Funny.
I think I catch site of her sometimes.
Strolling thru the airport in her garb.
Her petite frame draped in brightly colored west afrikan appearal.
Gold earrings dangling
or
strands of beads adorned with animails of the plain and bush.
But alas.
It is not her.
She has been an ancestor for years now.
My excitement is quelled.
I am quiet for a moment.
Giving thanks for having known her.
Rest in Power. rest in Peace. Dr. Greene
Why?
Well, Cool Crys has finally joined the millions of Americans who are addicted to black berry.I’m not addicted YET, but I know it’s comin.
After waiting four days for a new phone and compiling ALL my contacts all over again…I DROPPED said phone into a steaming bowl of chicken soup. Needless to say, that poor Samsung is officially dead.
Conviently for me, I’d bought a blackberry off of ebay. So once – returned from my trip… Having been incommunoicado for two days, my slightly used 8703e was waiting for me. I’ve gotten it activated and am now mastering all of the cool features and qwerty keyboard.
The plan is to BLOG MORE. Since I’ll have no excuse. Bear with mne cool world… I’ll be sharing my clever (and often inappropriate) observations soon enough.
Peace
Peace Cool World,
So I told you that I applied to a few summer writing workshops. My logic was that since I DIDN’T finish undergrad I could acquire the knowledge and experience to pursue my writng by using other mediums. For days I agonized over which pieces to submitt to the Solstice Summer Writer’s Conference . It took me no less than four days to write one three paragrah cover letter. I was a mess. the possiblity of rejection is a strong motivator.
While researching other writing programs and “how to write a cover letter”, I stumbled upon the Cave Canem website. Now, any “urban” poet who’s anyone KNOWS about the Cave Canem Writer’s Retreat . I’d never thought to apply. Didn’t think I was teh kind of poet they’d accept since I don’t SLAM. But for some reason, the description SPOKE to me. I ended up writing a cover letter and submitting pieces at four am one night.
So, I submitted to BOTH programs.
Today, I went to the mail box expecting to find the blackberry that I won on Ebay waiting for me. Instead, there was a letter from Solstice! My heartbeat quickened. I had that pressure in my chest that you get when your about to cry. It would be either an acceptance letter…or REJECTION. I opened it on the elevator on the way to my seventh floor apartment. The thickness of teh envelope should have been a clue. I GOT IN! YAY!
I don’t know yet if I got the Diverse Voices fellowship that I applied for. But at least I know that I got in. that in itself is confirmation for me. If I don’t get it…I WILL be slanging chapbooks for $10 a pop. If I sell sevety of them I can pay my tuition. If I can sell 100 of them, I can pay tuition PLUS room and board and meals for the entire program. I’ll also be accepting LOVE DONATIONS 
I’d been feeling like a failure. I’m twenty-nine, twenty five and other than my self published chapbook (While Dwelling in the Outskirts of Obscurity), I haven’t been published in ages. I haven’t slammed or even gotten on the open mic. Hell, I haven’t even been able to maintain my own personal blog for more than a few months at a time. I felt obsolete and REALLY considered laying down my pen and stepping away from the lap top.
Just yesterday, my honey asked me what I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. I told him that I planned to get into one or both of the writing programs and to have pieces published in reputable literary journals by year’s end.
And today, my congratulatory letter was in the mail.
Being accepted into this program at Pine Manor College in Mass. really says something to me. It says that I am on the right path. That what I observe IS relevant. And that THIS is only the begining.
Go check out www.TheSuperSpade.com… critical andanalytical discourse on race, and activism.
Well…Cool World…Its been a few days and the state of the planet is disturbing. So rather than rant and rave about the masacre in Mumbai or the Murders in Mexico or the slaughter in NIGERIA…I’m gonna do some classic shyt…IGNORE IT! Just like everyone else in this country. So here are some worthy distractions to take your mind off the MADNESS in the world right now! Right?
Right.
Crys is FEELIN’ WALE, rapper from D.C. Maryland area. I think he’s hot..,lyrically speaking. Although I remember hearing him on the ROOTS last album RISING DOWN, I didn’t pay much attention to him until my favorite site CLUTCH magazine posted a dope video. Turns out thsi dude has been not-so-quietly making moves. From the Roots jump off to posing for the covers of URB and XXL. And dig this…MY MAN’s IS NOT SIGNED!!!! I suspect that its only a matter of time before he convinces the entire east coast to toss their Timbo’s and the south to trade thier 1’s for “NIKE BOOTS”. Check him out.
Crys is FEELIN’ 14 KT.
He’s a DOPE ass beat maker from Ann Arbor. His album/ soundtrack dropped last month and if you haven’t copped it…Ur sleepin’. You REALLY need to get that “GOLDEN HOUR“. It was something like TWO years in the making and it was well worth the wait!
Crys is feelin’ AVACADO. No, that’s not some new artist’s clever name…IT’S FRUIT! And I love it. I can eat it raw with a little salt, or make guacamole with it. Or I mash it up and make a paste for my turkey sandwhiches. MMmmm, Mmmm Bioytch!!! I love avacados!!!! And what better way to distract yourself from the Armegeddon than FRUIT!
Crys is feeling BOOG BROWN! And not just she’s my homegurl. She’s one of the most flexible and poignant emcee’s to spit it (female or otherwise) since MC Lyte! Her first mixed tape “Extended Play: The Water Birth” dropped in 2007 and I’m anxiously awaiting her first full length album She’s worked with some amazing producers: (the aforementioned) 14 KT, Illastrate out of ATL and DJ House Shoes of Detroit/LA.
And lastly, the greatest distraction is the source of most of my information: THE INTERNET! But Of course I’m not talking about news worthy sites likeAlternet, NPR or BBC. NO! I’m talking about the fashion, gossip, music, social networking sites/ blogs. So here’s a list of my favorites…in no particular order:
Clutch magazine
Palour magazine
Apartment Therapy
and of course Craigslist and Facebook
Between these five sites…I can stay distracted for HOURS!!!!
Hope this is helpful. Hope that YOU TOO can now ignore the major events happening in and around the world. (including but not limited to:the U.S> economy and more imaginary bailout funds, record flooding in VENICE, 40 murders in one weekend in Mexico, record wild fires in California, terrorism in Mumbai, 200 + slaughtered in Nigeria, eight year old murderers).
(World) Peace, Cool World.
SOUL COMMUNE