Friday Follies...
And what a Friday it is
(what kind of Friday IS it Bob...EXACTLY?)
Glad you asked.
Well, it's the kind of Friday where when you look out onto the patio, you have a hummingbird staring right back at you...LOL.
Yeah, the little bugger was up nice and early, playing "peek-a-boo" with me as he (?) stopped by the feeder.
I move my head to one side...he/she moves to one side.
I move UP...he/she moves UP...funny stuff.
Doesn't take much to amuse me this early.
I love those guys.
It's a Friday with a slight fall nip in the air, too...makes you want to draw in a deep breath.
It's ALSO the Friday before the HUGE rally...excuse me...I mean EVENT on the Lincoln Memorial steps, fronted by Glenn Beck (with a lot of great speakers, such as Alveda King, niece of Dr. King, and someone I would LOVE to meet).
In addition this event will recognize those connected with the SOWF (Special Operations Warrior Foundation), who provide aid and college funding for children whose fathers have been killed while serving in the military Spec Ops.
They do some incredible work, btw.
The ACTUAL "event" will be tomorrow between 10AM until 1PM on the steps on the Memorial.










This is the SAME place Dr. King gave his "I have a dream" speech FORTY-SEVEN years ago to the day.
I have been to the Memorial a few times, when I was both young and older, during the day as well as at night...and it STILL has such power behind the meaning of the words inscribed upon the walls inside.
Tonight will be a gathering at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts as a preamble to tomorrow's event.
I've been following this closely, and I wish I could have attended.
I was, in fact INVITED to attend by my nephew and his wife who live in VA. He's the "smoke-chaser" in D.C. They are going to the event and he emailed me with an invitation to join them. But I had to decline, sadly.
And it was not because of a lack of funds to fly my ass there, although flying these days doesn't have the "romance" it USED to have for some strange reason (*sneezes*...terrorist activity)
I would be gone for the better part of the weekend, and unfortunately, with this neighborhood the WAY it currently is, I would not feel good about leaving the missus "home alone" for a couple days. I told my nephew Erik my reason, and he commended me on it...(he's always been an intelligent kid).
So they will be going both days, and I told him to take lots of pictures and send them to me, so I can post them here.
Stay tuned for those...
I believe this event is going to be something big, and although the "nay-sayers" are out in number already (Al Sharpton among them), the THEME of the event...the MESSAGE is what it's all about. It's larger than ANY one person (or persons), and THAT is what you need to remember.
Restoring HONOR in America...what a noble idea...such a beautiful concept.
I have to ask WHY we lost it in the first place?
What was it about US, or the TIMES we live in that caused us to stray from such things as HONOR...and INTEGRITY?
Did we become so complacent with "our" sense of values that we supplanted those that founded this nation?
Perhaps.
Maybe it's time we revisited that greatness, in spite of ourselves, so that we can reclaim this nation and place those values that have fallen from our pedestals back where they belong.
*** Meanwhile...around town here...
--A FWPD officer was involved in a crash with a pedestrian around 0150 hrs this morning in the 3200 block of Clinton St. (near Lima). The person struck by the patrolling car was taken to hospital in critical condition. No names have been released yet.
The patrol car was not running w/ "lights and sirens", and it's believed the person WAS in the roadway.
Now why does that NOT surprise me (even at 2AM, when normal people are IN BED)?
Because we have TOO many people that don't know WTF a sidewalk is supposed to be used for...that's why (dumbasses).
This is an everyday occurrence in MY part of town. I'm about the ONLY person that uses the sidewalks, aside from the occasional MOPED that cruises up onto them...(you heard me right).
You know, in countries like KENYA, or BOTSWANA the people DO walk in the streets, because they HAVE NO sidewalks.
I say we toss a sh*tload of dirt all over and make it look "more like home" to these throwbacks roaming our streets then.
Wifey had to go change her route to school, because the KIDS were milling about and standing IN THE STREET at school bus stops...great way to get your ass hit early in the morning, isn't it?
--Case in point..."Romeo & Juliet".
These are the two teens that LOVE to hang out IN the damn street after school (no homework, kids?).
And they also LOVE to loiter at OUR corner - prelude to the newest "hangout", which inevitably leads to a "drug-corner" (like can be found up in Phil Marx's neighborhood). I won't allow that to happen.
Now the girl lives DOWN the street (where they rarely hang at), and the boy lives a few blocks OVER (somewhere), but how they DO love to play "slap and tickle" in the intersection, glaring at ALL the cars that have to avoid them (like how dare they drive down the street they're standing in).
So, I call the FWPD, and they roll an officer out to "advise" them about the loitering. (this DOES go on for HOURS, mind you 1600-1800 easily)
The officer comes to my door (Off. Coleman...really nice guy, about my height, so we already have something in common), and tells me "they didn't really want to talk with me" (another big surprise - passive disrespect to the police - the "whut-evah" factor), and I told him that the corner was looking like a damn trash dump (I've been picking up refuse forever, it seems from there), and that I was being PROACTIVE. He told me he did advise them about hanging out, and that if they keep doing it, to call it in.
Well, about a hour or so later...they were back (again), but they didn't remain long enough to make a call to dispatch "valid" (it would wind up as an unfounded call).
Now ALL summer, we didn't see this duo AT ALL. But as SOON as school started, there they were again.
The mother (?) of the girl is the same woman that staggers down the middle of the street (obviously stoned and with a toddler nearby) and lives in a house formerly OWNED by some good people (who now live about 30 miles away in Harlan).
All this fun...thanks to HUD (wtg, FWHA...got a damn nice ghetto working here now)
Now, I'm sure this was NEVER part of Dr. King's DREAM.
People being as irresponsible and disrespectful as the day is long.
Nah, wasn't in the whole civil rights game plan...that's for sure.
But here it is, none the less.
And these people must LIKE the manner they live, because none of them are doing a DAMN thing to change it.
(Dat'de gub'ment job...mofreesh*t so ah's kin git whuwhiteydungot)
Sorry, but that's not a DREAM...that's a freaking NIGHTMARE.
(and thanks to THEM, I get to "live the adventure")
The DREAM shall never be realized until ALL people embrace it.
No hand outs...just hand UPS.
No free ride...everyone pays something, even if it's "sweat equity".
None of this sit back, collect the check, and become fat and lazy on the taxpayer's time and expense.
Because you're black does not empower you to do NOTHING.
If anything, YOU should be the ones at the FOREFRONT of changing your lives around.
(Of course, I'm NOT speaking to those blacks that HAVE already done so, and found their dream met through persistence and hard work, but to those with NO ambition, NO accountability, and NO desire to be anything more than a boil on the ass of society)
It doesn't take much to do nothing...
But it DOES require much to DO something.
And it might also entail being able to see things through to the end.


It's like that old saying:
"Winners never quit and quitters never win."
Wouldn't know that by TODAY'S standards. (double as they are)
Stand up and be a man...be a woman. Be a beacon for the community, instead of a set of fingerprints and a number at the local lockup...or worse, a murder statistic. Take charge of your life before that life takes charge of you.
Yeah, it's all about personal INTEGRITY...and being an HONORABLE person.
It's being TRUTHFUL in that which you seek, what you say, and WHO YOU ARE.
Everyone has to come to that point in life where decisions need to be made...fateful decisions...life-altering decisions.
And it smacks back 5 years ago to the Katrina disaster.
We had people that banded together to HELP ONE ANOTHER through the situation...and we had those who roamed in bands HELPING THEMSELVES from others, because of the situation. And in that a question should come to mind.
Which side of that fence would YOU find yourself? And why?
Tomorrow's event will be simulcast on the radio...don't know about TV coverage (FOX will probably have something on), and I would ask everyone to stop for a moment, think about what AMERICA means to you. Think about those placing their LIVES on the line for OUR freedom and liberties.
Maybe we've been running on empty for too long and need to "fill up" to get where we're supposed to be going.
And MAY-BE, we might wind up with a much better understanding OF the journey when we realize the destination.
--Tomorrow is also my Father's birthday...he would have been 89 years old, and yes, I still miss him.
But I think he knows that, and even though the grief remains with me, I can still smile whenever I think about him.
If there was anyone who had integrity and honor...it had to be my Dad.
He was a man of his word. You might not like what he had to say, but you had to admire him for speaking what he felt.
He was my hero...my mentor, and the best friend I shall ever encounter in this life.
And there is not a day goes by that I don't think of him.
That's a pretty decent legacy, in my opinion...to not be forgotten.
May we each be able to say the same about those we feel as strongly.
And may people be able to say the same about US...when that day arrives.
Hold fast to those values that make you better today than you were yesterday.
Never stop trying to br even better tomorrow as a result of what you learn today.
Do have yourselves a fantastic weekend.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and, as always...
Stay safe out there, America.