love this woman so much words cant describe.

breakfast confusion

As many of you know, I like to throw down in the kitchen. This "throwing-down" is not limited to dinner meals, but also included hearty breakfasts and fulfilling lunches. Years of silent culinary training from my mother have equipped me with a unique confidence in the kitchen not found among many of my peers. The hardest thing for me to confront and deal with when creating my edible gifts is always deciding what to throw in the pot, oven, or stove! Because of this I have become a pro at stealing recipes from my vegetarian friends or subtracting meat from the recipes of my carnivore pals and making them veg friendly.

Even harder than coming up with recipes is DECIDING WHAT TO DRINK! It's so hard for me to choose between kool-aid or juice sometimes that I often just skip out on drinks altogether. I know this may sound weird, but deciding on what to drink sometimes stresses me out! I try to justify this self-inflicted thirst, and sometimes feel I succeed, but there's no denying that my indecisiveness is of no benefit! So here, loyal readers, I'm going to make a confession about something that I have been doing since a young age when no one is present to help me get over my thirst problem. I...mix....orange juice....milk...and....water when i eat breakfast sometimes! I know, I know, it may sound disgusting, and you may look at me different now, but I have to do so. Maybe one of you can stop me from doing this? I mean, it doesn't taste good, it's some psychological twirk that makes me do it! What help can you offer? ....Should I even stop.....???

firefly red truck zoon

i hate you
so bad
it makes me wanna cry
i want you dead
yea i know
my granny wouldnt like me to say that
neither would my mama
but i really want you to die
right now
in front of me
so i can be sure that you suffered
bye now
i can smile now

Does anyone else......

.....listen and watch music videos on youtube and google the lyrics in another tab and have a personal karaoke sesh in their own room??

this my ish. . . .

I will always think of New York City's Puerto Rican Day Parade when I hear this...BORICUAAAS IN THE HOUSEEEE!!!

The Birth of Cool

On Saturday, Mr. Rosas and I hung out in Santa Monica, and also saw and experienced the fine work of artist Barkley Hendricks. The Santa Monica Museum of Art located in the Bergamot Station has been showcasing Hendrick's The Birth of Cool for some time now and will be doing so until early August. Barkley's work is mostly comprised of portraits that are striking yet subtle, simple yet specific. Here are a few paintings of his....i'll let the work speak for itself....

shine shine baby, its cool

In times of deep stress and strife
I look at birds in the sky and on the
ground and wish
I were one too -
no financial problems to
age me past my years
no rent to worry about
no cell phone to worry about losing or
keeping charged
no career competition or clothes to fuss w/,
I don't think they have to worry about
finding romantic companionship either.

This morning I looked outside my
window into an ordinary and common
Los Angeles alley.
The weatherman said it was 88 degrees Fahrenheit but
the cracked concrete looked 108.
-I thanked my God for keeping me
cool (in the A/C).
When comparing her nests to my bed -
-I'd take my top bunk anyday.
The bird may be able to fly freely whenever she or he may please
- but I like staying in sometimes with a cup of hot sweet tea and a bagel or grapes.

I can't find any comparisons that make my money problems seem small
- but I thank God for being here - a human - w/ problems and all.

PERSIAN (فارسی ) PARTY!

Since I've been in college in Los Angeles, I have experienced a number of things and attended events that I would NEVER have thought I'd find myself at. From indie rock concerts with the LA hipsters to standing on the red carpet at the BET Awards face to face with personalities from television and radio - I seriously try to absorb every event and person I meet so as to somehow get a deeper understanding of the world around me. I don't know if I'm understanding this world any better, but I'm having all kinds of fun just trying.

Last week, at the request of my wonderful friend (who happens to be of Persian descent), my roommate and I attended a semi-formal dinner party in Beverly Hills where Farsi was the language of the evening and meat was the stock of almost every dish. At first, I was nervous. "Im Black, they're gonna be looking at me like I'm crazy!!!...at least my Mexican roommate can pass as Persian...what if they're mean?...how many people are gonna be there?....am I dressed okay?...let me make sure I smell good so when they hug me they remember! ...should I bring my resume?...."

Upon arrival to the party, my heart is beating fast as a jackrabbit, and I get a little nervous. But at the sight of my friend's unique smile, I feel cool again "yea i got this...no worries...these people dont scare me" Once inside, I find that Persian people are some of the nicest people I have ever met!! Usually, when I go to non-Black friends' houses, I feel uncomfortable and unwelcome (but then again, that's in Pennsylvania and Texas..), but the people at this party made me feel as if they wanted to know me, as if I, with my own smile and courteous small talk, could enhance the lives of their own! It was refreshing and interesting.

Though the food wasn't all for me as a vegetarian - meat was a main ingredient of almost EVERY dish present - the salad and uniquely seasoned rice were both fancied by my tongue. In attendance were some some Persian big shots...some radio personality guy, an actress, a famous singer/tar player...and it was interesting to see all of these people so poised yet seeming to have such an enjoyable time. Oh, also, I can't fail to mention the funny/semi-creepy guy with the whitish-grey ponytail who, while introducing himself to us and getting to know us through exchange of conversation, managed to lowkey kinda scare us a bit!

It was interesting to see clear Persian traditions still prevail in the land of decadence and assimilation. The stand-out moments of the night for me were the performances by the tar player who sang songs in Farsi while the rest of the party chimed in, and when my friend's mother cut a rug and showed us her Persian dance skills!!!

All in all, I had a good time, and the fruit was delectable! I must say though, during the party I couldn't help but wonder how each person felt and/or was affected by the recent and not-so-recent political strife...??

Oh and did I mention how good the fruit was???? Fruit was so juicy made me wanna learn Farsi! Mmm....good times!

Shab bekheyr va khab hay e khoob bebini!

6 days strong.

For the past 6 days I have been living the life of a vegetarian. It started as a detoxification of my body (and something to prove my friends wrong about), but after more reading and research, I have come to like the idea that nothing dead is entering my body that is LIFE! Some may say it's only in my head, but I have felt very energized during the past few days while filling up on fruits and veggies. Perhaps, this is a lifestyle change??? I don't know. We'll see. As of right now, I plan on going past the 1-month limit, and will continue to cater to and properly nourish the temple that is my body. As of now, I'm formally considered a lacto-ove vegetarian, meaning that I still consume some dairy and egg products (for me: milk, eggs, and cheese).

Any recipes would be greatly appreciated. ;-)

R.I.P. MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON

There's no way I could continue to blog without mention of this man whose life has contributed so much to my own. Since my days in the womb, Michael's music has beat my eardrum. So many family gatherings, birthday parties, and car rides have been seasoned with the music of Michael that he had become a constant force in all of our lives. Let us remember the philanthropist, humanitarian, musician, and father. Let us celebrate the man who "constantly used his power, money, and influence to help others" and "who constantly sang of love and peace, and used his talent to entertain, uplift, and inspire millions".....We will always miss you Michael! May you rest in peace!!

So we were bored one night.

I must tell you, this summer has not been what I have wanted it to be in some ways. I have known for a long time that things never ever go as planned, so I never expect anything to be a certain detailed way when it comes to events/meetings/friendships/jobs/money situations. Sometimes though, even in my non-expectant mode of life, even I am thrown for a loop. Saturday night, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW threw me for a loop.

I had been acquainted with the movie through late night vh1 and comedy central, but supposedly, and according to the "narrator" at the theatre, that wasn't authentic. The movie itself isn't that bad, imo, but the patrons are! (i know, i hate ending that sentence with a verb too)...Men and women alike were cross-dressed, people were half-naked, sex was the root of EVERY joke, and everybody looked sweaty! With that description alone, you should know how I felt about it already! It felt like someone threw me into Babylon to see how I would react. Still, I can't say I hated it. The RHPS in-theatre experience is in a class of its own. I appreciated its uniqueness, but perhaps my naivete did not allow me to completely understand what was exactly going on. (i know, i ended that one with a preposition) The only true gripe I have is the jokes towards Afrikan-Americans and Jews, I DID NOT APPRECIATE THAT AT ALL...AND IN NO WAY SHOULD THAT BE TOLERATED AT SUCH A FAMOUS AND WELL-KNOWN SHOW!

All in all, let's just say I won't be back to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm glad I experienced it, but I won't be back.

IM SORRY Y'ALL

....I've been busy on the career hunt and plannin my life with spurts of meetin new people and hanging out with the ones that get on my nerves. I'll leave with a bit of the usual this blog is known for so far: a poem, a video, and a piece of me.....


uber chill video im feelin a whole lot right now....to me, it sounds like summer...

Everybody sucks and so do I
My clock ticks too fast
when the dishes are dirty,
but my water is loud
when I have company.
Will u respect me like I ask?
Or leave me in the dust to
spite me so hard!!
This world doesnt hurt us any longer
so leave my family alone.

(I wrote that in 10th grade about an experience that I wont go into detail about - its an oldie, but is it a goodie??)

i can't find the reason why my love won't disappear.

Sorry for being mute y'all. Things came up.

BOOK I LOVE:

"What is The What" by Dave Eggers

I won't go into detail about what the book was about, instead, i'll just type words that come to my mind at this instant that hopefully will convince you, the reader of this stupid blog, to go to a library or bookstore and check it out/buy it.


Sudan. Lost Boys. Genocide. Murder. Humility. Religion. Clashes. Yellow. Hyenas. Lions. Refugee. Camp. Love. Starvation. Death. Life. Chased. Desert. Forest. Bandits. America. Unfulfilled. Relativity. Relationships. Tradition. Modernity. Mistakes. Fortune. Humor. Compassion. Consequences. Oppression. Fortitude. Politics. Unforgettable.


Also, go to my picture blog to see my 2-year-old nephie-phew!!!!!!! sundibeclickin.blogspot.com

The Differences - Sun Ra

Sometimes in the amazing ignorance
I hear and see things
I never knew I saw and heard before
Sometimes in the ignorance
I feel the meaning
Invincible invisible wisdom,
And I commune with intuitive instinct
With the force that made life be
And since it made life be
It is greater than life
And since it let extinction be
It is greater than extinction.
I commune with feelings more than
prayer
For there is nothing else to ask for
That companionship is
And it is superior to any other is.
Sometimes in my amazing ignorance
Others see me only as they care to see
I am to them as they think
According the standard I should not be
And that is the difference between I and them
Because I see them as they are to is
And not the seeming isness of the was.

OBY THIS IS FOR YOU TO REJECT AND JERK TO!!!!!!!!!

incaseudidntknow

Mansa Kankou Musa was the tenth emperor of the Mali Empire during the 14th century. He is noted because of his 1324 hajj to Mecca and and his role as a benefactor of scholarship in West Afrika. His hajj has been accounted for greatly because of its lavish manner (100 camel-loads of gold, each weighing 300 lbs.; 500 slaves, each carrying a 4 lb. gold staff; thousands of his subjects; as well as his senior wife, with her 500 attendants) but it should be equally mentioned that Mansa Musa promoted education, trade, and commerce in Mali. Inheriting the throne from his grandfather's brother Sundiata Keita, Mansa Musa greatly expanded the Mali empire, which then had over 400 urban centers. The level of urban living in West Afrika at this time was extremely advanced in comparison to that of Europe and much of Asia, and many traits of layouts of cities across the globe have originated from the Mali Empire. Literature, under Mansa Musa's rule, was given much attention, and volumes after volumes were produced. Today, some of these volumes are kept as family heirlooms among the people that now reside in this region. Students from Europe and Afrika were sent to educational centers in cities such as Timbuktu, Djenne, and Gao to attend universities. The Mali Empire mostly adhered to Islam, but was tolerant of indigenous religions and Christianity.

Mansa Musa had 10 kids and 3 wives. He is well known for the fact that he wore lavish clothing and gave away so much gold to Egypt en route to his hajj that the value of gold decreased in Egypt, but it should be equally known that Mansa Musa contributed to the spread of education and commerce among the Mandinka people (and those who resided nearby). Mansa Kankou Musa is believed to have died of natural causes and no mention of his death has been found in any documents.

If you didn't know...now you do.

heard this song in subway and this is what came to my head..

sleeve of tattoos next?

man summer in l.a. is boring.

sick of jumpin into that bunk bed.

im dust.

sleep forever.

nagchampa. champaka.

will i be a man of solitary disposition when im 40?

jesus is good to me - he wont let me get robbed walkin home

need to water my plants tomorrow morning.

felt the sting of oppression...

but im back.

slowly healing &

testing limits.

my HERO summed it UP!

"To me it seems that my years have tumbled upward out of darkness. At times I felt like a tattered black flag gone limp above a wasteland; at other times I've felt like a fine horse galloping in the wind. That's the way life keeps you dying an interesting death."

- Gordon Parks

its a shame y'all dont know who this is!!!!

thanks amaka for introducing me to smoothness...
for some reason, his music makes me wanna be grown and sexy on the east coast...??...do u get that feeling too??

is this the way ill always be?

You feel this tree? I do. It was all compact and comfortably groomed for awhile. It didn't take long for new branches to start growing though. The branches sprang up out of the boring bush that copied all of the other groomed ones nearby. One day a change occurred, and the bush decided it was perfectly fine to let some newness grow to its full potential, even at the expense of looking a little awkward. Passersby do not understand why it would choose to grow in the way it does, but it feels comfortable and sees no reason to change because others tilt their heads in wonder at the sight of it. Still growing and still strong, we have no idea how this tree will look in the years to come. Will the new branches be molded to uniformity? Will even more branches grow? Will the tree be cut and live only in the memory of the passersby? Or will the new branches simply just provide decor and momentary relief from the sun's wrath? It doesn't really matter how it will end up, because it seems to be enjoying its time now - exploring the air around it.

came to terms

realized in the wee hours of
yesterday's morning
that i am indeed
a loner
and i am perfectly okay
with that
!!!
no more lying to friends back home
adding friends to scenes in my life
when i know good and well, i was by myself
when i explored a new food
or talked to a random celebrity
this is fun now

The Prestige...

was not that bad....a little confusing at times (especially when you're going in and out of sleep)

had me thinkin a bit

not the kind of movie i would watch normally, but the baby kangaroo that i am best friends with recommended it... good choice on his part - better than the cartoon (that i secretly liked)

going to sleep now

- or i am going to try to

don't think ill make church in the morning
(forgive me O Lord)


need to rethink this denver idea :-/ dont wanna go to no colorado

wet again.

feeling so free

school is out

and

this is my favorite song...well its in the top 20 at least

amateur foodie

Indeed, it is expensive to eat out a lot in Los Angeles, and perhaps eating out is the cause of the majority of my financial woes, but I think it is well worth the money to enjoy a friend's presence over food and drink. Recently, I visited two restaurants with two of my friends. Both restaurants were (are) independently owned and can be considered "hole-in-the-wall" establishments. Both had some specific negative characteristics, but both offered delectable food that merits mention in this here blog.

Racha Thai Restaurant.

Everybody knows I usually hate Thai food. In my opinion, most of the dishes usually taste like peppered dust with carrots on top. Also, I usually stay away from it because I never leave a table of Thai food feeling full. But on Saturday I did some L.A. exploring, and at the request of my friend Jack, I accompanied him to a restaurant that was unknown to both of us. Surprisingly, the dish I ordered did a cakewalk around my tongue that left me extremely pleased. I ordered the yellow curry - and instead of ordering it with chicken, I got it with TOFU so that I could share it with Jack and his vegetarian self. Even with tofu, it was great. The waitress / cashier lady was nice too. Only downfalls: the neighborhood it was in (18th street gang territory) and the lack of patrons :-(

Here's what I had

M&M Soul Food

A few days later, I slid on down to Crenshaw and MLK wit Yusef (the baby kangaroo himself) after Sunday morning service at West Angeles Cathedral. Both of our stomachs requested that we do something about the pain afflicting them with immediacy, so I suggested that we go to a local favorite that neither of us had ever experienced. I had read reviews on it on yelp before and figured it'd be alrite. The food was plenty and wonderfully seasoned, the waiter was attentive, and the lemonade was orgasm-inducing. M&M's wasnt half bad. I think Yusef enjoyed it too (the food PLUS the power of Jesus that had him feeling good). Downfalls: structure of the building could be improved, i could smell the bathroom cleaner they had been using (though its good to know they have clean bathrooms, i dont wanna smell pine-sol while im eating), environment is not tourist-friendly (is that ok?), takes AWHILE to get ur food, a little bit of confusion when u walk in (seat me now please, dont just stare at me), also, the vendors / christian gay-bashers in front need to go somewhere else.

Sunday dinner that has me still feeling full:

BBQ chicken, corn & okra, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese

Those biscuits, those biscuits, those biscuits....mmmmmm......

Overall, both were not that bad, and I'd go to both again.

clueless peers

the moments
the minutes
the hours
the times we share
and hummmm
the tunes that we know we really dont like
but they sound so gooood when we
hum em together
look at us walking thru
the station
catchin the metro
such a beautiful system
that we dont have to say anything to one another
or even look at one another
sometimes we just look at the same thing and understand
that we are looking at each other
i never wanted the carrier to stop
cuz the air outside of the tunnel
may not accompany the hum
like the murmur of the metro station does
now we gotta
tune-up again
to finish this easy
conversation.
lemme get some water.

yesterday i was yo lover.

I haven't slept in my own bed for the past three days. This is getting ridiculously ridiculous. The apple I ate with breakfast made me sick today, but the pancake was serious. Never land on oceans when they are not dry with spit of urchins. Still, we won't rise up on venus when the shiny may say so, cuz he is always so arrogant. They never like that when they are together, they never learned to be happy just they way they should be. Bananas feeding my tender dangling toes, but it hurts bad, oh so bad. Love me and I will love you sometimes when I am full of the tasty food that increases my knowledge and money. Together forever until venus bursts and my emails dont work - thats how i will like it. Less time feels so real at noon, when the moon rises above the lake and clicks an image on my screen to grow. Green grinnin greedy groves going good gay may make me maliciously mitigate monies moreover those that thought the things there be bad bold beautiful and amiably ambivalent always and always. Ahh, breathe now and take it in, and breathe, and live, and grow, and die, and blow away, and sleeeeepppp like an elder or a baby whatever you like. Because i loved it, it liked me, because i cared for it, it looked after me, because i wanted it, it ran. Strong living between us may stop soon, but we can catch it, and succeed the fight that goes by the wind, and rots between doggy toes. no time. no grass. no eyes. no wisdom. no words. no buses. none.

it's that season

it's that season.
and i dont feel like gettin outta bed.
feel like swayin in that sea
that exists in my head.
this sea is sweet
so sweet i can taste it in every pore on my being.
sweeter than the honey on a
honeycomb
i dont wanna leave
or get outta bed.

banana kush.

Ennui aint lettin no feelings thru this net.

Rollin around in this bed of mine
Listenin to the same music
Textin the same people
onmycell
Burnin the same incense
Full of the same food
Wearin the same pajamas
Stressin bout the same kinda homework
prayin to the same G-d

want&need that new smell to blow thru my window
so i keep it open at night
hopin that a breeze will bring it thru
and that i will wake up
in the midst of a newness
newness that smells like new shoes/car
nothing more for me to say about it
except that i want it

aint no pain or lies i wanna confront in this poem
just newness to keep me
to keep me
to keep my bag of bones and blood afloat
so that i can be happy WhileI.use it and share it

yesterday,
i slept with my window closed cuz it was cold out
please dont tell me i missed it!




once again, songs i listened to while i wrote this haha:

When I Die

when i die i hope no one who ever hurt me cries
and if they cry i hope their eyes fall out
and a million maggots that had made up their brains
crawl from the empty holes and devour the flesh
that covered the evil that passed itself off as a person
that i probably tried
to love

- Nikki Giovanni

places i want to go to before i see the pearly gates

1. West Afrika (somewhere, anywhere from Senegal to Cameroon)
2. Paris
3. Nice
4. Bahia
5. London
6. South Korea
7. Cairo
8. Jerusalem
9. Martinique
10. Zanzibar!
11. Mauritius
12. Copenhage
13. Andaman Islands

Lived in numerous states but I wanna the see the places ive seen in picturessss.....ill probably see about 7.7% of this list, but it's nice to wish. Since before Ive been able to read, I have loved to look at / read maps, and still do today. Street view on google maps makes me happy as a bull dike in home depot. K ima geaux to bed nah. Feels good to have homework completed! I guess Academic Gangstery is (kinda) fulfilling.

But before I go to bed, I gotta mention what I learned in class today. In my developmental economics class, we are learning about export factories in less-developed countries. Our professor presented empirical evidence that showed that almost always these factories are good for the people who work there. Not only do these factories offer higher than average wages, they usually always offer fringe benefits that are beneficial to these workers who are often rural migrants. He told us that the protests many Americans do to end these factories is contested by the actual workers. True, the wages they are earning are nowhere comparable to American wages, but almost always, they are extremely higher than the average salary shelled out to other local workers. He basically told us it was dumb to protest companies that have factories in places such as Vietnam, Guatemala, and China. Had all the chuck-wearin, dirty-hair sportin, green-lifestyle hipsters in a tizzy. ;-)

I always feel a lil janky for postin videos on here, but I like to share wit u loyal readers what song i play as i type these posts. This is what I am listening to this earrrrly morning as I share my thoughts with u:

j'ai plus

I work in the most frequented library on campus, and perhaps people recognize my face because they come in so often, but it never stops being weird when people act like they know me when they really don't. Yes, I know, I'm fly as a bumblebee at a picnic on a day in july, I'm one of about 4 guys on campus who roc the locs, and my skin is of a darker hue than about 94% of all students here, but it is always weird to have some stranger recognize you and act as if he/she is familiar with you. On a more positive note, maybe it's a good thing that people are attracted to me for some reason? idk...just felt like bringin it up.

LA is getting hotter (for now)! :-) but, i dont have any shorts to wear. i got fruit tho.

I took this picture the other day..it's called "what my life be like in LA"...

i have spent 21 years on this planet.

and all i've learned is:

STROBE

LIGHTS

MAKE

EVERYTHING

SEXY
!!!!!

throwback that im REALLY feelin this mornin!!! :-)

USC' oldest, largest, and most diverse student philanthropy.

This past Friday, I took some photos for some friends that are in a student organization called Troy Camp that helps out pickneys in the surrounding south LA area. I always make fun of my friends in it because I used to feel that the group was cultish, girly, weak, sensitive, and childish LOL :-P. Some of my opinions were indeed affirmed, but still, I highly appreciate what they do, and give as much support as I can offer to their cause. They encourage lil jits to pursue their education and dreams, and there is no way I can knock that!!



Holy Week has begun. West Angeles doesn't hand out palms on Palm Sunday. I'm guessing because of the size of the church? Well I just couldn't go thru this week without a palm in my house to commemorate and assist in remembering the suffering of our Lord and Saviour, so I went outside and grabbed some palm leaves from a tree on Jefferson. Feel a lil better now.

tip for the day:

Don't hold someone as a priority when they hold you as only an option!










love (you)

if vision is the only validation, then most of my life isnt real.

i just welcomed/watched the sun rise again.
feelin goooooooooood, like always.





this isnt my favorite song by sam, but its how ive been feelin these last few days and sam is my homie, like highkey...is it safe to say that he possesses one of the best male voices today???

put on some blackface and do a little dance.

No I wont make you laugh
No I wont do a dance for you
No I wont talk loud so u can hear my unique prosody.
I.
AM.
NOT.
UR.
CONTINUOUS.
ENTE RTAINM ENT.
I dont think of you as mine,
refrain from thinking of me as yours.
let me be.
free.

spring break is comin to a close :-(

I didnt do anything eventful, but I feel well rested. No work + No school + A lot of sleep + Jesus = enough goodness to fit into 10 jars.

lately, i have been on a photographing dry spell. Think im gonna revive the film camera and do some portraits. I recently have come to the conclusion that the film camera will be mostly (not solely) for the use of (posed) portraits and images that "need" to be caught on film. The dslr will be for documentary work. I'ma stick with this plan for as long as i can and see if it works....

I'm on twitter now also (twitter.com/boukman)...I swore that i would not join anymore social networking sites, but it's addicting. Buuuttt, since the new change on facebook, I don't check it as much anymore, and twitter makes me feel wayy less guilty about constantly changing my "status". Wonder what's next??

"I wanna stick my love in yo eye baby,

So u can see me cummin, just cummin all over u...."

Which one do y'all like best???? (ps: comments have been enabled...leave em)

house of the week.

the front of this house is an almost perfect rectangle. its neat. wish the van wasnt in the way. nice gem on Scarff.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

got........


my

eyebrow

piercededed!!!!!!

Neighborhood Spotlight.

On one of my first bus trips from my residence in West Adams/Jefferson Park/USC quadrant to West Hollywood, I was noticing the shift in neighborhoods, demographics, architecture, etc, and could not help but notice and want to find out more about this stretch of a gated community right smack dab in the middle of working-class Los Angeles. So, I did some research about this area west of Crenshaw and south of Venice and found it it is called "Lafayete Square". The houses in this area are really nice. Architectural styles include Neo-Federalist, Craftsman, Italianate and Spanish Revival, as well as several notable examples of early Modern. According to a Los Angeles Times real-estate section article on the district, "Most of the properties have period details: Juliet balconies, mahogany staircases and libraries, sitting rooms, stained glass windows, triple crown molding, soaring ceilings—even four-car garages."

Through the past century, the demographics of the area has changed from all-white to nearly all-black, to today majority black with new asian, white, and latino couples priced out of L.A.'s nearby westside. Yeah, its getting a little gentrified (im not a big fan of gentrification), but for the most part, old Black families are not selling these beautiful homes and are passing em down to the younger generation. Also, there are bans on multifamily/apt-type settlements in the area, so its full of couples and families, which makes it seem calm and all family-oriented.

For the most part, I really like the architectural contrasts of the area. Still, I find it kinda weird that it's gated. (??--hate gates around neighborhoods)

My oh my, how LA intrigues me sometimes.

Lafayette Square:

Wat's hood son?

spring break feels good

Most of you know that I work with elementary school kids four days a week. I may complain about their behavior, but I absolutely love my job. It's rewarding and interesting.

Everyday the kids eat snacks after school, and being that most of them are of Xicano/a and Central American descent, some of them bring or buy some peculiar (to me) treats. Red, hot, spicy, kinda sour, and sometimes buttery seems to be the trend.

This past Friday, Angel, one of the troublemakers (sometimes), who recently temporarily left the program I work with to be on the baseball team showed me this:

I have no idea what this is!!! He described it to me, and said it was or could be spicy, and sometimes sour if you squirt some kind of juice on it/them. I usually accept the offers of the students when they suggest that I try their chosen treats, but I had to say no this time...just too nervous, and I had no water with me. The last thing I tried was a persimmon. Sassy 5th grader Dulce requested that I take two. I bit into it, and smiled, and put it in my backpack to throw away when I got home. Couldnt hurt the girls feelings and throw it away in front of her!!!!

Sonje lapli ki leve mayi ou.

i aint did nuthin (but count dis money)

i luv the blackberry curve i have. honestly, if i could have sex with it, i think i would!





She is indeed one of my favorite Nigerians. :-)

hey baby,
we can make a baby
and we can call it Sundi.
dont you wanna do it?
we can make a baby.

i been painting lately. im not good at it. when i was younger, i was good 'for a kid', but that youth talent is worth nothing now. still, i paint. it gets my minds off of everything around me. for spring break, im going to buy a paint set and paint everyday since i cant go anywhere. and i will keep clickin the camera too.

i just got a text message that my friend got shot...the contrast btwn my life and the life of my friends seems wide, but really we're all the same...we all eat, poop, sleep, dream, and die. The small things we do between then just seems imortant, maybe...idk....sh*t.

goin on break now.

So I went to the State of the Black Union here in LA last weekend..it was kinda inspiring. Things that stayed with me mentally:
0-Being eco-friendly is nothing new to people of Afrikan descent, embrace it.
0-"Civil rights may not have written yo resume, but it made somebody read it" - Al Sharpton
0-Al Sharpton should just call it quits with that lil bit of perm he has on his head
0- Cornel West wears the same suit all the time because he feels it is his "work uniform"
0-Measurements of merit should be reviewed and renewed.
0-Julianne Malveaux is my homie
0-It's okay to be Black and studious (i already knew that)
0- We have to be the change we want to see.
0-The youth generation is smarter than most think
0-.........


Abubakar Sidiq

In other news, somebody stole some of my drawz from the laundry!!!!!! Somebody is out there sniffin my booty juice. Still, i dont judge

cold sweats occur when im not with her...

k im back maybe.

today i took party in a study/research group that was focused on defining "hooking up"....ish was crazy, and i felt completely out of the loop

today i heard three of my friends pass gas....

i cant stop listening to :




i need that ol thing back....

NoBoDy ReAdS tHiS sH*T!!!!!!!! and im gonna stop typin in it...or just end it altogether! ...unless a resurgence occurs.


sorry.
(no im not)

sweet honey sweet honey sweet honey sweet honey sweet honey sweet honey sweet honey sweet

is the name of this photo.

beegeekolala is the word of tomorrow. Where you dreamin to?

Rain beats a leopard's skin, but it does not wash out the spots.

if u need luv, im luvin, if u need a thug, im thuggin, if u need a hustler...whatever u need.

So I have been workin out lately, and really feel more energized. I swear I have gained some arm width....


Old arms....

New arms....

ok not really,...but I do feel more energized and determined to do other stuff in a more legit manner...
(i hate the word "manner" btw)



Restaurant Review:
Thai Ocean on the corner of 8th and Vermont...i took a picture of the food, but it aint even worth it for me to put it up on here...wasnt horribly nasty, but was lame, boring, and bland. I support family-owned small businesses and all that snoogle joogle, but just try to perform at a rate that impresses simple ol' me...Im not that hard to please. 3rd time with Thai food for me, and i think i have come to the conclusion that it is not my cup o' tea...i might as well have paid to get served an order of peppered water...not the bees knees.

I hate to bring bad news to you guys, my faithful readers, but truth is what truth is...RAW!

Get a good nights rest everybody (good morning to Obs and Abungu in Paris). And remember it's still BHM! Celebrate while u can!

I made a chicken salad today for dinner and this picture I took awhile back reminds me of chicken salad (and Thailand, even though Ive never been there, for some reason)

probably my third or fourth most favorite song of all time, beezy...

tomorrow: exercise, shower, eat, work, study, eat, class, work, eat, study, class, eat, study, shower, bed, do it again...




The moom moves slowly, but it crosses the town.

faith has brought us here, and we should be together, but we're not.

have had the apartment to myself since Thursday, tis lovely. Hope everyone's St. Valentine's Day was good to 'em. I got two candy "gifts" for the love-filled holiday, both from students that I tutor. (sorry kids, but i didnt eat that ish) Here's one of em...I have no idea what it is, but it looks kinda neat...I can kinda imagine what it tastes like, and I dont tink Id like it that much......

(wth doez Pulparindo mean?)

Speaking of things consumed, I'm going to attempt to eat healthier foods again, it's hard...

It's food like this that gets me confused...you know those meals almost on the verge of being alright, but then it's an element or two that just messes it up for the whole meal....

A part of me just wants to say eff it, and take in everything I see that looks tasty, but then I think about why almost every person over 35 in my family has high cholesterol, high blood sugar, etc....and I realize I gotta try out this thing called "moderation"

K guys, gotta go, I can hear somebody arguing outside my window and I wanna go listen....they are LOUD!


When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.

wanna see MY old neighborhood????

It's hard to explain car culture amongst African Americans in Texas, because it sounds like one is always exaggerating....but thats NOT the case...everyone, and i mean everyone fixes up their car...I have been all over the country and have yet to see another area with nearly the same amount of customized cars...it's amazing, it really is....

(You may think to yourself, 'wth?...this is a dumb post.' But please try to realize that I try to give as much of me as possible without you delving deep in my personal life, and felt this little tidbit of a video may give you a glimpse into my life outside of USC.)

sheesh

Hey yall.

Cross your fingers and pray that I dont get fired from this library job of mine. I have to work early mornings, and sometimes I just don't go.

I have a really really really bad problem when it comes to getting out of bed in the morning, no matter how much sleep I have gotten...I just cant get up.

And that was the case this morning....I just couldnt get up...and I didnt go to work....

I exaggerated some symptoms of sickness I had to my boss so that maybe he would feel sympathy for me....blehhhh

If anyone has a remedy to my oversleeping/morning-laziness, please let me know....

i

cant sleep
cant eat

pray
for
me
reallll good
so good that u feel ur God's hand
combing the dried sin out
of your hair
so good that my mama's mama's mama can feel it
so good that when i look up at the Son
it smiles back at me
and i know u
pray'd.
get on ur knees
bow ur head
close ur eyes
fold ur hands
and whisper gently
"Dear Lord"
and the rest can be up to you....

facebook video comments...

...have changed my life...got me out of this state of mind i been in ..kinda.

Im a little disturbed at my university for labeling February "Diversity Month" and putting up flyers all around for it. As most people know, it is CLEARLY Black History Month, or as my friends call it "BHM". USC could do two things imo 1.) recognize that it is BHM and do watever to bring it to attention or 2.) not recognize it at all, and stay quiet about it. Once again, I'm a little upset over the flyers I have seen around that have been labeled for "Diversity Month"....wth?

USC has no right to take our shine like that....how can one just change up HISTORY that has been in place since the days of Carter G. Woodson? cmon, ..really? They could at least have the noon-time bells play "Lift Every Voice and Sing" once or twice.

GEEZ.

Carter does not look happy right now....

If you don't like this song, we ain't friends no mo

I hate to have an over-abundance of youtube videos on here, but sometimes, it is videos/songs like this that allow me to survive college. Without em, my connection to the part of me you guys dont know would fail to continue existing.




This the kinda song make you wanna forget about everything and everybody. Wake up in the morning in some dusty house south of the Mason-Dixon line just and feel it like "umph".

let's dance.

Bilal "Love For Sale" album...

For those of you who have been uneducated when it comes to that good music that reaches the soul, I would like to introduce you to my main homie Bilal. I have been listening to Bilal's music since I was in the fourth grade. Bilal comes from Philadelphia, PA. Bilal is a trained opera singer, and he can speak six languages. Bilal released "1st Born Second" in 2001, which was not commercially successful, but claimed hold to a large underground camp of followers. Bilal's lates album "Love For Sale" was shelved by his record company for not having much "commercial potential"...but has been leaked, and is highkey off the chain. Bilal is the bees knees.


I have to give credit to my friend Amaka over at NYU who told me about this album a few weeks ago. She was lucky enough to see him live.

Here are some of the songs from "Love For Sale" -- ALSO GO WATCH / LISTEN TO BILAL "LOVE IT" ON YOUTUBE...I CANT EMBED IT HERE....its a song from 1st Born Second.





you know I love it.

kudzu