Me, Darryn, Mandela, Ding, and Marisol (like how it goes D, M, D, M?) took a stab at Da Poetry Lounge this evening, actually yesterday since im writing this past 6am. I truly enjoyed my time and am in love with the "function" that is Da Poetry Lounge -- I sat on stage!!!! I havent been off campus in sooooo looonnnggg, and it was really nice to get away from campus, and to spend time with people from outside of the bubble of USC that arent stressed about finals. (kind of a preparation for home later this week?) With each semester, I get less and less stressed about midterms and finals. Good thing? This year, I mean, I studied and all, but I did not in any way feel as scared as last year when walking into the actual exam as compared to last year. Definite improvement.
I am really hungry right now. I feel like someone is twisting the insides of my stomach as punishment for some evil I have done. I aint finna buy no groceries though. Friday=food food food food food food hot food food food.
Wish it would stop raining here in LA.
K bye, Im going to go get something to eat on Figueroa.
This week is turning out to be busy as a bee for me, but that's not how I wanted it. Dinner, poetry slams, semester goodbyes, shopping, living, working, surviving, studying, sheesh... All I have to ease the stir of life around me is prayer, this Kenzaburo Oe book ive finally been able to start, and good a*s bomb muthaf***in musique. I have this problem, well it may not be a problem, but I cant stop favoriting videos on my youtube account (0sundi9). I have over 400 videos favorited lol. I have no life. :-)
I remember being young, and on Saturday mornings before we would go out on some special outing, my Mama would have my siblings and I "clean house". We would usually have some sort of music playing while we cleaned. This song here....this song here brings back so many memories of us cleaning house. I swear I can hear it coming out of my Mom's huge brown speakers she used to blast with the incense holder on top. Good times. I think my weedhead friends will like this one. (yea im talkin bout YOU)
Im going to Da Poetry Lounge on Fairfax with DK tomorrow. Im expecting to have fun tomorrow night in celebration of the ending of fall semester, even though I have work at 5am :-( Being a sexy librarian is tough work...especially during finals season.
TEXAS...HOME...see, im not that country lol
Dee Ay Double El Ay To Da Ess!
...and Pittsburgh...(dont ever take a job offer here)
I JUST BEAT THE MESS OUTTA THAT HISTORY (ISLAM IN RUSSIA) FINAL!!! WHUT NICCA??!?!?! Calculus is next :-/ and tomorrow is Macroeconomics!
Yesterday, my friend Abungu FINALLY read my blog. She's going to Paris next semester and I guess I'll miss her. She needs to make sure she gets those naps taken care of before she leaves home tho (insider--that was corny). Abungu gets me I think, like really. You ever know someone that whenever u come into contact with them, it's like an explosion of words, emotions, and whatnot--thats what it's like with Abungu! I think she was a nun in her past life.
I made grits, scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and biscuits for breakfast today.
I sometimes feel bad for my roommate missin out on all this culinary goodness -- but oh well, he dont talk enough to get food offered to him. (note: I DID NOT eat all 8 biscuits in one setting,,,I like to space em out throughout the day).
My last Calculus test ever is in a few hours. Im nervous, but more sad than nervous. It's kinda like when I moved from PA to LA. Glad I was done with that place, but a little sad I would be gone from my friends. Oh well, ALL things must come to an end, and the Calculus is indeed one of em!
This year's Calculus class was especially hard cuz I did not buy the solutions book, but it's alright, I think I really learned stuff this time...peep the work I found out I was capable of doing above, BY MY EFFIN SELF lol...AND it was the right answer! I think I pulled in the intellect of the ancestors and it stirred up a solid attitude of hard work in me this semester...
One last note: Please refrain from leaving me voicemails! I hate checkin voicemail, matter of fact, I DONT check my voicemail, so you are in no way benefitting yourself by leaving me one. Whew, I had to get that out.
/Piti a piti, zozo fait son nid/
14 December 2008
puh'zackly what i mean is sometimes when we lose touch it's supposed to be that way oonuh grow me and me grow oonuh me tank oonuh for dat cryin no what we fa posed ta do sun gwine ta rise oba da watuh. t'engky. ____________________________________________
Christmas is coming up, and I have to get gifts for family and friends. I am bad at choosing gifts for people, except for my Maman. 2008 Christmas gift list (as if you care)
something fancy for mama
something girly for sista
a small amount of money for a particular friend to show gratitude for 'their' kindness driving me around.
surprise gift for someone else
DASS IT!
o and something special for myself...
I need to "tek me foot in me han" (i just love how Gullah is all on this post) and get the gifts before I forget
I love the meaning of Christmas, but I hate the materialistic mode everybody gets in when it comes around. This is no new complaint about this season, but I feel the need to type it to you. All of us succomb to the materialistic devil on our shoulder and his demands, so dont act all self-righteous like you dont't--it's okay, it really is, as long as you know the real reason behind the season Im okay with that, and besides, I truly think it is good for people to engage in the system of buying and selling, not only for the economy, but to simply get the urge to spend out of one's system. I guess I contradicted myself. Im amerikkkan, thats normal though.
Ooh I went to a potluck again last night at my friends apartments (i made sweet potatoes--theyre a killer) and was introduced to this tofu dish that was sweet and very spicy, like bayou spicy. I need to get the recipe for that. The dinner was fun. Idk wat it is, but one of my favorite things to do with friends is EAT with them. I love hot food and i like the company of friends when music is playing in the background. Makes me forget about all the troubles lurking around me. U wanna be my friend? Invite me over to eat, and have some Ella Fitzgerald or Kenna playing softly. :-D
The Church of God in Christ, Incorporated is a Christian church in the Pentecostal tradition. The church has congregations in nearly 60 countries around the world.
HISTORY The Church of God in Christ, commonly referred to by its acronym COGIC, was formed in 1897 by a group of disfellowshipped Baptists, most notably Charles Price Jones (1865-1949) and Charles Harrison Mason (1866-1961). Charles Mason was a licensed Baptist preacher in Arkansas in the 1890s who was disfellowshiped by the local Baptist association in Arkansas for his biblical teaching and preaching of Holiness. He became associated with a group of like-minded individuals who would become subsequently the early African-American leaders of the Holiness Movement in the late 19th century. Charles Price Jones of Jackson, Mississippi, J. A. Jeter, of Little Rock, Arkansas, and W. S. Pleasant of Hazelhurst, Mississippi were a few of these early Holiness leaders. Many revivals were conducted leading to the establishment in Jackson, MS of a new church, eventually called the Church of God In Christ. The first convocation called by these Holiness individuals was held in 1897. Simultaneously in 1897, while seeking a name to distinguish this Holiness organization, Charles Mason believed that the name Church of God in Christ was divinely revealed and biblically supported. The Church Of God In Christ would be reorganized with C.P. Jones as General Overseer, Elder C.H. Mason as Overseer of Tennessee, and Elder J.A. Jeter as Overseer of Arkansas. In 1906, Elder C. H. Mason, Elder Jeter, and Elder D. J. Young were appointed as a committee by General Overseer C. P. Jones to investigate reports of a revival in Los Angeles, conducted by the itinerant preacher, William J. Seymour. Elder C. H. Mason's visit to what was known as the Azusa Street Revival changed the direction of the newly formed Holiness COGIC church. Upon his return to Tennessee from the Azusa Street Revival, C. H. Mason began preaching and teaching the Pentecostal, Holiness message. In 1907 Elder Jeter and Elder C. P. Jones rejected C. H. Mason's biblical teaching on Baptism with the Holy Spirit, resulting in a mutual separation. Overseer C. P. Jones continued to lead his COGIC adherents as a Holiness church, changing the name in 1915 to the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.. C. H. Mason, called a conference in Memphis, Tennessee and reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Holiness, Pentecostal body. The early pioneers of this newly formed COGIC Pentecostal body in 1907 unanimously chose C.H. Mason as General Overseer and Chief Apostle. C.H. Mason was given authority to establish doctrine, organize auxiliaries and appoint Overseers or Bishops. It was during these formative years that Bishop Mason credentialed both White and African-Americans who would subsequently become leaders within other Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies Of God, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and the United Pentecostal Church International. From November 25 -December 14, Bishop Mason established what is commonly called the COGIC National Holy Convocation of Saints to be held annually in Memphis, TN. The meeting was for worship, preaching, fellowship and to conduct any church business pertaining to the national organization. The first national COGIC meeting was held at 392 S. Wellington St. in Memphis, TN. The first national tabernacle was built and completed at 958 S. Fifth St. in 1925. This tabernacle was destroyed by fire in 1936. In 1945 Bishop Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis as the church national meeting site. The miracle of this event was that Mason Temple was built for less than $400,000 during World War II. The auditorium hall was the largest church structure owned by any black religious group in America at the time of its completion.
Members of the church profess the following Affirmation of Faith (every Sunday -- i know this by heart): We Believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible written word of God. We Believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. We Believe in the blessed hope, which is the rapture of the church of God which is in Christ at his return. We Believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin, is through repentance, faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and being baptized in the water. We Believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation. We Believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing for the human body in answer to believing prayer. We Believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:4 is given to believers who ask for it. We Believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a holy and separated life in this present world. Amen
The church has experienced phenomenal growth since its inception in 1907 with 10 churches. COGIC began originally in the southern states of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. As African Americans migrated north during the Great Migration, converted members spread the church north and west. At the time of Bishop Mason's death in 1961, COGIC had spread to every state in the Union and many foreign countries with a membership of more than 400,000. In 1973, the church claimed a worldwide membership of nearly three million. Today, COGIC is generally acknowledged to be the largest African-American and Pentecostal body in the United States, with over 6,000,000 members.
ok for this post im not mad at the white man no more....im good now.
besides, i just got finished talking to two twenty year old Australian tourists. it started off as a joke, but i think it really ended up being a valuable cultural exchange, kinda. if anyone knows me well, you know that i enjoy talking to interesting new people sometimes when im not my usual shy self, and tonite was one of those nights. i had had enough party hopping a single black SC sophomore could have for one night and had no reserves talking to these random dudes from down under. it's always nice being frank with people about whatever is on the mind. i asked about the mistreatment of Aborigines, australians view of african-americans, you know--stuff I would ask. they seemed to be keeping it real with my friends and I and were very funny, but only God knows what they said when we walked off. Hope it wasnt too bad, we did talk to them for hours--the things I do when i shoulda been studying--thanks friends.
Also, today I dropped half of my pomegranate on the floor!!! WTFizz!!??
Stuff like this always happens to me.....
But i finished the other half....
..tasty treat.
Im so much like an elderly black man, I keep falling asleep in chairs I sit in...in the middle of the day sometimes. this world is a bore perhaps? (for some reason, i just had an image of don magic juan speaking at a funeral of a catholic cardinal--im functioning ok)
compton at 9 in the morning with a friend...good night/morning.
Californians, (and Americans in general), with all your liberal confidence and carefree, supposedly all-accepting attitudes, learn to respect immigrants (& ppl who arent white), who, in many cases, happen to be the ones who do manual labor around you. Thethought behind that sentence may seem a little flustered, but probably because I have become flustered and frustrated with many Californians who act as if the above-mentioned people are invisible. I had the thought of writing on this subject the other day when I was talking to a friend about how some immigrants who move to California (the US) are not poor and uneducated refugees, rather, there are some who leave behind professional occupations in hopes of furthering their careers in a country that, unfortunately, does not recognize their earned merit.
Just a few minutes ago, a lady came in complaining about one of the janitors in the library who was "cleaning too loud" (he was dusting), and who wasn't being a gentleman??!??!!? What is this? --slavery times when manual laborers are persecuted for not upholding white standards of conduct?? I THINK NOT! I have seen on many occasions here at USC and throughout Los Angeles the mistreatment of Latino, Black, and Asian maintenance and other blue-collar workers, and it is senseless and disgusting. It makes no sense to me how blue-collar workers, who form the backbone of our amerikkkan society can be ignored and mistreated. It really brings pain to my soul to see the people who contribute greatly to (if not make up) the structure and order of things around us all to be treated as if they are nameless. I often go out of my way to speak to and recognize the people around me who are doing maintenance work just to maybe be an example to those around me of the simple civil & courteous mien that could exist. Until the day comes when I can force people to be nice, thats all I can do. So, in light of all that I have written, I urge you, my readers, to try to dispel the attitudes of negativity and the eminence of ignorance when dealing with those who are mistakenly considered lesser and do your part, whatever that may be, to recognize the equality of those around you and treat others as you would want to be treated -- it's simple y'all!!!
_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_let's take care of us+_+_+_+_++_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+
Friends and family alike are aware of the fact that I work in the library in the a.m. Yea, I usually always talk about how it's not pleasant getting up so early in the morning to go work for the low-paying white man, but Im gonna admit here and now that I actually am learning to like getting up in the damp dewey dark morning while most of yall are still slobbering away at the mouth in your plush warm beds. Some of the advantages:
1. I get to see some of the streets of Los Angeles with no cars em.
2. It's quiet when I walk outside.
3. I get to watch the sun rise everyday.
4. I gotta say I think the dewey air is good to my chocolate skin.
5. On my break, I get to actually hear the birds chirping, not cars honking.
6. If it rains the night before, the palm trees have a sweet sweet scent that I really appreciate. Sometimes this scent is there even when it doesn't rain. Im not sure what exactly it is, but I know it's a mixture of the palms and moisture, and it gets me everytime. Relaxing, soothing, and at the same time, a bit strong, this is truly my favorite smell in the world. Ok, I take that back -- the smell of my Grandmama's house is my favorite smell. But still, wet palm trees is where it's at homie! I can't emphasize enough how wonderful this smell is. For those readers out there who are SC students, I urge you, when it rains (or the day after), to walk beneath the palms on Jefferson on the northern side of the block between Denny's and Yoshinoya...the smell will hit you and your soul, and will bring a sense of newness to your life. G-d is o so good.
**the palm pictured above, and common throughout southern california and western mexico is called a "Washington Palm" -- I worked in horticulture in a past life.**
This evening was El Cholo night for me again. Ive been to this West Adams establishment about umteen times and really enjoy the food and warm cramped up Old Mexico feel of the place. The portions are big, which I (as a Texan) enjoy, and the place is really clean. For the evening's particular meal I had some kinda tamale or burrito thing (not really well versed/knowledgeable of Mexican food) and chile relleno (say those two l's like a y -- yeah). See below:
Only drawback of the restaurant: They put too much ice in my water and usually (not tonight) they are a little slow on refilling drinks....Other than that, El Cholo has always facilitated joyous, festive times for the me and whatever group of people I go with, and thats cool wit me..
So far...study week has been a success...studied from 8 - 4 today...If only this roommate of mine would go SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE would things be a lil bit better...please tell me why he starts his assignments at 10:45pm??? Lord help him ...and help me...
I kinda hate college!! No, like I really do sometimes! I would really like to focus on working and accumulating money rather than than and school! It's okay though, cuz when I get my brownstone in Crown Heights, Brooklyn with a special room for all of my Afrikan art, I'll be good. Im sure He doesnt put too much on us so that we cant bear it...woo, I had to get that out.
largest mud building in the world in present-day Mali...one of the remnants of the great empires that flourished in Afrika before the invasion of Europeans...definite Islamic influences can be seen in the style of design....peep it.
A centuries-old traditional festival is what keeps the mosque up to par in terms of maintenance. Since Djenne is situated on an island that is subject to serious floods each year, the mosque was built on higher ground to protect it from flood waters...which has so far been successful. Also, inside of each minaret is a spiral staircase that leads to the roof where on top of each minaret is an ostrich egg situated in the spire...
woke up a few days ago not feelin so well, woke up today not feelin well at all...coughin, sore throat, dizzy, headache, weak...but ive been treating it with echinacea and goldenseal and airborne, and gallons of orange juice and water....and prayer....i feel alot better. also, my good friend Sade brought me a plate of food....thank you Jesus and Sade.
now...if i can only stop this continuous pootin.
in other news, my USED-TO-BE BEST FRIEND hated on my favorite band Little Dragon....he's been demoted.
next week is Hell Week before finals...either there will be a whole new drove of blog postings or itll be a little slow. Studying will officially be a 60 hour a week job next week, there's nothing better than the feeling of conquering a final before you go home before Christmas...I need that feeling...also, I want to eat some Indian food before I go home...
... this is MY SONG! i heard it in my friends car while he was in a store a few hours ago, but the radio personality did not say who it was or the name of it...so i wrote the lyrics down in my trusty blackberry, googled em, and found the song on youtube!!!!!! makes me feel like im in this one section of pittsburgh i really like with these old brick brownstones......yea i said it, theres a section of pgh i like...
o and also, today was the last day of working with my kids this semester at the skool i work at....i always forget how important they are to me until i have to leave them for a period of time....dem my babies...they say some crazy things and seem to live in this separate but parallel society...i really wish i could see them each grow to be adults...
I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BAND!!! Coming out of Sweden with an electronic -pop-soul sound, they are probably gonna be the next big thing on the music scene (i hope). I found out about them through a new friend of mine who mentioned them in conversation the other day. I have met some non-USC friends and it seems they are constantly introducing me to some new band or musician. Usually, i ignore their suggestions because they're always weird, but some divine intervention forced me to actually listen to Little Dragon, and im glad i did. I can not stop listening to their songs on youtube lol. This week, when i get paid, im gonna ride my butt on over to amoeba and pick up their cd, thats how devoted I am...i need the physical manifestation of this band's genius. Here are two of their pieces of art....ah, off the chain--the heavy steel chain! (Yukimi Nagano be gettin iiitt)
**one of my favorite songs by them is "Place to Belong", but I couldn't find an actual video for the song besides one of a collage of their images so i didnt put it up,, but I heavily recommend that you listen to it if you wanna delve deeper into your knowledge of the entity that is Sundiata, the cowboy in the boat of Ra, the descendant of Noah's son Ham, Solomon & Sheba, Mansa Musa, and most recently, Souanaffe Tustenukke. Yea, go deeper. I love you.
So, I worked during the prime hours of madness that swarms retail hot spots, but as soon as I got off, I hopped on the bus to the good ol' Beverly Centre, and dabbled in some bargain hunting, myself. LA's bargains are nowhere near equivalent to the sales I would have encountered at home, but I took advantage of what little was offered, and needless to say, was able to work on the continuous construction of elevating my unbeatable swag (ok that was a lil arrogant-so?). I did not purchase much, but I did get a turquoise and black flannel from Heritage 1981 that Im sure many other Angelinos will have in possession, but I had to buy it. Also, I bought a multi-colored fitted baseball hat that is sure to turn heads (gosh, I hate doing that) and a cardigan that Ill probably save for spring semester 09 to wear.
I have been thinking about the day when I will stop wearing the kind of clothes I do and trade my purple flannels and red suspenders for clean cut suits. Honestly, I CANT WAIT to wear suits and dress shoes everyday. Hopefully, by the time Im 30, Ill be wearing Boateng everyday. In the meantime, Ill continue to don whatever it is that catches my newly-sprouting fashionably inclined eye. watch out now.
Oh, and btw, Im typing this blog in the library at work at my desk, and I just saw Heidi from MTV's "The Hills"....she's tailgating, and she's hella blonde...blonde as a wheat field.
Wampanoag people researched the history of Thanksgiving, and confirmed the oral history passed down through our generations. Most Americans know that Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag had welcomed the so-called Pilgrim Fathers - and the seldom mentioned Pilgrim Mothers - to the shores where his people had lived for millennia. The Wampanoag taught the European colonists how to live in our hemisphere by showing them what wild foods they could gather, how, where, and what crops to plant, and how to harvest, dry, and preserve them.
The Wampanoag now wanted to remind white America of what had happened after Massasoit’s death. He was succeeded by his son, Metacomet, whom the colonist called “King” Philip. In 1617-1676, to show “gratitude” for what Massasoit’s people had done for their fathers and grandfathers, the Pilgrims manufactured an incident as a pretext to justify disarming the Wampanoags. The whites went after the Wampanoag with guns, swords, cannons, and torches. Most, including Metacomet, were butchered. His wife and son were sold into slavery in the West Indies. His body was hideously drawn and quartered. For twenty-five years afterward Matacomet’s skull was displayed on a pike above the whites’ village. The real legacy of the Pilgrim Fathers is treachery.
Americans today believe that Thanksgiving celebrates a bountiful harvest, but that is not so. By 1970, the Wampanoag had turned up a copy of a Thanksgiving proclamation made by the governor to the colony. The text revealed the ugly truth: After a colonial militia had returned from murdering the men, women, and children of an Indian village, the governor proclaimed a holiday and feast to give thanks for the massacre. He also encouraged other colonies to do likewise - in other words, every autumn after the crops are in, go kill Indians and celebrate your murders with a feast.
In November 1970, their decendants returned to Plymouth to publicize the true story of Thanksgiving and, along with about two hundred other Indians from around the country, to observe a national day of Indian mourning."
Let me add that every year since 1970, the Wampanoag, along with many hundreds of Indians and Indian supporters from across the country, gather at Plymouth on Thanksgiving day to protest the lies and teach the American people the truth about our National “Christian” holiday. And it will continue every year until the truth about the colonies at Plymouth become common knowledge.
I celebrate Thanksgiving, but this kinda makes me feel icky about it, how bout you?.........
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sexy
smooth
A D40 or D60 will do too.....
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way......
25 November 2008
i swear alot of my friends are hatin on the new kanye vibe...but im feelin it...yea we have a on/off friendship (kanye be trippin sometimes) but i have to give credit where it is due.
(also, i love cartoons with images of children of Afrika - not enough of that when i was growing up. and hype williams is a true artist)
This is the year my grandfather was born! It's weird thinking about how far we have come, and when i see pictures like this, it reinforces more than the fact that not long ago, my grandparents were sharecroppers on plantations -- it also reinforces the idea that all this coolness and swag i have aint nothin new....
i pick up each scent y ou left on my bed and toil through them and sniff them delicately inhaling the wondrous fumes of luv i breathe wat y ou left behind and get high twice, thrice, sometimes frice wrap it around me and walk with it aah, it is mine now.
today i went to panda express to get some quality food to noursish my system. you know, the usual, beijing beef, orange chicken, fried rice, and a vegetable egg roll...yea, so anyway, im eating, texting, facebookin on the mobile, and also looking around. while looking around, i cant help but notice a young girl "ill-handle" her rice on a fork. then i see an old mexican guy do the same, and i take note of my own troubles with the fork in the case of eating rice. since i was a youngin, i have always wondered why people, especially us of the Western Hemisphere, continue to use forks to eat rice and knives to scoop out jelly from jars!?!?!? i, at the risk of possessing juvenile motor skills in the eyes of many amerikkkans, prefer to eat my rice with a nice round spoon, and scoop out jelly, jam, or marmalade from a jar with a spoon -- its just a lot easier. im sorry, but the look of possessing "proper Western utensil skills" is just not logical in this case to me. maybe you prefer, or find it convenient, to eat your rice with a fork, or scoop out your jelly laborously with a knife...but i dont....and i dont care...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On a misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, scientists for the first time in more than eight decades have observed a living pygmy tarsier, one of the planet's smallest and rarest primates. Over a two-month period, the scientists used nets to trap three furry, mouse-sized pygmy tarsiers -- two males and one female -- on Mt. Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in central Sulawesi, the researchers said on Tuesday. They spotted a fourth one that got away. The tarsiers, which some scientists believed were extinct, may not have been overly thrilled to be found. One of them chomped Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a Texas A&M University professor of anthropology who took part in the expedition. "I'm the only person in the world to ever be bitten by a pygmy tarsier," Gursky-Doyen said in a telephone interview. "My assistant was trying to hold him still while I was attaching a radio collar around its neck. It's very hard to hold them because they can turn their heads around 180 degrees. As I'm trying to close the radio collar, he turned his head and nipped my finger. And I yanked it and I was bleeding." The collars were being attached so the tarsiers' movements could be tracked. Tarsiers are unusual primates -- the mammalian group that includes lemurs, monkeys, apes and people. The handful of tarsier species live on various Asian islands. As their name indicates, pygmy tarsiers are small -- weighing about 2 ounces (50 grammes). They have large eyes and large ears, and they have been described as looking a bit like one of the creatures in the 1984 Hollywood movie "Gremlins." They are nocturnal insectivores and are unusual among primates in that they have claws rather than finger nails. They had not been seen alive by scientists since 1921. In 2000, Indonesian scientists who were trapping rats in the Sulawesi highlands accidentally trapped and killed a pygmy tarsier. "Until that time, everyone really didn't believe that they existed because people had been going out looking for them for decades and nobody had seen them or heard them," Gursky-Doyen said. Her group observed the first live pygmy tarsier in August at an elevation of about 6,900 feet. "Everything was covered in moss and the clouds are right at the top of that mountain. It's always very, very foggy, very, very dense. It's cold up there. When you're one degree from the equator, you expect to be hot. You don't expect to be shivering most of the time. That's what we were doing," she said.
week is coming to a close, and im lowkey stressed (about life), but know all will be well. seems like sooo much stuff has been rushing past me and i cant grab any of it. ohs wells. I went to two probates this week to see some friends of mine cross. I dont really get excited about probates that much, usually because I usually am never surprised, but this time a good good friend of mine crossed & I do have A LOT of fun socializing and havin fun with my hundreds of fellow descendants of Mama Afrika here at the University of Southern California!!
In other news, I cant even lie, Im a fan of Lady GaGa!!
Also, If anyone reading this knows me very well, you know that my favorite animal is this special tarsier that lives in the hills of the Phillipines..I Love Tarsiers in general (except people - yep, people are sometimes classified as tarsiers), and im going to post some pictures and an article about tarsiers! This might sound crazy --and Im not even being funny, but when I look in the eyes of tarsiers, I feel like they can read my soul. It's this connection that is undescribable. I. Love. Tarsiers.
Poogie woogie woo
Sleep tight Martin & Roger.
GET AWAY FROM MY BABIES LADY!!!!! IF U SEE HER, SHOOT!! NO U CANT EAT MY LITTLE TARSIERS!!!!
Yea, over the past few months in my apartment-style university housing, I have been experimenting and growing as a cook, but lately, I have been busy and lacking in the groceries/shekels department and have quite literally STARVED! Today was bad! (Well no days are bad that the Lord blesses me with)I really didnt feel like doing any hefty cooking and had nothing instant to make, so i slept to forget the pain in my stomach (dang that sounds bad)! But, lo and behold, I got up outta the bed and made some "sundi-style-spaghetti a la creole"!! :-)
and here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 package of spaghetti noodles
salt
olive oil
some ground beef
1 can of tomato soup (not tomato sauce)
some onion, green that is
some of those small light green spicy peppers with seeds (cant think of the real name of em)
shredded cheese
parsley & pepper
garlic salt
Process:
Noodles: U should know how to cook noodles, come on now! But if you dont, this is what i do. Bring water to a medium boil, add a little olive oil and salt. Then add the noodles, and stir so as not to allow any "stickage" to the bottom. Boil noodles til theyre a lil puffy and no longer yellow. Then drain noodles and "wash" them with water to get rid of remaining starchiness on em.
Ground Beef: Put allotted amount onto flat pan and brown it til its done
Sauce: Bring tomato soup to an almost boil, then add chopped green onions, tons of small green spicy peppers (that u cut in half but didnt seed), and garlic salt. Stir til u feel its all jumbled up and good. You'll be able to smell it baby...then add the browned ground beef and continue to stir that til its all mixed up and good.
Mix your sauce with the noodles or leave separate so that company can put as much as they want on it...not everyone can handle the spicy sauce. I like to pour the spicy juice from the pepper bottle on my plate of "creole spaghetti " to add some real spice!!! Do it! **Also, a teeny little dab of sugar in the sauce, when portioned correctly, can create this fusion of sugary-spicyness on the tongue that can be subtly beautiful.
BARACK OBAMA WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT!!!! (And this is what was in my head the whole time, literally!)
I, Too, Sing America by Langston Hughes I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong.
Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then.
Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
First people i hung out with after hearing the great news!!!!! (Steph, me, Scott)
A few of the people at the impromptu Obama party! (Note the girl, Shaquet, getting her weave put in and eating at the same time - classic)
Its gonna stay and make us old old wrinkly men and fat geezer ladies amongst youth who yearn to be younger or older when it is needed to be cool cool is what we is when we sip lemonade cuz we hot when we wear europe-made clothes but one day when it comes it wont leave and it will make us old old geezer men and fat wrinkly ladies pretty and appreciated cuz we are loose.
Tailgate that ended up being a showcase of nphc steps and an all out dance party on the Quad
This was hands down the best USC tailgating experience i have ever had! None of that Corona and pig roast mess, just straight grilled chicken, macaroni, greens, baked beans, and CORNBREAD!!
Night out again with my Taiwanese friends and I'm experimenting gastronomically!!!!
BCD Tofuhouse.
For dinner, we decided to munch it up at this 24 hour family restaurant in Koreatown. I had been here before and already knew that this place AINT NO JOKE! Last year, with some of the same friends, I ate here late at night and indulged in one of the only dishes from Korea that i have really grown to love (Bulgogi) as well as some weird dishes that i vowed to never try again! BCD Tofuhouse is the place where my love for Bulgogi was birthed, so much that I now eat it regularly at the Korean fast food place across the street from me (Number 8 - egg well done). But on this particular night, unfortunately, the whatever they use to make the bulgogi was out of commission - forcing me to eat some of the less "American-friendly" dishes. I ate some kinda tofu soup as my entree, as well as an assortment of appetizers that seemed to be a jumble of whatever was left over in the fridge after a good dinner. The appetizers were super hot to ice cold, raw or cooked, slimy and dry. Everything surprised my taste buds. Weird. The beef tofu soup I ordered (and didnt finish) was way to hot to enjoy and didnt have enough beef! And will somebody please tell me why there was shrimp and shells in my beef soup?? Really though, I understand why Kim Jong Il is mad all the time! If i had to eat that food I'd be p*s*ed too!!!
NO
Also that night: Habibi's Cafe in Westwood
All i have to say is hookah is pointless, dangerous, creates headaches, and is a waste of precious shekels.....
super-cool ultrablack a tan/purple had a beautiful shade.
he had a double-natural that wd put the sisters to shame. &his beads were imported sea shells
(from some blk/country i never heard of)
he was triple-hip.
his tikis were hand carved out of ivory &came express from the motherland. he would greet u in swahili &say good-by in yoruba. woooooooooooo-jim he bes so cool &ill tel li gent
cool-cool is so cool he was un-cooled by other niggers' cool cool-cool ultracool was bop-cool/ice box cool so cool cold cool his wine didn't have to be cooled, him was air conditioned cool cool-cool/real cool made me cool--now ain't that cool cool-cool so cool him nick-named refrigerator.
cool-cool so cool he didn't know, after detroit, newark, chicago &c., we had to hip
Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy --when I see my image in it.' If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. HE IS SO AWESOME
So, there's this band outta Piedmont, CA (city annexed from Oakland - their Bay Area cred is veritable) who are making music independently (?) and are constantly growing in number of fans. With poppy beats, catchy lyrics, and a lead singer with a unique voice, I'm sure that they will not be vanishing from the scene anytime soon. For a few weeks now, their music has been played on one of the Bay Area's most popular radio stations, and I think their new album is on iTunes. No, it's not the kind of music i listen to that often, but i must admit that what they are putting out is hot as hot dog water. My favorite song by them is Chinatown (thats my ish)
Of Afrikan and French descent, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable was the son of a Haitian slave and a French pirate who was educated in Catholic schools in France. After graduating from school, du Sable became a fur trader, a job that would lead him to Louisiana and present day Michigan. It was in Michigan where he married his Native American wife Kittahawa. Because it was customary to be a part of the tribe that ones wife belonged to, du Sable became a member of Potawatomi tribe and was designated as "Black Chief". During his marriage, the area that is now known as Chicago was a tiny trading center with no inhabitants. It wasnt until du Sable formed an elaborate fur-trading post as well as a house for his family that the area known as Chicago was officially founded and populated in the early 1770s. He sold the land for a mere $1200 and moved to Peoria, Illinois and later St. Charles, Missouri. When sold, his property included a 22 by 40 foot log cabin filled with art and needed amenities, several barns, a mill, a bakehouse, a poultry house, and a smokehouse (yep he was barbecuing!) Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable was imprisoned in Detroit for a short while on the accusation of being a US spy by the British army (ALWAYS tryna keep a Nubian oppressed), after which he moved to Missouri where he is buried in an unmarked grave in a Catholic cemetery.
Today, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable is noted as being the first inhabitant / founder of Chicago. Parks, schools, postage stamps, museums, and streets are named in his honor today throughout the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Yay Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable!
For those who know me, you know that I have flirted with vegetarianism, but I'm a meat and potatoes guy at heart, so I really doubt it'll ever happen. Still, from time to time, I have no problem eating vegetarian meals. So today when two friends of mine invited me to walk to the unique cafe just east of Normandie, I had no problem walking with them. On the bus going to church (bus 38 woot woot) I often pass Vegisoul, and have always wanted to go experience the unique fusion. Though I have noticed that though the main clientele seems to be fellow Nubians:-), I have also noticed droves of white hipster kids and asians at the restaurant.
I really enjoyed my meal at the restaurant! It consisted of bbq chik'un, rice, beans, greens, and cornbread, but it wasn't "heavy" or super greasy at all. The prices are comparable to that of Roscoe's (or maybe that's just all LA restaurants), but I think it's worth it. Beware though, a friend of mine ordered food worth $10 and only got a half-filled styrofoam container of food. But friend #2 and I were WELL fed...and friend #2 couldn't finish and brought home leftovers.
The place is clean (it has an "A"), the workers are very friendly, the music is tight, and you can sit outside if you like. I really like the fact that though the food is vegetarian it hasn't lost its "soul" and I did not feel robbed of that "something" that makes soul food what it is. I don't know Roscoes, you may have a rival?!?!?!?! All I know is...I will be back!
So, I'm at the shootout that USC hosted and I see style all around. But, in the midst of basketball shorts, big diamond earrings, and the usual straight leg jeans was something young, fresh, and new. Her name was Chase and she entered with unbeatable swag. I mentioned earlier that the blog would highlight things that were fresh and interested me, and indeed Chase did. Originally from California, but hailiing from Nashville, TN, Chase rocked a properly tied red scarf, red glasses to match, and fedora that was killin!! Since Im not a female, I dont really recognize girl shoes and purses, but I'm sure that her purse game and shoe game was on point!! It's nice to see people who make their own path, they inspire me. So, we exchanged information since we seemed to share good vibes and also maybe and hopefully, Chase will be highlighted on the blog again!! Thanks for being cooperative Chase....and get at me whenever you're in L.A.!
Many of those who know me know that I am currently trying to stay "on the path to healthiness" by eating a little bit better than I normally do. For instance, this morning I ate oatmeal, strawberries, grapes with a glass of pure orange juice, and for lunch I had pineapple slices, a banana, and a bagel with limeade. Yeah, look at me, eating like an Angelino...but there are those times when its hard, very hard to resist the food of my "youth". I am Black. I am from the South. And my Mama's been cooking since she was probably six...these are all the ingredients needed for good eats, great times, and high cholesterol, so lately ive been trying to rid my body and soul of excess toxins (Note: i said excess, sometimes, i feel like i need those toxins) while still not straying far from the food that i love.
I first experiences Roscoes with a friend of mine who lived on my dorm floor freshman year. I hadn't had some of Mama's food for a few months and to me, Roscoe's was great. It was a trip back home, it was what i needed in my system after eating stale cafeteria food for months, it was wonderful. I continued to go with other friends during my first semester of college life and enjoyed it thoroughly. Then, i went home for Christmas break, and had some REAL food. I have to say/must admit, I realized that when that element of love is put into the food, it trumps over anything Roscoes can offer. No, no now, im not saying i dont like Roscoes (cuz if u called and asked me to go--id go to the bank right now and get a 20 out to go enjoy myself). Im just saying that Roscoes is needed at times (alot of times) when a.) you dont want to cook or b.) when you dont have mama, aunties, and cousins to cook for you.
My mom went recently when she came to visit me here in the City of Angels and was not impressed LOL!! But then again, she is Lady T, and Lady T can make what Roscoes makes for free! On the other hand, I have a friend (yea, he's white) who absolutely loves Roscoes without contest...hes white, hes from CA, and i doubt that his Mama cooks like the women (and men) in my family.
Dont get it twisted though, I will be an appreciative patron of Roscoes until the day i die or the day it closes (whichever comes first) and if you have never gone before, get the #1 (Scoe's with a breast and leg) to start off with. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
...do the people who speak Hindi in the library feel as if can't nobody hear em!!!! I mean...i dont know what you sayin, but i can still HEAR you...and you interrupting my studies!!!!!
...i rode the bus downtown today. Usually, i stay on the southern end of downtown, but today, i went to mid/the nw part of downtown i think. I really appreciate the Los Angeles "landscape", and the weirdness of it all. Im guessing i was in the Jewelry District (yea LA has that) bcuz i kept seeing all these seedy-looking jewelry stores. Downtown LA is in no way glamorous (or sunny). Instead, it is a mix of silvers, browns, blacks, and greys that blend together to make this almost scary and shadowy environment.....and i love it.
The lady on the bus across from me kept asking me questions about directions, and i kept answering as if i was a native...i liked that. Then some lady got on and started speaking Spanish to her, and i acted like i knew what she was saying by looking at her with intensity and laughing when they laughed...that was fun :-) they prolly was talkin bout me!!
...was a leader among the maroons of Mexico during Spanish colonial rule. He was responsible for the slave rebellions that led to the formation of a tiny independent nation within Mexico populated by escaped African slaves and their descendants. This nation lasted for about 28 years, and survived / flourished by the escapees ability to "live off of the land" and by seizing ships en route to trading posts on the coast. Spanish colonists attempted to seize the land, even after treaty attempts made by Yanga that would have created a give-and-take relationship between Spanish colonials and the African maroons. Eventually, the Spanish government fought to reclaim control of the land, and after a battle that was somewhat victorious for Yanga and his followers, burned the area. Still, after realizing the might and later they gave in to Yanga's treaty proposal in some ways and deemed Yanga and his family the official ruling family of the "nation". It wasn't until 1630, some 60 years after Gaspar first banded his fellow Africans together, that the coastal city of Veracruz was officially founded as a part of the Mexican nation. We salute you Gaspar Yanga for your courage, strength, and love for others.
k yall. no more of that "yall reading sundiata's business" blog!!!! this is a new time in his life and he is going to be setting the record straight on what's hot and what's not (with a little bit of commentary concerning his life~just a little bit) and some cultural info from around the globe as well to expand your minds.
he's at work right now...new job at the library....graveyard shift...first day of work...probably his last day of work. bleh.
but anyways...for those of you who know how much he likes to fantasize about being on the receiving end of attaining expensive material goods, let us speak about the NEW 15" MACBOOK!! Tis beautiful in his opinion. He is sure you already the know the details about the features on this thingy like everybody else so lets look at pictures of it!!
Sundiata was raised by alligators deep in the bayou of East Texas, where he grew strong and proud. As an early teen, he was taken in by Christian rice farmers. He showed a lot of potential in his educational pursuits, and today is a student at a prestigious university on the Pacific coast where he has encountered a cool baby kangaroo that hops around a lot. He has a hard time accepting the world as it is, and is continually fighting for change in the society within which he lives in any way he can.
