Black Fenix

Holler at a Scholar

2008-10-25T00:34:00.004-05:00

I know it's been a long time. And since it's nearly two a.m. now, I don't have time to really talk. Quick update though. I decided not to take the GRE. There just weren't enough hours in the day to study for it. And, according to some folk, even if I get a graduate degree, I'll come out of school looking for the same types of positions, positions that I'm already qualified for as is.

So that means, I'm looking for a job. If anyone out there is in need of a typist, secretary, writer, proofreader, hair dresser, babysitter, comedian, entertainer (I can do birthday parties and shit), painter, consultant (I don't know what kind of consulting but I can consult), analyst, rapper, librarian or chef, lemme know. I'm in the market for a job. And this economy is no fucking joke. Magazines folding left and right. Where am I supposed to work?!

A career counselor at my friend's school suggested that she look into receptionist work or go to grad school. Those are two great options....

I'm so tired of trying to sell myself to people, mind you, I've applied for a grand total of two jobs....

Someone actually said to me: "I really wish I could hire you right now but we're just not in a place to hire anyone else."

"Ain't that about a .....?? Why'd you waste my time?! Silly trick."

Job #2 wants to offer me less than half the salary that I KNOW I should be getting. "Nonnegotiable? Thanks, but no thanks."

The next step in my master plan is to staple my degree to my forehead and dare a mfer to ask me that dumb ass question....you know the one...."Why should I hire you?"

Excuse my language but...Fuck this economy and everything it stands for.

Cruel and Unusual Indeed....

2008-09-24T09:14:00.002-05:00

Often "advanced" societies ridicule those societies and civilizations that engage in ritual human sacrifice. Going so far as the call for the abolition of such practices. Well, I put forth that ritual human sacrifice is no different than execution.

The purpose of ritual human sacrifice is to appease the gods and thus ensure the well-being of the society. Isn't that the so-called justification for execution? To ensure the well-being of society?

And so those who condemn ritual human sacrifice should also call for an end to the barbaric practice of execution.

Just one Black woman's opinion.

Assault and Battery...

2008-09-13T09:23:00.002-05:00

Why are these girls TRYING me?

I chose to live in a dorm because it is more convenient to my classes, activities, FOOD, etc. What I did not sign up for is a bunch of drunk Betties with shit to prove.

These chicks were in the hall DRINKING at seven o'-fuckin-clock in the morning. SEVEN a.m. on a Saturday in preparation for a football game. I have girls to mentor later today so I didn't want to kick the morning off with anger...but they pushed me so I had to push back.

I get up at 7:15a and go to the door, "Please keep it down, thanks"

7:23a: "Could you please at least go inside your room"

7:32a: "Look, this is the third time, could you relax??" I wasn't even inside the room before Betty1 starts trying to clown me: "She's such a loser. Why isn't she drinking?"

That's when the music stopped and shit started to get real. "Excuuuuuse you? I'm not drinking and wearing a damned costume at seven a.m. because I actually have a life and I have important shit to do. So I suggest you relax before I really tear into your ass."

Why do the Betties have to test me like this?? Now there's animosity and discord when we really could have just left each other alone and went on about our respective business. Now I have to bring the bat out of the closet. All they had to do was keep the noise down.

Quick Update....

2008-09-01T13:20:00.002-05:00

I'm still breathing, I promise!

Classes have started and after one week I am already wondering how I'm going to make it through the entire semester. Most of my classes are enjoyable.

Here's a rundown of what I'm taking:
1. Culture and Politics of Africa. Beginning with a look at the effects of the Slave Trade on West Africa, namely Ghana and continuing through the colonial period.
2. Africans in America through 1865. Also beginning with the Atlantic Slave Trade and continuing through Emancipation. I took the second part (from 1865-2005) last semester so it should be a fun class.
3. Aristotle. A grad level seminar on Aristotle. Should be interesting.
4. Wealth, Power, and Inequality. A study of socioeconomic classes in America.
5. Intermediate Latin.....

Classes should be okay...I hope. There's something weird going on with my foot. I should get it checked out but I barely have time to eat. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing better than I am.

Peace

The Adventures of Mini Fenix Pt. 1

2008-08-23T22:28:00.006-05:00

This is for you Mamazen!

Since Mini Fenix moved in, I have wondered how she keeps her fro so neat. Well, this morning, I caught her in the act.

To prepare for the tough semester ahead, Mini Fenix decided to relax with a nice book after a hectic day.

I guess she was getting kind of hungry because when I came in after shopping, Mini Fenix had ordered a turkey burger!

Though I was able to save the turkey burger, the fruit snacks didn't stand a chance.

What will Mini Fenix get into next?

Airports...

2008-08-21T20:58:00.007-05:00

Top three reasons the airport is the worst place in the world:

1. LINES!

2. People having loud ass personal conversations on their cell phones. I don't want to hear about Shay and her baby's daddy. And, JUST because you're speaking a different language doesn't mean we want to hear your conversation!

3. Everyone is rushing and I hate it.

Top three reasons airplanes are not meant for people with short fuses:

1. Crying ass babies! Hey lady, shut that kid up, you are fucking with my karma and my qi and shit.

2. People with no concept of personal hygiene. When you lift your arms and all hell breaks loose, perhaps you should gate check that damned carry-on.

3. People with no concept of personal space. I don't know you. Hell no I don't want to share an armrest with your ass.

Anywho, I'm back at school for the last go round. I will have a degree in December!

SF Bay View Needs Our Help!

2008-08-20T12:34:00.001-05:00

The San Francisco Bay View has provided the Afrikan community with world and local news for over 16 years. Recently print media has taken a big hit, the kind of hit that small newspapers such as the SF Bay View are not able to absorb and keep moving. This coupled with a recent hack attempt that depleted the number of articles available on the website has forced the staff to convert the SF Bay View into an online only publication. With over 1 million hits per month, it is clear that the SF Bay View continues to reach people but not having a print version effectively takes it out of the hands of the poorest of our people who don’t own computers as well as the those of us behind bars, those who benefit most from the fearless information provided by the SF Bay View. With sufficient financial support, Bay View staff will begin in October to print the paper monthly.

Since its inception the SF Bay View has told the stories of our heroes, providing the community with relevant news and giving young journalists and photographers a platform for their work. After giving so freely for nearly two decades, after 16 years of service, of fearlessly telling the truth, of an unparalleled commitment to justice, the San Francisco Bay View is in need of emergency financial assistance. From Haiti to Zimbabwe, from Oakland to New York and everywhere in between, the SF Bay View tells our stories, our struggles, our triumphs; it is our news source and it is our responsibility to provide the financial support it needs.

Visit here to learn more.

Peace

I've Been Immortalized!

2008-08-14T19:48:00.002-05:00

A while ago I did an interview with one of the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, Mukasa Dada. I did the interview because his words deserve a vessel and I was honored that he even said yes. I was sure that I was going to be denied. After all, I'm just a young college student with a whole bunch of opinions. Anyway, the interview turned out better than I ever thought it could (all because of Baba Mukasa's strong words). I had never been more nervous in my life, partly because I was sure he would find my questions childish and irrelevant but he had a lot to say and it was beautiful. Now that Baba Mukasa has officially okay'd the interview :D I'll share it.

About me being immortalized, one of the most creative women I know makes these amazing cloth people and as her tribute to Baba Mukasa, she put her creative spin on our interview. It's lovely. Here's a link to Mamazen's blog. You can read the entire interview here and see pictures of the amazing dolls she made in our likenesses.

Here's my little introduction:

It was during a Stokely Carmichael speech at a rally in 1966 when Willie Ricks hopped on stage and called to the crowd: “What do you want?!” to which the crowd responded: “BLACK POWER!” Formerly known as Willie Ricks, Mukasa Dada has served the cause of Black people for decades. Referred to as “the fiery orator of the SNCC” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mukasa has traveled the country and the globe, dedicating himself to equality, freedom and dignity for all Africans of the Diaspora.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk to one of the unsung heroes of our history.

Again, visit this link to read the interview. Hope you enjoy it!

Peace.

Goodbye life....

2008-08-05T10:33:00.002-05:00

I haven't had much time to write anything. I've also lost the critical capacity to use words. My speech these past couple months has consisted of incoherent sentences, grunting and noise-making, and a lot of flailing gestures. All of my brainpower has been devoted to my work (which convicts me to about eight hours of keyword-rich writing a day) and to this beast:

Before starting GRE Prep, I thought that my vocabulary was nice, perhaps even extensive. One look at a word list and I grew convinced that I had some type of mental handicap. I thought my vocabulary was remedial at best. Not to mention the fact that I had to look up simple geometry formulas. Two months of lackadaisical studying later and I don't feel any more prepared for this thing. So I've hatched a new plan. Which basically means: Goodbye life!

Hello, future?

Condolezza Rice Better Watch Her Back...

2008-07-25T18:12:00.001-05:00

...there are some kids in New Zealand tryna run up on her.

A $5000 dollar reward is being offered to any Auckland University student who can make a successful citizen's arrest of United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her visit to the country this weekend.
-Source

Will the Real Cereal Please Stand Up...

2008-07-06T14:08:00.003-05:00

This morning I went shopping for a box of Cocoa Puffs. I was tired, grouchy and apparently not paying very good attention to my shopping. Imagine my disappointment when I got to the register (after standing in line for what seemed like forever) and realized that I had picked up some foolish Cocoa Crunchies. Really though Kroger? You almost got over on me. But I was not to be fooled. I went back to find the real cereal and took a picture of the foolishness. Grocery stores should stop playing. Don't prey on my emotions by putting the right next to the real thing with a lower price tag!

Look at them, trying to blend in with the real cereal.

Maybe it was a sign that I didn't need any Cocoa Puffs...but I bought them anyway.

Peace

Fireworks!

2008-07-05T12:36:00.004-05:00

I'm not a big fan of celebrating the 4th of July anymore. But one thing about the day will forever hold a place in my heart. I love fireworks. Something about the light and color on the dark night sky keeps me captivated.

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday however you chose to celebrate it.

Peace!

Today I Saw...

2008-06-26T23:48:00.004-05:00

...three people stranded on the side of the road.

...two people carrying gas cans along the side of the road.

...a not so cute person with an ugly attitude.

...my little sister growing up right before my eyes.

...these clouds....

...followed by this rainbow...

Peace.

Happy Juneteenth?

2008-06-19T18:40:00.002-05:00

June 19th 1865 was the day that the news of Emancipation reached Texas. While I respect the holiday for what it is, I just started to think....it was two years late. Someone in Texas died thinking that they were still in bondage when legally they were free. Juneteenth was too late for someone (someone who may have been an ancestor of mine) why should I celebrate it now? Why celebrate someone getting freedom that should have been theirs all along?

My family always gets together for this and does something special. I'd never disrespect a tradition set out by those before me but I can't help but ask why.

Peace.

Basic Green

2008-06-14T16:53:00.002-05:00

The planet is in peril and has been for some time now. So why is it that now it is so prominent and such a topic of conversation? We're hearing it on every news channel, seeing it as gas and food prices soar, that's why. It's finally hitting us where it hurts most...our wallets. Human beings are instant gratification creatures. Telling us that we have to change our ways because in 100 years, oil is going to be hard to find is not going to do much to encourage us.

Anyway, my family complains all the time that "going Green" is too much hassle. So here I have compiled a list of basic ways to "Go Green".

1. Make the switch to Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). They consume 75% less energy than regular light bulbs by wasting less energy to heat production. This will also help in keeping your home cool as CFLs produce less heat energy but more light. CFLs also last up to ten times longer than normal bulbs, lasting for around 10,000 hours as opposed to 1500 hours.

2. Unplug anything that glows. Things like cell phone and computer chargers that have little lights on them that stay on no matter what burn electricity even when they are not charging whatever items. TVs also burn electricty even when they are off. UNPLUG them and save money and energy.

3. Recycle your electronics. Visit mygreenelectronics.com to find out how or sell your old gadgets to Second Rotation. This keeps electronics out of landfills and gives others a chance to save money.

4. Fix the drips and the leaks. Dripping faucets and pipes and leaky toilets waste water unnecessarily.

5. Let your grass grow. This saves money on lawn mower gas. Beyond that, most grass thrives at 2.5 inches. The increase in surface area allows the blades to take in more sunlight, which allows the grass to grow deeper roots, which increases the surface area of the roots which increases water absorption. Long story short: you don't have to water the grass as often if you let it grow. That way, you save water and gasoline in one fell swoop.

6. Look for the Energy Star label when buying appliances. Homes with the Energy Star label use aroun thirty-percent less energy than homes that don't.

7. Do full loads of laundry and dishes.

8. Monitor your thermostat.

9. Clean/ replace your AC filters.

10. Install low-flow showerheads. We have them and I'm telling you, they are easy to install and there is no drop in quality.

More info and other tips.

Source
Source

I'll post more simple tips later.

Peace!

Nas "Be A Nigger Too"

2008-06-13T11:46:00.001-05:00

Nas's controversial song "Be A Nigger Too" and my most recent knee-jerk reaction:

This to me is a double-edged sword. I do agree that maybe he should have thought this out more especially considering that supposedly the mainstream consumers of hip hop are young white suburban kids. I appreciate what he is doing here but the fact is that there are some people who are going to take what he is saying for face value and not shock value. That's when the issue arises. After hearing the song the first time I couldn't help but think that somewhere out there, some poor misguided 12 or 13 year old yt is thinking he's a nigger now and its okay because Nas said so. After seeing the video, I can appreciate the presentation and I really hope that he gets his point across to others. Because this really can take two routes.

Seeing Sounds!

2008-06-10T23:29:00.003-05:00

After work today, I went with my very good friend to pick up our new copies of Seeing Sounds. We decided to listen together mostly because we love the same artists but normally we disagree on the best songs. Anyway, I love the album so far. Of course I will have to listen again...and again...and again to figure out which songs I absolutely love but off top a short list: "Anti matter" "Windows" "Yeah You" and "You Know What" are current favorites. I don't know why yet. Just...because lol. We'll see what he has to say.

Peace.

Stressed Out!

2008-06-07T11:13:00.003-05:00

As expected, my internship is taking over my life.

Having a little person in the house is more stressful than I thought it would be.

My little cousin calls me every hour asking me about something he heard on CNN.

All of this adds up to a perpetual headache.

Nothing works. Now I'm overly medicated and aggravated.

Not a winning combination.

Peace.

This Really Irks Me...

2008-05-31T22:02:00.002-05:00

Now, please don't get me wrong, I love animals (from a distance) and I'm all about saving the environment. But sometimes, I marvel at the amount of time, money and effort people put into animal protection, etc. Like I said, this is by no means an attack on our furry friends. But...damn. I was watching TV today and I saw this WWF ad about climate change and polar bears losing their habitats...all I could think was...how dumb is this? You're appealing to the american public...the same people who are struggling to fill their tanks and keep their homes to save some polar bears. What about the millions of americans with no health insurance? What about the homeless? I really, honestly, don't understand it. Why can't we be concerned with our fellow human beings? Because while I am sure the planet and the polar bears are in peril, I am also very sure that there are human beings in peril.

Peace

Cloudscapes

2008-05-29T19:51:00.008-05:00

We get so busy in our day-to-day lives, that we forget to look up and see exactly what is up there. And it's beautiful. Cloudscapes are so relaxing to me. There is nothing better than a pristine blue sky with sharp white clouds....anyway, just wanted to share a hobby. I started my internship. It's not a paperpushing-coffeegetting-stapleremoving "somebody's biggty bitch" job like I expected. I actually get to write stuff. Of course, I'm writing more than I thought I would be but that is nothing new. And I'm always tired as hell...I don't keep 9 to 5 hours but I have a 9 to 5 job...so typical of me. Back to the program. Cloudscapes!

Peace y'all!

Ahhhhhh!

2008-05-22T00:04:00.004-05:00

The new baby is here. He has been here since I got home. Adorable he is, but if I have to watch one more episode of Oobi, I will scream.

Peace!

Happy Birthday Malcolm X!

2008-05-19T11:58:00.000-05:00

May your legacy continue!

Peace!

Politics, Anyone?

2008-05-17T17:22:00.002-05:00

Just a short little blurb. My family is having a barbecue today and I'm sitting here watching CNN with my mother and my younger cousin. He's 13 and I've worried about him being apathetic and uninformed but he has been having a really involved conversation about the upcoming election. I just said to him, "You have been keeping up with the election. I wish you were so enthusiastic about other things." And he said, "I am enthusiastic about it because Obama's in it!"

Peace.

Nature's Wrath

2008-05-16T13:41:00.007-05:00

"Western man, in choosing centuries ago to exploit nature rather than to marry her, has doomed himself--with an industrial technology for which there is neither the wisdom nor the political mechanism to control..." Robert Motherwell

It is a question that Europeans should have asked in the 18th and 19th centuries during the inception of the Industrial Revolution, or perhaps even prior to that: what effects will our actions have on the planet in the future? Resources then may have been plentiful but they were not finite. The use of these resources with reckless abandon, progress for progress's sake, has resulted in environmental issues that are perhaps now beyond repair.

The environment is a system and as such, any interference with it should have involved extensive research and education about the possible effects on other parts of the system. For example, deforestation for the purposes of agriculture has effected the quality of water in some places, namely Ethiopia. Forget the environmental effects and let's consider the social and economic effects. Studies have shown that poverty and hunger are related to the degradation of the environment, a phenomenon that is easily seen in Haiti where deforestation has led to terrible flooding, and the destruction of important food crops. This has led to a rise in rice prices which has left the poor in the country to eat and sell dirt cookies.

For centuries, we have lived on the Earth, consuming and destroying her resources without concern for the future. Instead, we should have learned to live with the Earth and put into her as much as we have taken away. The results are that we have disrupted nature's system and forced it to react in erratic and extreme ways. There have been bush fires in Florida, May snowfall in Pennsylvania, a terrible cyclone in Myanmar and a deadly earthquake in China with a death toll of 22,000 and rising.

Dare I say the Earth is fighting back?

Here's something I wrote on 8/23/2007 that perhaps should be revisited and rewritten:

Nature's Wrath

Too many years speant
plundering and pilfering
her finite resources
without putting anything
back into her depths
have left Gaia
barren and vengeful.
Resources taken carelessly
from her belly and
burned roughly have left
Gaia hungry and choking.
Spoiled her air
to push their whips
killed her children
to bedazzle their chains,
so she mourns.
Mourning by way of tsunamis,
hurricanes, mudslides, earthquakes.
Spewing her anger
by way of volcanoes
exploding with hot lava,
she cannot be contained.
First she sent her daughter
Katrina
with a message.
We failed to listen
so now she has taken to
flooding the Midwest
with her tears,
trapping men in her bowels.
When will we listen to her cries?
When will we take heed to Nature's Wrath?

Peace!

Ripe for Change

2008-05-14T00:38:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to share an excerpt from one of my papers. This is from my paper on the cultural situation that allowed Marcus Garvey's politics to prosper in the way that it did. Enjoy!

Entering the 1920s in Harlem was a tough time for working class African Americans. During the Great Migration, African Americans began to migrate into Northern urban centers because of persecution and the lack of economic opportunities in the South. The majority of these migrants were working and lower class African Americans who moved north in hopes of finding greater economic opportunities and equal rights under the law. What they found in the North was that racial prejudices were prevalent in all regions of the United States. Labor unions were hostile and exclusionary. It was hard to find work because employers refused to hire African Americans because White workers would threaten to walk off of the job if forced to work with African Americans. And as a result of little economic progress, migrants were forced into the most desolate areas of northern cities.[i] Around this time in Harlem, there was a “stark contrast” between the living conditions of middle class African Americans and working and lower class African Americans. There, middle class African Americans thrived, taking “root on Black patronage” while the working class suffered an opposite reality; discrimination by “labor unions and employers” relegated African Americans, both males and females into personal service and domestic labor. In other words, there was “ample economic room for growth in Harlem” for middle class Harlemites while the working class faced a “different situation”. This frustration with lack of change in economic or citizenship status was harnessed and “politics became an outlet for hopes and ambitions crushed by the realities of life for working-class Harlemites”.[ii] This is the culmination of the rise of the New Negro, a Black man who is different from his parents and grandparents. This is the beginning of the aggressive Negro who fights for what is rightly his and rejects the Sambo image of docility and servility.[iii] All of these factors culminated in African Americans clamoring for change. This represents the emergence of “the Negro Problem”. In the case of these African Americans, it was an issue of being unable to fully enter American society due to their being relegated to lower class status through discrimination and prejudice. This frustration left working-class Harlemites open to and ripe for the type of change put forth in the politics of Marcus Garvey.

[i] Class Notes 2/19/2008

[ii] “Marcus Garvey,” History in Dispute, Vol. 3: American Social and Political Movements, 1900-1945: Pursuit of Progress. St. James Press p. 118

[iii] Class Notes, 2/19/2008 “The Evolution of the New Negro”

Peace!