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The Book you all need to read.

For awhile now, I have been trying to cut down on the toxins I introduce my body to. I have relapsed due to financial troubles, however, I do what I can. So after trying various products I have come to the conclusion - don't buy costly products that are or claim to be natural. Although you should in-fact support the health food store. Use olive oil on your skin as a moisturizer; It is also good for your hair. Many of us keep olive oil in our kitchens, so just put some aside for your body. For a soap try "grandpa" brand soap; it is vegetable based, and all natural. Coming in at about 4-5 dollars, your skin will honor it. You can wash your hair with it, so put down your "mass produced, man made, toxic" shampoos. Those are easy ways to cut down on toxins indtroced to the body. To sweat is a natural ocurance, so most "natural" deodorants are not antiperspirants. Try one with "lichen" and baking soda. That will help to keep you dry, "Alba Botanica" is the brand I use, although it has some questionable ingredients in it. None the less it is the lesser of other evils.

The World Need’s Art!

I had the pleasure of going into an inner city school, and conducting an art project with the students. The experience inspired me to write this proposal, for a small group of children that my aunt works with.

I believe art will save us. Save us from all of our metal enslavements. For years artist of all kinds have used art in all its forms to enlighten the public on the issues that plague our world. Whether or not the people receive the sometimes under-toned message is questionable. However, there is no better feeling than to teach and through teaching the teacher will be thought. I propose to go in to a class and conduct an art project monthly or bimonthly for at least an hour, Incorporating design basics into the project that I have picked up along the way. For example, I will teach the importance of the use of color, line, pattern, and texture etc.
The process will allow creativity to shine through in a manner that builds confidence and character. That has structure and fundamentals, and brings happiness. For art, and true artistry allow for the beholder to run through many emotions such as, confusion, surprise, and joy. Those emotions lead to smiles, and most importantly CHANGE. Art is the key to growth in children and adults alike. In my own art endeavors I hope to inspire a revolution and there’s no better way to do this than provide our youth with the greatest weapon of all – ART.
I didn’t start the revolution, but I made the choice to join it!

Beliefs are personal opinions. Vice versa!

I have a friend whom can not stand that I would prefer to use organic and natural products vs. most generic brand products that are loaded with carcinogens that can harm the body. This is what I had to say to her after a week long feud.

“I value friends, I value friendship, and I do not set out to loose one over matters as such. But my view is this; I will not to the best of my ability use products that will harm me. It is not at all about "not dying" remove that from your head. I will die as will you, but it is the principle of the matter. I equate it to drugs (cosmetic products) because they are toxic. I know you work out; I know you don't smoke nor drink, and all this I hope is not just for nothing. I hope it is for the benefit of health and “moral”; therefore, in my eyes knowingly using said products and not caring how they effect you is on the same level as a drug addict. I KNOW YOU’RE TIERD OF READING, SO I END WITH THIS: I DO NOT WANT NOR CAN I CHANGE YOU, BUT MY BELIEFES AND PHILOSPHIES ARE MY OWN AND SHOULD BE RESPECTED.”

Peace.

Hip hop as been disrespected BIG TIME, and as a result it has retreated to the subways

I’m a hip hop head (or so I claim to be), and no matter what people say hip hop is not dead (at the time of writing this, that was the statement on everyone’s lips)! Let it be known that Common (sense) is still doing his thing (?) Eyrkah Badu is doing her thing; Lupe is doing his thing, and many others I can not think of. The problem is REAL HIP HOP IS UNDERGROUND. Hip hop started underground, became very main stream and greatly influenced music of today; as music of yesteryear influenced it. Hip hop has been disrespected BIG TIME, and as a result it has retreated to the subways. But the subways I speak of are not the tangible subways! No, these subways are digital. These subways are never-ending, and go in any which direction you could think of. If I am not making sense to you; look around the internet, and see how much good music you can find. To continue my analogy I should call the people running the trains conductors, but I prefer to use the term SOLDIERS. The soldiers I speak of, in this day and age are MAVERICKS. They are ARTIST, INOVATORS, CREATORS, VISIONARIES, hell they go by many names, so it matters not what we call them. My point is this; these HIP HOP DICIPLES can’t survive upstairs above the ground. The masses (a large population of people) have let their greed, and love for money take over their MINDS, FEELINGS, THOUGHT… etc. I have said time and time again that there is a major lack of creativity in music today. To piggyback that thought there is a lack of artistry in a whole! They (corporate monkeys) only reach out for what can sell the most “units”. It is no surprise that those are the songs that have neither meanings nor substance (that” it factor” that makes anything timeless). THE BIGGEST HUMP FOR THE NEW SCHOOL HIP HOP GENERATION IS GETTING THE MASSES TO LISTIN TO THEM. Sadly you can’t get over that hump when the masses don’t want to be educated in a world where there are so many injustices to be educated on. THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE BE BETTER AS A PEOPLE WHEN NO ONE WANTS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES? Think about that, I got time.

CREAM OR SUGAR?

Cream or Sugar?

As I sat gazing out of that little window, I realize something. I am living a dream that surprisingly, many people can not. I dreamed for weeks about picking up, and just going, and I did. I’m young, free, determined and (at the time of writing this first paragraph I was…..) gone! You see, I’ve got freedom (for the most part lol), and that’s a beautiful thing, even though I didn’t realize that at first. In the midst of getting a half baked education, I grew tired of trying to push forward for something I really didn’t want. SO I LEFT in the middle of class, and withdrew from the school all together! I must say I’m happier now, yet it came with a price. Never mind the “DRAMA-RAMA” I took a 7 day coffee break to relax a bit!

I departed from Chicago on the 10th of November 2008 by catching a standby flight via AirTran airways for only $79.99. The time was 10:08 am; by 12:56 pm I was in hot-lanta, which was not so hot (if I do say so myself). While in Atlanta I hung out with some old friends, played catch up, laughed a lot, and relaxed a tired body and mind. There was no car for us to drive, thus I was quite the traveling man all week long, taking planes, trains, taxis, and bus after bus! I had no cell phone, so it's safe to say I was analogue in a digital world; carrying only a sack of silver change, and a pocket notebook filled with numbers. My system was old school, but worked nicely.

On Tuesday, my long time friend Cameron and I walked to the grocery store to pick up a few items. We had too many bags to carry home on foot, so we took the bus (C-Tran). What I noticed most about the experience was the friendliness of the patrons. There was so much courtesy and respect that I didn't know how to react to it at first. I was so taken with the politeness, that upon my departure from Atlanta I found myself using courtesies like "Preciate ya". On a sidebar, I made vegetarian cuisine on Tuesday. We had scrambled tofu for brunch and vegetarian quesadillas for diner. I then had a soy ice-cream sundae with reeses peanut buttercups. Mmmmmm the good life! Thursday was a day for adventure! We went to the Georgia aquarium and hung with the fish. Yeah Boy!

Friday was yet another day for traveling, this time I ended up in Cambridge MA. I visited with a friend attending M.I.T (college). I found my time at M.I.T to be thoroughly enjoyable! The students I encountered were well versed, intellectual, studious and much more. They immediately made me feel as if I was apart of the group. I feel like I’ve made new friends, in hindsight I hope they feel the same about me lol. On Saturday, J.C and I started the day at a diner by the name of Zoë’s. I had the French toast, and I found them to be BLASÉ. Afterwards we took the subway across “some river” (haha) to Boston "the back bay area” and I saw some cool sites on the world famous NEWBURY ST. Window shopping at THE DOPEST store of all time “KARMALOOP”, perusing the THREE FLOORED apple store (largest in the country), and sipping STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES at a mall to which will remain unnamed (because I can’t remember it anyway) were some of the highlights of the day.

The nighttime brought promise of excitement. Me and J.C were invited to a MARTINI party, and out to dinner. I don’t drink, so I sat in the back of the room conversing with “THE LADIES” over a chocolate fountain and fresh berries (wink wink ). I sipped a cranberry drink, while vainly speaking on how fly I was, but hey…….. “I WAS FLY”! J.C and I were somehow left behind for dinner, so I ordered pizza from the dorm room. J.C’s friend Dorian was hospitable enough to allow J.C and I to CHILL in his room. The three of us talked through the night about “black issues” while listening to music, and surfing YOUTUBE.

Sunday morning was great! J.C, Dorian, and I went to church, and I received a well needed message. On the bus ride home I spoke with the girl sitting next to me, and I introduced my self as B. “B for Brandon” I said, and she replied, “Hi I’m Jana, call me J”. lol she was “uber” cool. She invited us to her dorm at the Berkley (School of Music ) campus, for some free food. My group declined and I followed the pack, all though I believe she was trying to pick me up. I must say, I wanted to be picked up (if you know what I mean)! That night I hoped to go to a movie, instead I went to a DESERT NIGHT with live music (flamenco)! Ooooo and SHOUT OUT to Dorian who played the heck out of that cardboard box j/p, I spent the rest of the night chatin’ in ESPANOL, and chilling with D. while J.C went to work (BOOOOO!).

I want to mention that Dorian had a pin that said “I love black”. He was cool enough to take it from his collection hanging on the wall, and give it to me! In return I ran downstairs to my bag, and I gave him my favorite wrist band with red, black, and green colors. I believe we share the same love for BLACK PEOPLE, so it was a fitting trade off. Thereafter I left him to pack my bags, however, I spent at least an hour running back and fourth between rooms (LOL, SERIOUSLY) to show him my novelty TEE SHIRTS that had everything and anything to do with BLACK. I didn’t sleep that night either; I packed and left for the airport early in the morning (or was it late at night?) The funny thing is I was out there in the dark and cold, because no one told me the subway and buses didn’t start till 5:00 am! I spent a half hour in a motel lobby, eating airline peanuts I found in my bag waiting for the subway gates to open.

I arrived in Chicago at about 6:00 pm after spending a four hour layover in Atlanta (ironic?). I supposed I can resume my humdrum life, but boy did I have fun!
On second thought…………WHEN CAN I COME BACK?