A Facebook Pick Five A-ha Moment

You can tell a lot about a person by the following:

• Top five movies of all time
• Top five books of all-time
• Top five music albums of all-time

Try it.

Service In A Bizarro World

So one thing in life lead to another and I found myself reading The Call of Service by Robert Coles. An acquaintance recommended Giving by Bill Clinton, and I saw the Coles' book close to it.

Coles' introduction include bare-bones realizations from the server as well as the servee. In otherwords, he posits that while the server is giving, the server is also receiving and vice-versa. However, it takes some experience, or a better word may be "maturity", before this is sometimes fully realized.

Typically the paradigm (American) tends to be the affluent or/and privileged (historically White), servicing the marginalized, disadvantage, neglected, etc. (historially darker complexioned ethinic minorities).

So I had a odd thought. What if the historical receipients of service were to begin to service (on a larger scale) the affluent or more privileged? What if (for example) Sudanese refugees actually began to affect the lives of the affluent white majority with their live skills and experiences? I envisioned an organization where (for instance) lower-income inner city minority kids could spend every other Saturday with their white affluent counterparts, teaching them how to avoid paying to much for groceries or how to snag good furniture or clothing at thrift store. Dunkin-Donuts instead of Starbucks. Ha-ha. let the revolution begin.

It's Riding Season

It's Spring. This means it's time to ride for those of us who have been Winter's prisoners. To all you riders out there, keep the rubber side down.

How The Media Can Help With Solutions

Tonight President Obama held a conference to update the American people on the state of affairs on the economy. All would appear to be cruising until CNN's Ed Henry asked his question. Henry's question wasn't the problem, but rather it's intent, the energy behind it. It started off as a legitimate inquiry into the lack of an airtight contract between the government and AIG, but ended up being just another gotcha question.

This was confirmed in the follow-up on both Larry King Live, and AC360. Then the tone switched to a preoccupation with their opinion that Obama was anger at Henry's question, because it was such a great question. Even Henry expression post-mortem seem to be one of smugness. Were they lying? No. Did they exaggerate? Yes.

Now I respect Henry expertise as a pundit and as a reporter. He's no hack. I thought his question again was certainly not out of bounds. However, he blew a great opportunity to ask a question the AMERICAN PEOPLE REALLY CARED ABOUT.

Rather than ask why it took the President so long to respond with outrage post the AIG debacle, and leaving the action to New York Attorney General Cuomo; he should asked something like, "Your delay in responding with outrage to the AIG bonuses may appear to some to be because of the ineffective language in the contract, which your administration is ultimately responsible for. What are the administration's plan to correct this, and how will future contracts be designed to prevent exploitative behavior by other companies?"

Cool US City Names

I love road trips within the United States because of the highway signs with cool city names. Here are few of my favorites.

• Dumfries (VA)
  
• Mechanicsville (VA)
  
• Rising Sun (MD)
• Spotsylvania (VA)
• Yemassee (SC)
• Oine (NC)
  

Can't Wait To Get On The Road Again

I think is was the election 2008 season that helped make this winter feel shorter than usual. In any case, it's March, and that's means it's time to bring the motorcycle out of hibernation. This will be the first winter I have a motorcycle to resurrect in a long time.

Last year was the longest riding season I ever had. I rode from late April (when I purchased
the 2007 Hyosung GT650R), to the beginning of December. A few lovely riding days have already creeped up, and I've seen many riders already taking advantage of them, albeit carefully.

This year my Tourmaster riding jacket also doubled as my winter jacket. Although, I got a great deal on it, I still couldn't justify buying a both a new motorcycle jacket as well as a new winter jacket, in the same year. So, as an experiment, I decided to see how my riding jacket would fare. Full marks Tourmaster. While the three-layer system of inner lining, mid-mech jacket, and outer waterproof shell, provides a more than toasty enviroment, the armor as well as the riding cut, make it uncomfortable for driving and close-quarters sitting (e.g. on the subway). My Tourmaster boots doubled great as snowboots too. Again, with as much money one has too put down for new riding gear, it ought to be multi-purpose.

I wonder what adventures the gang and I will have this year? Which new riders (or new to us) will join our band of merry riders? Who knows. However, it is a privilege to have yet another year to discover that. Keep the rubber side down.

If You Lived Here You'd Be Home By Now

You know you're loved when you visiting folks in other parts of the country and they want you to move where they are.

Friday The 13th

The last time my birthday fell on Friday The 13th, my wallet got
stolen, and some lucky dog madoff with $500. Thank God today
isn't my birthday, and that I can laugh about it now.

The Recession Rap

It's been two months since a brotha's been laid off,
but that's okay because that's life, and sometimes
things just don't work out right.

But the funny thing is it ain't just me,
It her, and him, and one dude who's paycheck
was more than three-Gs.

This white guy and his family now live in a motel,
and the sister next to them and her husband just
got foreclosed on. She was so pissed, she
chase the trooper down their street with the
garden hose on.

My girl T said "you too", and I said "who knew,
collecting unemployment would be something
people said 'I do' to".

So now everybody screamin' 'Obama!!!', while
the GOP sez, he ain't got nothing for ya.
They used to Rove, but now they Rush, like second
shift workers who don't wanna miss the last bus.

My daughter asked "what's a stimulus check?" And I
said "Baby, we ain't there yet. America didn't
get this far by people countin' on the gov'ment to
pay their rent."

So I told my wife let's get back to Scripture, because
you got to listen to a guy who's walked on water, who
fought the devil, who rose from the dead, and even
when there was no food he got over 5000 fed.

Now with faith inside I know we'll all survive.
Because what doesn't kill you will make you strive.
So reach out to that brother, build up that sister.
When we're through it all, we'll be mo' betta.

Breakfasting

Nothing focuses the mind (not to mention the spirit) like fasting. I break today's fast at 3:00 p.m. (GMT -4), and I'm tired from the 5-hour nap I took last night. Still, I can't help but feel a certain peace and clarity as I focus my spiritual antenna on God.

George's "Curious" Past

I took my daughter to the library earlier today, and I ended up reading her the first book she pointed out: Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey. She loves her some Curious George.

We were about a third of the way through the book when I got to a page which read, after a good meal, and a good pipe... "A good pipe???" I repeated out loud, and the illustration showed Curious George sitting in a den chair, smoking a pipe. "What's the copyright on this?" I asked aloud to myself. A couple of the mothers within earshot giggled.

I turned to the copyright page and the read the original copyright was 1941. Okay. I read on, only to find out George would later go to JAIL for accidentally calling the fire department. I guess this means George doesn't have to worry about establishing his street cred(ibility) if he ever decides to go into Hip-Hop.

Breakfast Exotica

I'm the reason the house recently stores Kellogg's Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, and Cocoa Krispies. It's the economy stupid. So in my attempt to justify my choice and move it closer to a more balanced meal...I added some fruit. The result?

• 1 cup Cocoa Krispies
• 1 cup Apple Jacks
  
• 1/2 diced banana
• 6 diced strawberries

Serve with the milk of your choice.