BlueBe Not Afraid Mondays, IV

Welcome Back for the 4th installment of:

F &%k
E verything
A nd
R un
-or-
F ace
E verything
A nd
R ejoice

In honor of this Memorial Day - may all of our fears Rest In Peace! And Thank You to ALL the Brothers & Sisters who've fought for my freedoms - whether as a military soldier or "simply" a warrior for my Lawd!

Sometimes I have felt the need to: F.%&k E.verything A.nd R.un:
1. When a loved one is gravely ill and we know the end is very close.
2. As my parents age I often cringe -- terrified at the thought of living without them.
3. When watching others mourn a loss I don't know what to do or say.

I'm Proud when I have: F.aced E.verything A.nd R.ejoiced by taking action:
1. I've assisted many of my elders during their last days and was relieved to realized that just because their shells were crumbling - the essence of the person I knew & loved was still sparkling in their eyes and their whispers.
2. My Daddy engages me in conversations about it and I do trust that it will give me the strength I need when I least expect it.
3. I trust that sometimes just standing near a person in mourning offers some comfort.

Past Discussion(s) on this topic:
Clearing Cobwebs.
Faith to Get You Through.
Determined to Live Courageously!

*click on image for source.

We Don't Always Know How Blessed We Are

Peeped in on CortGee today and learned the unfortunate news that comedian extra-ordinaire: Rasheed has passed away ( I hope they keep his myspace page up which is where I linked his name to - it has his baby flix & then some). A THIRTY-SIX year OLD Brother suffered a HEART-attack! WTF?! I don't care WHAT he was or was NOT doing ... how U gonna suffer a Heart ATTACK at 36? Come ON FOLX - take HEED & take CARE! Prayers go out to Rasheed's Family. I just feel blessed that I actually experienced this Brother Live & in Person with Rob Stapleton at the Laugh Lounge when my Moma & Nephew came to NYC to visit me a couple of years ago! U know I like to show folx a good time! Enjoy this clip I found of him being interviewed:

Light & Lively Friday: Funny Driving Memories

It's been an emotionally draining week for me (Jena 6 AND personal stuff - WHEW!) So, it's time for some FUN!!

Now, anyone who's been reading my blog for a minute knows that I Love. To. Drive! I was reminded of these stories and thought I should share them here in blog land after seeing T-Dawg's ADORABLE, Baby-Girl behind the wheel. Enjoy!

Long Trips:
My Dad & I were talking and laughing recently about my passion for driving as a youngstah. My Daddy was holding down several jobs, so that my Moma could be a house-wife & full time mommy. His between-jobs gig was driving a cab. When he would get home in the evening I'd be waiting impatiently at the door, or on the porch if the weather was good. As soon as he got out of the taxi, I would brush past him, mumble my greetings 'cause I had places to go and he was slowing me down! I would jump into that taxi and DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE! I couldn't have been older than six or seven because I needed to sit on my left leg to see over the steering wheel (needed the right leg to stretch down to the pedals, DUH!;-).

Now, a casual observer may have giggled at the li'l fuzzy haired girl with pig tails in the stationary taxi going "nowhere". But, aaaahhhhh, if they were in the car with me they would've driven all over DC, maybe as far as Richmond, VA, or Baltimore, MD depending on where my fancy took me and the amount of time I had. See? In my head, I literally drove to specific places. I adjusted the mirrors so that I could see behind me. And I didn't just haphazardly turn the steering wheel back and forth like an amateur. I put on my signal when I "reached intersections" and carefully turned hand over hand until I needed to straighten the car. Sometimes, I drove with one hand and put my arm out the window to catch the breeze "on the road". Then when I "arrived", I would parallel park "expertly", putting my arm over the back seat, looking behind me - just like my Daddy "taught" me. I'd always arrive back home in time to join the family for dinner;-).

I'm ready, now:
So, after all my "years" of driving practice I was finally tall enough to see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals with both feet. Surely, my Dad would let me take her on the road, now!
"Hey, Daddy? Can I drive?" I approached him one day when I must have been ten or so.
"When you get a li'l older I'll take you out, so you can drive." was his response. Cool, I was patient. I'd be older soon. I must've waited years (probably... weeks;-) until I approached him again.

While I waited I continued to practice, this time while the car was moving. My sisters argued for the front seat, but my position of choice was directly behind my Dad so that I could see the mirrors. I had a large plastic bowl top that was about the size of a steering wheel. I would "put" my back seat gears into 'drive' as we pulled off. I hand over hand turned when we turned corners. I put the gear into 'reverse' while parking and threw her into 'park' when I was done. Ahhh! I was more than ready to hit the road. Besides, I was older now.

"Hey Daddy." I approached him grinning, confident this time. "Remember you said I could drive when I got older?" I wasn't aware that his expression was holding in laughter. "Well, I'm ready." Boy, did I pout when he said I still wasn't old enough. How old ya gotta be anyway? Sixteen?! Why, I'll be married with kids of my own by then!

* * *
Now, gon' and have a FABULOUS weekend!
Here's wishing U all the chance to take a wonderful drive;-)

I love Petey Greene!

I'm delighted that the "media" is drawing attention to this man with the movie Talk to Me. I know many who did NOT grow up in The District during his time will not understand our (native Washingtonian) affinity...but U don't need to understand. Just KNOW that WE Love Petey Greene! I'm going to see the movie at some point - but hope Hollyweird doesn't screw his image up completely. I hope they portray that he was a driving force in our city. I'm delighted that Petey's female side-kick is being portrayed by a native of the area (Taraji P. Henson), though she may be too young to have much memory of or appreciation for Petey.

*Warning: All negative comments about him WILL be deleted & you all know I don't usually care - but I will NOT tolerate ya bad mouthin' my Man, Petey! Get beyond his "colloquialisms" and actually listen to the wisdom this man kicks! Most have only viewed his watermelon eating clip & even THAT is filled with pearls of wisdom. Sadly, according to Don Cheadle's interview, few of his shows were archived. Too bad we as children did not know we should have been video taping this sage street philosopher. Though I'm not a huge fan of TV, I am thankful that I have memories of sitting around with my family enjoying Petey Greene's show! Ha! It WAS Petey Greene's Washington! So, "sit back, relax, put ya foots up on the hassock" and enjoy a mere taste of history;-)

June 25th: Happy Blog-Versary 2 Me:-)

One year ago today this is what I posted:
My Firsts. Tentative, Humble beginnings.
Now look at me! Four Blogs later with a new perspective on Blessings, Abundance & a passel of BlogFamily members!

Good Times: "Ain't we lucky we GOT 'em?"

*click on the cake image for its source. Thanx 2 Miz & Fam for the photo of me with "Thelma".

First Love, Flirts & Crushes....aaaahhhh

Do you remember your first LOVE? Do you recall your first flirts or "crushes"? Do you remember how HIGH you felt, like you could touch the sky? Do you remember how frightened, yet exhilarated you were by this whole intimacy dance?

Come go with me as I share a couple of my precious first memories.

Beautiful Chocolate and a handful of change:
My dad stopped the car at a local Seven Eleven so that my best friend and I could get snacks on Wheeler Road in SE, DC. The most beautiful, chocolate man that my 13 or 14 year old eyes had ever seen was also in the store. I lost all sense of time, space or reality. I no longer recall what I purchased, nor who was in the store with me. I made my way to the check out counter and Beautiful Chocolate was behind me in line. My brain seemed to have shut down. I could no longer compute or communicate. Only my extreme awareness of the most beautiful man permeated my entire being; absolutely nothing else mattered to my brain. I held my change in my hand and it seemed I shifted the money around and around trying to make sense of what each of those objects in my hands were. Finally, Beautiful Chocolate came to my rescue and counted out the necessary coins for my purchase from my hands as I simply stared at him with complete, unpretentious awe.

Sister, Cousins and a car full of boys:
Walking along with my sister and several female cousins to a local recreation center in Hillcrest, DC I was used to boys stopping my elder female relatives to talk to them. When the car full of boys stopped I took up my resting pose as I waited for the usual exchange to take place. To my utter shock, one of the young men approached me. "How you doin'?" he asked with an easy smile. "What are you doing? I'm too young for this!"I responded. I recall watching his expression go from ease to true puzzlement. "How old do you think I am?" he asked. I looked carefully at him. I didn't want to hurt his feelings and tell him how old I really thought he looked, as I replied, "I don't know, at least 16. But, I'm only twelve." I must have given a satisfactory response at the same time that someone called for him to hurry up. He smiled again and said, "See ya later," as he ran back to the car.

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