Shortimerz Syndrome

My time here in the Aloha State is on the decline. It's almost May which to me is synonymous with Mainland. I'm looking forward to another summer of crazy parties, music festivals and bicycles. Fingers crossed.

The other day I got to venture to the Big Island... but that was literally the other DAY. Yup, we (myself and a couple workmates) were there for a little less than 48 hours. It sucked everything out of my meager bank account BUT we got to buy papayas at 4 for $1, stay in the hippie enclave of Pahoa where Ning's cooked up the best Thai food I've ever had the pleasure of savoring, met all sorts of Big Island crazies AND swam in a warm spring (a tidal pool/hot spring). The Big Island is the best thing to happen to Hawaii in about 300,000 years.

And like that I'm back on Oahu inhaling red dirt and overspending on Newman O's and trinkets. And every time I watch that sun set I get to itching for the day I hop on the plane and retire from island life. That's not to say that the Big Island is not in my future. There was at least one bar in Hilo with an actual sign of life there. Go figure. Go 'head fool, compute!!

Phantom II (Soulwax Remix 2) by Justice is PUMPING in my earbuds. I'm seeing triple at Bonnaroo as I write this. Thomas Mars just crowd surfed by me again. He's got a tiny pimple on his chin. And barely any facial hair. It's over. I'm driving up north for Osheaga! Crap, it's over. That's okay, I've got Rifflandia 3!! Summer, you must really miss me.

Random randomnositude: My most recent school group at camp, an all-girl 5th grade class that included Dwayne "Dog the Bounty Hunter" Chapman's daughter, had students named Sunshine and Liberty. Is the pakalolo making a come back?

And I sunburned the right side of my belly a couple days ago. Just the right side of just my belly.

Monk-er fucker

a couple Jews playing catch at Union Square

Wow, so much going on in the world to grapple with. There's the fall out from the Ahmedinejad speech, the Women's FIFA World Cup, Bush's pledge to double AIDS dollars in Africa and unrest in Myanmar....

I think I'll run with Myanmar. They're [Myanmar Junta folk] shooting monks now! Apparently, Myanmar is probably the world's most secretive government and oppressive state. Yes, I'd even dare say more so than N. Korea. You see N. Korea whopping ass at the World Cup. Burma isn't anywhere. It's a whole mishmash of ethnic minorities and impoverished that make up the persecuted in Myanmar which is in a hotbed of instability, Southeast Asia.

As I told my buddy Jenny, via IM this morning:

"well, for days, monks in Rangon have took to the streets to protest the decades old military junta...

"today, they shot at the monks, killing 2

"that will mobilize the people

"Bush even mentioned Myanmar's human rights situation to the U.N. yesterday

"the shit has hit the fan."

And that, it truly has.

Keep a close watch folks, this WILL get interesting.

"...chill Big, lay in the cut/
for what?/
I refuse to sit in the backseat and get handled/
like I do nothing all day, sit around and watch the cartoon channel..."
Big Boi on War

Today I'm feeling:

large

Think outside the bars

Think, a café in NoHo

Oh yes, Thursday is the next new moon bonfire!!! Don't expect pics.

And check out hyraxes, they're the "new" elephants.

This Genarlow Wilson thing is just adding more fuel to my "fuck the powers that be" attitude fire. The DA knows this kid should not be imprisoned but is insisting on appealing the judge's decision that set Wilson free. If you know nothing of the case, Wilson was put behind bars at age 17 for letting a little loose 15 year old suck him off on camcorder. The girl didn't claim she was forced to do it or anything. In fact, no one complained. However, the footage was seen by the wrong person at some point and the kid was prosecuted under Georgia's archaic child sex laws. Obviously, teens having sex with teens is not pedophilia or child abuse. And obviously Wilson does not need to be in jail. However, he's served two of his mandatory 10 year sentence thus far. It was recent that he was ordered set free. But the fucking D.A., being the Uncle Tom he is, appealed that ruling and Wilson is wasting further time, in his youth, incarcerated. See how fucked up the law can be?

When I fought a parking ticket a couple years ago, the adjudication officer told me, off the record, that if the law says 2 + 2 = 5, then 2 + 2 = 5. That's why I've always had a problem standing dumb shit like a $77 subway ride (75 of those dollars are for an illegitimate summons). People tell me I shouldn't leave the city because of $75. I say to myself that these idiots are the reason why police, whose salaries my taxes help pay, get away with these atrocities. They'd pay the $75 and "move on with their lives." Fucking slaves.

"...put me in the hole, gave me cold cuts/
did push-ups until I swole up/
and then they offered me a furlough/
but what they don't know is as soon as I get free I'm killing 5 mo'..."
Tupac Shakur on When I get free

Today I'm feeling:

fight filled

Never mind, I'm being tempered by wholesome reading on travel. I'm trying to preoccupy my mind with anticipating adventure. Though at this point I'd much rather get carried by 6 than judged by 12.

Shading my face from the glare

Su and the pigeons

Exhausted of late. Maybe I'm vitamin deficient?

Let me be the first to say it! Free Paris.

I should've printed t-shirts and hustled them on the avenue.

Big things a gwon. Tomorrow there's Museum Mile. I'm definitely doing that shit. Then Wednesday, there's this thing in 'Billyburg where you go, get free screening tickets to Eagle v. Shark and get to Hula Hoop! And there was something else in the fray for Thursday too, though I forget what exactly. And my Monday substitute gig was extended from an afternoon only affair to a whole day thing. Neat, no?

Anyone else anticipating SiCKO?

"Son said 'Hov, how you get so fly?'/
I said 'from not being afraid to fall out the sky!'"
Jay-Z on Beach Chair

Today I'm feeling:

like life is anything but a beach chair

Life is but a bad dream.

What!?!?

Eyes on Darfur, up and running!

So I've been back at the teaching thing for just a couple days. I subbed on Friday, and here I am for one mo' 'gin on Monday. So on Friday I had a lil question for boss lady. Apparently, my lil cubby was relabeled and was no longer mine. I just wanted some of my shit I kept in it. So boss lady was chattin' up one of the new teachers she's hired since I've been sitting at home awaiting work. When she was done, or pausing or just plainly not saying shit anymore, I peeked in to ask my question and she, seemingly provoked, asked "WHAT?!"

Son of a bitch! Preceding this turn of events, I emailed her on the Friday before Memorial Day asking her if she'd be so kind as to give me a nice reference seeing as how I was trained by them folk (which cost them money and time) and what kind of reference would they give me. Now, the thing with that is I made it clear that I wanted to stay put, but they just refused to give me any work. So the sub gig popped up like bad timing. I scooped it up quite quick. Then another one came my way. Still, I received no reply to my email. Sugary. I figured she'd speak with me when I came in, in person. No dice; she barely looked my way. What the F!?

So check this shit out. I get a mass email from boss lady now telling me that she's leaving the end of the week or month or what have you. She also mentioned some bullshit about sincerely enjoying working with all of us. Clearly it's bullshit because she railroaded me. But what do I make of this now. Should I use them as a reference now? Should I not? Should I wait for the new boss person is installed and ask for a course? How should I go about this? What gives?

Oh the myriad questions.

"...yo, when I'm on stage rhymin'/
I forget what state that I'm in/
the bitches numbers I lost, my baby mama find 'em/
I played the lottery, 40 million that day/
I probably won the motherfucker but I forgot that I played..."
Redman on Jersey Yo!

Today I'm feeling:

groggy

I think I was supposed to do some stuff today and just didn't have to energy to remember much less do them.

Lather, rinse, repeat

"I burn like the perm on the Mac"
Phat Kat on Nasty ain't it, also the state of Florida

What is it about paths? If you've been looking at my photography, you may have noticed I have an affinity to paths. I guess they inspire dreaming. Like, where does that path lead? And my paths never show you where they go, it's all open to interpretation. In your mind, one of "my" paths can take you anywhere you want it to. Maybe that'll be my signature. Hmmmm...

In the ghetto! This is why I love Snoop Dogg.

Okay, random thought! I want to buy a lollipop. Strawberry flavored. The Charms Blowpop in strawberry, to be exact.


And Ron Paul, a G.O.P. candidate for president. This man is my hero and the first republican in a while I'm actually a believer in. At last night's republican debate, the man essentially argued that the terrorist attacks of 9/11 were a result of U.S. policies abroad. I've been saying this shit since 9/12. Rudy, however, argued the man down to great applause from the inflamed, ignorant, American audience. But such is life for Americans... they can do no wrong (sharp biting sarcasm).

Today I'm feeling:

wingless

Maybe I need another Redbull 'cause the Coronas aren't helping.

The swigs make it so easy to go uphill

Talk about trees that grow in Brooklyn! One of the most amazing things I've come across in my life is this story of a tree growing in the Ténéré. Read about it, and see a photo of it, here. This, in and of itself, is a post!

But alas, I want to add some old news to the fracas that is LuxembourgLand. Al Sharpton. Granted, I was 7 in '87, back when Tawana Brawley claimed, and later admitted it to be false, that she was raped by a bunch of Whiteys. Apparently, Al Sharpton took up her cause and never backed down even when the case turned against Ms. Brawley.

Fast forward to the 2000's sometime. The U.S. Navy was using the island off Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, as a bombing test ground or for some other atrocious misuse. The island in question, Vieques, was also inhabited by human beings. In 2002 or 2003, the good reverend took up this cause and managed to get arrested. This before his political ruminations and presidential aspirations. The incident may have even happened in 2001 for all I know. Still, it made me a believer in Al. I even voted for him instead of Kerry or Bush. There was no way you could get me off the Al bandwagon. That act alone served to be completely devoid, in my mind, of self interest. It was a completely benevolent and altruistic act. It was, in part, because of Rev. Sharpton's actions that the U.S. Navy departed Vieques in 2003.

Fast forward yet again, and Rev. Al managed to screw everything up by almost single handedly getting a provocative radio DJ fired. The violation? No, his victim, Mr. Imus, didn't persecute anyone. He simply did his job, in free expression, without profanity. In fact, the FCC, which governs on-air violations, hadn't even initialised an investigation into the matter. In this, a heavily capitalistic, nation no one even waited for the dollar to talk. Instead of letting the market decide if Don stays or not, the networks were bullied by Al into firing Imus. And for that, I now know that Al isn't for free expression and freedom. Al is for a shock value all his own. Al has created an image. And people are buying into it. Al is for censorship. The off the cuff remarks and color commentary that we'll never have the pleasure of hearing. It's a shame. To hell with creativity, right?

They should have kept the man in prison.

My opinion.

Care to retort?

I wrote this on 4 beers at 6:08am after not having slept. Sorry if my argument isn't as solid as the Guinness would have it seem.

Today I'm feeling:

the rancor of the sun's piercing piss hue on my bloodshot, alcohol infused eyeballs

Yeah. Sometimes it feels good to not give a fuck.

Schizo-frantic

Central Park, 8/2006

Sitting at home all day running through some chores. Yesterday I gave the bathroom a little cleaning and today I got some vacuuming done. And I'll probably do a little more when I'm done typing this up. See, my issue is I don't have shit to do. And to be quite honest, I love it. Last night I had another engrossing chat with my quasi Buddhist friend and I made plans to hit the Cloisters on Saturday. I feel artsy. Maybe I should challenge myself to bake cupcakes at 3:35am.

Oh, and one last goodie! Mexico City, the world's largest, has just legalized it! No, not that, silly! Abortion. The Mexican uterus will never be the same (and I mean that in the most pro-abortion way possible). Go libertarians, go! Smart move boys.

Today I'm feeling:

like I could go for some Dairy Queen

Thoughts, comments? I'm not schizophrenic (yes we are).

Love, peace and nappiness

Cornrowed African art at the Met

Now that the whole Imus thing has completely blown over, let's quietly discuss it! Actually, it wasn't my intent to wait it out first, but I had that ferocious influenza thing taking my body by storm. But seriously, was it just me, or should the only group of people with the nerve enough to take any offense out of what the man might have said the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers women's basketball team? If I do recollect, he said they were unattractive. That has little to do with them being Black, women, or Al Sharpton. And furthermore, in this country we used to have the protections of free speech. I'm just saying. Imus, though not my favorite radio personality, should still have a job. I call people who may or may not be very intelligent, well rounded folks nappy headed hoes all the time. Imus clearly wasn't bashing women, as he had the wherewith all to call the Tennessee Lady Volunteers attractive! And that team has Black players on it too! And the Rutgers team has White women players. So it couldn't ever be a racially charged statement either. It was just sincerely an opinion as to the perception, by Don Imus, of beauty possessed by the members of two championship basketball teams.

Today I'm feeling:

nappy headed

You?

Mega idiots or millions?

The dear Mahatma at Union Square, NYC

And the idiot parade continues. Yesterday morning, at a little past 3 in the am, my brother decides to cook some beef. The dumb fuck falls asleep and nearly burns the place down. By the time I wake up, the whole place is filled with smoke and is stinky and disgusting. All day this wretched smell has haunted me. At work they must've thought I was at a smoky lounge before I showed up in the morning. The whole day the smell followed me. It made the eyes of those around me burn. I come home from work and the smell is just as putrid as ever. I hit Walmart and had to spend $13 on shit to freshen up the place. My dear, poor cats continue to endure this nastiness to a much higher degree as they stay closer to the epicenter and have a much keener olfactory than I. Fucking idiots!

So, I have to hold back and maybe harken to Ghandi for some inner peace and reassurance that come this month's conclusion I might find an idiot abatement.

Maybe today I do the Met!

Today I'm feeling:

Stressed

This is a horrible month. Horrible, horrible month. So bad, I bought a lotto ticket. Something has to shake, right?

Grave prospects

What started as a rabbit grave will now be devoted to some sort of Spring flora. I guess I'll take a trip out to the local Home Depot and see what colorful, low maintenance plants they've got for sale and maybe plant it in the name of Floyd. I certainly can't ever use it as a grave now, this morning I caught my kitty digging in it! Bad omen. I figured I'd throw some life in there quick (after this current cold spell) and change my poor fortune around.

Art=Gay
Graffiti=Art
Neat little prose spray painted on the tunnel wall at the Manhattan base of the Williamsburg Bridge

I don't know whether it means that graffiti is gay, or it's hetero art?

Today I'm feeling:

drained

Like I can't keep pace with waking up early and coming home late. But I can. I mean, I am. I'm a slave like the rest of us. This fucking blows. Quick, someone, point me in a direction! Comment.

Gully, nigga!

Amazing day to live in New York City. It was a balmy 42 degrees as the sunshine bathed this Brooklyn pier. Unbeknownst to this 'gull, the city council enacted a silly symbolic anti "nigga" policy. Something about the word being demeaning. To be honest, the word is merely a word that has taken on a whole new connotation. You've got to be pretty stupid to see it any other way. People really aren't taking things within context anymore; like the folks who invoke the Bible's literal meaning. At least, if you want this nigga free utopia, then give gays the right to marriage. No? Symbolically?

But still, beautiful day.

Today I'm feeling:

Midas-esque

Comment.