinstinctual  and begin from day one…when or as people come into our lives.

That first year was nice…but boy what fun we could have had those other years…if I had only been wiser…and a real friend.

I was not a good friend. 

When my friend needed me…I was weak…and useless.

I will never forget going to visit her one day while I was working at a local radio in her town, which gave me cause to have to see her more regularly.  But I will never forget getting there and finding out she had suffered 3rd degree burns all over her body.  Simply because she had tried to bathe herself.  There had been no one there to help her.  The home health aide who was suppose to be there with her many times would not even show up or would leave early leaving my friend alone many times, as I later informed by my friend’s mother. 

It angered me that no one paid attention to stuff like that…and that no one cared.  That person…that home health aide whom I had never once seen in the few times I visited with my friend during the time I worked at that radio station…she should have never been allowed to do that.  And not only that but my friend by this time was in such a state that she really needed round the clock care. 

When I think back on it now…struggling that way kept my friend out of a nursing home and also near her daughter whom she adored…and who had virtually became the parent to her mother.  She was just a young kid mostly caring for her mother almost virtually herself.  And today she too is suffering with MS.  

But my friend…she had managed somehow to wheel herself into the shower.  But she could not regulate the water properly…nor remove herself from up under it when it grew too hot.  My, Lord…

Just knowing that about the aide…I should have agitated for my friend for better care…or something.  But not even that did I do.

I know you are waiting on some more Chinese…and I will give it to you…it’s coming.  If only I can find my Chinese book.

Started really cleaning the house today…so any day now I should put my hand on that book.  That is all I am going to say…except also my friend to whom I was talking with this evening pointed out to me how I spelled Collin Powell’s name wrong.  Good looking out…now if I can just figure out how to correct that…I will.  Thanks.

Got to get into New York on Sunday…it is my Pastor’s Anniversary.  This will also give me a chance to visit with my friend who we believe is passing. 

Wouldn’t it be great if God just lifted her up off of her sick bed.  And gave her to speak again…to walk again…and to eat again.  It is great to know that God is capable of doing all things…including that.  And for Him that would just a light thing.

Well, God bless…

Before getting off the line with my friend…we started talking a little bit about politics. 

It has been a bit tooquiet politically don’t you think?

It just means to me that those sneaky Republicans are busy planning how to rig the election.  I have never seen a more dishonest bunch…outside of some of my own family members.  I’m just kidding about some of my family members…but it could be a true statement…might be true.  But they are mines anyhow.   I can kid somewhat about it now…but believe me it has been a very trying time when you have to deal with family woes.

But going back to the underhanded crafted and shameless Republicans.  The only way McCain stands a chance…is a fix.  It’s the only thing they can do because Obama is light years ahead of him. 

McCain can’t out talk him, can’t debate him…doesn’t have his youth, zeal or appeal.  It’s like Buggs Bunny running circles around Elmer Fudde.

Look for the big fix…and all of the dirtious tricks they can pull out of their hats and anybody elses to start hitting the air waves soon. ©2008