The First Black President's Press Conference...

It's been over a year since I have graced the pages of my own blog with a post (just damn tired, is all). But I'm back!!!

Congrats to the "second" black president, Barack Obama.

Second? Second, I say? Here's proof...

Road Trip: Prologue

So the fellas are getting ready for the road trip.

Six days away from the normal routine.
Five days of baseball with two games in one city.
Four long driving trips between cities.
Three out of five of us are single with no kids (extra craziness for us).
Two baseball games in Chicago on the same day.
One damn good time to be had...



Pictures and daily updates to follow...

Brooklyn's Tornado!!!

Slideshow

Oh boy...

Hey!

Do you remember when I said that I like my car. Do you remember my long, strange trip? How about when my wait was finally over? Well guess what...

This past Tuesday Brooklyn was hit with a very bad storm, including a tornado. As I stayed that morning listening to the rain and watching the lightning flash through my window, I thought nothing of it. But lo and behold...

Flood waters tore through my block washing my car ashore. From what I could tell the water in the car was as high as the windows. There was debris under the hood, in the cabin and anywhere els you could imagine.

After siphoning out ass much water as I could and a day for a tow truck the end result is a TOTAL LOSS.

Well, what happens next?

#42

Sunday, April 15, 2007 marks the 60th anniversary if Jackie Robinson game for the Brooklyn Dodgers breaking the color barri's firster. This was a great social event in American history and I would be remiss in not mentioning it here.
Mr. Robinson is known for the following quote: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." His impact on the lives of many people, inside and outside the world of baseball, has echoed through the years. His wife Rachel continues his work though the foundation that bears his name and grants scholarships to young people who become members of its Education and Leadership Development Program.
His impact goes in in perpetuity, from one generation to the next.

Let's Go Mets!!

Yes it's true... I am a die hard Mets fan. I was stung by them with their magical championship year in '86: Dwight Gooden, Mookie Wilson, Darryl Strawberry, Gary Carter and the rest of the gang.

I remember watching all those games and how they captured the imagination of the whole city.

Well, after a wonderful season last year that saw the Metropolitans almost make it to the World Series (damn St. Louis!), I decided to take my love for my team more tangible. So this past winter I bought a season ticket plan so I could enjoy my team in person regularly. Who loves ya' baby!!!

Big News, Coming Soon

For all 2 of you that read the blog, Thanks! But good news is coming soon! More posts and a special announcement! Hint: Road Trip!!

Get Yo A$$ Back to Class...

Nothing ruins a kid's good time like the first day of school...

No more:

• watching cartoons
• Jerry Springer
• trips "down south"
• playing "Grand Theft Auto" 24/7
• late bedtimes
• late rise times
• day trips to Kings Plaza/Fulton Mall
• running up and down the block for hours at a time
• laying on the couch
• spending the day at grandma's house
  

Much more:




Good times...

Take Me Out (Of Town) To The Ballgame...

Signs that you love your favorite team...

• You buy an inordinate amount of your favorite team's merchandise...


• You have season tickets... (I hate you) In a luxury box... (I hate you more) Or close enough to get a hi-five from a player (Still love ya, Spike...)


• You dress your infant child in team apparel...


• You have kept every promotional item from every game your parents took you to...


• You go on vacation... Your team happens to be in the area... You go to the game...

All I can say is...
At least only one of the above apply to me
NY Mets 4 - Cincinnati Reds 2 in 10 innings

Shoutout to Neek coming to the game with me
and my host "Prissy Big Wilma"

Computer Blues...

I can't believe my luck with my computers. I am lucky enough to have two machines at my disposal, a self-built desktop and a name brand laptop.

And I am unlucky enough to have both of them come down with major problems at the same time.

But rest assured fans... The stories will resume soon! Or my name isn't...

The Wait is Over...

After many, many, many years of waiting. The Kid has (cue corny Price is Right music)

A NEW CAR!!

Say hello to the Volkswagen Passat!!

Vital Statistics

Model Year: 2003

Mileage at time of purchase: Approximately 14,000 miles

Certification: Certified Pre-Owned (A must)

Amenities: Power Windows, Power Doors, Sunroof/Moonroof, Theft Deterrent System, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, Tape Deck, The Kid

Drivetrain: 1.8L Turbo Front Wheel Drive


I'll see you on the road!!!

The Scales of Justice...

There is nothing qutie like jury duty.

Twelve citizens coming together to pass judgement on another person based on the available evidence.

Sounds good.

Except for the boredom.

The first time I had jury duty, almost 10 years ago, it was new. I even got to be the foreman and read the verdict. It was interesting.

I got a chance for some extra sleep, got paid from my job, and learned about the American justice system.

The second time was a damn waste. Just sitting there all day... waiting... wondering... sleeping... in a hard a$$ chair. Slow death is what it was.

This time around the slow death was jury selection. To just sit there and hear the same 20+ questions asked to 40+ people just made me weak. And then the dumb a$$ answers. No one wants to know your damn sob story. Just leave. Quickly.

After it was all said and done, I was put on a case. Somewhat interesting. The evidence was. so say the least, substantial. But, without going into any specifics, reached a verdict in a few hours and we were able to go home after four days of boring objections, rebuttals, cross examinations, motions, and other assorted legal mumbo jumbo. It was an experience.

Not a bad one, just an experience.

I always cry at weddings... (sniff, sniff)

These boys had the chance to be ring bearers at their parents wedding.

It was a cloudy Sunday evening in Nashville, TN and yours truly had the honor and priviledge of being the Best Man for their father and my longtime friend (since we were 3 & 2 yrs old), Marcus.

He and his beautiful bride have been married for 5 years now, but he wanted to give her the wedding that she always wanted and deserved. The sentiment alone is enough to make a grown man cry.

And some did.

Marcus and his family have meant a lot to me over the years and when he asked me to be his Best Man I was, to say the least, touched. By the time the wedding came around and it was time to make my toast, my emotions got the best of me.

Just before I was about to speak I could hear all of the kids playing on the lawn in front of the Timothy Demonbruen House when I flashed back to those days spent playing Space Harrier on the Sega Master System while eating pepperoni pizza and drinking apple juice in my house and being at his house pretending to be the WWF tag team champions in his basement (we would kick serious stuffed animal ass!). We spent our childhood in each others houses.

The memories of those days of childhood and friendship and the impact of the moment just made the emotions come out. The pride, joy, and love I felt made me speak from the heart. It was such a moment, I actually don't remember all of the things that I said. For the remainder of the evening over a dozen or so people came to me and said that they were touched, and some moved to tears, by what I said. I'll have to see the video.

The man's family has been there for me in my darkest hours and treated me like a son. His mother came to me after I spoke and I told her how much it meant to me to just be a part of this event. She said to me, "You're family. We could not have any family event and not have you here."

So to Marcus and Jessica, John and Isabel, Tristan and Ciaran:
Thank you.

365 days later...

In 365 days a lot can happen...

You can learn to walk

You can learn to talk

You can learn to bite
(I will have revenge!)

You can grow exponentially

You can learn a few words
(Wow, Mama, Papa)

You can grow a couple of teeth

You can sleep 2/3 of the day, everyday

You can learn to eat solid food

You can learn to pick up and throw a ball

You can use up about 2,195 diapers

You can dribble about 187,275 gallons of saliva
(Dribble boy!)

You can learn to change the radio station to suit your tastes

You can have a very happy and healthy First Birthday!


Many more!

Straight from the Boondocks...

I have to admit, I love the Boondocks television show. I never really read the comic strip, but the show is damn funny.

It has been a guilty pleasure after the Chappelle Show withdrawal symptoms have died down. But I have found a small amount of its target audience on full hate mode.

"Dumbest, Most Vulgar, Most Offensive Things Uttered by Black Public Figures", says one uptight black person from the Great State of Who Gives a Rat's A$$!

For those people who can't see past their own definition of blackness, get a grip. These are the same people who didn't care for Dave Chappelle, Martin Lawrence, and Flip Wilson but they watch ignorant nonsense on BET!

I must admit, young Riley is ignorant (and funny) as hell. The sensible and thoughtful "socialist black nationalist" Huey is the conscience of the show (who does steal a moment or two while looking the Xbox killer). While Granddad is the animated solution to the characters that Irma P. Hall plays in some of her movies.

Aaron McGruder's characters kill me even if he (and they) can't get a break.

Now Black People, if we can't laugh at ourselves (even if its not just us watching: see Chappelle Show) , who can we laugh at.

By the way, don't complain about kids watching the show, because if your kids are watching it, then you didn't put their butts in bed!

Gratuitous Plug: The Boondocks can be seen Sundays @ 11:00 PM on Cartoon Network/Adult Swim