Day 14: From Beauty to Ugliness

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Welcome to the Blizzard of 2010!  It’s winter in the DC Metro Area and it’s a big mess.  After over 20 inches of snow, people are losing or have lost their minds, patience, and humanity (practically). People were fighting in the grocery stores over food.  Driving like bats out of hell on the roads.  And expecting cleaning crews to do magic tricks to get things back in order.  With this much snow, normalcy will be a dream not achieved for some time.  Many of our neighborhoods still have yet to be plowed, many of us don’t have power, and have no way of getting around (if you’re depending on public transportation).

My fiance’ & I have been without power and heat since last Friday night (when the storm hit).  You could see your breath in front of your face in our place.  It was just that cold.  We couldn’t spend another night at home so we decided to try to get a hotel room.  Because the roads were so bad we couldn’t get to the strip where most of the hotels were in our area (Rockville/Bethesda), so we ended up heading to my mom & granny’s house.  What was usually a one-hour trip took almost two hours.  It was a scary trip.  Many of the street lights were out.  Only the left and right lanes were clear.  The center lanes were full of ice and compacted snow.  We were on edge the whole way.  But we made it safely (thank god).

Since the roads are still terrible – we’re staying put (working from mom & granny’s until further notice).  I typically take public transportation to and from work everyday so you know that’s out of the question.  The underground stations are the only stations being serviced.  Bus and Marc train service is limited. You’d be out of your mind to even think about a taxi.

There’s really not much we can do besides hoping and praying for the best.  The really sad part of it all is that this area never seems to be prepared for any major emergency.  And I think for it to be the DC Metro Area that it’s totally unacceptable.  People are freezing in their homes, looking for their next meals… They can’t even get off their streets to go to the store let alone to work.  Pepco can’t get to the affected areas without power because plows have yet to clear many streets (especially in Montgomery County).  Had this been technological or biological warfare it would be every man, woman, and child for themselves.  I can’t bare to imagine what it would be in either of these situations…  The meteorologists are predicting that we may get another foot or more of snow between Tuesday and Wednesday…

Snow…  It’s so beautiful and peaceful when it snows.  So quiet, so Edenic, so pure…  But in the aftermath – snow loses it’s beauty and brings out the ugliness in people, the process for clean-up, and the issues that arise when government fails to have a plan in place in the event of a snow emergency.  Yes, welcome to the Blizzard of 2010!

Day 13: At the Fork in the Road

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I’ve been sitting at my computer for several hours this evening…  Much of it was spent staring at the screen, staring into space, or staring at the tablet of paper I’d been scribbling on.  I couldn’t concentrate for the life of me.  I’ve been so busy at work (and kinda at home) that I don’t think my mind has been able to rest unless I was actually sleeping.  And if it lingers for too long – I start to get pissed and will get really close to saying “fuck it.”  With the schedule I have and the deadlines between work, school, and my personal life – I don’t always have the luxury of saying “fuck it.”  But I’ve been more than willing to pay the consequences when I did it in the past…lol.

At this point in my professional life, I feel as if I’m longing, yearning for more.  I love the job and what I’m doing (or what I’ve done).  But I’m just not feeling that fulfilled.  I’m bored.  I feel as if I’m on auto-tune…just going thru the motions – not anywhere near as enthusiastic as I used to be.  And this is something that has not changed in the last few months.  And the feelings seem to be strengthening.  I feel like I need to be challenged in new and exciting ways.  And I’m just not seeing it where I am now.  That is unless things change.  We’re still in the midst of re-organization (however this process hasn’t been addressed to us formally since April 2009).  We just turned in our performance appraisals a few weeks ago.  It’ll be awhile before our supervisor gets back to us about them.  I can say that I did quite a bit in 2009 and I did it all to the best of my ability.  But am I that thrilled about any of it anymore?  No, not really.  On top of that, I just don’t feel as if I fit in with department anymore.  I feel kinda out of place.  The culture in my department has/is changing again – and it’s changing rapidly.  Nothing like what it used to be in first two years.  And I’m not sure that that’s a good thing either.

So I think I’ve come to the fork in the road.  I’m at the crossroads.  And the part that worries (and I’m not sure that “worries” is the best word) me most is the fact that I haven’t quite figured out what to do about it.  I don’t necessarily want to leave the company.  And I don’t want to leave the people I’ve become close with.  But I don’t want to squalor in complacency or contempt either.  I’m blessed to have bit a talents, gifts, skills, and experience to pull from.  It’s just a matter of what I’m going to pull from and where do I want it to take me next.  Whatever it is – I’m sure I’ll make the best decision I see fit for me personally and professionally.  I just hope and pray it’ll go well.  One things for sure – I cannot afford to be depressed about my worklife.  I don’t have time for that shit.  Gotta keep it moving if that’s the case.  I’ll just have to hold tight however, until something else/better comes along. Pray for me…

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Now playing: Vanessa Williams – Just Friends
via FoxyTunes

Day 12: Poetry Spotlight – Not Anymore

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Not Anymore

Taking out the trash.
Getting rid of all the old shit.
Locating all the hidden treasures that squandered
     in the presence of you.

Started over.
Went from lost to found.
Spirit renewed–found a new love,
Not as costly or exhausting as the love I had
     with you.

Got it right this time.
Didn’t give way to self-doubt.
No more self-interrogation.
No longer being the criminal to the victim always played
     by you.
I realized when problems in relationships arise,
It’s usually not just one party to blame–it’s two.

I’ve washed myself clean.
Still have my issues,
But I acknowledge them and make it known.
There’s always room for improvement.
But I can be myself.
No need to hide or disguise face, as if I would at heartbreak’s
     masquerade ball.
I’ve been welcomed and accepted completely.
And did I say loved?
Loved like nobody’s business.
Loved better than I could ever dream of.
So there’s no need
     to look back
     anymore.

(c) 2009 BuddahDesmond

Day 11: Poetry Spotlight – Ain’t Worth It

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Ain’t Worth It

Why get fully vested in something that has yet to prove
     its future’s promise?
Why get emotionally involved when you still are unsure
     if he or she has your heart and you have theirs?
What’s the sense in crying over it if the tears and your efforts
     won’t change a thing?

When substance isn’t fully formed,
And the foundation is absent or still weak–
It’s too much to give your all if you haven’t seen a return…
     especially when he or she is fixed, unbending.

When the union can’t get beyond shallow matters–
Ain’t no sense looking for depth.
Cause superficial love ain’t love at all.
It’s all a facade–
A fantasy of what it could but will never be.

If you’re looking in others for what you can’t do or find in yourself–
You’re hopeless.
You’re only killing time–yours and others–
When you drag someone else along and you’re not ready
    (or you know they’re not ready) for the commitment.
The wise choice:
Go play.
Get it out of your system.
Or stay single until you’re ready.
Cause it ain’t worth it.

(c) BuddahDesmond
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Now playing: Amel Larrieux – Weary
via FoxyTunes

Day 10: Julia Cameron’s "The Artist’s Way Every Day"

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For the last few weeks I’ve been reading Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way Every Day: A Year of Creative Living.  I find the information to be very inspiring, motivating, and refreshing.   Being a creative, artistic person – this is the jump start I need to begin the new year.  I’ve noticed since late last summer that I’ve had very few opportunities to delve deeply into my creative self.  And it’s been killing me.  I feel like I’ve been neglecting a part of myself that I’ve otherwise had no problem nourishing.  And considering the fact that I started nourishing this part of myself at the early age of four – I’m like, “What the hell happened?”  But I won’t fret.  I’ve never been one to force my creative self into doing something just to do it.  I have to feel it.  I have to be in the mood.  Each time I force myself into doing anything in this regard I hate the outcome.  And whatever is produced usually goes in the trash.  I realize that I need to give my creative self the space to process, exist, and grow.  And that I need to uplift and inspire my creative self just like I would any other component of my being.  I can move on now with a better perspective.  Here are a few takeaways from the book.

From January 11: “We expect our artist to be able to function without giving it what it needs to do so. An artist requires the upkeep of creative solitude. An artist requires the healing of time alone” (p. 17).

From January 13: “Writing goes much better when we don’t work at it so much. When we give ourselves the permission to just hang out on the page” (p. 19).

From January 15: “When we open ourselves to something or someone greater than ourselves working through us, we paradoxically open ourselves to our own greatest selves” (p. 21).

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Now playing: Mary J. Blige – Each Tear
via FoxyTunes

Day 9: Rihanna – Rated R

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I must say that I was quite surprised after listening to Rihanna’s latest album.  I found it to be quite good.  It’s a dark, emotional album that offers a deeper glimpse into the mind and artistry of one of the world’s most popular singers/entertainers.  The sound and style of this album is quite different from what we’ve heard before (which may be one of many reasons why some fans have turned away). There’s a musical versatility not quite seen on previous releases.  Rihanna’s vocal performances seem a little more seasoned and confident and sprinkled with more emotion (thankfully).  And I think we now see the perfect melding of her image and musical style.  It may not flow well on this side of the Atlantic but that’s probably due in large part to the fickle nature of our audience.  I give Rihanna lots of credit for pushing her talent into a different direction and taking some risks.  One thing the world didn’t need was Girl Good Gone Bad, Part II.  And with “Hard” becoming her 13th top ten hit on the Billboard Charts, looks like “Rihanna Reign” won’t be letting up anytime soon.

Day 8: Melanie Fiona – The Bridge

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One of my favorite album’s lately has been Melanie Fiona’s The Bridge.  After seeing the video and spinning the single “Give It To Me Right” for months, I was psyched about the getting this album. Fiona had been generating quite a bit of buzz, especially after touring as the opening act for Kanye West on his “Glow In The Dark Tour” (in Europe).  With all the buzz, one still wonders why her album was pushed back so many times.  The record had been finished for quite some time (and not to mention it was released in Europe in 2008).  Let me guess – label politics?  But all that aside – the wait was worth it.  Fiona has put together an album that is memorable from start to finish.  It has a vintage feeling yet modern style and sensibilities.  It’s soul through and through.  And like Raphael Saadiq’s The Way I See It and Solange’s Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, it harks back to the old school music of the 60’s and 70’s without sounding too nostalgic, gimmicky, or unoriginal.  The music, lyrics, and Fiona’s rich, smoky voice make The Bridge an album that you can listen to over and over for years to come.  These are tunes all music lovers can enjoy. Aside from the first single, my other favorites include “It Kills Me,” “You Stop My Heart,” “Teach Him,” and “Bang Bang,” and “Monday Morning.”   Check it out!

Day 7: Sade – Soldier Of Love

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The day all Sade fans have been waiting for is coming!  The long-awaiting, highly-anticipated release date for Sade’s sixth studio album, Soldier of Love, is February 8, 2010!  Mark your calendars.  Put in your pre-orders. This looks like it could be one of 2010’s best releases.  It’s been nearly 10 years since the release of Sade’s last studio album, Lovers’ Rock.  That album was a masterpiece and I’m sure the new album will be as well.  Sade – one of the queen’s of the Quiet Storm, the voice of seductive, passionate soul music will be in full effect very soon.  I can’t wait.  Real music always prevails.  Need not worry about “singles” or airplay, because artists of this caliber will have a devoted following and will sell regardless.  Looks like I’ll be getting a b-day gift a week early.  Yay!  🙂

Day 6: Chrisette Michele – One of this Generation’s Best Vocalists

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I’ve been loving Chrisette Michele for a few years now. Her most recent album – Epiphany – stays in rotation. I play it once and cannot seem to stop playing it again. The sign of a great album is one that leaves a lasting impression on you. It moves you. You can’t get the music out of your head. It just hits the spot (or several spots). This album, I must say, is one of the best R&B/Soul releases of the year. While it may have been criticized for not having as many of the jazz-inflected arrangements as her debut, there’s no denying the jazzy vocals from this songbird.

Her voice is a mystical, musical instrument with personality, lots of color, varying tones, shades, and timbres, and a wide range. It’s sexy, soulful, and passionate. And it has a girlish quality that is reminiscent of the late great Ella Fitzgerald (one of her greatest influences – along with Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Natalie Cole to name a few). She has the innate gift to sing anything and make it believable. She takes you there. You’re riding with her from beginning to end. And every song is a performance. Each one different from the last. Which also brings to mind another great lady of song – Phyllis Hyman. Though she sounds nothing like Phyllis Hyman – there’s something about the way she delivers a song that reminds me of Phyllis Hyman. Phyllis Hyman owned her songs. She commanded the stage. She took you on a ride. It didn’t matter where she was taking you because you were so happy and so moved to go along anyway. And that’s what Chrisette Michele does. If her artistic and musical growth is any indication, she will go down one of the best vocalists of all time.

Day 5: Oprah – The End of One Era, The Beginning of a New Era

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 Image courtesy of Parade
In 2011, after 25 seasons, The Oprah Winfrey Show will be saying its last hurrah. This shocking announcement seems to have stunned viewers and the entertainment industry. But Oprah said she knew in her spirit that it was time to say goodbye. It’s been a remarkable, historical, uplifting journey for Oprah, the show, her staff, and her viewers. She went on to become the most, if not one of the most powerful women in the entertainment industry. According to Forbes, her net worth is $2.7 billion. I know that amount is astonishing. But what’s even more so is that she did it her way. Oprah set out to do what she wanted and she achieved that (and much more). She used her power and influence to bring about good in the world. She overcame obstacles and became an inspiration to millions of fans across world. Though the show is ending, the industry/world is looking to see what she produces on OWN – the Oprah Winfrey Network. Though it’s unclear who is the heir apparent, it’s clear that Oprah has not finished her work yet. There’s still more to do. And the world will be looking forward to her next move. Oprah – an inspiration, a trailblazer, a humanitarian, and a living legend.