Posts tagged ‘Venus Williams ‘
MUHAMMAD ALI… GONE AND I DOUBT THAT ‘THE GREATEST’S’ FLAME WILL EVER BE FORGOTTEN… OR GO OUT… and ORLANDO GAY CLUB KILLINGS…
Well, even his illness Muhammad Ali managed to avoid having passed long ago. For sure
LOUISVILLE, KY – JUNE 09: Muhammad Ali’s second wife Khalilah Camacho-Ali (L), his fourth wife Lonnie Ali (C), and daughter Laila Ali (R), holding a grandchild, attend an Islamic prayer service at the Kentucky Exposition Center on June 9, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Jenazah service was held for the four-time world heavyweight boxing champion, who died on June 3 at age 74. A procession and memorial service are scheduled for Friday. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
some will say he fought a great fight… and perhaps his greatest was out side the ring fighting Parkinson.
I really do not know many people who have had the staying power of 
Muhammad Ali when it comes to battling the disease of Parkinson. And I guess 1 can say Ali fought and won because he managed, regardless of all the shaking… to keep his humor and be able to see the world in a light that most of us have no idea of… and the blessings we all have who do not have to battle to live or do for ourselves.
FILE – In this Oct. 1, 1975, file photo, spray flies from the head of challenger Joe Frazier as heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali connects with a right in the ninth round of their title fight in Manila, Philippines. Ali, the magnificent heavyweight champion whose fast fists and irrepressible personality transcended sports and captivated the world, has died according to a statement released by his family Friday, June 3, 2016. He was 74. (AP Photo/Mitsunori Chigita, File)(AP6_4_2016_000105A)
I will never forget when Ali stood before the cameras and said because he did not believe in killing people based upon his religious belief… he, 
therefore, refused to be drafted and go to war, and fight in the Vietnam war. That action caused many who hated this young black kid, who was so skillful in the boxing ring to get the ammunition to really go after him. But though that action did color his earlier boxing achievements… and ended up with his title being taken from him, 
Muhammad Ali never let that stop him from being the regal sportsmen he continued to be until the day he died.
Another time I will never forget is when Ali during his time from being not allowed to box 
by the U. S. government… came to visit our college campus. He was in our Black House… the black student organization building… and he came to talk to us. I cannot remember what Ali talked about… as all I can remember about that day was that there were a number of us black students in the our Black House that day… and Ali took a hundred dollar bill and bought McDonald’s for all 
of us. This may not sound like much to you but to a whole bunch of mid-afternoon starving college students it was something truly great. We were ecstatic that this great boxer was on our campus and we had a chance to meet him 1 on 1. Could not get home quick enough to tell my daddy… who was a major Muhammad Ali fan.
Those of us who were fortunate enough to witness Ali from the
Mohammed Ali
beginning until his end can truly say that he was indeed ‘the greatest of all times.’ No other box has bought to the prize ring the kind of interest and excitement of an Muhammad Ali fight… which was always colorful and full of rhythms such as, ‘Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.’ Or give us a thrill like the ‘Thriller in Ma’nilla.’
Not many have lived to see the greatest basketball player of all times..
. Michael Jordan. Or the greatest female sister 
tennis players of all times… Venus and Serena Williams. Or the greatest base ball players of all times… Hank Aaron. The greatest golfer of all times… Tiger Woods. Or the greatest female vocalist of all times… Whitney Houston… and the greatest entertainer of all times… Michael Jackson. 
And Muhammad Ali the greatest heavy weight boxer of all times… from the Olympics into the professional boxing ring. And what a gift for trash talking
The winners of the 1960 Olympic medals for light heavyweight boxing on the winners’ podium at Rome: Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) (C), gold; Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland (R), silver; and Giulio Saraudi (Italy) and Anthony Madigan (Australia), joint bronze. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
…until 1 day God shut all that down… but did not take his life until now.
Yes, he was pretty. No boxer prettier… or sharper or more on point 
than Ali. And an Ali fight was guaranteed to be exciting and filled with the unexpected.
Watching the funeral on the television and seeing all the religious leaders seated on the 
stage at Ali’s funeral, and being fully aware of Ali’s own religious beliefs… I could not help 
but think, ‘If you serve anything other than the 1 and only living God, and his son Jesus… than you can belong to as many religion groups as you want, and be the very best person in the world and never make it to heaven.’
It is my hope that Muhammad Ali’s last and fight battle was 1 he also won… and came to professed that Jesus is Lord, and not a lower prophet under Allah.
Odd how that massive and very powerful man was never stopped by any of his opponents, who were also big strong massive heavy weight men with plenty of strength. But having
U.S. boxing great Muhammad Ali poses during the Crystal Award ceremony at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland January 28, 2006. REUTERS/Andreas Meier/File Photo
suffered so many head injuries brought about a disease that ‘the greatest’ wrestled with for a very long time… and now probably never was overcome by it… but by age instead. And he went out of here smiling at the ripe old age of 74…smiling because he defeated Parkinson too… but could not overcome age though many have tried.
One thing is for sure …Foreman… Frazier… and all the rest would never be nothing if there had not been an Ali, who allowed them the privilege 
to claim into his ring…
Well, God bless… and hope you have a beautiful weekend this weekend. But as I close I cannot help but think about the terrible chain of events that took place in Orlando just this week.
After over a hundred people were shot and more than 50 killed it is insane to me to hear any pastor or supposed religious 
man laughing and stating from his pulpit that the cold blooded murder who shot and killed those people should have killed everybody who was in that 
gay club?
I have wonder what Bible are people studying from?
What manner of doctrine are they reading where it says, ‘God hated homosexuals enough to want them all dead.” If that were the case I am more 
than sure that God even back in Biblical times surely would not have stopped with merely 
Sodom and Gomorrah… especially since it is widely known as recognized as almost customary for such things as that among 
men in Greece during that time.
There is no way that this Orlando gay night club shooting should not be classified as a ‘hate crime’ irregardless of the ethnic background of the shooter and his religion… because this crime was perpetrated solely against the gay men in that club for reasons of hate… due to their sexuality … perhaps because he found them to be attractive… and of interest to his sick perverted sexual 
desires, which to the shooters ethnic group were both against his religion and ethnicity. Whom himself frequent that club trying to date many of those men… and met up with Hispanic gay men over the internet. And there can be denying that this all came about just as we entered into June, which is gay pride month.
Our God has not given unto us the spirit of hate… or hate mongering. But of love. Biblical scripture tells us that we are to love one another as we lover ourselves… this comes without conditions or any special exemptions.
http://www.advocate.com/religion/2016/6/14/baptist-pastor-who-cheered-orlando-murders-isnt-alone
I’m off my band wagon for now. But I pray that God sincerely touch every heart and change ever deprived mind that seeks to do evil.
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…” http://www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2016
/news/190704_muhammad_ali_remembered_during_islamic_funeral_prayer_service/
Add a comment June 18, 2016
SERENA WILLIAMS… RANKED WORLD #1…. TENNIS…
Well, Wimbledon is on and Serena is where Venus many years ago predicted. Well, somewhat… she actually predicted that she and Serena would be rated #1 and #2… which really isn’t quite that. But Serena now is rated #1 in the world. She is the top female athletic in the world… the highest paid woman in winnings ever.
But in her personal life Serena may be going through something. She and Maria Sharapova, who is dating an ex- of Serena… 
who had a recent interview in England during the Wimbledon Tournament made several statements that maybe Serena may not have totally liked. Such as how Serena ‘should concentrate on her game.’ How Serena ‘should concentrate on being #1.’ And how Serena is dating her coach, who is married with kids… and leaving his wife for Serena.
Oh, my…. I am not touching that. But it appears that everybody in London would love to see a Williams/Sharapova Women’s Final at Wimbledon. Where Serena is, of course, slated as the favored no matter who ends 
up playing against her at Wimbledon in the Women’s Final.
The war of words between Serena and Sharapova makes for a hot Wimbledon review… and the cameras and microphones are out to catch every word and picture of it.
http://espn.go.com/tennis/wimbledon13/story/_/id/9414740/wimbledon-tough-days-serena-williams
http://www.fansshare.com/news/maria-sharapova-serena-williams-in-war-of-words/
Venus was forced out of Wimbledon this week due to a back injury. So, Serena and Venus are not in the Women’s Doubles line-up at Wimbledon this year for the 
first time in I don’t know how many years. It is sad to see really the complications physically that Venus has had to battle with in recent years. But she has a heart of steal… she just does not give up. She plays when and as she is able to no matter what. She is a champion… truly.
Venus Williams, Tennis Player
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/06/24/venus-williams-volley-for-equal-pay/Now, this should satisfy those of you who come to my blog to read what I have to say about this dynamic duo the Williams Sisters, Venus and Serena Williams. I get a ton of hits of people looking for more and more info in them. So, hopefully this will appease you for a little 
while. Never got around to writing anything on Serena’s 150 wins… Yeah, that is what I said. Little wonder the tennis world had to final sit up and give Serena what had been due her long ago… the title of World #1 Woman in tennis.
Well, God bless…Well, it appears that I am not doing too bad for myself. I just finished another blog. That makes 2 in 2 days. And I remember when I used to write 1 each day. Perhaps I’ll get back to that… but it won’t be this week. Enjoy the rest of your week.
And again I thank those of you very much who have ventured out and purchased my book… which can be ordered on-line at any number of websites… just google THE BISHOP’S WIFE by Bernadine Smith… and see for yourself. And you can also read excerpts from my book on-line as well at Barnes&Nobles Nook, amazon.com etc…
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 ©2013
Add a comment June 25, 2013
DEITRICK HADDON vs. DAMITA HADDON… and Social Media…Serena & Venus…
When I posted the article about this on my Facebook page I had not really read the 
article…just glanced over it. But later ..that last night while chatting with my son, I decided to tell him about the story.
So, I went to my Facebook page and began reading how Deitrick Haddon had posted on his own Facebook page, that his ex-wife…something that I at the time had not known about either. That Damita was Deitrick’s ex-wife.
When did THAT happen?
Well, Deitrick posted on Facebook that Damita, his ex-wife… supposedly with another gospel singer, Isaac Carree to be exact… were adulters. Meaning they were sexually 
involved… and outside of marriage.
Deitrick in that post was saying that his wife had cheated on him with Carree… or was cheating on him with Carree. And I guess that was supposed to clear him of his mis-dealings outside of his marriage with Damita.
But for me… it back fired.
Being that they are ex’s… both of them now by way of divorce, Deitrick and Damita. Since Deitrick is (1) now married to someone, (2) whom he cheated on Demita with… and (3) impregnated. Well, needless to say, it all sounded wacko to me.
What was Deitrick saying?
And why was he saying it?
And saying it now… seeing that they are already well passed divorced. And the other woman had bared his baby… to who he…. Deitrick had finally married that woman.
So, why now, Deitrick?
It just does not make any sense.
Bad apples I suspect. But who was to blame, Deitrick?
And bad apples for what?
Is Deitrick trying to say that the reason he stepped outside his marriage to Damita was because all the while she had been the 1 cheating on him?
To tell you the truth, the whole thing was rather shocking to me. Because they, Deitrick and Damita had 
always appeared to be a happy couple to me. They are all smiles of that WORD Network promo they do. They worked together it appeared nicely. They created gospel music together… performed concerts together… he put her in his film. And I just assumed that they really had it going on… as happy as could be.
But evidently, that was not the case.
I did, however, wonder about Deitrick being the head of a church?
And that was only because, to me, it seemed that Deitrick loved his music career so much. I couldn’t see him giving it up. And pastoring a church does require a great level of devotion.
So, I wondered at first whether Deitrick was going to leave the record business?
Which Deitrick did not… but instead it appeared that he rather stepped up his involved in the music business. And then came 1 or 2 movies that he produced, directed and played the lead character in.
So, I really wondered about the ministry of his dad’s church, that Deitrick had taken over following the passing of his father… where once upon a time he had been his father’s Minister of Music.
I must say that I have long-held the view that everybody’s son is not meant to 
take over their father’s church. Okay… get mad… but I think most people would agree with me on this… even if you might not. You need only to go back into the scripture to search this fact out for yourself. For instance you have the examples of the Priest, Elli’s 2 sons… and then there was Samuel’s son. And if you keep reading you can and will find others… sons who were born into the priesthood but were less than worthy. And simply put they were not qualified to minister because of certain basic character flaws.
Flaws like… they just did not want to follow the Lord. Or what the Lord said.
Yet, for the most part this is what happens in many of our churches… dad dies and the son steps in. And sometimes the son had left the church long ago. And a lot times, sadly, it has been to the detriment of the church under which they came back and took over.
So, when I read in the article that Deitrick had left the ministry of his father’s church… I raised a slight eyebrow. But it was no major shock to me. But what did shock me was to read that Deitrick, 36, had fathered a child out-of-wedlock with a 24-year-old woman. And that his wife, Damita, had divorced him.
Now, that was a bit of a surprise to me because just as I already said… they seemed to be a great couple. Mind you I was not shocked that Damita
divorced Deitrick behind that baby incident… but I was shocked that Deitrick had done such a thing to her. And now want to come out and out her… by calling her ‘an adulter?’
Come on, Deitrick… man up.
Since Haddon… Deitrick is now divorced… I guessed he decided he wanted to try and clean this mess up… and kindda make himself look good. Or not so much like he was the bad guy in all of this. Like it wasn’t just him. 
So, that must have been the reason behind Deitrick’s ‘adulterer’ post regarding Damita and Carree.
Now recently married to the young lady whom he had fathered a child, which may have played a part in Deitrick’s decision to leave the pastoring of his father’s church alone.
Why should Deitrick now be trying to smudgy up Damita’s name?
Up top of this, I understand that Deitrick had failed to tell the good people of that church… that that woman’s child …whom he married… even after he married her… that her child was his.
That is what I call deceit upon deceit.
So, is this a case of the adulterer calling an adulterer an adulterer?
Or is this a case of just some really very bad apples?
I leave that up for you to decipher.
http://www.eurweb.com/2013/01/gospel-scandal-brewing-isaac-carree-in-the-middle-of-haddon-split/
How do you go outside your marriage… father a child with another woman… and want to call your wife the adulterer?
All I can say… is what is done in the dark (deep sigh)… certainly comes to light…
http://www.dagospeltruth.com/?p=6727
Now, going back to Bishop Larry Trotter.
I got a couple of comments concerning my blog on the Bishop being in the bathtub with a young girl child. in which they say …or should I say… which he says… it was his 4-year-old grand-daughter.
But does it really matter who’s little 4-year-old it was?
Come on, gimme a break.
To everyone who has seen that picture… says the little girl was naked. And I would say that the bishop was too.
But here is the 1 thing that I wanted to add to that story which comes from scripture… and it has since come to me. We are told in the scripture to forsake ‘even the illusion of sin.’ That means that we as saints cannot even do anything that can even be perceived as being sinful or wrong by anyone. There is a reason that the Bible tells us this… as I think Bishop Larry Trotter can now attest to.
Well, that is all I had to say… Just wanted to pop in for a few moments… and now I am popping out.
UPDATE on the Bishop Trotter story… Monday, February 28, 2012: In looking at that picture once again of Bishop Trotter and the little girl, said to have been his grand-daughter, in the bathtub with him. I have an observation as a mother… that child in that tub is not 4-years-old.
I know the size and what a 4-year-old children looks like. That child in that picture is about 2 or 3 years old at the maximum. Because a 4 or 5-year-old child is much bigger than little girl pictured in this picture in the bathtub with the Bishop.
http://www.inspiration1390.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=421960&article=10721557
ON SOCIAL MEDIA: When it comes to social media I really think that people should not indulge in it without first considering what information they are putting out there. I really think about Deitrick and that Damita story. 
Why would Deitrick want to post on his Facebook page anything negative about his ex-wife, when he just finished marrying the woman… or at least 1 of the women whom he had been messing around with.
My son told me that the same thing had happened with J. Moss (only I do not think his wife left him)… and Tye Tribbett (and I don’t think his wife left him either). But my son said that Tye wife paid Tye back by going outside their marriage with some friend of his.
This thing is getting weird… and it is in the Church…
When you look at Deitrick’s new wife… she 
almost looks like Damita.
Doesn’t she?
Deitrick now has a new family… and he really just needs to move on… instead of trying to make his former wife look like
the culprit… or cheap… or like a whore. He did it to himself…
Last year the Williams Sisters, Serena and Venus along with their mom visited Nigeria in November… meeting with fans and sharing words of encouragement. Wow… no wonder I like them. That Williams family is really something… and they have not forgotten us… or who they are.
Now, turning to tennis because everybody has been hitting my blog to read about Serena and Venus it seems lately. So, let me get on it right now… because as you know they are in the Land Down Under, the Australian Open.
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3
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S. Williams
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6
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5
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4
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Quarterfinals
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29
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S. Stephens
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3
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7
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6
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Jan 22, Completed
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3
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S. Williams
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6
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6
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4th Round
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14
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M. Kirilenko
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2
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0
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Jan 21, Completed
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3
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S. Williams
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6
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6
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3rd Round
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A. Morita
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1
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3
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Jan 18, Completed
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3
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S. Williams
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6
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6
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2nd Round
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G. Muguruza Blanco
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2
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0
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Jan 16, Completed
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Well, to put it simply they are having their own share of troubles. In one of the very rare instances they the sisters lost 
their Doubles game, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5… and that put them out of the running for this year’s Women’s Double award there.
OOOOOOooouch!
Who beats them in Doubles????
Well, it hasn’t all gotten bad… but sad to say since the single games didn’t do them any better either. Venus lost to Sharapova 6-1, 6-3… and a 
hamstring is bothering Serena… least that is what a fiend of mind told me. So, time will tell…
I am sure by now that you know that Venus for the past couple of years has been dealing with an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren syndrome… which causes tiredness. But she hasn’t let that stop her though. You can read more on that by clicking the LINK below.
What Is Sjögren’s Syndrome? An Expert Explains Venus Williams’ Diagnosis
http://www.latimes.com/sports/tennis/la-sp-australian-open-20130119,0,47292.story
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2012/oct/31/venus-serena-williams-womens-rights-nigeria-video
Well, God bless… it’s Friday and though it has been very cold, I hear that it is due to get warmer here. It has been so cold here that today I made sure that I put on multiple layers of clothing. I put on so much that when I walked my legs could hardly bend. But I must say it kept me warm… : 0Thank 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 ©2013
2 comments January 25, 2013
LONDON…2012 Olympics….
They say a picture speaks a thousand words…
Allyson Felix…got it! She’s going home with gold.
Yea, America!
Gabby Douglas…got a $90 million endorsement deal with Kellogg’s. Didn’t you…
and don’t you still love Kellogg’s’ corn flakes?
The tag team known as Serena and Venus…took away the gold
in the Women’s Tennis Doubles. And
Serena sweep the Women’s Single’s to walk away with its gold.
Yeah, I do…think it. A picture really does say a thousand words.
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 ©2012
Add a comment August 8, 2012
I’M BLESSED… Celebrating Gabrielle and Dominique… Olympic Games 2012
Wow, over the period of a few short months it is amazing how quickly things can change.
I just finished getting a text from a friend… and she began laying out to me just 
how very different this summer has been for her …juxtapose to last summer. Last summer we were breezing around eating hot dogs and ice cream cones here and there. While this summer we have yet to even see 1 another… and she just told me why?
For 1 thing her husband has been ill. So, she has been in and out of the ER… and 
doctor’s offices all summer long, she texted me.
The other thing is she has also been shuttling her daughter around… because her daughter’s car blew its engine. And they kindda just within a few months or so… just bought her that car to get around in at school.
And on top of all of this …she has her own health issues… and to top it all off… just last year her mother passed.
Did somebody say, “When it rains it pours?”
I guess my friend can attest to that.
And I thought I was facing something.
While sitting there texting back and forth with my friend with her laying out her summer woes to me… some workers on the college campus came in and sat down in the school cafeteria near me. And Jim, 1 of the workers, began laying out his summer to me… saying what a nightmare it has been for him on the job.
It seems that the whole campus heating system blew… which also effected the school air conditioning system. This in turn it seems forced all the summer classes to be placed in his building… the building he cleans. Which meant that while most of the summers he has only had to strip floors and do some waxing here and there at his leisure… not so this summer. This summer the floor stripping and waxing had to be put off… as his cleaning 
responsibilities had been far more than just doubled … say trippled by the additional people now using his building for classes.
But what Jim also told me kind of gave me reason to pause. He said that the school heating 
system was going to cost the school $2 million to replace… and that the school just did not have the money to get it fix. Jim also said that this winter students may be sitting in the cold all over the campus.
Wow… and I thought I was dealing with something.
Two million dollars????
And I thought I had heating problems.
While sitting there texting my friend and talking to Jim… I then got a phone call from a niece asking for some money. She said she was short on her rent, and that she had no money for food.
It is funny just how quickly your prespective on your own problems can change… when you come to realize just what other people are going through.
You know what?
I just realized just how blessed I am.
I am blessed. I am truly blessed… doesn’t matter what it looks like… or what it 
sounds like …land court… foreclosure notices… bills… repo’s… shut-off notices… etc…etc…etc. I want you to know that I AM BLESSED.
Hey, I would like to take this time to acknowledge all of you who have purchased my book, THE BISHOP’S WIFE… can’t believe it. I definitely hope that each of you are enjoying it and have found it to be a good read. Please let me know what you have to say about it… I would love to hear from you. 
You can reach me by either emailing me… of which my email address appears in my book. Or you can just leave a comment right here on my blog.
Well, it looks like rain… so I have to get out of here gotta get downtown to pay something on my parent’s taxes.
Well, God bless… and enjoy your weekend. I need some real rest. Lately been waking feeling tired…but I guess if you went to sleep most nites after 3 AM you would be too. But I think that I am going to try and take it this weekend… in between pulling out and trying to kill some 
weeds around the yard. 
The Olympic Games… haven’t said much about them… because I no longer watch much tv. But happy about Gabby grabbing that gold… hadn’t missed that since it is all over the internet. She is stepping in the steps of another great gymnast… Dominique Dawns. And what a champion she was… and still is.
Usain Bolt “the Bolt” proved again during the Olympic Games that he is unbeatable. He is the world’s fastest man… nobody can even touch him. “The Bolt” is in a class all of his own… just proves what ‘yard’ cookin’ (as they say in Jamaica) …and having to walk for miles can build strength like nothing else can. Yea, Jamaica!
And I really cannot say enough about Serena this year… she has turned it all the way up. In spite of earlier health issues she has the determination of a true winner to not give in to it. Because to win… to win big… and to continuously perform on a very high level takes a lot… and whatever that lot is
… lets say it is desire… a deep desire to win… and a desire to win all the time. Truly Serena has it.
But what amazes me more and more about the Williams Sisters is their great passion not only for 
the game of tennis… but for each other… and their family. What a family… It is wonderful to watch their great out-pouring of love for one another and dedication. Even though their mother and father are no longer together it has never prohibited them, mom and dad… from being in stadium for their daughters.
I like through thick and thin stories… and this Olympic Games has more than a few of them. Truly all the athletes are to be applauded. It takes a lot of lonely hours… mixed with sweat to be at the top of your sport… and they do it. They do what it takes to not only get to the top… but stay there.
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 ©2012
Add a comment August 3, 2012
Creflo and His Daughter… the 911 Call…. VENUS & SERENA Taking it all at W
When I first heard this story I have to admit that I just casted it off as a plain unruly child picking up the phone and calling 911 on her father…
Why?
Because she could. And because that is what the law tells them.
You know the law?
The law that prohibits parents from chastising their children. A law which many times clearly has made parents victims due to unruly children. Because if the child doesn’t like what the parent has done …or says… all they have to do is drop a dime… or in other words… pick up the phone and call the police on their mother or father… or both of them.
The information when this story broke was that Creflo and his daughter had been in a dispute… which arose upon his daughter asking him… her father… if she could go to a party.
I have heard of many children who wanted to go against their parents … then decide that they would settle the matter simply by picking up the phone and calling the police on their parents.
So, of course… I thought this was just 1 of those stories. Where a 15-year-old spoiled child decided that she did not like that her father told her ‘no’ she could not go to the party. So, she therefore picked up the telephone of him… or popped open her cell …and called the police lying on her father… telling them that he had choked her.
That is what I believed and that is how I thought that it had happened.
So, I never felt that Pastor Creflo Dollar had really done anything wrong.
But it was not until I heard his recounting of the incident before his congregation… and after listening to his daughter’s 911 phone call… that I must say that I am not entirely sure that maybe the daughter did lie.
Here is her 911 call:
Now here is Creflo’s account of that situation:
Since I know neither of the 2 parties it is hard to determine what and what is true. But it was Creflo’s own words and how he just seemed to literally throw his daughter up under the bus regarding the whole incident while speaking to his church, in his accounting of what his daughter said had happened, that stuck me as… hmmm. He virtually called her a liar and continued to pounce upon her. And that is what I felt was odd.
I do not believe a loving father… or any parent angry or not get before people and begins to pounce upon their children making their child appear bad or evil.
As a parent I have at times found myself angry at my son… and didn’t like something that he said to me . But there are ways that parents handle these type of things privately. Though at times I have had to admonish my son that he needed to tread lightly a couple of times while in public… as since he has reached his 30’s he has at times needed to be reminded ‘that I am still the parent.’
While speaking Creflo took the opportunity to turn his message on its heels making himself the victim.
There is no doubt that this present system of taking the control out of the hands of parents to properly chastise their children… has made many parents almost helpless when it comes to their interactions with their own children.
It is clearly stated in the Biblical text that parents should not spare the rod. Without following the instruction of God our children will become unruly… untrained… disorderly… and lack moral standards. But with proper training… love… and guidance our children will make us glad. It is Biblical text…
I knew a young mother… she had at lease 4 children and I doubt that she was older than 24 or 25. One day in passing she informed me that she was having problems with her youngest child in school. And she told me that they wanted to medicate him… I counselled her against that.
The little boy was bad… and very busy. But I told to not let anyone give any of her children anything that would alter their mind… because it would rob her children of their lives. And she told me how her oldest boy had call 911 on her… and how afraid she now was of trying to disciple any of her children in the least.
I was shock as her oldest child, who was at the time was just about maybe 9 or 10… was a very likeable and handsome boy. He often stopped by my yard to speak with me as he passed by. I found him very pleasurable… and never would have thought that he would have imagined to do such a thing. But he had… the that incident scared his poor mother enough into not doing anything for any 1 of them, for fear of 1 of them ever picking up the phone on her again… and her children being taken away.
It is clear that the law against parents chastising their children binds the hands of good parents… people who love their children and only want to see that they do well.
No one enjoys little children who have no training at all. They are like little animals… and as they grow up to they become even worst.
I was once investigated. My son and I laugh about it today… but when it happened that thang scared me to death because all I could see was that ‘they’ were going to remove my son from 
our house. That would have destroyed me… I doubt that I would have stayed around to let such a thing happen to my child.
But the investigation was dropped when it was discerned that it had no merit.
My investigation stemmed from my son not doing academically well in school. So, the school suggested that I allow them to test him to see 
why. I was young and foolish then… don’t let the school do any type of psycho-analyzing of your children. Because they sit in rooms asking your children about everything but what they told you they were going to do. And that is what brought about my dilemma… my son had not called anyone on me… but the school began questioning him about me… whether I whipped him or not etc…etc… etc…
Needless to say I have since learned. I am not the smartest but that situation taught me something… and I learned it shortly after I gave my permission for that school to tell me why my son’s grade were not so good.
How innocent was that?
That nearly had my son removed from our home… and placed into foster care. There is something wrong with this system… and it truly works against parents… good parents.
I did not stop chastising my son… but I did tell him that if he ever told anyone that I whopped him that I would kill him. And that is what we laugh over today. He tells me that I was always threatening to kill him…
“Boy, I’m going to kill you!”
It was kindda the way folks spoke back then. Most parents said it… but none really meant it.
However, the world has changed today… different kind of parents. And that is truly sad… and what has brought about this problem.
Well, God bless… and have an enjoyable evening.
Okay….okay….
Ju
st in case I don’t write anything else for a while let me just include this.
Serena Williams took Wimbledon winning the Women’s Single… then turning right around and grabbing the Women’s Doubles title with her sister, Venus.
Venus was turned away in having lost early in the Women’s Single matches… largely due to her illness which renders her to be tired. But the illness did not stop her when it came to the Women’s Doubles finals match, where both little sis and big sis walked away with the big one together.
I am very happy for them both. I love their family. Just love seeing the love… appreciation and unity they all have… and through the situations and turmoil they still WIN!
Together Serena and Venus have won 13 Grand Slam Doubles titles together… and with Serena’s Wimbledon Single’s win a couple of weeks ago… the have between them 10 Wimbledon Single wins… with each of them having amassed 5 a piece.
Now, how good is that????
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0708/Serena-Williams-Two-Wimbledon-championships-in-a-day-video
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 ©2012
Add a comment July 23, 2012
Venus and Serena always at the top…
Okay, I admit it. I have not been paying close attention to either Serena or Venus lately.
Okay…okay…maybe it was because I just can’t seem to agree with the skimpy clothes or skin-like almost naked look of Venus’ under garments of her tennis outfits. But that does not mean that they are not the best…or perhaps the greatest sister act to ever hit the World Tennis Courts.
And because I can’t always agree with their clothing choses does not mean that they are not ‘yet’ still beautiful young black or…African American young ladies.
So, then why did the Austrian Open fail to include their names. Venus and Serena Williams… in its list of ‘the ten most beautiful women?’
Oversight?
Maybe…
If it was an oversight on the part of those who did the electing could it have been one 
due to color… as in their ‘skin color?’
Very possibly.
Beauty can be measured in a number of ways. But if you are looking at beauty as it pertains to women’s looks… then you certainly cannot overlook the Williams sisters. And they are more than just physically beautiful.
Some people even believe that a good mind is beautiful. And if you are one of those then… they are beautiful even in that.
Some people believe that having a good personality is beautiful. And if you are one
of those than you might even agree here. The William sisters are beautiful
Some believe that having height is beautiful. I love height. And if you think that being tall is a sign of beauty… then you can agree here. That the William sisters are beautiful.
Some people look at your skill and ability, and find beauty in that. Maybe, you are one of those. Certainly, it cannot be said that they… 
neither Venus nor Serena are lacking in either of those departments. In fact, they possess great skill and ability in all the things that they do… be it designing jewelry, or designing sets for television or video productions… or designing clothes …or slicing tennis balls straight down the court and making Aces.
Yes, the Williams sisters possess talent, skill, ability, smarts, intellect, height, charm, elegance… and everything else.
So, then why did they not get chosen …or at least 1 of
them for some ‘tennis most beautiful list?’
Well, you figure that one out. I have my own opinion on the matter already… and you probably know what it is.
All in all… whether they were picked or not for that list… what can you say except… they are still winners in everybody’s book. And very much still at the top of their game.
Now, how could your overlook that?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jewel-woods/venus-and-serena-williams_b_169927.html
http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/US-Open-might-be-venus-williams-last-best-shot-090810
With regard to their clothes…
Who says that the under pants to Venus’ tennis outfits have to be only white?
Evidently, it is not in the rule book.
The other young ladies on the tennis court wear white under garments and nobody says that they are trying to give off the illusion of being naked…being that they are white. So, why then should we perceive that Venus is trying to give off an illusion of being naked… even though that might have been what she expressed when she was confronted by a bunch of foolish questions 
concerning the matter.
Can you believe that an article states that when Venus steps out on the court at the US Open this year…she will do so as the ‘under-dog?’
Clearly, many in the tennis hate the Williams sisters…and simply just wish that they would just disappear.
And once again Venus is causing a stirr…news articles saying ‘short and skimpy.’ You guess what they are talking about.
Well, hope that you enjoy your weekend 
this weekend. The kids are back at school here on Monday. Unlike when I was growing up you don’t really see parents out shopping for school clothes the way they used to. My son says that it is because kids wear uniforms now.
But still what happened to having to buy new shoes and socks, and other things for school?
Then today too… many kids have to supply themselves with their own notebooks, pens, pencils, and paper… etc…etc…etc…
They don’t even get to carry their school books home from schools any more.
And everybody is wondering why they kids are not getting the education that they should?
What tools are we giving them so they can?
Not every child has a computer at home… or at their immediate disposal. They do not all have the same resources.
So, why does the public school system feel that they do?
Where are all our tax dollars going?
When they started lotto in this state they said that the money… or a large portion of it was going to go towards education. I really do not see where any of has.
Today, the kids have no lockers in their schools to even hang up their coats… or to place their books in… if they were given any. They have to furnish their own pencil 
sharpeners… art supplies …everything. All of which were given to us when I was in school.
For every class I had… I had a corresponding textbook. These books were given to me as my personal possess for the year, and at the end of year I had to return them back into the possession of the school. But today’s kids don’t have anything like that. Their books can’t leave their classrooms. 
So, what happened to all that lotto money?
Why do kids have less in school today than we did yesterday?
And in this environment of less… how can we possibly expect or hope for them to do just as well or even better than we did yesterday?
I can’t see it happening. The sakes are higher today… and our kids should not be made to deal with less simply because the school system is not allocated its fair share.
Now, so much for me standing on top of my soap box.
Enjoy your weekend… and hopefully each and every one of our children… and they all are ours… will have a great and tremendous school year this year.
I have yet to launch my official and new website…but I must say that it looks great. And almost everything is working. Just needs some final tweaking.
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 to em 
, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…” www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2010
2 comments August 28, 2010
Alicia Keyes baby-mama drama …and everything that glitters…
Somehow I thought Alicia Keyes was smarter… maybe even a bit wiser.
When I was growing up I never thought to look outside of my home for my role models. But the kids today like to pattern themselves after 
everything and everybody they see.
Their whole attire is based upon watching people in music videos. That whole thing that they do with fingers…like we used to throw up the peace sign. It’s from watching the guys on the videos. Grinding and grabbing at their stuff…its from…
Well, you get the point.
I have read a couple stories on this romantic little couple…Keyes and her hubby to be.
But how does that happen?
He’s in divorce court…not even un-married yet dropping sperm all over the place while hanging a ring around her neck. Well, I mean on her finger.
He is on the verge of having 3 sets of kids…children from 3 separate
women… 4 in total whenever Alicia gives birth to hers.
Here is a guy where all you have to do is look at his track record and that should give you reason to ease back from him. What kind of man is he that has 2 children with the woman who has him in divorce court, and before settling that matter he impregnates another woman and says-
“Lets get married.”
And I thought I was disappointed in Vivica Fox when she hooked up with 50¢. I 
thought she was too classy for him…just what I thought about Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown at first. Though I still think that Whitney had more going for her than Bobby Brown, and over a period of time I began to see where neither Whitney or Vivica were quite what I had thought.
Which goes to my point that you should never idolize people who you do not personally know. If you don’t really know them then you do not a true perspective as to who they really are. And that old saying really is quite true-
“All that glitters is not gold.”
Meaning though they may shine…be famous…popular…or whatever but what you see and believe to be good may… Well, it may be something totally different from you think you see. And I am starting to think that about Alicia Keyes.
The guy doesn’t even look like anything to me. But from the articles Alicia is totally smitten by him. And she has to be to want to…or to have allowed herself to fall into the predicament she is in. Pregnant with child by a guy who already has 3 children by 2 different women…and is currently still married.
I hate to say it…but it sounds so ‘ghetto.’ And I say that knowing that many people who live in the ‘ghetto’ do not all act ‘ghetto.’ That is to 
say that they come out of what is called a ‘ghetto,’ but they do not act or behave in a manner that reflects the negatives of that environment…or the stigma we have come to associate with certain elements within ‘ghettos’ or poorer neighborhoods…such as the character played so realistically by Mo’que in the movie ‘Precious.’
Within ‘the hood’ baby-mama/baby-daddy drama is something well documented…whether you witnessed it on the street or happen to hear someone conversing over a cell phone. You know it when you hear it. It is in the tone of the 
conversation…the shouting…the emotions…and usually the cussing and swearing.
Amazingly, just like Alicia and this guy, Swizz Beatz. The name alone gives you a clue that there is nothing there. But going back to my initial statement…a few months into a fresh new romance everyone looks as in love as Alicia and this guy in this picture. But then comes the drama.
And I have no doubt that it is going to come…if history has anything to say about it.
And we all know that history as a way of repeating itself…and clearly the guy’s history speaks for itself.
The mere fact that he had no respect for Alicia by at least waiting until he finalized his divorce to impregnate her and to set a ring upon her finger…speaks loud and clear. And it ain’t saying ‘love.’
Oh, you may say-
“Oh, he is just trying to do the right thing.”
The right thing?
The right thing was to respect the mother of his 2 children whom he is
currently attempting to divorce before dropping a ring on somebody else…and making the other woman pregnant. And Keyes is definitely the other woman in this scenario.
If one went back in time it is possible that the woman who this currently his wife…may have at the time found herself on the other side of the table. And had been the other woman in that scenario 
between him and the mother of his first child.
It is a know fact that if you meet up with someone this kind of way…where you take them from some else… Well, sooner or later you will find yourself in the same predicament. While the person moves on to the next one.
This guy strikes me as someone who likes to fraternized with women who have made it or are their way to making it. Hint…hint… All gold digger are not female.
The ex-wife to be is a singer too…somebody named Mashonda. Since I do not
listen to R&B any more…or rapp…or anything much outside of gospel music…I 
have never heard of her…or him. But in watching a music video or 2 of his… he definitely has to hook up with someone. Because his talent, if you want to call it that…is not nothing. You might consider him to be another…uhm… Bobby Brown.
So, he was in dire need to go to the next level. And I guess you can say he did just that when he somehow managed to rope Alicia into his web of romance.
At first glance Alicia struck me as clean cut…intelligent…gifted…and a young woman of high standards and morals. But she seems to have believed the hype and sunk 
into the life of supposed stardom… rapp culture… and whatever else. She seems to have lost 
some of that style… innocence… and intuitiveness I thought she had.
So, how come she didn’t see this guy coming?
How could she have fallen so deeply under his spell?
Her style changed… her talk changed …she changed. She started showing more…and leaving less to your imagination.
Maybe it was a desire to become more like…say a Beyoncé. And for a while I 
had thought that it was going to Alicia and whatever Beyoncé’s husband is named.
Then I had thought it was going to be Alicia and Common. But Serena Williams tied that up.
But personally she looks smart enough to be a lawyer’s wife… or some doctor’s wife. 
But somebody with a brain seemed to be what I would have thought Alicia would have wanted. Somebody like a Barack and not a Swizz Beatz.
But maybe like Vivica…Alicia wanted a thug. Just somebody able to throw her down and sex her all night long. But I would have thought that she would’ve wanted far more than that.
Maybe someone she could converse with. Somebody who could do more than flash and throw his hands up in the air… or spin a couple of turntables. 
Somebody who knew something about responsibility. Somebody who could really love and respect her. Somebody who felt so deeply about her that he would not dare pull her into a mess.
But then what about Alicia?
What happened to her common sense?
Why would she want somebody who would pull her down?
Didn’t she see what happened between Janet and her ex-husband?
How about how far Whitney fell messing around with Bobby?
Is she oblivious to what has been going on around her concerning messing with married men…and baby-daddies?
Doesn’t she realize that depending upon what state they live in that his children could pull a piece of her earnings too?
Yes, that is right. Once his way of life increases under the influence of Alicia’s money… she could be forced by the court to aid him in supporting his other children due to her income.
So, then what would possess Alicia Keyes to want to tie herself down to a man who already has 2 set of children?
I know that it is hard to find men today who do not have any children… but there are some. Some fine decent men waiting on a fine decent woman. Who work and are more than capable of support his queen to be.
What happened to choosing one of them?
I see Alicia carries expensive bags… which cost thousands of dollar, like Chanel, Veneta, Louis Vuitton etc…etc… then why go bottom shelf when it comes to choosing a mate?
And she wouldn’t take a bag that somebody else owned. So, why do that when it comes to a man?
Why would Alicia Keyes want to let herself in for all the baby-mama drama that 
is sure to come out of her relationship with this guy, Swizz Beatz?
I don’t really know Alicia’s background but I have heard an interview or 2 where she has talked about her schooling and music classes. And it never struck me that she came from the ‘ghetto.’
But one thing is for sure… she is beginning to act like it.
And let me just state this…that ‘ghetto’ is more a state of mind than being. Because I know people who live in a variety of places including what would be called the ‘ghetto.’ But they do not possess a ‘ghetto’ state of mind.
No respectable woman would set herself up for failure…except perhaps the woman Ruby Giuliani 
married after he finally divorced his wife. What a mess that was… the guy had no respect.
How do you bring your mistress into Gracie Mansion, the Mayor’s mansion in New York City, where your wife and young son live to do your thing with her?
What kind of woman was she?
I guess Giuliani was just too cheap to get a hotel. But he did not impregnate her… least ways not that we know. And just prior to his attempted run for the White House, he married her.
As to whether they are happy or not… I can’t answer that. But I do not believe any woman can can sleep peacefully at night knowing that have hooked up with someone with a wandering eye. If it wandered 1 time…it can and usually wanders 2 or 3 times. And in Alicia’s case maybe 4… if someone steps up to the plate with more money and appeal.
Because that is clearly the kind of guy this guy strikes me as. Otherwise, Alicia
wouldn’t be pregnant right now. And he probably worked hard at that… he needed to seal that deal.
And he did.
I do not wish Alicia ill… but I just do not see it working out. History always repeats itself, and someone’s nature is their nature. But God…only if God steps in and changes them. And this guy has z history that is speaking loud and very clearly
.
But going on to my initial point regarding role models. Like Serena and Venus… I had thought Alicia as a good and decent role model. But this thing about being out-of-wedlock, pregnant and messing with a married man has definitely put a dimmer on that.
The problem is …is that because Alicia is in the public eye she does bear a certain level of responsibility. I have no doubt that she realizes that there are many young girls and young ladies who follow her closely. And for them she sets a kind 
of standard of excellence and determination.
Her lifestyle and choices like that of many celebrities gets digested, and incorporated into the being of those who follow them. Becoming pregnant by a married man…
Well, it is something most people do not brag about. It shows a level of insecurity… carelessness… and a balant disregard for the other woman on the other side.
This scenario is weighted in history. Its outcomes can be read in newspapers time and time again, due to all kinds of crazy acts of revenge… hatred… threats… kidnappings and murder plots. It is not a pretty situation …and under it no one can truly find happiness.
Because what started wrong in the first place …can’t help but end up wrong too.
Then that is not to say that errors or lapses in judgment can’t happen. But never compound a mistake.
Okay, Alicia may be pregnant…but should she really marry the guy?
No. She made a mistake. But she does not need to make another mistake… by marrying the wrong person.
Sure she is pregnant with his child. But if he was worth anything that would not be the case.
Clearly, Swizz Beatz lacks certain morals. I know that sounds like a foreign word to some. But morals stand for something. And anyone without them…
Well, would you really want to trust them with your heart?
Apparently, 2 others did. And you can see what was the outcome.
Why should the 3rd…Alicia’s relationship with him be any different?
And don’t say-
“Oh, he might really love her.”
Might is the operative word. He might …and then again he might not. She might just be another trophy to him. Might be just another target for his ego …and something for him to laugh about while chatting with his boys.
As is often in this kind of case… the man walks out on the other woman eventually…leaving her for the next one. It is an endless cycle for those who have no moral consciousness going from 1 woman or young girl to the other.
I pray that women wake up.
In the Biblical story in the Book of Genesis… Leah eventually did…wake up…but it was not until after she had bore Jacob 5 sons. She kept hoping child after child that Jacob would love her.
Today, we this scenario still plays itself out over and over again. In the story of Leah and Jacob …you can assume that Leah did not love herself very much. The text said that she had a tender eye… whereas Rachel was beautiful. And she could clearly see how much Jacob loved her.
It had to be painful.
Hence, any woman…or girl who loves herself is not going to just allow someone to use them with the hope of winning them over. Or baring a child for them with the hope that this will tie a person to them.
I had a Jamaican cousin who passed last year. Since I really didn’t know her I was informed by 1 of her sisters-
“I don’t know what happened to Marva. She was never ever like that before she met him.”
Before my cousin Marva ‘met him,’ my other cousin shared with me…she was happy and carefree. She loved life… and was always playing practical jokes. But then she ‘met him.’ She loss the essence of who she was.
He did not love her… but he kept stringing her along. Because he knew he had her. She gave him a child… but yet she could not keep him. There were other women in his life …but she refused to let go. Then he married another woman… 
and my cousin’s life caved in on her.
Suddenly, nothing mattered. Not even her own child. Her thoughts were consumed with him. Her desires were all for him. Then he shun her… cursed her …and stopped seeing her as regular.
And she began attempting suicide.
She succeeded last year when she finally turned a bottle of bleach up to her mouth. This time there was no doctor that could help her.
They could not pump her stomach. It burnt up her insides. And they could do nothing to help her but watch her suffer…for days… my aunt (her mother), her husband (her father) and her other sisters.
But at the funeral they realized that she was now at peace. But what a sad way to go. And what a horrible way of trying to find peace.
What could possess someone to love someone so much…more than than they do themself… or her child… to attempt on several occasions… and then to final succeed in killing themselves?
Could anyone on this planet be worth all that?
No. Not at all.
His life went on. But her’s ended…and ended horribly.
It had been compounded by 1 error after another.
There are some people not worth being bothered with. And particularly if they can somehow manage to cloud up how you feel about you.
I was once so in love. I do know how it feels.
I loved this person so much. She had me. And when it was other… I spun into my own web of depression… remorse …loss …and pity. It came across my mind…that thought of suicide. 
Everywhere I turned I saw couples. Everywhere I looked I saw people walking hand in hand. Spring was in the air… and so was love. And I had no one…I was alone.
The one I cared for had cast me off. And I was floating …drifting in my mind. Reality was lapsing from me. I saw that which I wish I had. And it was all aroun
d me. Happiness …chatter… the glee of being with someone you loved.
But there I was alone.
And yes… it came to me. To kill myself … and to bring it all to an end.
But instead it was overcome by another thought.
I began thinking that maybe ‘the life’ wasn’t for me.
I began thinking that being in ‘the life’…meaning ‘in a gay lifestyle’ was not some place where I could be happy. And maybe I needed to try the other way?
I tried it.
But I didn’t like it.
But I emerged from it pregnant.
I thought of abortion.
So, I called the hotline. But when they started talking about ‘partial anesthesia’ or ‘full anesthesia’… I knew that either way it was going to hurt.
So, I just decided to go through with the pregnancy. Truly, that was my thought process. And that is why I now have a son… who I must say is a far better person than his mother.
And my goodness… what would this world be like if my son were not upon it?
I made the right choice. And it is God’s desire that we have freedom of choice… so we can exercise our right to make ‘the right choice.’
And I am glad that I made another choice.
It took me years to get here. But I made the choice to walk in liberty …and to come out of darkness. And I am so happy that I did.
Oh, well… I have got to end now. Because I am really supposed to have watched a movie… and now I’ll be up and working on a legal paper.
So, I really must get moving. Enjoy your day tomorrow.
In closing let me say 1 more thing… Alicia at 29 years of age should be wiser. I say all of this because I have no doubt that a lot people will read this blog. And I would just be wrong if I did not speak truth…with the hope that someone might hear. Or that it might help someone…including Alicia.
God bless.
THE BISHOP’S WIFE is now on sale…
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 ©2010
You have got to watch the BELOW video.
1 comment June 1, 2010
Venus’ Illusion…Gulf Oil Spill… Obama at West Point… and Lena Horne passing
When I read the story I knew I was going to be writing a blog on it. At 
first I chalked it up to something not clicking in their heads. And I said ‘they’… because first it was Serena and her nude layout in Esquire magazine.
Now here comes Venus with her illusion.
Had I wrote this blog about Venus and our outfit 
yesterday I would have been far more harsh than my thinking is today. Because between yesterday and today my mind came across something.
I thought about my young indiscretions. Things I did in my youth that I would never do or think to do now. Foolish things…some even down right ridiculous. But I did them.
And the thought came to me how I used to love going out on this nude beach in New York. Where I didn’t mind taking it off…and didn’t think 
twice about doing it.
And I wasn’t embarrassed about either…nor did I think anything wrong about me doing so. Getting almost naked…top off and letting it all hang out while I laid in the sun and walked along the rolling waves.
So, when I thought of this I re-thought what I was going to say in this blog. I am now a little more tolerant of youth…and yes they do…do crazy things…we all sometimes do and have too.
Yes, I think it bad taste the choice that Venus made in her design of her tennis outfit for the French Open, in making it appear that she wasn’t wearing underwear…and thinking that it was cute… or comical… or sassy…or sexy… or even stylish.
I would never, however, compare my removing my top and enjoying a day out on the beach to being on center court in Paris at the French Open with tons of TV and news cameras flashing at me.
Nor would I ever say that what Venus chose to wear before a crowd of people…mostly upper middle class and above…and mostly white… was in good taste… or for prime time viewing. 
In fact, thinking about it made me think of Josephine Baker and her 
bananas…and the scathy way she used to dress when she performed. I very much think that if Josephine were alive today that she might re-think wrapping bananas around her waist and shaking her stuff like she was crazy.
I have always held that both Venus and Serena were great role models in all aspects of their careers…not just for young girls and the young ladies within our own race, but also to those outside of it as well. That is…up until Serena posed naked and now Venus stepping out on the courts wearing something…wanting to give the illusion of being naked.
It is all rather a bit too much for me to take at this time.
They have burst my bubble…
What are they thinking?
First Serena…then Tiger…and now Venus.
It was nice while it lasted. It used to be such a pleasure picking up the newspaper…or watching the news…or catching stuff over the internet about them. Now all 3 of them seem to be falling from the mark… loosing their barings…and the 
standards they once set for themselves… that they once up-held. And that they are now dropping down by the wayside.
My father would call it…going out of the world backwards. He was great at saying that…and especially to me. Perhaps, it has much to do with why I am as I am today.
But maybe it’s been too much money?
Too much fame?
Or maybe it is just their youth…
Or too much pressure being Black…and being so in sports that many Black people did not participate in…and then landing on the top of it. Sports which had typically been dominated by non-Black athletes…and here you go ending up being the top money makers…highest paid athletes in their games…grossing the highest earnings as a male atheletic… and as female athletes.
What an achievement. I am sure that it must come with plenty of scars… hurt… and lots of anguish. Particularily, when you were just starting out. Nobody within those circles liked you then…much less loved you. You were just a dark spot coming into a lilly white game that nobody believed would bloom and grow up dominating…and then becoming number 1.
Yeah, that had to be hard. Going out on courts where everybody snubbed you…and didn’t want you anywhere around in their ‘white only’ club houses. But then gradually over time and championships all of that changed. They came to know your name…wrote stories about you… wanted private interviews with you… and a few even sought you out for sponsorships. But not as many as you could have gotten…and should have gotten…if you were white.
But you aren’t white. Never been white…and I’m hoping never wanted to be white. But now you are ‘in like Flen.’ They can’t deny your talent… or your gifts from God. But you still remember the
pain…the time when… When things didn’t seem that they were ever going to get to where they are now…but yet you kept pushing… kept reaching …striving… and achieving.
At the time it may have seemed like a great idea when Venus sat down and decided to design it… but to take black lace and create something which looks more like a ladies bustiea was never ever a good idea…when it was her intention to wear such an outfit out in public.
Why would Venus want to go out on center court…on a world stage looking like a cheap downtown hustler or prostitute?
All I can say is…. blame it on her youth…perhaps the times.
Young women today see nothing wrong in baring it all…wearing as little as possible… or wearing their
under clothes outside in the street…and call it ‘fashion.’
Nor do they see anything wrong or filthy in wearing their pajamas out in street. Or the boys with their pants hanging down to their knees.
There is something very wrong with the way culture and fashion seem to be clashing today. Standards in etiquette, style and class have all taken a back seat to the tasteless, classless and raunchy. And it doesn’t seem to matter 
how much money you make… or whether you are our new set of athletic supper stars… or new found musical talents and movie stars of today.
All tattooed out from head to toe…and pierced all over the place. There was a time only a chosen few rebellious outcast doorned the way out hair, blacken fingernails, body piercing and tattoos. But 
not now. It’s your daughter and my nieces and some nephews…and practically all the guys who play 
professional basketball and everything else. And every drummer…and groupie alike.
Used to be that everybody was searching for their own ‘unique’ them. Now it seems that everyone wants to be like everyone else. Marked up and grossly ‘un-individual.’
I feel sorry for Venus…Serena… and Tiger. They seem to have lost their way. Once they were champions…now I am just not all that 
sure any
more.
No one could ever say that she wasn’t a class act. No, they could never say that about Lena Horne. Always beautiful…and sassy… she had an air of proud-ness about her that could not be mistaken.
Can’t say I personally met her…but I once did have an opportunity to catch her in a performance at McCormick Place in Chicago. It was an opening when the seniors of Sixth 
Grace United Presbyterian Church decided to sponsor a trip to catch Lena in her finale show she was on tour with. Though I didn’t really want to go…by the time I got in my seat and Lena started to perform I was more than happy to be there.
I had never really thought much about Lena Horne as she was before my time. But the show was a retrospect of her life in the entertainment business, obstacles she had encountered, her determination to make it to the top in spite of…and it was filled with 
plenty of spunk and humor. I thought about Lena for days after that show… I loved it. I had absolutely loved that show and fell in love with Lena. And all those seniors who dragged me there loved it too.
I remember Mother Emma Turner so well. She just would not let me say ‘no.’ Nor would Mrs. Ripperton…Minnie’s mother…they teamed up on me. And so I got a wonderful opportunity
to see and hear a legion. Someone I think I had seen her on the old Ed Sullivan Show several times…and had certainly seen in a couple of old movies. But that 
night even as an older woman…Lena was radiant and still just as beautiful.
Lena Horne passed recently a few days ago…and I had never known she was a native New Yorker. A Brooklyn girl in fact. I guess that accounts for why she had so much spunk and a wonderful attitude. And boy….did she have attitude…and in a good loving way.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-207_162-10003452.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/10/arts/music/10horne.html
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/05/10/theater/20100510-hornebroadway.html?ref=music
Got a ton of hits today regarding this story. So, I decided that I would comment on it.
This is the story about the ex-Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick who just got thrown back in prison by a Judge who decided that Kwame hadn’t really learned his lesson…though he contended that he was changed and 
had become a ‘good guy.’
So, Kwame hires her as the personal assistant to the Mayor. And somewhere along the line they began carrying on romantically…texting messages and meeting up in various hotel
rooms…then chatting about it in their text messages…him and Christine.
All of this while Kwame was taking the city for a ride…and living large…and I guess a little too large. For which the City of Detroit is demanding restitution. Well, they demanded it back in 2008 when the city took him to court…sued him… and then sent him to jail for 2 months. But 
Kwame after paying $140,000.00 against a $3 million debt…claimed that he had no more money. And did not the court find out otherwise.
BAM!
Now, he is back off to jail again. And as you can see in the top courtroom picture of him…he is none too happy.
Being a supposed lawyer himself it is hard to see how Kwame failed to be more careful…smarter…or act wiser.
I have to agree with the woman below in 1 of the youtube clips.
“When you are voted in by the people you have a moral responsibility to the people.”
And you also have a debt of service…which should not be converted into a self-serving attitude.
There is something about power…if you are not careful you can become too full of yourself and abuse it. I think that is what happened to Kwame…he became too full of himself. And then started thinking he was untouchable.
I have to say that after watching this footage I feel sorry for her… Christine Beatty. Almost everybody deserves a chance… and an opportunity to be forgiven. We have all done some foolish things. I know that I have.
It is highly unlikely that Ms. Beatty will resume her studies in law…or become that lawyer. But perhaps she will… sometimes these kinds of things come to prove to us who God is… and to make us better…stronger and more determined to succeed… and to labor to do the right things.
I wish her well… both of them really.
Some of us have to rise up out of the pits of hell to find ourselves and our true calling in life.
Worst oil spillage ever?
I thought that the oil spill that hit Alaska some years ago was the worst. 
And based upon what I hear the effects of it are still being felt. Perhaps it is time…or way past 
time that a little more time and oversight should be spent on ensuring that these type of things just do not happen. And at the very least certainly not to this extent.
The oil spill that hit Alaska in 2009 was due a boat transporting oil owned by Exxon. The Exxon Valdez ran aground spilling nearly 11 million gallons of oil upon a clean and scenic Alaska water way. Now the BP oil company is currently dealing with a oil rig which exploded killing 11 of its workers releasing an inestimable 
amount of crude oil which is now beginning 
to wash up on the shores of Louisiana and Florida. And is threatening to not only damage the Gulf and its coast line but also that of shores on the Atlantic Ocean side.
It is terrible seeing the birds covered with oil trapped down under the weight of it covering them, near dead in the muck of muddy tar like waste just waiting to die. The pollution that has filled their air, shores and an ever enlarging area destroying lives…and undoubtedly causing plenty of soon to come health issues. And while destroying the beauty of our dear Mother Earth.
Besides having to deal with the news of the oil spill President Obama was at West Point this past weekend delivering their Commmencement Speech. He has grown to not look Presidential but also sound it.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/37519216#37521148
Though in reading the story I could not help but notice how whenever the writer spoke of the President…he always used the lower case ‘P’ …like when he wrote ‘and the president…’, as opposed to a capital ‘P.’ Which in the past has always been the custom in this country when referring to our Presidents in print. And that is why it always leaps out at me now whenever I come across it this way. Because I am not accustom to seeing that done at any other time in reference to the President of the United States.
It would the equivalent of using a lower case ‘q’ whenever someone wrote something in reference to ‘the Queen.’ Which is a definite no-no…just ask the British. You never see that…nor did I ever see a lower case ‘P’ ever being used in newspaper articles or anything else in reference to our other Presidents… past Presidents of the United States prior to Barack Obama. That is until this time. To be sure Barack Obama is ‘our’ President…and he definitely got voted into the White House. He is owed the respect that is due him as any other man who has operated in that capacity. And I have read several articles now written with that lower case ‘p’ when referring to him…and I find it to be a slap in his face…an insult and total lack of respect.
It speaks volumes as to the state of mind and hidden agendas… and bias feelings which still exist here in this country. And I do speak of racism.
At least Barack Obama got voted in…whereas George W. Bush stole his way into the White House. And what a set-up that was…not to mention a mess he created of this country under him.
Now, if they…those newspaper columnists and others could refer to George W. Bush in their writings…their news articles and the like with a capital ‘P’…then I see no reason why they have a problem and cannot do so when referring to President Obama. Who by the way…got voted in…and by a resounding number.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/25/louisiana.spill.town.hall/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/louisiana-oil-spill-2010_n_558287.html
I am so sleepy I can barely keep my eyes open.
I started this blog near 7 PM and it is now 5:45 AM. And I really can’t go a step further.
So, I will say…good-night. And hope you enjoy your day…and some time later today I will go over this blog and try to weed out the errors.
I can’t do it now…because I just can’t keep my eyes open. It gets like that sometimes.
But I just had to try to finish this as so many people have been hitting my blog to check on some things. Now, I feel much better…because it is done. And if I think of anything else I will add it later. Good-night….
And…God bless.
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2 comments May 26, 2010
Serena at the top of her game… Women turned men…having babies…
Well, what can I say…except she has done it again. Though she dominated much of the game playing some of women’s greatest tennis. ..and she really did. I enjoyed watching her play…and how well she kept her opponant working and running chasing down balls…and how she made Serena run and chase down balls…and send the balls back.
It was certainly not hard to see Saturday night during the Australian Open Women’s Final why Serena is ranked #1 in 
the World. Along with #1 Woman Athelete…#1 Women’s Sports highest ever prize winner…#1 in Women’s Tennis Doubles (along with her sister, Venus)…and #1 in the eyes of her older sister…and just as deadly on a good day…Venus Williams.
The love and respect that they share for each other is not hard to recognize. While baby sister sweated it out on the court…older sister, 
Venus sat prayfully in the stands along with their ever faithful mother, Oracene Price. With ever stroke Venus sat clutching her hands…cupping her chin…watching every ball as she not only sweated it out with her younger sister but you could see that she struggled with her…mentally right up until the very end. And when it was all over little sister pulled herself up from the ground and went over to her mother and the waiting arms and kisses of her mother…and an 
ever elated older sister who could not have been prouder as she stretched down gripping her little sister in her arms and buried a kiss upon her while whispering something in her ear.
Now, that is love.
So many times sisters and brothers get so caught up rivaling one 
another…that they have very little appreciation for one another. Sibling rivalry can be one of biggest problems for why most families cannot get along. Clearly we all need to take a page out of Venus and Serena’s play book about family love and admiration, for the skills and gifts that God has so richly invested in all of us.
To be so dominant on the tennis courts…and often coming up against one 
another… yet both of them maintianing the desire to want to win and become #1…earn alcolades…and huge bundles of money coupled by the fame and 
prestiege…and yet it seems that the endless challenge that one of them will have lose whenever they end up set against one another in finals…yet it has never impacted their love for one another. In fact, it seems to be that thing which drives them closer… with each and ever 
tournament…opportunity…contest of skill and power…and desire to win on both of their parts.
Saturday night during the Australian Open final, Serena Williams not only won the Australian Open Women’s Singles for her 5th time…nor did she not only take home yet another trophe… but she pushed up her game earnings into the over $30 million bracket as well.
With a combination of 12 Aces combined with sharp precision…speed and force…all of which played major parts in her game. Serena took it in 3 sets winning…6-4, 3-6, 6-2. But I am sure that when Serena hit the courts 
in the Land Down Under…it was also with a mind that she had something to prove. After being fined and forced to sit out a tournament following her outburst and supposed threat to a lines woman while playing in the US Open this past year. I am sure that when Serena stepped into the tennis arena of the Australian Open that she went in to prove a few things. With her main point being… that she had the capabilities and powere to put 
away anybody who dared to come up against her. 
And she did…back to back…and day after day…tournament after tournament.
What a game…and what a win. You go, Serena…and Venus. And congradulations on also taking the Australian Women’s Doubles again…too.
When I saw this and initially read this story I laughed…sarcastically of course. As I found the whole thing to be absolutely ludacris. I am
sicken really by it…because to me it seems that these 2 women turned men are trying to make a mockery of God.
This last set of men giving birth to a baby… are 2 women who have turned themselves into supposed men. They look outwardly quite like men… but evidently they
decided to keep some things… and develop some others… but did not rid 
themselves of everything. And I think that it is sick.
Yes, I feel that this thing is sick.
Why would 2 women want to convert themselves into men…only to end up living their supposed lives as men…living together as gay guys?
It doesn’t make sense. It is sick.
On top of it…taking pills to masculine themselves up…then turn around and become pregnant with all those chemicals in the body of that woman/turned supposed man.
What is this thing about wanting to be a man…then turning around and wanting to do the most womanly thing any woman can possibly do?
And that is give birth to a little baby.
If they want to be men…then be men. But not try to re-write the birth code…or trying to revamp God’s already perfect work…and order. If He wanted men giving birth He is more than capable of performing that little feat for Himself. But since He has yet to do so…then evidently it is not His desire.
Then this last couple to do this thing…well, they look not only sick 
but freakish too.
How messed up can a little infant be who is being carried in the womb of some woman who has jacked up her system, face and body with a bunch of pills messing with her hormones in order to turn herslf into some kind of make believe man?
And yes…I said ‘make believe.’
In a couple of my prior blogs I wrote about this guy whom I knew… and I guess I still know him…just haven’t seen him in a while…who came to Salsa Soul Sisters, a lesbian organization…under the guise of being a woman. At that time once he began dating some women in Salsa…which is or was…as it still exists but under another name…but once he started to date some of those 
lesbian women the word started circulating. And I did say…that he came in as a woman…a supposed lesbian…seeking a lesbian lover.
Okay, let me break it down for you. He was a guy…who dressed in drag…meaning wore women’s clothes…who came and became a member of a lesbian organization…and while coming into the organization began dating some of the Salsa Soul Sisters.
And in my prior blogs on this guy…who we all thought was a 
woman…except those who happened to date him…they got to find out first hand that he was not… as he had not had the operation yet…but was working his way to it.
Well, when the word got out…the roof was blown off of Salsa when the real women got word that their ‘lesbians only’ organization had been infantriated by some man pretending to be a woman, and talking about he wanted to be a ‘lesbian.’
Don’t laugh because it is true.
I thought the whole thing was bizarre. It was way too deep for me to even want to comprehend. All I could think was-
“If he wants to be with women then why doesn’t he just stay a man.”
But what he wanted was to be a woman making love with a woman. He wanted to turn himself into a woman in order to be a lesbian. Now, that was bizarre to me…and made absolutely no sense to me. But it did to him. And evidently to a few of my then ‘so called’ Salsa Soul Sisters.
But for some of my Salsa Sisters this act on his part to join Salsa and become a 
member of Salsa’s Board was an out and out act of war…and boy did they come out battling. Sisters poured into Salsa one night…coming from all ends. Sisters who had left the organization…and those who had gotten too busy and had simply stopped coming…and then there were some of the founding mothers (those who were still alive)…they came storming into Salsa and demanded a vote. And when it had all been said and done by the end of the night they added a note to their charter…and it went like this-
“No woman born biologically a man could ever become part of Salsa’s Board or membership.”
So, needless to say we never saw the guy again in any of our
meetings…but some of us had befriended him and would occasionally run across him. He seemed to have no problem in finding supposed lesbians who were willing to indulge him sexually. One such woman he moved in with…and they lived as lesbians. But he disclosed to me that she wanted him to give her a baby…and he was feeling pressured…as it was something that he didn’t want to do. After all, he wanted to be a lesbian…not a mother. Or should I say…be a father.
But I knew that this guy took a lot of various pills because he was in the transitional stage of having his operation. Knowing this…I just could not help but wonder how a fetus in the womb of his lover… fathered by him could possibly be healthy…as this guy’s system had to be all messed up with all the sex changing medication, as he really was working towards having his operation to remove his male sex organ. He lived his life as woman…and that is how he acted…which is why none of us knew he was a man until some of our other sisters (Salsa Soul Sisters) started climbing into bed with him…or her as he called himself …and he had given himself a female name too which is what we knew him by.
So, when I happened to go up over the internet a few days ago and come across this news of another man about to give birth to a baby. As much as I really didn’t want to read that story…I read it. And upon seeing their pictures and reading about them I laughed…but it really was all sarcastic, of course. Because I really don’t think that it funny.
These 2 woman could not look more manly. Which is something 
not uncommon in ‘gay life’…but certainly not the norm. Mostly the fems want men…or the more dominate type want someone softer and not as hardcore like themselves. This is of course if they are into role playing…which means…those who play like they are male and their partner being female. Or then there are those who perfer not to play roles at all…but just be themselves…which is what many do…they don’t look either or…they are happy with being who they are and desire simply to be intimate only with ‘like sex’ partners.
So, looking at the pictures of those 2…that looked like very much men…with one of them exposing her swollen belly in every shot…just struck me as being humorous at first because of the obvious contradiction. Though inwardly I really felt they were trying to make a mockery of God…and I still feel that it is exactly what they want to do. It is not by error. Because why would you butch yourself up…beards, hair cuts, clothes, probably voices etc…to then want to turn around and do such a womanly act as become a mother when everything about you appears to speak to the fact that you clearly want to be a man?
Is that not a contradiction?
So, I have come to this conclusion…this can only be for profit…15 minutes of fame…lights-camera-action…a movie…a reality show….something…but not because he really want to be a mother…or even a woman in kind of way.
How many more women turned men…are we going to see pop up and do this?
I can’t imagine children growing up under 2 highly confused women as these 2 women. I really can’t. I wonder how they explain what they are…or who they are to their children?
And truthfully speaking, his belly does not look healthy. You can’t take all that medication and not know that that it might affect the fetus in some kind of way. It must…and I don’t care how slight or mildly it may do so…but there has to be some type of affect or side affect to any child born to someone who does such.
I hope this is not the beginning of a preverted and highly sick 
trend. This is not to say that I think gay guys can’t make great fathers. I would never be that small minded. But I think that a bunch of people who mess with their gender…and who suffer from gender issues…yes, I feel that maybe they might not be the best canidates to parent anyone…or to raise anyone. Because clearly such people who have done to themselves as these 2 women have… Well, could they possibly love themselves.
They are out of step with the world…and clearly are trying to re-define gender and parenting…and have a strong desire to create their own reality. It is make believe…and springs out of a crazy notion that they can somehow restructure the concept of what is family…father…and mother. And even more so…what or who…is a birthing mother. And in reality it could never be a true…or real man.
Saw a few flurries this morning…but the sun is out. The weather is cold though and been so I guess all weekend long.
We were out of town over the weekend…and when I got in this morning I found the kitchen faucet frozen solid. And the house, of course, freezing cold. I felt sorry for the cat…though I had tried to
warm up the house as much as I could. But I guess my efforts were just not enough.
Now, I have got to get a plumber to the house. Can’t imagine what this is going cost…but I think it is going to be costly.
But on the other hand it might just be a good time to have them put in that new sink and faucet that I have been thinking about. And why not start tackling some of the other problems I have with the house…such as getting those raccoons out of the attic. There has be a way of 
chasing them out. I thinking loud music…if they can’t sleep because of the noise…just may be they might pack and leave.
The other night I heard 2 of them fighting. And it sounded vicious…and they are not small raccoon either like those in this picture.
I can’t imagine the damage nor the smell in the attic since they moved in maybe about 2 years now.
I got to get them out. Besides I am thinking about transforming upstairs into a production studio and editing suite for some future plans that I have for this year. And I really don’t want to have those raccoons roaming around just above my head.
Oh, well…there is always something. I’ll get over it.
Well, I hope you had a great weekend. I did. I enjoyed it so much that coming back and finding the kitchen sink frozen really doesn’t bother me. It was worth it…for the weekend I spent with some of my young nieces who had never spoken so much around me before…until this weekend. And I loved every minute of it…being with them and their friends. I really did.
Well, Go
d 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 ©2010
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2 comments February 1, 2010
Venus & Serena US Open…and women’s health and heart attack issues
Busy in New York City, Venus and Serena Williams are at it again. ![williams_sisters_1474882c[1]](https://bsmith101.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/williams_sisters_1474882c1.jpg?w=305 "williams_sisters_1474882c[1]")
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 ![couch-venus[1]](https://bsmith101.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/couch-venus1.jpg?w=305 "couch-venus[1]")
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.’
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.
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-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 ![90644421[1]](https://bsmith101.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/906444211.jpg?w=305 "90644421[1]")
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.
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
THE BISHOP’S WIFE is now on sale…CLICK this LINK to purchase my book. You do not need a paypal account to purchase, and you can purchase using a debit card. Thank you.
Add a comment September 6, 2009
Wimbledon 2009…Venus & Serna Williams style
Finally adding the final touches to my youtube book trailer for my book, THE BISHOP’S WIFE. And it feels good to be about through. Then I will complete my radio spot for the airwaves…and then on to launching my website. All of which I am hoping to completed before the end of August…plus have the book out. Now, that would be lovely.
It has not gone totally pass me that Serena and Venus 
ended up in the Wimbledom Women’s Final. No, it did not…in fact, I was following it as closely as I could while we were down in Florida.
http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/index.html
Snatching Wimbledon from Venus who was going for her 5th Women’s Final title Win…what a thing if that would have been…and particularly since Venus has matched
Martina Narvatilova, Billie Jean King, Christie Everette, Steffie Graf…everybody else in wins on the courts of Wimbledon. And along…comes Serena…. who in 7 matches at Wimbledon had 72 Aces, which set a new Championship record.
Then to top it off…Venus and Serena won their 4th Wimbledon’s Women’s Double. Wow…what a duo.
Little wonder that Serena is in the catagory that both she and Venus are both in. It is just too bad that the tennis world has yet to recognize them for the stars that they truly are. But with each step they set out on a court…they never cease to prove it over and over again. CHECK out BELOW the video of Venus and Serena @ Wimbledon 2009.
http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/match_reports/2009-07-04/200907041246717336796.html
In case you may be considering being in Jolly Ol’ England next year for the 4th of July…tickets for Wimbledon are already on sale now. Just check out the prices below.
http://www.sportstours.com/html/wimbledon_tickets.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/tennis/07/05/wimbledon.womens.doubles.ap/index.html
God bless…and thank you for bearing with me while try to finish off all the things I have to do for my book. And as soon as I done I will be back to writing more regularly…like before.
Well, enjoy your weekend. I intend to. A couple of my niecces and a nephew are in a play this weekend…and I can’t wait to see them. I hear they are knocking ’em dead with their performances. I only wish my mother and father could be here to see them too.
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…” http://www.bsmith101.wordpress.com ©2009
THE BISHOP’S WIFE is now on sale…CLICK this LINK to purchase my book. You do not need a paypal account to purchase, and you can purchase using a debit card. Thank you.
Add a comment July 24, 2009
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