NBA/NHL Officiating 2009 Playoffs Version
(M.D. Wright, J. Albert)
5.7.09
DEAR GOD.
That's all I can say. The officiating in both sports has been CRIMINAL all decade, really. And the crescendo has occurred right under our noses in the playoffs in both the NBA and NHL.
In Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals in the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings had a great chance to take hold of the series and go up 2-1 overall. Two horrific calls/decisions were made on the part of the referees. Initially, a very poor interference call stopped a rally for the Wings and with a little over a minute remaining in the game, Marian Hossa had a goal taken away because the referee didn't see the puck and called the play dead. SHEESH. Game ends 2-1. Series 2-1 in favor of the Anaheim Ducks.
The 4th quarter of Game 1 of the Orlando vs. Boston Eastern Conference Semifinals in the NBA -- and ALL of Game 2 of that same series has been a sad joke. The way the refs allowed Rondo and Pierce to simply launch their bodies into defenders and the Celtics go to the line 26 times in the 2nd half AFTER NOT SHOOTING ANY IN THE FIRST -- while not changing the way they played -- is beyond me. I would have no problem with this except the refs did not call Boston for the same fouls when Orlando was on offence.
Then, in Game 2, I saw several non-called fouls on the Celtics when Magic players were pulled blatantly, grabbed, fouled across the arms -- highlighted by Glen "Big Baby" aka Fat F--- Davis RAKING Dwight Howard about the arms for a "steal". This wasn't the worst part of the play. Not the fact that it was not called, not the fact that Eddie House (who I now hate) got a layup off the "steal" but get this:
DAVIS HAD THE BALL IN HIS HANDS WITH BOTH FEET CLEARLY OUT OF BOUNDS. The referee was standing right there.
NO CALL.
For people who are 30 and older (or if you are able to remember the 80s Celtics at the old Boston Garden well enough) were having flashbacks of the Bird, Parish, McHale, Ainge, Johnson Celtics who feasted off cheating referees like this on their way to three titles. This is why I hate Boston. I'm having flashbacks to the 80s.
Wings fans are going to revolt if they lose that series to the overmatched DUCKS. DEAR GOD.
As politically incorrect as I wanna be.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Random Inspirational Thoughts
Random Inspirational Thoughts
M.D. Wright
5.4.09
Those of you who know me best know I am always thinking. This is sometimes detrimental, because it is hard to shut my mind off when I should be sleeping. But as a thinker and an entrepreneur, this is what I do. I was ruminating on some things a few minutes ago while in the john and I thought about an excellent way to continue to leave a legacy in my family (on all sides, father and mother's families). I believe I will be in position to initiate this within 3-5 years. Five years maximum.
To encourage education, entrepreneurship and service among my future children and younger cousins, I will commit to the following:
$10,000 for every Bachelors degree received.
$25,000 for every Masters degree received.
$50,000 for every other postgraduate (JD, Ph.D, Pharm. D., etc.)
$100,000 to fund the start of every law firm, financial consulting practice and medical-related clinic.
Why not? It is the way the blue bloods do it.
M.D. Wright
5.4.09
Those of you who know me best know I am always thinking. This is sometimes detrimental, because it is hard to shut my mind off when I should be sleeping. But as a thinker and an entrepreneur, this is what I do. I was ruminating on some things a few minutes ago while in the john and I thought about an excellent way to continue to leave a legacy in my family (on all sides, father and mother's families). I believe I will be in position to initiate this within 3-5 years. Five years maximum.
To encourage education, entrepreneurship and service among my future children and younger cousins, I will commit to the following:
$10,000 for every Bachelors degree received.
$25,000 for every Masters degree received.
$50,000 for every other postgraduate (JD, Ph.D, Pharm. D., etc.)
$100,000 to fund the start of every law firm, financial consulting practice and medical-related clinic.
Why not? It is the way the blue bloods do it.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Greensboro, North Carolina: What's Wrong With Living Here & Why Greensboro Cannot Retain It's Humongous College Student Potential Workforce
Greensboro, North Carolina: What's Wrong With Living Here & Why Greensboro Cannot Retain It's Humongous College Student Potential Workforce
M.D. Wright
5.3.09
There is an interesting dynamic that exists in Greensboro, North Carolina. Greensboro has a reputation; not a positive one, amongst Greensboro natives, transplants from other states for work or college students who come to study at the 11 schools in the area.
For years, there was no nightlife to speak of in Greensboro. The "Downtown" area was a ghost town for many years. I hate to compare anything to New York, but I must say that without any major sports teams, no nightlife and nothing that appeals to 20/30-somethings who aren't married or have children, what purpose does this city serve for those who would even consider living here long-term?
Mind you, the population is over 250,000.
There are cities all up and down the eastern seaboard from Portland, Maine to Miami that boast more night life than Greensboro does. And to prove that this boredom, malaise and relative (I say relative, because there are those who are homeless and no education) hopelessness that exists in Greensboro is ENDEMIC to Greensboro, just look at the only two cities that out-populate Greensboro in North Carolina: Raleigh and Charlotte.
Raleigh as boomed in the past ten years. Charlotte's population has tripled since 1980. Neither city is short on things to do. Why? Because they CATER to the demographic that they claim they want to retain in their cities. Charlotte is very cosmopolitan; it appeals to upwardly mobile college graduates with two or more post-graduate degrees, middle-upper management/VP types and the new entrepreneurs in the southeast.
Raleigh appeals to every techie (and concurrently, every nurse, chemist, dentist or any other person in medicine in the southeast, with NC State, Duke Hospital, UNC Hospital and then UNC and Duke as school choices -- which are in and of themselves major draws.
Who does Greensboro appeal to?
Fifty something Empty Nesters, Jerry Springer viewers who like to sit around and have children while collecting WIC and other Social Security benefits?
Ask 90% of the recent college graduates from NC A&T, UNCG, Bennett, Guilford, GTCC, High Point Univ., WSSU, etc. and they unanimously want to leave here as soon as possible. This is what is driving me back to New York, which is where I wish I had never left in the first place. Going back 4-5 times a year and spending every summer Uptown is not the same as being there year-round and having things to do.
As I mentioned before, there are several universities here. A potentially large workforce. The problem? So few jobs. Everyone claims to be hiring at all times, but they rarely do. The Moses Cone Hospital network is huge, but if you're not an LPN, CNA, RN or CRN, forget about it with them. If you're not in administration in the university system somehow, forget about it. Even if you have several degrees. If anything, that might over qualify you. Sheesh.
The only thing here is customer call (i.e. abuse hot line) centers and Hack Agencies (read: Collections). Who, in their right mind (and wants to sleep at night) would do such work as harassing people into paying a collections account, when they themselves probably have a couple in collections? DEAR GOD.
Greensboro needs to get it together and stop operating like a Mom & Pop country store, before it ends up BECOMING ONE.
The city needs better public transportation, a light rail system (and for Stephen's sake, with the taxes that are levied here, this is not far-fetched) and to lure more businesses here. Greensboro is very spread out, but the great majority of the non-minimum wage jobs are in the northwestern corridor of the city.
Lying at the confluence of two major interstate highways (I-40/I-85), and 30 miles from one that brings people from gettin' it in Ohio (I-77) and Virginia, along with just being 75 miles from I-95, this city should be as large and vibrant as Atlanta.
You tell ME what's wrong with this picture...
I'll welcome any thoughts.
M.D. Wright
5.3.09
There is an interesting dynamic that exists in Greensboro, North Carolina. Greensboro has a reputation; not a positive one, amongst Greensboro natives, transplants from other states for work or college students who come to study at the 11 schools in the area.
For years, there was no nightlife to speak of in Greensboro. The "Downtown" area was a ghost town for many years. I hate to compare anything to New York, but I must say that without any major sports teams, no nightlife and nothing that appeals to 20/30-somethings who aren't married or have children, what purpose does this city serve for those who would even consider living here long-term?
Mind you, the population is over 250,000.
There are cities all up and down the eastern seaboard from Portland, Maine to Miami that boast more night life than Greensboro does. And to prove that this boredom, malaise and relative (I say relative, because there are those who are homeless and no education) hopelessness that exists in Greensboro is ENDEMIC to Greensboro, just look at the only two cities that out-populate Greensboro in North Carolina: Raleigh and Charlotte.
Raleigh as boomed in the past ten years. Charlotte's population has tripled since 1980. Neither city is short on things to do. Why? Because they CATER to the demographic that they claim they want to retain in their cities. Charlotte is very cosmopolitan; it appeals to upwardly mobile college graduates with two or more post-graduate degrees, middle-upper management/VP types and the new entrepreneurs in the southeast.
Raleigh appeals to every techie (and concurrently, every nurse, chemist, dentist or any other person in medicine in the southeast, with NC State, Duke Hospital, UNC Hospital and then UNC and Duke as school choices -- which are in and of themselves major draws.
Who does Greensboro appeal to?
Fifty something Empty Nesters, Jerry Springer viewers who like to sit around and have children while collecting WIC and other Social Security benefits?
Ask 90% of the recent college graduates from NC A&T, UNCG, Bennett, Guilford, GTCC, High Point Univ., WSSU, etc. and they unanimously want to leave here as soon as possible. This is what is driving me back to New York, which is where I wish I had never left in the first place. Going back 4-5 times a year and spending every summer Uptown is not the same as being there year-round and having things to do.
As I mentioned before, there are several universities here. A potentially large workforce. The problem? So few jobs. Everyone claims to be hiring at all times, but they rarely do. The Moses Cone Hospital network is huge, but if you're not an LPN, CNA, RN or CRN, forget about it with them. If you're not in administration in the university system somehow, forget about it. Even if you have several degrees. If anything, that might over qualify you. Sheesh.
The only thing here is customer call (i.e. abuse hot line) centers and Hack Agencies (read: Collections). Who, in their right mind (and wants to sleep at night) would do such work as harassing people into paying a collections account, when they themselves probably have a couple in collections? DEAR GOD.
Greensboro needs to get it together and stop operating like a Mom & Pop country store, before it ends up BECOMING ONE.
The city needs better public transportation, a light rail system (and for Stephen's sake, with the taxes that are levied here, this is not far-fetched) and to lure more businesses here. Greensboro is very spread out, but the great majority of the non-minimum wage jobs are in the northwestern corridor of the city.
Lying at the confluence of two major interstate highways (I-40/I-85), and 30 miles from one that brings people from gettin' it in Ohio (I-77) and Virginia, along with just being 75 miles from I-95, this city should be as large and vibrant as Atlanta.
You tell ME what's wrong with this picture...
I'll welcome any thoughts.
Men... And Church
Men... And Church
M.D. Wright
5.3.09
I have had discussions lately with both men and women (mostly those who wonder why men continue to avoid going to church regularly, if at all).
The answer(s) is/are both simple and complex, but there aren't many. Here they are, from what I have been able to decipher from the guys I know and from my own personal experience after leaving the church I went to for over 15 years in Greensboro.
1. They don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ in the first place.
There are guys who promise a "good church girl" the night before (usually after they consensually engaged in illicit activity -- and yes, I'm calling some of y'all out, because I CAN and I KNOW) that he will go to church with her the next day in order to appease her. He may go a time or two, but if she doesn't poke and prod and continue to press him about going, he won't. Why else would someone go to church if they have not the proper purpose for going in mind in the first place?
2. They have wandered from God if they are already saved.
This actually isn't all that common, because many of the guys who go to church consistently have what is best described as an off-and-on relationship with God to begin with. They just attend church out of rote, but they're not really active nor effective because of the aforementioned reason. The ones who usually stop going or never go to begin with and have wandered from God have been in rebellion and disobedience for some time before they actually stop attending. That, or they see an influx of poisonous spirits that infiltrate every ministry and see other vile things up close if they were involved in heading a ministry or assisting a pastor, elder or some other clergy. This happens quite a bit more often and explains why some guys abruptly stop going altogether.
3. The apparent embracing of the homosexual spirit that has engulfed many of the upcoming generation of young adult men -- while shunning Apostle Paul-like men who have not abdicated their kingly thrones as men.
I cannot account for how often this has happened. I have heard it expressed MANY times, however. And most people in church know fully well that from the music ministry down to other ministries in the church that overtly gay, unconsciously feminine or just flat out boys and young men who are around 99% of the time and therefore have become effeminate have dominated the male populace in most church congregations in the United States. It's not a regional thing.
Side Note: I was close with a great number of my cousins on all sides of my family growing up; 2/3 of the ones I was around most of the time were girls. I'm not effeminate in the least. So using that as an excuse as to why so many of these boys act like this in church now is ludicrous.
SEGUE
4. The church seems content with playing to peoples' emotions and not dealing with reality and truth. Yes, emotion IS part of the worship order. God ordained it that way. After all, He gave us emotions as an accompaniment to the physical, spiritual and logical senses He instilled in us when it comes to understanding His Word and His entire being. However, far too often there is constant pandering to the emotional, hoopin' and hollerin', shouting that is not steeped in any real truth or purpose, but just something reminiscent of a scene of women watching Sex & The City or an episode of Desperate Housewives. This emotional appeal is naturally going to go over most men's heads, while appealing fully to women, as they dwell on the emotion far more often than men do. Most men require and desire substantial truth manifested in evidence (I know, I know, Hebrews 11:1) before the emotional appeals from the pulpit are going to have any effect.
For all that, most of them can get their emotional jollies by watching ball games, fights, playing sports, racing cars or doing whatever it is most of them do when they DON'T go to church.
Notice this isn't a worldwide problem -- but almost endemic to the United States. The church doesn't deal in truth or TRUE Holy Spirit works. The latter being the ultimate issue.
M.D. Wright
5.3.09
I have had discussions lately with both men and women (mostly those who wonder why men continue to avoid going to church regularly, if at all).
The answer(s) is/are both simple and complex, but there aren't many. Here they are, from what I have been able to decipher from the guys I know and from my own personal experience after leaving the church I went to for over 15 years in Greensboro.
1. They don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ in the first place.
There are guys who promise a "good church girl" the night before (usually after they consensually engaged in illicit activity -- and yes, I'm calling some of y'all out, because I CAN and I KNOW) that he will go to church with her the next day in order to appease her. He may go a time or two, but if she doesn't poke and prod and continue to press him about going, he won't. Why else would someone go to church if they have not the proper purpose for going in mind in the first place?
2. They have wandered from God if they are already saved.
This actually isn't all that common, because many of the guys who go to church consistently have what is best described as an off-and-on relationship with God to begin with. They just attend church out of rote, but they're not really active nor effective because of the aforementioned reason. The ones who usually stop going or never go to begin with and have wandered from God have been in rebellion and disobedience for some time before they actually stop attending. That, or they see an influx of poisonous spirits that infiltrate every ministry and see other vile things up close if they were involved in heading a ministry or assisting a pastor, elder or some other clergy. This happens quite a bit more often and explains why some guys abruptly stop going altogether.
3. The apparent embracing of the homosexual spirit that has engulfed many of the upcoming generation of young adult men -- while shunning Apostle Paul-like men who have not abdicated their kingly thrones as men.
I cannot account for how often this has happened. I have heard it expressed MANY times, however. And most people in church know fully well that from the music ministry down to other ministries in the church that overtly gay, unconsciously feminine or just flat out boys and young men who are around 99% of the time and therefore have become effeminate have dominated the male populace in most church congregations in the United States. It's not a regional thing.
Side Note: I was close with a great number of my cousins on all sides of my family growing up; 2/3 of the ones I was around most of the time were girls. I'm not effeminate in the least. So using that as an excuse as to why so many of these boys act like this in church now is ludicrous.
SEGUE
4. The church seems content with playing to peoples' emotions and not dealing with reality and truth. Yes, emotion IS part of the worship order. God ordained it that way. After all, He gave us emotions as an accompaniment to the physical, spiritual and logical senses He instilled in us when it comes to understanding His Word and His entire being. However, far too often there is constant pandering to the emotional, hoopin' and hollerin', shouting that is not steeped in any real truth or purpose, but just something reminiscent of a scene of women watching Sex & The City or an episode of Desperate Housewives. This emotional appeal is naturally going to go over most men's heads, while appealing fully to women, as they dwell on the emotion far more often than men do. Most men require and desire substantial truth manifested in evidence (I know, I know, Hebrews 11:1) before the emotional appeals from the pulpit are going to have any effect.
For all that, most of them can get their emotional jollies by watching ball games, fights, playing sports, racing cars or doing whatever it is most of them do when they DON'T go to church.
Notice this isn't a worldwide problem -- but almost endemic to the United States. The church doesn't deal in truth or TRUE Holy Spirit works. The latter being the ultimate issue.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thoughts On The Swine Flu Epidemic (Potential Pandemic)
Thoughts On The Swine Flu Epidemic (Potential Pandemic)
M.D. Wright
4.27.09
My initial thoughts are always centered around HYGIENE. I know how pigs are processed and all, but SHEESH. How much does the FDA know (or play a role in) this spreading? What does the CDC and WHO know? Hmmm. I read a headline today that said "CDC prepares for Swine Flu in the U.S. as if it is a pandemic".
Oh.
Usually, as a cynic - when the government puts out ominous lines like that, I know things are worse than they're letting on. And I'm not blaming the government organizations. Not in the least. I just know that they don't want to cause mass hysteria by telling EVERYTHING that they know about the situation. It's scary.
First of all, people in Mexico are falling ill like flies these days. I have a friend studying abroad down there. They're out of school and relegated to living like people being quarantined from a leprosy outbreak. Dear God.
Now I am hearing they have found 30 plus cases in the US. And out of all places, two different boroughs in New York City (Bronx, Queens). Sheesh. Do I need to go back to New York, with the way stuff like this can easily spread with seemingly 1 billion people per square mile? LOL nah, I'm not going to let this SARS mess keep me from moving back. However two big issues here:
1. Even though this is a VIRUS, there is another trend at play here. I had to do some reading for my Biology class this weekend. One of the essays was regarding bacteria and anti-biotics. There has been a decline in production of new anti-biotics in the past 30 years; whereas there were dozens found between the 1930s and 1970s. Not only that, but they are being over prescribed, abused and used for purposes other than those for which they were prescribed. As a result of all this, anti-biotics have lost their effectiveness. Now, and in the future, these new bacterium and viruses are going to be resistant against these antibodies and anti viruses. We had better watch out and create more vaccines and such.
2. PEOPLE NEED TO WASH THEIR HANDS. I get so friggin' tired of people sneezing in the kitchen when they're cooking and not covering their mouths or going to another room to let that shit subside. And what has happened to people washing their hands? There used to be a time when you were petrified to have someone catch you leaving the bathroom without washing your hands. ESPECIALLY if you did so after losin' weight. DEAR GOD. Guys are bold now. I can't speak for women, but I've heard from my female friends that they're just as nasty.
Everywhere I go, UNCG, public restrooms at ball games, professional companies for interviews and what not -- it's the same thing. Everyone thinks their stuff is clean, so they don't wash their hands after fiddling with it (no homo) in the bathroom. SHEESH. WASH YOUR HANDS. The professionals at the CDC are saying that is the best way to combat Swine Flu (and everything else that is killing people -- all because these nasty buzzards don't want to take 10 seconds and wash fecal matter and smegma off their hands!)
If I see another guy casually blow up the bathroom while I'm in the stand-up urinal... look in the mirror, do the Jeff Hornacek to their face -- NOT wash their hands, and walk out, I swear I'll never give another handshake in my life. I already don't shake hands with anyone who isn't related to me or at least one of my boys or trusted acquaintance (I know some of them niggas don't wash their hands, but hey, if I get sick off them, I know who to bludgeon). Now I'm gonna have to resort to wearing blue masks and giving everyone the fist pounds that Michael Jordan started in the mid 90s (and now everyone's doing).
M.D. Wright
4.27.09
My initial thoughts are always centered around HYGIENE. I know how pigs are processed and all, but SHEESH. How much does the FDA know (or play a role in) this spreading? What does the CDC and WHO know? Hmmm. I read a headline today that said "CDC prepares for Swine Flu in the U.S. as if it is a pandemic".
Oh.
Usually, as a cynic - when the government puts out ominous lines like that, I know things are worse than they're letting on. And I'm not blaming the government organizations. Not in the least. I just know that they don't want to cause mass hysteria by telling EVERYTHING that they know about the situation. It's scary.
First of all, people in Mexico are falling ill like flies these days. I have a friend studying abroad down there. They're out of school and relegated to living like people being quarantined from a leprosy outbreak. Dear God.
Now I am hearing they have found 30 plus cases in the US. And out of all places, two different boroughs in New York City (Bronx, Queens). Sheesh. Do I need to go back to New York, with the way stuff like this can easily spread with seemingly 1 billion people per square mile? LOL nah, I'm not going to let this SARS mess keep me from moving back. However two big issues here:
1. Even though this is a VIRUS, there is another trend at play here. I had to do some reading for my Biology class this weekend. One of the essays was regarding bacteria and anti-biotics. There has been a decline in production of new anti-biotics in the past 30 years; whereas there were dozens found between the 1930s and 1970s. Not only that, but they are being over prescribed, abused and used for purposes other than those for which they were prescribed. As a result of all this, anti-biotics have lost their effectiveness. Now, and in the future, these new bacterium and viruses are going to be resistant against these antibodies and anti viruses. We had better watch out and create more vaccines and such.
2. PEOPLE NEED TO WASH THEIR HANDS. I get so friggin' tired of people sneezing in the kitchen when they're cooking and not covering their mouths or going to another room to let that shit subside. And what has happened to people washing their hands? There used to be a time when you were petrified to have someone catch you leaving the bathroom without washing your hands. ESPECIALLY if you did so after losin' weight. DEAR GOD. Guys are bold now. I can't speak for women, but I've heard from my female friends that they're just as nasty.
Everywhere I go, UNCG, public restrooms at ball games, professional companies for interviews and what not -- it's the same thing. Everyone thinks their stuff is clean, so they don't wash their hands after fiddling with it (no homo) in the bathroom. SHEESH. WASH YOUR HANDS. The professionals at the CDC are saying that is the best way to combat Swine Flu (and everything else that is killing people -- all because these nasty buzzards don't want to take 10 seconds and wash fecal matter and smegma off their hands!)
If I see another guy casually blow up the bathroom while I'm in the stand-up urinal... look in the mirror, do the Jeff Hornacek to their face -- NOT wash their hands, and walk out, I swear I'll never give another handshake in my life. I already don't shake hands with anyone who isn't related to me or at least one of my boys or trusted acquaintance (I know some of them niggas don't wash their hands, but hey, if I get sick off them, I know who to bludgeon). Now I'm gonna have to resort to wearing blue masks and giving everyone the fist pounds that Michael Jordan started in the mid 90s (and now everyone's doing).
Sunday, April 26, 2009
New York Football Giants - 2009 NFL Draft Roundup
New York Football Giants - 2009 NFL Draft Roundup
M.D. Wright
4.26.09
Here are my thoughts about the NFL Draft in 2009 for the New York Football Giants:
JERRY REESE IS THE BEST GM IN THE NFL.
No wait. Really -- he is. But instead of summarizing my thoughts with that line, I will not be a douche and will expound.
We addressed a lot of our holes either through this draft (or free agent pickups -- i.e. the SS position), so here they are in order.
1. At #29 in the first round, the Giants selected WR Hakeem Nicks out of North Carolina. I had been high on this guy all year in 2008; especially during UNC's Meineke Car Care Bowl game vs. West Virginia where he made this spectacular catch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2ikDsi-DJA. Expected by Jerry. Great pick. Didn't expect Nicks to fall this far, though. If we hadn't gotten Nicks, I would've been after WR Kenny Britt (taken next by Tennessee) FROM?! Rutgers. Those guys came to my church out in New Jersey after their 11-2 season in 2007 ha. Britt's a cool guy.
2. Our 2nd round pick was OLB Clint Sintim out of Virginia. I don't know much about him; but again -- I don't need to know. Jerry Reese drafted him. He obviously will play strongside and shift over when Kiwanuka puts both hands on the ground. This guy is purported to be an animal. We need this. Chase Blackburn was a WASTE at strongside last year. With Boley at WLB, our weak link is now Pierce haaaaaaaa.
3. Our other 2nd round pick was used on an offensive lineman: William Beatty out of Connecticut. I know nothing about him. A value pick. We're playing with the house's money after getting this pick for Shockey last year. Fills a need for line depth.
4. Our first 3rd round pick was a DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. WR Ramses Barden out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (as me and my boy Tony used to mock back in high school: "CAL POLY SLOW"). This guy is 6'6" 235 lbs. Sort of like Plaxico Burress minus the bad choices. He's fast. He has glue for hands. Eli needs a tall player or he'll throw 27 INTs this year. WE USED THE IGGLES OF ALL TEAMS TO LAND BARDEN. Holy Steven.
5. The other 3rd round pick was TE Travis Beckum out of Wisconsin. More value. We don't even need a TE with THE BOSS and Michael Matthews out there, but any help we can get to add depth and a special teams player is good. House's money with an extra 3rd round pick.
6. The 4th round pick was RB Andre Brown out of NC State. He's a masher. I saw a little of this guy. Teams will walk away from Giants games this year with blood from their mouths after dealing with Jacobs and Brown (along with whiplash from watching Bradshaw run by them ha).
7. Rhett Bomar was the 5th round pick. We don't need a QB. No risk here. We got this pick from New Orleans as compensation for them taking Shockey and his attitude off our hands. We now have Eli, Carr, Woodson and this Bomar at QB. Someone's gotta go.
8. The last two picks were a 6th and 7th round tandem of CBs to add depth at the position and for special teams. DeAndre Wright (New Mexico) and Stoney Woodson (South Carolina); neither of whom I know anything about. But since I trust Jerry, our secondary is much better than it was last year; with MORE SPEED.
I'm completely satisfied.
M.D. Wright
4.26.09
Here are my thoughts about the NFL Draft in 2009 for the New York Football Giants:
JERRY REESE IS THE BEST GM IN THE NFL.
No wait. Really -- he is. But instead of summarizing my thoughts with that line, I will not be a douche and will expound.
We addressed a lot of our holes either through this draft (or free agent pickups -- i.e. the SS position), so here they are in order.
1. At #29 in the first round, the Giants selected WR Hakeem Nicks out of North Carolina. I had been high on this guy all year in 2008; especially during UNC's Meineke Car Care Bowl game vs. West Virginia where he made this spectacular catch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2ikDsi-DJA. Expected by Jerry. Great pick. Didn't expect Nicks to fall this far, though. If we hadn't gotten Nicks, I would've been after WR Kenny Britt (taken next by Tennessee) FROM?! Rutgers. Those guys came to my church out in New Jersey after their 11-2 season in 2007 ha. Britt's a cool guy.
2. Our 2nd round pick was OLB Clint Sintim out of Virginia. I don't know much about him; but again -- I don't need to know. Jerry Reese drafted him. He obviously will play strongside and shift over when Kiwanuka puts both hands on the ground. This guy is purported to be an animal. We need this. Chase Blackburn was a WASTE at strongside last year. With Boley at WLB, our weak link is now Pierce haaaaaaaa.
3. Our other 2nd round pick was used on an offensive lineman: William Beatty out of Connecticut. I know nothing about him. A value pick. We're playing with the house's money after getting this pick for Shockey last year. Fills a need for line depth.
4. Our first 3rd round pick was a DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. WR Ramses Barden out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (as me and my boy Tony used to mock back in high school: "CAL POLY SLOW"). This guy is 6'6" 235 lbs. Sort of like Plaxico Burress minus the bad choices. He's fast. He has glue for hands. Eli needs a tall player or he'll throw 27 INTs this year. WE USED THE IGGLES OF ALL TEAMS TO LAND BARDEN. Holy Steven.
5. The other 3rd round pick was TE Travis Beckum out of Wisconsin. More value. We don't even need a TE with THE BOSS and Michael Matthews out there, but any help we can get to add depth and a special teams player is good. House's money with an extra 3rd round pick.
6. The 4th round pick was RB Andre Brown out of NC State. He's a masher. I saw a little of this guy. Teams will walk away from Giants games this year with blood from their mouths after dealing with Jacobs and Brown (along with whiplash from watching Bradshaw run by them ha).
7. Rhett Bomar was the 5th round pick. We don't need a QB. No risk here. We got this pick from New Orleans as compensation for them taking Shockey and his attitude off our hands. We now have Eli, Carr, Woodson and this Bomar at QB. Someone's gotta go.
8. The last two picks were a 6th and 7th round tandem of CBs to add depth at the position and for special teams. DeAndre Wright (New Mexico) and Stoney Woodson (South Carolina); neither of whom I know anything about. But since I trust Jerry, our secondary is much better than it was last year; with MORE SPEED.
I'm completely satisfied.
Movie Reviews/General Thoughts
Movie Reviews/General Thoughts
M.D. Wright
4.26.09
I'm going to try to keep this brief. I want to review two movies that I have watched the past two nights and then tie in some things that I have encountered both in the recent past and throughout my 20s (as I recount).
Last night, I was hanging with a good friend and we went to see "Obsessed" (along with "Earth", for my class -- but that is immaterial in this post). I had seen the trailer and previews, so I pretty much knew the basic premise of the movie before going in. I do not have a high opinion of Beyoncé on the big screen, but I went in with an open mind, rather than having it made up to rip her as some of the reviewers did. However, I did find myself saying "expected" and turning to my friend as I had flashbacks to being stalked back in the day.
I won't spoil the movie, so I won't delve into the plot and specifics. Nevertheless, two things really bugged me all throughout this movie (and the other one that I will briefly touch upon): the idea that 1) White women are stone crazy about Black men and will go to any lengths to land one and 2) These movies don't do anything to erase the stereotype that Black women have bad attitudes -- which are many times, uncalled for.
Side note: Beyoncé actually did a pretty good job in this role.
Ali Larter, who played the stalker/psycho in the movie also had a hand in perpetuating a common stereotype of White women that is floating around nowadays: "they are only after Black men for sexual escapades and nothing more". Whatever. Just like all Black women don't have nasty attitudes. Generalizations just do not work. I sat with my friend (Black female) and immediately next to two 20-something White females who squirmed and winced when touchy scenes passed by. Of course, this particular theatre was packed with hoodrats who were just there to see "B." whoop someone's ass and that's it. Even when Beyoncé's character was out of line for not believing her husband (played by Idris Elba), I said "expected", but at the same time, I would have loved to have seen her keep her composure instead of reacting "typically".
By the way, for anyone who has already seen the movie, does anyone find it ODD that Beyoncé refers to their home as HER house when I ain't seen her work a minute in this movie. DEAR GOD.
Segue.
The same with "Not Easily Broken". The movie started kind of slow, and it was very good throughout. But after one of the kids' passes away, his mother, played by a single White mother, began putting the subtle moves on the Black woman's father. The expected ensued. But this is when I began to think to myself: WHAT IS THE PROBLEM HERE...? Where did this disconnect REALLY TRULY stem from?
I get tired of hearing Black women talk about "well, we're so accustomed to so and so and how they approach/treat us" as an excuse for acting the way they generally do. For those to whom this does not apply, you know not to get upset. If you get upset by what I say, then it applies to you.
Why, if "women's intuition" is so REAL, can't women truly tell a sincere man apart from one who is "just like all the others"? It's all BS. They know the difference. And given that fact, why am I being made to pay for the mistakes of others? Do I pop off and treat every woman I meet as a "bitch" because most of the women I've dealt with or entered into relationships with were slimy, reptilian, bloodsucking, selfish golddiggers who only cared about what they could get from me? No. Everyone gets a clean slate. And enough of the "well, we're so accustomed to our fathers, brothers, uncles not being there, so we have to be the men in the family". Okay, true, the Black community has its ills. That is one that is well-chronicled. HOWEVER, know when to put that BS on the back burner. When you are dealing with a man to whom that does not apply, cease and desist with the balderdash excuses to act like an ass. PERIOD. End of discussion. I'm sick of it.
But back to my main point about "Not Easily Broken", there are two trends playing out in the 2000s that are severely disturbing to me. First, the whole "Miss Independent"/"Got My Own" phenomena. Rubbish. Women who talk like that get defriended off my friends' list on Facebook and summarily dismissed. NO ONE IS AN ISLAND; and trying to prove one's worth to spite an entire gender is just foolish. Just because you've CHOSEN (key word) to deal with a bunch of sloughs doesn't mean you need to parade around and tell the world how much you don't need a man. He doesn't NEED you either, but he WANTS you (and I don't mean the slouch ass niggas, either). God created us to relate with one another and feed, serve, help and support one another physically and spiritually, not to flaunt our material rubbish around as a show of one's own efficiencies. How UNattractive is it to hear a woman banter about this, even if she does have her own things and doesn't need a man to provide them for her? What do you want me to do, provide a drummer's rim shot for you? Goodness gracious sakes alive, enough with this nonsense already.
My other thought about this point is the by-product of all this: the "me-first" (second, third and twentieth) mentality about marriage, children and so forth. Not all women are cut out to be housewives. Indeed, housewives have TOUGH lives; but it is not demeaning (no matter what brainless feminist zealots have led many to believe) or beneath one to do so. On the contrary, God made nurturing both children and the family unit as a whole such a noble thing that ONLY a woman is equipped to properly do so. Think about that. How is it that something God deems the highest of NOBILITY all of a sudden regarded as beneath or less-than? And please save the "you don't understand patriarchal society and the history of male oppression". Bullshit. I'm a Sociologist. Don't go there.
My thing is, in this movie, this woman was all about her career, trying to be something she's not, living above her means and trying to make people think things about her that were more lofty than they actually were. Who wants to be with someone like that? If you say yes, defriend me. NOW.
She didn't want to have a child because it would "get in the way of her career". WHAT.
Meanwhile, because her husband decided to... get this... GIVE BACK TO THE YOUTH BY COACHING, he's a less-than and also-ran who is worthless to her. Here we go. A social-climber, me-first, all about her career and status type who will run off a PERFECTLY good man (with a nasty attitude to boot) because he's not trying to keep up with the mythical Joneses.
One thing that I did like about her character (played by Taraji P. Henson) is that she redeems herself by doing something MANY women do not do (and drive me nuts by doing so; including some from my own personal past) and that's ADMITTING that she was wrong. That was like the icing on the cake, the cherry on top and putting the jello in the fridge (as Chick Hearn used to say) for me. A guy can be 100% sincere and honest, but if he's with a woman who never admits when she's wrong, 9 times out of 10 he's going to cheat or she's going to leave him for Joe Social Climber the 3rd. My problem with this generation of women (to whom this applies, not the ones who have it figured out and know whether they're supposed to be in the corporate arena because they've been called to do it and not those who do it just to compete with men and try to one up their OWN boyfriends/husbands -- that shit is BEYOND annoying) is that everything is about job prestige, money/wealth, status and material possessions. I grew up hearing women that "it doesn't matter how much money he makes or where he works, just as LONG as he has a job". Bullshit. I know these movies are just scripts and not actual life, but I've seen too many people around me live out what is in these movies and I REFUSE to be treated like a lie-about in the face of someone who doesn't appreciate me for my virtue and consistency as a good man. Sure, I'm going to be a billionaire eventually, but what about right now and how I've been received by women now versus when I was making very good money both from the job and from side business hustles, driving the 350Z, wearing the nicest clothes, shopping, traveling, fine dining -- and when all that ran out when I returned to school; to have some do a 180 on a DIME solely because the money wasn't flowing anymore. That goes to show the "it doesn't matter how much he has, just as long as he is a good, honest, hard-working man" line is utter hogwash.
Good day.
M.D. Wright
4.26.09
I'm going to try to keep this brief. I want to review two movies that I have watched the past two nights and then tie in some things that I have encountered both in the recent past and throughout my 20s (as I recount).
Last night, I was hanging with a good friend and we went to see "Obsessed" (along with "Earth", for my class -- but that is immaterial in this post). I had seen the trailer and previews, so I pretty much knew the basic premise of the movie before going in. I do not have a high opinion of Beyoncé on the big screen, but I went in with an open mind, rather than having it made up to rip her as some of the reviewers did. However, I did find myself saying "expected" and turning to my friend as I had flashbacks to being stalked back in the day.
I won't spoil the movie, so I won't delve into the plot and specifics. Nevertheless, two things really bugged me all throughout this movie (and the other one that I will briefly touch upon): the idea that 1) White women are stone crazy about Black men and will go to any lengths to land one and 2) These movies don't do anything to erase the stereotype that Black women have bad attitudes -- which are many times, uncalled for.
Side note: Beyoncé actually did a pretty good job in this role.
Ali Larter, who played the stalker/psycho in the movie also had a hand in perpetuating a common stereotype of White women that is floating around nowadays: "they are only after Black men for sexual escapades and nothing more". Whatever. Just like all Black women don't have nasty attitudes. Generalizations just do not work. I sat with my friend (Black female) and immediately next to two 20-something White females who squirmed and winced when touchy scenes passed by. Of course, this particular theatre was packed with hoodrats who were just there to see "B." whoop someone's ass and that's it. Even when Beyoncé's character was out of line for not believing her husband (played by Idris Elba), I said "expected", but at the same time, I would have loved to have seen her keep her composure instead of reacting "typically".
By the way, for anyone who has already seen the movie, does anyone find it ODD that Beyoncé refers to their home as HER house when I ain't seen her work a minute in this movie. DEAR GOD.
Segue.
The same with "Not Easily Broken". The movie started kind of slow, and it was very good throughout. But after one of the kids' passes away, his mother, played by a single White mother, began putting the subtle moves on the Black woman's father. The expected ensued. But this is when I began to think to myself: WHAT IS THE PROBLEM HERE...? Where did this disconnect REALLY TRULY stem from?
I get tired of hearing Black women talk about "well, we're so accustomed to so and so and how they approach/treat us" as an excuse for acting the way they generally do. For those to whom this does not apply, you know not to get upset. If you get upset by what I say, then it applies to you.
Why, if "women's intuition" is so REAL, can't women truly tell a sincere man apart from one who is "just like all the others"? It's all BS. They know the difference. And given that fact, why am I being made to pay for the mistakes of others? Do I pop off and treat every woman I meet as a "bitch" because most of the women I've dealt with or entered into relationships with were slimy, reptilian, bloodsucking, selfish golddiggers who only cared about what they could get from me? No. Everyone gets a clean slate. And enough of the "well, we're so accustomed to our fathers, brothers, uncles not being there, so we have to be the men in the family". Okay, true, the Black community has its ills. That is one that is well-chronicled. HOWEVER, know when to put that BS on the back burner. When you are dealing with a man to whom that does not apply, cease and desist with the balderdash excuses to act like an ass. PERIOD. End of discussion. I'm sick of it.
But back to my main point about "Not Easily Broken", there are two trends playing out in the 2000s that are severely disturbing to me. First, the whole "Miss Independent"/"Got My Own" phenomena. Rubbish. Women who talk like that get defriended off my friends' list on Facebook and summarily dismissed. NO ONE IS AN ISLAND; and trying to prove one's worth to spite an entire gender is just foolish. Just because you've CHOSEN (key word) to deal with a bunch of sloughs doesn't mean you need to parade around and tell the world how much you don't need a man. He doesn't NEED you either, but he WANTS you (and I don't mean the slouch ass niggas, either). God created us to relate with one another and feed, serve, help and support one another physically and spiritually, not to flaunt our material rubbish around as a show of one's own efficiencies. How UNattractive is it to hear a woman banter about this, even if she does have her own things and doesn't need a man to provide them for her? What do you want me to do, provide a drummer's rim shot for you? Goodness gracious sakes alive, enough with this nonsense already.
My other thought about this point is the by-product of all this: the "me-first" (second, third and twentieth) mentality about marriage, children and so forth. Not all women are cut out to be housewives. Indeed, housewives have TOUGH lives; but it is not demeaning (no matter what brainless feminist zealots have led many to believe) or beneath one to do so. On the contrary, God made nurturing both children and the family unit as a whole such a noble thing that ONLY a woman is equipped to properly do so. Think about that. How is it that something God deems the highest of NOBILITY all of a sudden regarded as beneath or less-than? And please save the "you don't understand patriarchal society and the history of male oppression". Bullshit. I'm a Sociologist. Don't go there.
My thing is, in this movie, this woman was all about her career, trying to be something she's not, living above her means and trying to make people think things about her that were more lofty than they actually were. Who wants to be with someone like that? If you say yes, defriend me. NOW.
She didn't want to have a child because it would "get in the way of her career". WHAT.
Meanwhile, because her husband decided to... get this... GIVE BACK TO THE YOUTH BY COACHING, he's a less-than and also-ran who is worthless to her. Here we go. A social-climber, me-first, all about her career and status type who will run off a PERFECTLY good man (with a nasty attitude to boot) because he's not trying to keep up with the mythical Joneses.
One thing that I did like about her character (played by Taraji P. Henson) is that she redeems herself by doing something MANY women do not do (and drive me nuts by doing so; including some from my own personal past) and that's ADMITTING that she was wrong. That was like the icing on the cake, the cherry on top and putting the jello in the fridge (as Chick Hearn used to say) for me. A guy can be 100% sincere and honest, but if he's with a woman who never admits when she's wrong, 9 times out of 10 he's going to cheat or she's going to leave him for Joe Social Climber the 3rd. My problem with this generation of women (to whom this applies, not the ones who have it figured out and know whether they're supposed to be in the corporate arena because they've been called to do it and not those who do it just to compete with men and try to one up their OWN boyfriends/husbands -- that shit is BEYOND annoying) is that everything is about job prestige, money/wealth, status and material possessions. I grew up hearing women that "it doesn't matter how much money he makes or where he works, just as LONG as he has a job". Bullshit. I know these movies are just scripts and not actual life, but I've seen too many people around me live out what is in these movies and I REFUSE to be treated like a lie-about in the face of someone who doesn't appreciate me for my virtue and consistency as a good man. Sure, I'm going to be a billionaire eventually, but what about right now and how I've been received by women now versus when I was making very good money both from the job and from side business hustles, driving the 350Z, wearing the nicest clothes, shopping, traveling, fine dining -- and when all that ran out when I returned to school; to have some do a 180 on a DIME solely because the money wasn't flowing anymore. That goes to show the "it doesn't matter how much he has, just as long as he is a good, honest, hard-working man" line is utter hogwash.
Good day.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Why You Lost, Miss California
When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Why You Lost, Miss California
(J. Albert, M.D. Wright)
4.22.09
As Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said a couple of years ago, "WHERE ARE WE AT IN SOCIETY TODAY???" (watch at 2:22), I have to wonder the same thing after watching the first half and then the end of the Miss America contest the other night.
Most people know that the Miss California entrant, Carrie Prejean from San Diego was prompted (rather strategically, in my opinion, given that voters OVERTURNED and voted against Proposition 8 in California during the General Elections. This vote made it unconstitutional for gays and lesbians to marry and be recognized by the state. Of course "celebrity blogger (???)" Perez Hilton does not like this. He asks Carrie her thoughts here:
Watch --
She answered with her opinion. If you are going to ask someone a question, why expect them to give the politically correct answer -- then when they DON'T, you villify them:
Huh?
AGAIN I ASK, WHERE ARE WE AT IN SOCIETY TODAY?
When did free speech become obsolete and virtually illegal? DEAR GOD.
I'm not surprised. That's where this nation is right now, but sheesh.
I thought "Perez" didn't take it so harshly that Carrie answered the question the way she did? It seems like he got pretty hot under the collar.
Listen, people can do what they want behind closed doors. If someone believes what is stated and clear in the Bible, then so be it. If we Christians must turn the other cheek and accept everything that is going on in this world, then so should those who may not like/accept Christian views when Christians assert their perspective.
People say Miss California didn't lose the contest based upon that. Please. There was rampant booing when she answered the question. The judges even say that it swayed them negatively.
What made it worse is that the winner, ultimately, is an ASS. And where is she from? North Carolina. LAWDAMERRRSY.
Perez Hilton asked that question knowing 1) gay marriage would be put back in the public eye after six months of nothing but economic talk. He knew what he was doing. He knew that asking that particular contestant representing the most liberal state in the union would spark controversy 2) that by doing this, voting for Miss California ultimately would've gotten the judges, Trump and the pageant's sponsors in hot water from "special interest groups". This is what makes me upset about this whole "rights" issue. You have rights. HUMAN rights. Why bring that trash into an elegant pageant by mudslinging against someone that you KNOW is going to disagree with you?
I'm going to be sick.
(J. Albert, M.D. Wright)
4.22.09
As Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said a couple of years ago, "WHERE ARE WE AT IN SOCIETY TODAY???" (watch at 2:22), I have to wonder the same thing after watching the first half and then the end of the Miss America contest the other night.
Most people know that the Miss California entrant, Carrie Prejean from San Diego was prompted (rather strategically, in my opinion, given that voters OVERTURNED and voted against Proposition 8 in California during the General Elections. This vote made it unconstitutional for gays and lesbians to marry and be recognized by the state. Of course "celebrity blogger (???)" Perez Hilton does not like this. He asks Carrie her thoughts here:
Watch --
She answered with her opinion. If you are going to ask someone a question, why expect them to give the politically correct answer -- then when they DON'T, you villify them:
Huh?
AGAIN I ASK, WHERE ARE WE AT IN SOCIETY TODAY?
When did free speech become obsolete and virtually illegal? DEAR GOD.
I'm not surprised. That's where this nation is right now, but sheesh.
I thought "Perez" didn't take it so harshly that Carrie answered the question the way she did? It seems like he got pretty hot under the collar.
Listen, people can do what they want behind closed doors. If someone believes what is stated and clear in the Bible, then so be it. If we Christians must turn the other cheek and accept everything that is going on in this world, then so should those who may not like/accept Christian views when Christians assert their perspective.
People say Miss California didn't lose the contest based upon that. Please. There was rampant booing when she answered the question. The judges even say that it swayed them negatively.
What made it worse is that the winner, ultimately, is an ASS. And where is she from? North Carolina. LAWDAMERRRSY.
Perez Hilton asked that question knowing 1) gay marriage would be put back in the public eye after six months of nothing but economic talk. He knew what he was doing. He knew that asking that particular contestant representing the most liberal state in the union would spark controversy 2) that by doing this, voting for Miss California ultimately would've gotten the judges, Trump and the pageant's sponsors in hot water from "special interest groups". This is what makes me upset about this whole "rights" issue. You have rights. HUMAN rights. Why bring that trash into an elegant pageant by mudslinging against someone that you KNOW is going to disagree with you?
I'm going to be sick.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Fishin' In The Wrong Pond
Fishin' In The Wrong Pond
FROM DISGRACE TO YOUR RACE
By Damn Shame
In recent conversation with various women, they all talk about liking/wanting to go to particularly gay places. This is the literal use of the word gay, not the negative connotation.
A young lady I know was saying how she and her friends enjoy going to gay bars. I asked why and what benefit could possibly come from this. She replied, "Girls like hanging out with guys who won't try shit." Now I don't know where in the man by-laws it states that you must try to fuck anything that walks, but I must have missed that section. To this, I say step your guy game up. Stop hangin out with grimy/desperate guys with no standards. I'd say a good 80% of women I talk to I have no interest in ever touching, and I'm not some dude who never gets out or anything. I find it funny that the same girls will find it weird that lesbians will hit on them in such bars. You are there, you are a woman... it's a safe assumption you are probably gay. If you go into a gay bar or club and get hit on by someone of the same sex, that is on YOU.
Another lady told me that she'd like to attend a gay wedding (now that gay marriage is being legalized in some states). I can appreciate wanting to go to one of the first gay weddings for historical purposes, but what's the difference? You may now kiss... the groom? Woo hoo. I also find it particularly funny that people who told me they want to go to a gay wedding despise the thought of marriage themselves. That's just ludicrous to me.
These are not even the point of this edition of D2YR. The real point is, that each of these people (as well as others like them) have pulled the "It's so hard to find a man" card in my presence before.
Now, not only is going to gay places counterintuitive to finding a man interested in you... it's completely opposed. If you're complaining about finding guys and then you don't want to hang around guys that "try shit," I have no words for you. If you complain about the quality of guys who approach you, then re-evaluate your image or try approaching a guy for once in your life. You don't have to put a smooth move on, but if you just start a conversation they will more than likely find confidence in that and show you interest in return.
Despite the fact that this applies to a gender and not a race, I'll allow it. If you only chill with gay dudes and avoid straight guys, and then complain you can't find a mate.. you are a walking damn SHAME. If I only chilled with lesbians and then complained I can't find a girl that meets my preferences, you'd say I was an imbecile too! Basically, put on something that isn't frumpy/yet says I'm not a slut... go out, and if you're not attracting the guys you want, then take some god damn initiative and start a conversation. If you are passive and wind up going home alone, that's on YOU. Guys have to accept this on a constant basis, it's time for y'all to learn! In life, sports, work, and everything else.. being aggressive for what you want is everything. Sit around and wait, and it ain't comin. So re-read this, take notes and shut yer god damn mouth about inability to find a good man. Disgraceful.
Posted by A Damn Shame at 11:42 AM
FROM DISGRACE TO YOUR RACE
By Damn Shame
In recent conversation with various women, they all talk about liking/wanting to go to particularly gay places. This is the literal use of the word gay, not the negative connotation.
A young lady I know was saying how she and her friends enjoy going to gay bars. I asked why and what benefit could possibly come from this. She replied, "Girls like hanging out with guys who won't try shit." Now I don't know where in the man by-laws it states that you must try to fuck anything that walks, but I must have missed that section. To this, I say step your guy game up. Stop hangin out with grimy/desperate guys with no standards. I'd say a good 80% of women I talk to I have no interest in ever touching, and I'm not some dude who never gets out or anything. I find it funny that the same girls will find it weird that lesbians will hit on them in such bars. You are there, you are a woman... it's a safe assumption you are probably gay. If you go into a gay bar or club and get hit on by someone of the same sex, that is on YOU.
Another lady told me that she'd like to attend a gay wedding (now that gay marriage is being legalized in some states). I can appreciate wanting to go to one of the first gay weddings for historical purposes, but what's the difference? You may now kiss... the groom? Woo hoo. I also find it particularly funny that people who told me they want to go to a gay wedding despise the thought of marriage themselves. That's just ludicrous to me.
These are not even the point of this edition of D2YR. The real point is, that each of these people (as well as others like them) have pulled the "It's so hard to find a man" card in my presence before.
Now, not only is going to gay places counterintuitive to finding a man interested in you... it's completely opposed. If you're complaining about finding guys and then you don't want to hang around guys that "try shit," I have no words for you. If you complain about the quality of guys who approach you, then re-evaluate your image or try approaching a guy for once in your life. You don't have to put a smooth move on, but if you just start a conversation they will more than likely find confidence in that and show you interest in return.
Despite the fact that this applies to a gender and not a race, I'll allow it. If you only chill with gay dudes and avoid straight guys, and then complain you can't find a mate.. you are a walking damn SHAME. If I only chilled with lesbians and then complained I can't find a girl that meets my preferences, you'd say I was an imbecile too! Basically, put on something that isn't frumpy/yet says I'm not a slut... go out, and if you're not attracting the guys you want, then take some god damn initiative and start a conversation. If you are passive and wind up going home alone, that's on YOU. Guys have to accept this on a constant basis, it's time for y'all to learn! In life, sports, work, and everything else.. being aggressive for what you want is everything. Sit around and wait, and it ain't comin. So re-read this, take notes and shut yer god damn mouth about inability to find a good man. Disgraceful.
Posted by A Damn Shame at 11:42 AM
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Clout?
Clout?
M.D. Wright
4.5.09
Clout:
Main Entry:
Pronunciation:
\ˈklau̇t\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English clūt; akin to Middle High German klōz lump, Russian gluda
Date:
before 12th century
4: pull , influence (ex. political clout)
When I hear people talk about the clout they have; the influence with their company and what not, it really gives me pause. I was the eternal cynic until this year, so I automatically called B.S. half the time when I heard people mention they can do this, that and the third. I have been looking to resume my career since May of 2006. Why am I only coming up with 100% commission jobs? With my background, education and defined skill set, this is ridiculous. I look at some of the jobs that are going to people with less work experience, fewer years serving the community -- while I have a non-profit under my belt and assisted with helping another opening -- and education than I do land gigs paying 55-75K. I'm in No Man's Land right now, because graduation is less than six weeks away and all I've landed have been job offers for 100% commission. One of them was in New York, which was half the reason I went back up there a few weeks ago. NIGHTMARES. I recounted the money I spent going up there and back. ONE GRAND. For what? I couldn't even stay for my cousin's birthday party and her daughter's art exhibit. DEAR GOD. The guy who interviewed me told me over the phone I was being considered for management. As they SHOULD have been. I have had 8 years' experience in insurance. Enough trying to get me to go into sales. I'm not doing it. Especially on a 100% commission basis. HOLY STEVEN. With my body of work, anything less than management is an insult. I get there and he goes into this spiel about sales after trying to create a seamless segue (not realizing I've heard the same pitch from another con-artist with the same company down here in NC as well. I have not lived in New York ALL my life, but I'm no idiot, man. I think he thought I'd jump at the opportunity. How in BLUE HADES am I going to pay $1,500/mo. rent on a commission job?
Anyway, I digress.
For these past three years, all I've listened to is a bunch of hooey from people telling me a bunch of nonsense they would not do if they were in the same situation. I SWEAR I wish some of these people could walk in my shoes for one WEEK -- much less the three years I've dealt with this sickening BS. They're always bragging about who they know, how much pull they have at their office, "all I have to do is talk to so and so and it's a wrap". Oh really now? Where's my phone call? Why don't you have an office if you're that important? I'm sick of people bragging about what they can do when they have ZERO influence. They're nobodies. And what pisses me off most, these are the (sometimes superspiritual ones) who claim they're praying that God will block me being able to go back to New York, that my purpose is to remain in North Carolina (that's laughable, since I have known that wasn't true since 9th grade). Yet, when I try to find a job or come to them -- as they brag that I should because of their "connections" -- I come up high and dry. I'm about to give a big, fat J.O.D.E. to a bunch of people in the next three months.
If you have clout, good, do something with it. If you don't, well -- I'm trying to avoid cursing, so you can tell where I am going with this.
What have you...
M.D. Wright
4.5.09
Clout:
Main Entry:
Pronunciation:
\ˈklau̇t\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English clūt; akin to Middle High German klōz lump, Russian gluda
Date:
before 12th century
4: pull , influence (ex. political clout)
When I hear people talk about the clout they have; the influence with their company and what not, it really gives me pause. I was the eternal cynic until this year, so I automatically called B.S. half the time when I heard people mention they can do this, that and the third. I have been looking to resume my career since May of 2006. Why am I only coming up with 100% commission jobs? With my background, education and defined skill set, this is ridiculous. I look at some of the jobs that are going to people with less work experience, fewer years serving the community -- while I have a non-profit under my belt and assisted with helping another opening -- and education than I do land gigs paying 55-75K. I'm in No Man's Land right now, because graduation is less than six weeks away and all I've landed have been job offers for 100% commission. One of them was in New York, which was half the reason I went back up there a few weeks ago. NIGHTMARES. I recounted the money I spent going up there and back. ONE GRAND. For what? I couldn't even stay for my cousin's birthday party and her daughter's art exhibit. DEAR GOD. The guy who interviewed me told me over the phone I was being considered for management. As they SHOULD have been. I have had 8 years' experience in insurance. Enough trying to get me to go into sales. I'm not doing it. Especially on a 100% commission basis. HOLY STEVEN. With my body of work, anything less than management is an insult. I get there and he goes into this spiel about sales after trying to create a seamless segue (not realizing I've heard the same pitch from another con-artist with the same company down here in NC as well. I have not lived in New York ALL my life, but I'm no idiot, man. I think he thought I'd jump at the opportunity. How in BLUE HADES am I going to pay $1,500/mo. rent on a commission job?
Anyway, I digress.
For these past three years, all I've listened to is a bunch of hooey from people telling me a bunch of nonsense they would not do if they were in the same situation. I SWEAR I wish some of these people could walk in my shoes for one WEEK -- much less the three years I've dealt with this sickening BS. They're always bragging about who they know, how much pull they have at their office, "all I have to do is talk to so and so and it's a wrap". Oh really now? Where's my phone call? Why don't you have an office if you're that important? I'm sick of people bragging about what they can do when they have ZERO influence. They're nobodies. And what pisses me off most, these are the (sometimes superspiritual ones) who claim they're praying that God will block me being able to go back to New York, that my purpose is to remain in North Carolina (that's laughable, since I have known that wasn't true since 9th grade). Yet, when I try to find a job or come to them -- as they brag that I should because of their "connections" -- I come up high and dry. I'm about to give a big, fat J.O.D.E. to a bunch of people in the next three months.
If you have clout, good, do something with it. If you don't, well -- I'm trying to avoid cursing, so you can tell where I am going with this.
What have you...
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Turning 30...
Turning 30...
M.D. Wright
3.28.09
I will be honest, I did not give this much thought until a few weeks ago. As a sociologist, I know that things only have the value that we ascribe to it. Having said that, entering one's 30's isn't a BIG DEAL, but in our minds, we've been conditioned to think so. However, I honestly feel like I did 10 years ago (aside from the carryover from back surgery last year DEAR GOD). I can still dunk, I'm still faster than 90% of the guys that will line up next to me (ask the guys who I went to high school with and the ones I'm in school with now). I'm carrying a few more pounds as I am about to get my P90X/Mike Tyson on this year, but other than that, what's the big deal?
Nevertheless, I'm going to milk it for what it's worth. Everyone around me think it's a big deal. I'm 30 going on 30. I never dreamed I would live this long. I never dreamed I wouldn't have fornicated with as many beautiful women as I could've. At the end of the day, I'm here. And I'm trying to enjoy the last REMNANT of my yoof (youth) where I SHOULD'VE been my entire 20s (and not just part).
YOU!!! Already knowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...
M.D. Wright
3.28.09
I will be honest, I did not give this much thought until a few weeks ago. As a sociologist, I know that things only have the value that we ascribe to it. Having said that, entering one's 30's isn't a BIG DEAL, but in our minds, we've been conditioned to think so. However, I honestly feel like I did 10 years ago (aside from the carryover from back surgery last year DEAR GOD). I can still dunk, I'm still faster than 90% of the guys that will line up next to me (ask the guys who I went to high school with and the ones I'm in school with now). I'm carrying a few more pounds as I am about to get my P90X/Mike Tyson on this year, but other than that, what's the big deal?
Nevertheless, I'm going to milk it for what it's worth. Everyone around me think it's a big deal. I'm 30 going on 30. I never dreamed I would live this long. I never dreamed I wouldn't have fornicated with as many beautiful women as I could've. At the end of the day, I'm here. And I'm trying to enjoy the last REMNANT of my yoof (youth) where I SHOULD'VE been my entire 20s (and not just part).
YOU!!! Already knowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Adventures & Shenanigans Of Young Mike
The Adventures & Shenanigans Of Young Mike
M.D. Wright
3.21.09
OK, so I have not blogged in about three weeks. I had to put this down in print or else no one would ever believe what the heck happened to me while back in New York. First of all, I had to cut it short, because I have a major research report whose proposal is due Monday afternoon -- this counts a significant portion of my grade for this class, which I NEED to graduate -- so needless to say, I am buggin' because I will miss my cousins' birthday bash/artistic debut. FML.
I drove this time, something I almost NEVER do in New York City. And with good reason. I stopped out on Staten Island, as usual to see my cousin Prince and tried to catch up with young Courtney Mitchell. It was late, so I just stopped through Prince's job and hit the Verrazano. I figured I was not going to have to be anywhere that night, why not swing through Brooklyn? OK.
Some douchebag in a delivery truck cuts me off while I'm trying to get onto the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expy. for outta town cats) and I was forced to get on the Belt Pkwy or run into the divider which probably would've killed young Mike, but I digress. I was not pleased with this. But I know my way around Brooklyn having lived out there many years ago, so it wasn't THAT big of a deal. That situation was just a portend of things to come in regards to traffic -- and why I HATE driving in New York sometimes.
I takes the BQE up to the Triboro (sorry, I'm not gonna refer to it as RFK -- even though I chronicled the name change/dedication when the city did this) and gets off at 116th. Good deal. Harlem hasn't changed much, although there are some subtle differences if you know what to look for. Pleasant Avenue, 2nd, 3rd, 112th-118th on that side? Yikes. Some of these buildings were vacant just 2-3 years ago, now they're selling as "luxury" condominiums? Oh.
So I get to the house and there's nowhere to park. Mind you there are two brothers who live near the corner of Lenox who have THREE cars. Why this is so, in HARLEM, is beyond me. I circled the block a good half dozen times before just parking on 118th (Street Cleaning Rules were in effect the next morning, so I knew I had to get out and move the car before my interview). I figured I'd get up at 8 and be out by 9:15 or so. The car had to be moved by 9:30. NO. I get a $45 parking ticket. FML.
I go to the interview, only to find out I was bamboozled like Spike Lee. He told me over the phone they were considering me for management. He interviews me for sales and tries to pull the backdoor move (no homo) about using the sales pitch to make the job (100% commission??? IN NEW YORK??? DEAR GOD) seem more lucrative. If I was stackin', sure, that would be a good look, as the company has a great niche with which to work in NYC, but I AIN'T stackin', so it AIN'T a good look.
I go back to get the car out of the spot before the ticket (which got soaked in Thursday's rains) completely deteriorated. I decide to just get outta the city and run around for a while. I wanted to go by Goliath RF's over on 105th and Lex, but I could not find a park within 6 blocks and it was raining cats and dogs. Screw it. I hit up my friend Alicia down on the LES and again, no parks. Between the rain and my hunger, I just had zero patience about traffic this day. I skipped through LES, SoHo, etc. and headed out to Jersey. I decided to hit up some of the old haunts and eventually drove ALL the way down Route 1 down to Route 18 to East Brunswick and ate at the IHOP that we used to patronize most Sundays after church back in the day. Good eats.
On the drive back, I get the urge to shop, except traffic was terrible once I got near Newark. I really only needed to take 78 out to 24 and follow the Morristown joint for a minute to get to Short Hills, but it was about to get dark and I was still a good hour and a half driving back to Harlem World. I says, "I'll go tomorrow" and keeps it moving. On the way back to the G. Dub, I come through Englewood where my friend Kelby lives. I guess I surprised her ha, but I told everyone I would be in the building weeks beforehand. Whatever. People ignore me ha.
I had told my cousin that I would come out to Staten Island and spend the night out there. I needed to breathe. I also wanted to visit my dear friend Emy Luz, so I decided to just get my clothes and head out there. Washington Heights was live as ever as I came through. Talk about a neighborhood that never seems to change, but this is a good thing, though. I passed by the Shabazz Center (which is where I would BE right now, if it wasn't for the fact I have to do this report tonight and tomorrow) and wondered how the bash would turn out tonight. I hate that I would not see some of my cousins who I haven't seen in over a decade. God willing I will see them often when I move back this summer.
I stop through quickly to get my clothes and head out to SI. On the FDR, a guy pulls a Dale Earnhardt (not being insensitive, but the wreck was eerily similar to Earnhardt's) and t-bones the right wall near the 59th St. bridge. I do not know if he lived or died. There were a half dozen cops, two fire trucks and an ambulance on the scene and I was stuck between 96th and 53rd for about an hour.
I finally come through Bklyn and head down to the "other" side of Staten Island to chill with my friend for a minute before heading to my aunt's crib. It was good to catch up.
I crash at my aunt's and then (follow me from here on out, because it gets interesting) I embark on a day for the ages. Here is the timeline.
Friday, March 20, 2009
3:30 am -- hit the sack
11:00 am -- wake up
12:20 pm- - tune into Ben F. Woodside trying to will N. Dak. St. to victory -- no dice
3:00 -- head out to Home Depot to pick up some goods for my cousin
3:30 -- drive up the SI Expy, but detoured out to Bayonne/decide to go to the Mall at Short Hills
4:00 -- arrive at Short Hills, shop, etc.
5:00 -- leave the mall
5:30 -- enter the loop for the Lincoln Tunnel (like a fool instead of taking the GWB)
6:30 -- still sitting half a mile from the entrance of the tunnel
7:15 -- hit Times Square
7:30 -- pull up on 19th and packed my things
7:45 -- hit the Holland
8:10 -- arrive in Jersey City, trying to skip the Turnpike as usual, made the wrong turn on JFK and got stuck in JC for an hour and a half
9:05 -- Soprano's character-like cop pulls up and catches me (he snuck up on me from across the street where there was a hill and I couldn't spot him first) and says "you're ON the PHONE (blank stare from him) AND you're making a turn on red" -- I wasn't, but whatever -- "PICK WHICH TICKET YOU WANT!!!" I just nodded and hung up the phone, he says "MAKE A RIGHT... GET OFF THE PHONE... AND GET OUTTA HEAH!!!"
9:06 -- I died. Laughing.
9:32 -- I finally get out of JC.
10:00 -- I'm on Route 1/9, forgetting that the IHOP in Edison is off Route 1 NOT Route 9 DEAR GOD. I proceed to drive the Garden State Parkway to Cape May like an idiot because I thought there was a connector road for 295. Good heavens. I nearly ran out of gas in an area that looked like a deserted swatch of Mississippi. Talk about prayer language coming into full effect ha. I ended up going to a random Mickey D's (yuck) after not being able to take the hunger anymore. I had not eaten or drank a THING all day (look at what time I arose).
11:25 -- Pull into WaWa (which has ALWAYS been a lifesaver for me when living in NY and NJ) and fill'er up.
11:50 -- ANOTHER douche rides in my right blind spot and a guy was cruising in the right lane -- which I needed to take 295 South to the DMB. So I ended up having to go BACK UP 20 miles through Philly and come back southward through Chester (home of Jameer Nelson and Kevin Jones ha) and all that -- another 30 mins.
12:30 am -- I am in Delaware.
1:45 -- signs show that there was a wreck on 95 South at Exit 173 just outside DC, Virginia side. ALL lanes closed. FML. Thankfully I know Van Dorn and went around it, but that was another 20 mins added to the voyage.
4:30 -- I'm just getting to Richmond's "suburbs". I should've been home by this time.
6:15 -- I pull into a drive thru Dunkin'/car wash. The window was INSIDE the car wash. Only Young Mike.
7:25 -- I see this EXOTIC Asian chick in a Honda Civic '09 and she gives me the look like "you want summa dis?" and slowly turned back to the road and sped off. I never saw her again ha.
9:15 -- I pull up at my apartment, change into my sweats and slept til 3 pm.
How I made it home in one piece is beyond me. All God ha. I spent 36 hours driving over the past 3 days, I need some TLC from a loving female friend PLEASE.
M.D. Wright
3.21.09
OK, so I have not blogged in about three weeks. I had to put this down in print or else no one would ever believe what the heck happened to me while back in New York. First of all, I had to cut it short, because I have a major research report whose proposal is due Monday afternoon -- this counts a significant portion of my grade for this class, which I NEED to graduate -- so needless to say, I am buggin' because I will miss my cousins' birthday bash/artistic debut. FML.
I drove this time, something I almost NEVER do in New York City. And with good reason. I stopped out on Staten Island, as usual to see my cousin Prince and tried to catch up with young Courtney Mitchell. It was late, so I just stopped through Prince's job and hit the Verrazano. I figured I was not going to have to be anywhere that night, why not swing through Brooklyn? OK.
Some douchebag in a delivery truck cuts me off while I'm trying to get onto the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expy. for outta town cats) and I was forced to get on the Belt Pkwy or run into the divider which probably would've killed young Mike, but I digress. I was not pleased with this. But I know my way around Brooklyn having lived out there many years ago, so it wasn't THAT big of a deal. That situation was just a portend of things to come in regards to traffic -- and why I HATE driving in New York sometimes.
I takes the BQE up to the Triboro (sorry, I'm not gonna refer to it as RFK -- even though I chronicled the name change/dedication when the city did this) and gets off at 116th. Good deal. Harlem hasn't changed much, although there are some subtle differences if you know what to look for. Pleasant Avenue, 2nd, 3rd, 112th-118th on that side? Yikes. Some of these buildings were vacant just 2-3 years ago, now they're selling as "luxury" condominiums? Oh.
So I get to the house and there's nowhere to park. Mind you there are two brothers who live near the corner of Lenox who have THREE cars. Why this is so, in HARLEM, is beyond me. I circled the block a good half dozen times before just parking on 118th (Street Cleaning Rules were in effect the next morning, so I knew I had to get out and move the car before my interview). I figured I'd get up at 8 and be out by 9:15 or so. The car had to be moved by 9:30. NO. I get a $45 parking ticket. FML.
I go to the interview, only to find out I was bamboozled like Spike Lee. He told me over the phone they were considering me for management. He interviews me for sales and tries to pull the backdoor move (no homo) about using the sales pitch to make the job (100% commission??? IN NEW YORK??? DEAR GOD) seem more lucrative. If I was stackin', sure, that would be a good look, as the company has a great niche with which to work in NYC, but I AIN'T stackin', so it AIN'T a good look.
I go back to get the car out of the spot before the ticket (which got soaked in Thursday's rains) completely deteriorated. I decide to just get outta the city and run around for a while. I wanted to go by Goliath RF's over on 105th and Lex, but I could not find a park within 6 blocks and it was raining cats and dogs. Screw it. I hit up my friend Alicia down on the LES and again, no parks. Between the rain and my hunger, I just had zero patience about traffic this day. I skipped through LES, SoHo, etc. and headed out to Jersey. I decided to hit up some of the old haunts and eventually drove ALL the way down Route 1 down to Route 18 to East Brunswick and ate at the IHOP that we used to patronize most Sundays after church back in the day. Good eats.
On the drive back, I get the urge to shop, except traffic was terrible once I got near Newark. I really only needed to take 78 out to 24 and follow the Morristown joint for a minute to get to Short Hills, but it was about to get dark and I was still a good hour and a half driving back to Harlem World. I says, "I'll go tomorrow" and keeps it moving. On the way back to the G. Dub, I come through Englewood where my friend Kelby lives. I guess I surprised her ha, but I told everyone I would be in the building weeks beforehand. Whatever. People ignore me ha.
I had told my cousin that I would come out to Staten Island and spend the night out there. I needed to breathe. I also wanted to visit my dear friend Emy Luz, so I decided to just get my clothes and head out there. Washington Heights was live as ever as I came through. Talk about a neighborhood that never seems to change, but this is a good thing, though. I passed by the Shabazz Center (which is where I would BE right now, if it wasn't for the fact I have to do this report tonight and tomorrow) and wondered how the bash would turn out tonight. I hate that I would not see some of my cousins who I haven't seen in over a decade. God willing I will see them often when I move back this summer.
I stop through quickly to get my clothes and head out to SI. On the FDR, a guy pulls a Dale Earnhardt (not being insensitive, but the wreck was eerily similar to Earnhardt's) and t-bones the right wall near the 59th St. bridge. I do not know if he lived or died. There were a half dozen cops, two fire trucks and an ambulance on the scene and I was stuck between 96th and 53rd for about an hour.
I finally come through Bklyn and head down to the "other" side of Staten Island to chill with my friend for a minute before heading to my aunt's crib. It was good to catch up.
I crash at my aunt's and then (follow me from here on out, because it gets interesting) I embark on a day for the ages. Here is the timeline.
Friday, March 20, 2009
3:30 am -- hit the sack
11:00 am -- wake up
12:20 pm- - tune into Ben F. Woodside trying to will N. Dak. St. to victory -- no dice
3:00 -- head out to Home Depot to pick up some goods for my cousin
3:30 -- drive up the SI Expy, but detoured out to Bayonne/decide to go to the Mall at Short Hills
4:00 -- arrive at Short Hills, shop, etc.
5:00 -- leave the mall
5:30 -- enter the loop for the Lincoln Tunnel (like a fool instead of taking the GWB)
6:30 -- still sitting half a mile from the entrance of the tunnel
7:15 -- hit Times Square
7:30 -- pull up on 19th and packed my things
7:45 -- hit the Holland
8:10 -- arrive in Jersey City, trying to skip the Turnpike as usual, made the wrong turn on JFK and got stuck in JC for an hour and a half
9:05 -- Soprano's character-like cop pulls up and catches me (he snuck up on me from across the street where there was a hill and I couldn't spot him first) and says "you're ON the PHONE (blank stare from him) AND you're making a turn on red" -- I wasn't, but whatever -- "PICK WHICH TICKET YOU WANT!!!" I just nodded and hung up the phone, he says "MAKE A RIGHT... GET OFF THE PHONE... AND GET OUTTA HEAH!!!"
9:06 -- I died. Laughing.
9:32 -- I finally get out of JC.
10:00 -- I'm on Route 1/9, forgetting that the IHOP in Edison is off Route 1 NOT Route 9 DEAR GOD. I proceed to drive the Garden State Parkway to Cape May like an idiot because I thought there was a connector road for 295. Good heavens. I nearly ran out of gas in an area that looked like a deserted swatch of Mississippi. Talk about prayer language coming into full effect ha. I ended up going to a random Mickey D's (yuck) after not being able to take the hunger anymore. I had not eaten or drank a THING all day (look at what time I arose).
11:25 -- Pull into WaWa (which has ALWAYS been a lifesaver for me when living in NY and NJ) and fill'er up.
11:50 -- ANOTHER douche rides in my right blind spot and a guy was cruising in the right lane -- which I needed to take 295 South to the DMB. So I ended up having to go BACK UP 20 miles through Philly and come back southward through Chester (home of Jameer Nelson and Kevin Jones ha) and all that -- another 30 mins.
12:30 am -- I am in Delaware.
1:45 -- signs show that there was a wreck on 95 South at Exit 173 just outside DC, Virginia side. ALL lanes closed. FML. Thankfully I know Van Dorn and went around it, but that was another 20 mins added to the voyage.
4:30 -- I'm just getting to Richmond's "suburbs". I should've been home by this time.
6:15 -- I pull into a drive thru Dunkin'/car wash. The window was INSIDE the car wash. Only Young Mike.
7:25 -- I see this EXOTIC Asian chick in a Honda Civic '09 and she gives me the look like "you want summa dis?" and slowly turned back to the road and sped off. I never saw her again ha.
9:15 -- I pull up at my apartment, change into my sweats and slept til 3 pm.
How I made it home in one piece is beyond me. All God ha. I spent 36 hours driving over the past 3 days, I need some TLC from a loving female friend PLEASE.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Random Musings... February 2009
Random Musings... February 2009
M.D. Wright
2.24.09
This blog post is not going anywhere in particular. I do my best writing when I am upset, and I am VERY upset right now. So if this doesn't make sense, I warned you from the outset that I was pissed to begin with and just rambling.
Is there ever a wonder -- why, when conducting ELECTRONIC transactions that the party YOU'RE dealing with can get your money IMMEDIATELY, but when THEY have to turn around and repay you, it takes WEEKS (literally) to get the money back FROM them? I deposited $295 ($225 of that was a data entry error, but that's not something I'm going to get into here, because I shouldn't have even done it to begin with) into an account to "invest" in a "sure thing". I hit the sure thing, but now when it comes time for me to get the money from THEM -- it takes as long as it takes me to grow a full beard (darn near forever).
I am forever amused when I hear people (typically young slags) huddled up talking about other people. Hearing things such as "Who do SHE think she is?" or "He think is better than everyone else". The latter kills me (softly). How do you know what is going on in the minds of someone you don't know? Heck, if you're that good, please give me the numbers for the NBA Finals NOW. Ha.
I hate being in classes with people who like to speak just have their voices heard. Shut up already. I mean, it's one thing if you're adding something substantive to the lecture/discussion at hand. I LOAF that. But in every one of my classes, there is at least one person who is annoying and asks 15 1,100 questions about a SIMPLE, straight-forward exam -- eating away at our time. Shut up dear GOD.
I would love to go through one semester and have people NOT jerk me around for my money. I have spent the first half of every last one of the past seven semester bickering with the financial aid office, or selling major assets to douche bags who try to lowball me. I would love to know what it's like to even be able to focus on school 80% of the time. My GPA would be half a point higher. I PROMISE.
I learned a long time ago about that 80/20 principle that Bishop T.D. Jakes initially made famous in the late 1990s (some people think Tyler Perry coined this, but Perry is friends with Jakes and got the concept from him). I subscribe to this personally. I will readily admit that before I was age 22, that while I knew about the principle, I never applied it. If you didn't look like a supermodel, I didn't pursue you. PERIOD (now that I have had experience with several of these supermodel-esque types and their ilk, I don't care about looks much at all ha). If I'm attracted to her and it's mutual, it's onto the important things to me (i.e. non-physical). I'm not looking for someone to complete me, be something I'm not (in order to make me feel better) and so on.
I believe in the bait-and-hook theory as well: looks are the bait -- think fishing -- and her character, virtues and personality are the hook. Only a dumb or blind fish goes after a baitless hook (baitless hook = "WELP, she's got a nice personality" -- yeah right, TFOH!!!
The longer I am UNCG, the more I worry about Black people and our future dear God. First of all, I feel like I'm walking the halls at Smith again (most everyone knows me, but I'm not given to cliques, so I can associate with people FREELY without being beholden to others and getting nasty looks for "fraternizing with the enemy" me oh my).
I see more guys wearing scarves, tight pants, high heel boots and switching harder than half the girls here dear God. Isn't the Black race on the verge of extinction at this rate? Sheesh. I don't care what ANYONE has to say -- if they take offence, FINE. Deal with it. I ain't changing what I say in my blog to assuage that conviction in your heart. But dear God, can a man be a MAN anymore? I'm a man's man. A renaissance man as well. But liking the arts and such -- you kind of run into some "confused" bruvas. And it seems like one in every two Black dudes here is "confused". Get me out of here and send me to Kuwait or something good heavens. I guess Biggie was right back in '94 -- "THINGS DONE CHANGED".
This month is Black History alright. I'm Black and my bank account is looking like HISTORY lately. Grad school applications, moving expenses, regular bills, people wanting to get their kneecaps holding out paying me the money they owe me. Good Lord, university systems are a drain on a bruva's stash. I just blew through 7 Gs since January 16th.
DEAR.
GOD.
In other news, throughout all this madness, I'm on pace for a 3.8 semester. I don't have to do too much out of my routine and thankfully loving to write actually helps me with my classes from now until I finish my JD and Ph.D studies down the line.
M.D. Wright
2.24.09
This blog post is not going anywhere in particular. I do my best writing when I am upset, and I am VERY upset right now. So if this doesn't make sense, I warned you from the outset that I was pissed to begin with and just rambling.
Is there ever a wonder -- why, when conducting ELECTRONIC transactions that the party YOU'RE dealing with can get your money IMMEDIATELY, but when THEY have to turn around and repay you, it takes WEEKS (literally) to get the money back FROM them? I deposited $295 ($225 of that was a data entry error, but that's not something I'm going to get into here, because I shouldn't have even done it to begin with) into an account to "invest" in a "sure thing". I hit the sure thing, but now when it comes time for me to get the money from THEM -- it takes as long as it takes me to grow a full beard (darn near forever).
I am forever amused when I hear people (typically young slags) huddled up talking about other people. Hearing things such as "Who do SHE think she is?" or "He think is better than everyone else". The latter kills me (softly). How do you know what is going on in the minds of someone you don't know? Heck, if you're that good, please give me the numbers for the NBA Finals NOW. Ha.
I hate being in classes with people who like to speak just have their voices heard. Shut up already. I mean, it's one thing if you're adding something substantive to the lecture/discussion at hand. I LOAF that. But in every one of my classes, there is at least one person who is annoying and asks 15 1,100 questions about a SIMPLE, straight-forward exam -- eating away at our time. Shut up dear GOD.
I would love to go through one semester and have people NOT jerk me around for my money. I have spent the first half of every last one of the past seven semester bickering with the financial aid office, or selling major assets to douche bags who try to lowball me. I would love to know what it's like to even be able to focus on school 80% of the time. My GPA would be half a point higher. I PROMISE.
I learned a long time ago about that 80/20 principle that Bishop T.D. Jakes initially made famous in the late 1990s (some people think Tyler Perry coined this, but Perry is friends with Jakes and got the concept from him). I subscribe to this personally. I will readily admit that before I was age 22, that while I knew about the principle, I never applied it. If you didn't look like a supermodel, I didn't pursue you. PERIOD (now that I have had experience with several of these supermodel-esque types and their ilk, I don't care about looks much at all ha). If I'm attracted to her and it's mutual, it's onto the important things to me (i.e. non-physical). I'm not looking for someone to complete me, be something I'm not (in order to make me feel better) and so on.
I believe in the bait-and-hook theory as well: looks are the bait -- think fishing -- and her character, virtues and personality are the hook. Only a dumb or blind fish goes after a baitless hook (baitless hook = "WELP, she's got a nice personality" -- yeah right, TFOH!!!
The longer I am UNCG, the more I worry about Black people and our future dear God. First of all, I feel like I'm walking the halls at Smith again (most everyone knows me, but I'm not given to cliques, so I can associate with people FREELY without being beholden to others and getting nasty looks for "fraternizing with the enemy" me oh my).
I see more guys wearing scarves, tight pants, high heel boots and switching harder than half the girls here dear God. Isn't the Black race on the verge of extinction at this rate? Sheesh. I don't care what ANYONE has to say -- if they take offence, FINE. Deal with it. I ain't changing what I say in my blog to assuage that conviction in your heart. But dear God, can a man be a MAN anymore? I'm a man's man. A renaissance man as well. But liking the arts and such -- you kind of run into some "confused" bruvas. And it seems like one in every two Black dudes here is "confused". Get me out of here and send me to Kuwait or something good heavens. I guess Biggie was right back in '94 -- "THINGS DONE CHANGED".
This month is Black History alright. I'm Black and my bank account is looking like HISTORY lately. Grad school applications, moving expenses, regular bills, people wanting to get their kneecaps holding out paying me the money they owe me. Good Lord, university systems are a drain on a bruva's stash. I just blew through 7 Gs since January 16th.
DEAR.
GOD.
In other news, throughout all this madness, I'm on pace for a 3.8 semester. I don't have to do too much out of my routine and thankfully loving to write actually helps me with my classes from now until I finish my JD and Ph.D studies down the line.
Monday, February 23, 2009
My Take On Interracial Relationships
My Take On Interracial Relationships
M.D. Wright
2.23.09
First of all, my opinion on this is rather simple, so this will be brief. I'm trying to get back into blog mode. I took a month off basically to handle ultra-important things. However, being back in school, you meet new people, hear new estories... I mean, stories ha and it gets you to thinking.
Of late, I have heard a LOT of White women (friends of mine, specifically) tell me that they love dating Black men. I ask them, "But why Black? Why stop there?" ha. The response I get is shocking, because I never heard this before in my life:
"Well, I just don't find the great majority of White guys attractive. AT ALL."
Wow.
I never heard it before and to this day I don't know what to think when I ehar that; particularly when I've had a couple of them flirt with me. It's pretty hilarious.
I've heard other female friends who are White say it is merely a product of their upbringing -- that they grew up mostly around Blacks and Hispanics.
OK.
I bring that up, because an interesting dynamic is being developed as a result of this rather recent paradigm shift. Oh, the White is Right philosophy is still in full effect (especially in the minds of the parents of young women who aren't Black -- in reference to their daughters dating or potentially marrying Black men), let's not fool ourselves here. I've overheard several parental squabbles (usually the father beefin', because the mother sometimse has a few skeletons in her closet if you know what I mean ha).
I have several dudes that I am cool with, a few of them friends of mine who have pulled women of EVERY ethnicity. I will not incriminate myself here by speaking about my foibles and journey while forming the Rainbow Coalition ha but I will say that being a Black man in the eyes of women under 45 isn't the terrible thing it USED to be dear God. It's not gone, nor will it ever be, but that stigma isn't as strong.
Meanwhile, on the other front, I have noticed how this affects relationships between Black men and Black women. I'm the first to admit, I don't give a rat's culo who ANYONE dates nor what their motives are for doing so. If only more people used that mindset good heavens. Anyway, for the most part, I will say my female friends who are Black (about 2/3 of the total) are not your typical ones who get all up in arms even at the sight of a Black guy with a non-Black woman. Thank God. I wouldn't stand for hearing that bullshit anyway. However, much credit to them, because it makes me respect them even more than I already do (they know who they are).
Nevertheless, there is one set of guys here who should be addressed: the guy who is extremely shy, or geeky/nerdy/dorky/homely (or ugly, if you want to be UNpolitically correct ha) guy who stands no chance with 90% of the Black female population. You want to know what caused me to write this blog? LOOKNIG AT BLAKE GRIFFIN'S PARENTS DEAR GOD. His dad probably wouldn't have gotten a second look from 3/4 of the Black women he grew up with. Meanwhile, the woman he married is White (nothing special to write home about herself, but ok...) and they are happy together. Or so it seems. I just wonder, when a guy - even if he's not shy or any of those other qualities (but nonetheless just as smart as those guys while maintaining social equilibrium) manages to get overlooked by the same women, how's he supposed to react when he gets the Gas Face from those who ultimately ends up with the woman(en) who will accept him as is and won't try to change him into "more cool" or make him something that he's not so that she will feel comfortable bringing him around her girls and her family?
Feel free to offer input. This is one of my rare open-ended blog discussions ha. Blame this one on the Kansas/Oklahoma game Dear God.
M.D. Wright
2.23.09
First of all, my opinion on this is rather simple, so this will be brief. I'm trying to get back into blog mode. I took a month off basically to handle ultra-important things. However, being back in school, you meet new people, hear new estories... I mean, stories ha and it gets you to thinking.
Of late, I have heard a LOT of White women (friends of mine, specifically) tell me that they love dating Black men. I ask them, "But why Black? Why stop there?" ha. The response I get is shocking, because I never heard this before in my life:
"Well, I just don't find the great majority of White guys attractive. AT ALL."
Wow.
I never heard it before and to this day I don't know what to think when I ehar that; particularly when I've had a couple of them flirt with me. It's pretty hilarious.
I've heard other female friends who are White say it is merely a product of their upbringing -- that they grew up mostly around Blacks and Hispanics.
OK.
I bring that up, because an interesting dynamic is being developed as a result of this rather recent paradigm shift. Oh, the White is Right philosophy is still in full effect (especially in the minds of the parents of young women who aren't Black -- in reference to their daughters dating or potentially marrying Black men), let's not fool ourselves here. I've overheard several parental squabbles (usually the father beefin', because the mother sometimse has a few skeletons in her closet if you know what I mean ha).
I have several dudes that I am cool with, a few of them friends of mine who have pulled women of EVERY ethnicity. I will not incriminate myself here by speaking about my foibles and journey while forming the Rainbow Coalition ha but I will say that being a Black man in the eyes of women under 45 isn't the terrible thing it USED to be dear God. It's not gone, nor will it ever be, but that stigma isn't as strong.
Meanwhile, on the other front, I have noticed how this affects relationships between Black men and Black women. I'm the first to admit, I don't give a rat's culo who ANYONE dates nor what their motives are for doing so. If only more people used that mindset good heavens. Anyway, for the most part, I will say my female friends who are Black (about 2/3 of the total) are not your typical ones who get all up in arms even at the sight of a Black guy with a non-Black woman. Thank God. I wouldn't stand for hearing that bullshit anyway. However, much credit to them, because it makes me respect them even more than I already do (they know who they are).
Nevertheless, there is one set of guys here who should be addressed: the guy who is extremely shy, or geeky/nerdy/dorky/homely (or ugly, if you want to be UNpolitically correct ha) guy who stands no chance with 90% of the Black female population. You want to know what caused me to write this blog? LOOKNIG AT BLAKE GRIFFIN'S PARENTS DEAR GOD. His dad probably wouldn't have gotten a second look from 3/4 of the Black women he grew up with. Meanwhile, the woman he married is White (nothing special to write home about herself, but ok...) and they are happy together. Or so it seems. I just wonder, when a guy - even if he's not shy or any of those other qualities (but nonetheless just as smart as those guys while maintaining social equilibrium) manages to get overlooked by the same women, how's he supposed to react when he gets the Gas Face from those who ultimately ends up with the woman(en) who will accept him as is and won't try to change him into "more cool" or make him something that he's not so that she will feel comfortable bringing him around her girls and her family?
Feel free to offer input. This is one of my rare open-ended blog discussions ha. Blame this one on the Kansas/Oklahoma game Dear God.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Affirmative Action & "The Independent Woman" Phenomenon
Affirmative Action & "The Independent Woman" Phenomenon
M.D. Wright
2.18.09
As most of us know, Affirmative Action is 30 (actually 31) years old now. Many barked and griped about it during its inception (which is always the case when change occurs). Over time, those who did the barking and griping shifted as respective quotas were fulfilled and special interest groups' concerns were assuaged. One undeniable fact about Affirmative Action is who it has benefitted MOST in these thirty-odd years. Women.
Segue.
In the past decade or so, there has been a surge in the use of the term "Independent Woman" -- particularly amongst Black women, and to a lesser degree lower/working class White women and a few Latinas. It is an interesting phenomenon, given the fact that the social landscape and the corporate dynamic has shifted greatly since 1990. There has been a palpable paradigm shift within the United States, within each respective "race" (I hate the term, as you all know), nationality/ethnicity and even subgroups within each ethnicity.
Now, what I must point out for those who don't know me personally -- I'm as progressive socially as they come. I'm no wayward liberal by any stretch, but I am ALL for equal rights, treatment and opportunities for men and women. Indeed, the Capitalist regime, which does not even count women unless they are actually working in some capacity within any of the social institutions is SLANTED AGAINST the "traditional" woman. In this regard, more women are needed within the corporate hierarchy; even if economists would argue that there is not enough "capital" to salary all the new workers.
But I digress.
The effect Affirmative Action has had is not the issue. These are statistics that cannot be argued by anyone: chauvinist pigs, radical feminists, etc. The INDEPENDENT WOMAN movement, however -- is a different story.
Nowadays, you hear this term bandied about as much as "Hi, how are you doing?" in casual greetings dear God. And while I personally don't have a problem with it (it's often laughable to hear some women use the term given that they are living on government assistance and treat every man that comes near them like last week's refuse), it has become highly annoying to hear it when anything resembling the "oppressive" nature of previous social institutions such as "traditional" marriage is broached in conversation. The notion that a woman "needs" a man anymore is out. Self is in. God put marriage in place with the hierarchy for a reason. For Christian women to go about tossing this phrase freely is what disturbs me more than those who are not Christian and therefore not beholden to fulfill what it is God's Word explicitly states.
Again, I digress. This is one of my favourite topics of late.
With so many songs like "She's Got Her Own/Independent Woman", "Irreplaceable", "Diva", and what have you... where does it end?
The ONLY problem I really have with this new wave of social movement is the fact that one MAJOR fact seems to get lost in all of this:
Women have benefited most from Affirmative Action; particularly upwardly mobile Middle Class/Educated Black and White women. On the flipside of that coin, men of all ethnicities are not getting jobs that they normally got. That is fine. If the women filling the roles are qualified, I have zero problem with this. I've said this before. However, if, on one hand, a man is expected to fulfill "traditional" roles, while a woman is trying everything she can to break from that traditional mold, there is going to be a great schism. A dichotomy forms. Men and women are forced to take divergent paths, instead of similar paths (another in the long list of reasons why you have so many disgruntled single women who have everything materially, but lack a man -- of which she only views as an accessory instead of the critical cornerstone in her life [and vice-versa she for him] that God designed).
Now, more than ever, men aren't even given the opportunity to BE men anymore. There are so many sociological reasons for this. I don't have the time to go into them in this post. But when you can't earn a decent wage, or even get a job (in 2009's economy), what is a man supposed to do? Educated or not? Especially Black men, when they aren't locked up, dead or on the corner? I almost pity Black women in that (for those who want to marry a Black man) WHO do they have to choose from? Dear God.
Nonetheless, I hear a lot of women saying "no bitchassness in 2009" and other phrases to that effect, saying that men should step it up and do better. For those who aren't statistics, but are busting their tails and aren't able to realize their dreams, such utterances are misguided. In addition to that, aren't women supposed to support and uplift men as brothers, even if they're not romantically involved or married? What happened there? Especially within the Black community, where this is amplified? It is just interesting to hear those who scream this phrase the loudest and the most often are failing to realize what success they've achieved (for the most part, not ALL -- as I NEVER use the term "all" and make broad, sweeping generalizations) whether it be college education, career, business, even positions in church came as a result of Affirmative Action. It appears those in this current generation; especially those born SINCE 1978 have forgotten what their mothers and grandmothers, aunts and older cousins had to go through just to get their feet in the door; whereas women outnumber men in college nationwide, and therefore, along with the successful pressuring from special interest groups, have better opportunities to get jobs, start businesses, become heads of organizations and realize unprecedented success. I will never make an excuse for a man who resorts to hustling and risking getting a criminal record "just to survive" -- it is still a CHOICE, and in this information age, there are many legitimate means to earn a living; so it is not an excuse anymore. However, given that men, especially Black men, are getting passed over for jobs now more than ever in favor of the very women who are mockingly telling them to "step it up" and "no bitchassness in 2009" or "stop complaining about what you can't do/what job you can't get" -- it is very curious that this fact is being ignored.
We will see how 2009 changes this.
M.D. Wright
2.18.09
As most of us know, Affirmative Action is 30 (actually 31) years old now. Many barked and griped about it during its inception (which is always the case when change occurs). Over time, those who did the barking and griping shifted as respective quotas were fulfilled and special interest groups' concerns were assuaged. One undeniable fact about Affirmative Action is who it has benefitted MOST in these thirty-odd years. Women.
Segue.
In the past decade or so, there has been a surge in the use of the term "Independent Woman" -- particularly amongst Black women, and to a lesser degree lower/working class White women and a few Latinas. It is an interesting phenomenon, given the fact that the social landscape and the corporate dynamic has shifted greatly since 1990. There has been a palpable paradigm shift within the United States, within each respective "race" (I hate the term, as you all know), nationality/ethnicity and even subgroups within each ethnicity.
Now, what I must point out for those who don't know me personally -- I'm as progressive socially as they come. I'm no wayward liberal by any stretch, but I am ALL for equal rights, treatment and opportunities for men and women. Indeed, the Capitalist regime, which does not even count women unless they are actually working in some capacity within any of the social institutions is SLANTED AGAINST the "traditional" woman. In this regard, more women are needed within the corporate hierarchy; even if economists would argue that there is not enough "capital" to salary all the new workers.
But I digress.
The effect Affirmative Action has had is not the issue. These are statistics that cannot be argued by anyone: chauvinist pigs, radical feminists, etc. The INDEPENDENT WOMAN movement, however -- is a different story.
Nowadays, you hear this term bandied about as much as "Hi, how are you doing?" in casual greetings dear God. And while I personally don't have a problem with it (it's often laughable to hear some women use the term given that they are living on government assistance and treat every man that comes near them like last week's refuse), it has become highly annoying to hear it when anything resembling the "oppressive" nature of previous social institutions such as "traditional" marriage is broached in conversation. The notion that a woman "needs" a man anymore is out. Self is in. God put marriage in place with the hierarchy for a reason. For Christian women to go about tossing this phrase freely is what disturbs me more than those who are not Christian and therefore not beholden to fulfill what it is God's Word explicitly states.
Again, I digress. This is one of my favourite topics of late.
With so many songs like "She's Got Her Own/Independent Woman", "Irreplaceable", "Diva", and what have you... where does it end?
The ONLY problem I really have with this new wave of social movement is the fact that one MAJOR fact seems to get lost in all of this:
Women have benefited most from Affirmative Action; particularly upwardly mobile Middle Class/Educated Black and White women. On the flipside of that coin, men of all ethnicities are not getting jobs that they normally got. That is fine. If the women filling the roles are qualified, I have zero problem with this. I've said this before. However, if, on one hand, a man is expected to fulfill "traditional" roles, while a woman is trying everything she can to break from that traditional mold, there is going to be a great schism. A dichotomy forms. Men and women are forced to take divergent paths, instead of similar paths (another in the long list of reasons why you have so many disgruntled single women who have everything materially, but lack a man -- of which she only views as an accessory instead of the critical cornerstone in her life [and vice-versa she for him] that God designed).
Now, more than ever, men aren't even given the opportunity to BE men anymore. There are so many sociological reasons for this. I don't have the time to go into them in this post. But when you can't earn a decent wage, or even get a job (in 2009's economy), what is a man supposed to do? Educated or not? Especially Black men, when they aren't locked up, dead or on the corner? I almost pity Black women in that (for those who want to marry a Black man) WHO do they have to choose from? Dear God.
Nonetheless, I hear a lot of women saying "no bitchassness in 2009" and other phrases to that effect, saying that men should step it up and do better. For those who aren't statistics, but are busting their tails and aren't able to realize their dreams, such utterances are misguided. In addition to that, aren't women supposed to support and uplift men as brothers, even if they're not romantically involved or married? What happened there? Especially within the Black community, where this is amplified? It is just interesting to hear those who scream this phrase the loudest and the most often are failing to realize what success they've achieved (for the most part, not ALL -- as I NEVER use the term "all" and make broad, sweeping generalizations) whether it be college education, career, business, even positions in church came as a result of Affirmative Action. It appears those in this current generation; especially those born SINCE 1978 have forgotten what their mothers and grandmothers, aunts and older cousins had to go through just to get their feet in the door; whereas women outnumber men in college nationwide, and therefore, along with the successful pressuring from special interest groups, have better opportunities to get jobs, start businesses, become heads of organizations and realize unprecedented success. I will never make an excuse for a man who resorts to hustling and risking getting a criminal record "just to survive" -- it is still a CHOICE, and in this information age, there are many legitimate means to earn a living; so it is not an excuse anymore. However, given that men, especially Black men, are getting passed over for jobs now more than ever in favor of the very women who are mockingly telling them to "step it up" and "no bitchassness in 2009" or "stop complaining about what you can't do/what job you can't get" -- it is very curious that this fact is being ignored.
We will see how 2009 changes this.
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