On Kids

This is music by my oldest, Nicholas, who was born with a musical ear. He's been playing since he was about seven or eight, starting with the steel pan. He is in the East of the River Steel Band, and will have the opportunity later in April to perform at the Levine School of Music's gala. He teaches himself the bass and electric guitar. Now, he's the drummer for an alternative pop punk band, The Yums, with his bff Alex Zelloe. They're both in Florida today, touring Disney World with the Gonzaga Symphonic Band. They'll be playing at the music festival but had an opportunity to run around in the theme parks, Disney and Universal Studios.

To say I'm proud is to say the least. What's so great about Nick is he's teaching his little sister, Taleyah, to play guitar. She has a small guitar, which he uses; but he's teaching her the notes. He could take his music far; and I'm here to support him in as far as he'll like to go. He's also a footballer so he has choices.

http://www.myspace.com/yumsska

A Novel I've Been Working On

Like most of my peers, I'm working on a novel. Only difference with me is, I've been working on it since 1998. Below is a piece. Let me know if it peaks your interest.

FOR THE LOVE OF JESSARA

Two spirits in search of one another

Finally reunited while traveling through

the African Diaspora………..

The smells and the sounds of Africa seemed familiar. Jessara Ruth looked around at the dusty ruins but could not put her hand on it. She had been here before. Her spirit lived here. She might have been bound in the chains of slavery as she left on a slave ship. She folded her arms in front her breasts and shivered a little, as she stood in a former slave holding in Elmina Castle in Ghana, West Africa. Aaruellen Walker walked up behind her, gently touching her shoulder.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yes, this is like deja vu,” she said. “Ghosts walked on this spot, and I feel my spirit was there with them.” He didn’t laugh.

“Well, you know our ancestors believed in returning to our origin,” he said. “I’m just touched that I made this journey back to Ghana. I feel as if I’m home.” She smiled at his back as he walked away, heading toward the rest of the crowd they were with.

“Welcome home, my brothers and sisters,” said their guide, Kwame. “Welcome home, Akwaaba, Akwaaba.” Aaruellen looked through the crowd at Jessara and smiled. They met five days ago on this trip back to Africa to celebrate Thanksgiving. About 60 or so other Black people from America and the Caribbean made the exodus to the Motherland.

What I've Learned. What I've Discerned

The difference between what I've learned and what I've discerned is that learning is what I'm told, what someone said. Discern is what I've been able to conclude or decipher.

Here goes.....

I've learned that to keep the crisper in the refrigerator clean, I should add a paper towel at the bottom, and then put the fruits and veggies on it. It'll keep the drawer clean but for some reason, the stuff lasts longer.

What I've discerned is that I'm an idiot that I never thought of that before. How simple was that? A housekeeper mentioned it to me.

Another thing I discerned was don't knock anyone's knowledge base. You never know when you might use it.

Three Months Left

Yesterday, March 16, was exactly three months before the big 40.

I thought blogging would be easier. But I find that many days will pass by before I even log onto the computer to add another entry. However, it has been fun doing this. I will like to start another but I really need to continue working on this one.

So far, 2011 has been defined by many disasters. My sympathies to the people of Japan. I cannot imagine the devastation. The dead birds and fishes that keep coming onto shore since last year really have me wondering. The crash in the economy, the political meltdowns in DC, and the other stressful indicators point to end times. I'm not a naysayer or gloom and doomer but really, what is going on?

Continuing the Conversation on homelessness

I saw a news package on Channel 4 two nights ago about a former DC school principal, 43 years old, who's homeless. Here's someone living the American dream. She gets into a car accident, lost her health insurance, lost her job, lost her home. As I said, it could happen to any one. I'm sure she had savings, credit cards etc. But an educated educator becomes homeless. http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/From_Well-Paid_Principal_to_Sleeping_on_Park_Benches_Washington_DC-117706798.html

Anyone..........

Fortunately, a follow-up story yesterday showed that individuals still have hearts for the poor and the needy. Job offers poured in. http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Offers-of-Help-Pour-in-for-Homeless-Principal_Washington_DC-117766933.html

This is such a poignant story. It could be anyone. She was making 78,000 a year.

On Poverty in the 21st Century

The co-chairs of the GMC McKenna Center hand a check to the McKenna Center's executive director, Tom Howarth, for $6,000 at the fourth annual Irish celebration on Feb. 27.

Last Monday night, I attended a session at the Father McKenna Center, a homeless shelter connected to Gonzaga College High School, to discuss the Washington area food bank, poverty and other social issues. From what I've been hearing, the face of the working poor is changing. No longer is it only people on the edge of society due to some mental affliction, or drug addition. No, the working poor are now the mothers and fathers of the middle class; and according to statistics, one in four children has no idea where the next meal is coming from. I was indeed saddened to hear of a working mother going to the Washington Capital Area Food bank because she had lost income. She had to pay a house utility bill, and fortunately knew she could get a bag of food from the food bank.

So often, it seems as if the poor is vilified as if it's their fault. We hear many people of means admonishing us to "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps." "The economy cannot afford these social programs." But many of these working poor are well educated, but at 8.50 an hour, how could that really translate into a livable wage? I remember, back in 2002, I had written a story for the Washington Afro American about a homeless guy. I couldn't believe he was making $19 an hour? And he was still homeless? We cannot castigate the homeless, and blame them for the reason they're homeless. It is way more complicated than we can imagine, according to the speakers. Anywhere from a lack of a job to mental issues to psychological issues to economic issues create the homeless population.

As a Gonzaga mother who's a McKenna Center co-chair, I've had to interact with the men who frequent the center. It's amazing to see the young men, not all minority, who are homeless. In any other situation, the men could be employers, employees, inventors, millionaires. And I know for a fact there is one former Gonzaga alum who was a former client of the center. He's now working with the director to help others like him.

I was told at the lecture that the original idea of the American dream is dead for many Americans. The dream stated if you go to college, get your education, get a good job, get married, buy a home, have children, send them to college, your life will embrace the fundamentals of what the dream was about. Yet, yesterday, financial guru Suzie Orman stated that we need to re-evaluate and rethink what this American dream entails. She wants us to stop measuring ourselves by the size of our homes or the bigger cars but to become excited by saving our money. "Not because you have all this money, you'll spend it until you have no more," she said with Matt Lauer on The Today Show. She said if you don't have enough money, then maybe your kid doesn't need to attend an expensive private college; maybe he or she should go to a community college then transfer. The middle class and even upper middle class families are feeling the pinch, as the cost of living keeps rising and incomes stagnate or reduce.

Orman is trying to help us manage our expectations for the original American dream. I wouldn't say the dream is dead. It has just changed. People with a big talents to sell--whether you're the Facebook founder, Snooki or Ted Williams with the big voice (who was homeless)--you have a much better chance of making it bigger than the millions of us who are just regular everyday folk trying to attain our piece of the dream. Notoriety sells, and so does the next big idea. But I've witnessed many regular folk still hold on, and excel. But, I'm seeing more people flounder around, dealing with life paycheck to paycheck, with such fragility that I know for a fact that most of us are just one or two paychecks away from homelessness. And that's a scary reality for too many Americans.

Delighted with today