Florida-Georgia Weekend: Wet and Wild

Well, as most people in the free world know (especially those from the south) this week Jacksonville hosts the annual Florida Georgia weekend. This is the time when the football teams of University of Florida and the University of Georgia square off for bragging rights and all night parties. The game always happens around Halloween every year and the local Fair comes to town. But the antics that happen around the Florida Georgia weekend are something to behold.

The game and the parties are always known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party! I think it should aptly be renamed, THE WORLDS LARGEST GATHERING OF DRUNK REDNECKS WHO ARE WILLING TO HOLD CONVERSATONS WITH ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN AND WANT TO GET NECKED AND WET AT A MOMENTS NOTICE!

I have a love-hate relationship with the game. Number one I enjoy football but the city goes into gridlock every year. Number two people can be fun except for the fact that open container laws are suspended for outdoor activities during Florida-Georgia weekend and this rarely happens when schools like Florida A&M University, Southern University or Bethune Cookman College come to town. Quite often I believe that it is a double standard. But again, the antics are truly off the chain.



So against my better judgment one of my partners, INFINITI, called and told me he was going out that night and I should tag along. I thought about it and decided my Thursday night was pretty clear so I went and I'm still laughing today.

First we ended up at downtown spots - Mark’s, TSI, and The Dive Bar. These were supposedly the hot spots and a lot of the Florida and Georgia fans were already there and drunk. Again, with no open container laws in place for the weekend, they were all outside having a ball. That's where the interesting night started.

Mark’s was supposed to be an upscale joint and for the most part it was. I guess you could call it a watering hole for the high class and the want to be high-class. The DJ wasn’t the best but he wasn’t bad either. Anybody who can mix David Bowie's Let's Dance with Will Smith's Get Jiggy Wit It deserves some kind of praise!

Now those of us who have friends that are Caucasian know that once they get a beer or heaven forbid some liquor in them, things become a whole new territory. I met a guy there named Christian. This guy was interesting and I will have you know that he spent 30 minutes trying to apologize to me for slavery! At one point, I thought he was going to cry and offer to be my slave! He went on to tell me about all the black friends that he'd had during his life and he even wrote his number down and began giving it to black people in the club saying, “Call me let's hang out sometimes, I'm cool”. Had I not been there witnessing this with my own two eyes I wouldn’t have believed one word of a story like this. Even as I left, trying to get away from the apologetic white man, he continued to apologize for the perils of slavery. I thought unless you are going to give me back pay right now – get the heck on!

So I go down the block to this joint called TSI. It was pretty cool except it was very dark inside and the night was called Hip-Hop Hell. Now I don't know about you but I'm not one to tempt fate, so I really didn't want to go to any place called "anything- hell". Once I got inside I saw a couple of rappers that I knew. It was pretty cool. I even bought a CD from DJ Therapy (he’s mad on the wheels of steel). I can't wait to check it out. But it was so dark inside and there were these spinning red lights on the wall. Ominous, huh? So I decided however to stay for moment and all of a sudden as I turned to my right, there was a white guy sitting there with locks, yes dreadlocks! But that wasn’t the interesting part. His face was completely deformed and melded into a weird shape. It was obvious there was some kind of cleft palate issue but at that exact moment when I turned to him it looked like a demon was staring back at me! Mind you the place had hell in the title – needless to say DADDY WAS OUT! Yep no offense but I was out.

Finally, I ended up at the Jacksonville Landing. It's a mall on the riverfront where people hang out and all of the Florida Georgia fans congregate during the weekend. In usual form, everyone there was drunk. Not just regular drunk, NO staggering piss drunk!

Club Paris, which is in the venue, had a Halloween party. Truthfully I don't know what the white girls are drinking in these days but there were some that were fine as all get out. (I still love my
sistahs tho!) All of there costumes were seriously skimpy and of course breast flashing was the activity of the night. But I digress.

Now in the center of the landing there is a fountain that spouts water about 10 feet in the air. Well, something told one of the Georgia girls to go jump in the fountain and get completely wet. Now far be it from me to tell her to stop because she was making a fool out of herself. In the end the joke was on me. I pulled out my phone to take a picture of her in the fountain, she saw me smiled started screaming loudly and came over to me and before I could move she gave me the biggest hug. she could muster. Her wetness was all over me. I wasn't completely drenched but my entire ensemble was ruined because of this frolicking, friendly, country nymph! I laughed and even had a few other conversations but it was a done deal for me.


The night ended with a tirade from a drunk that I luckily got on tape. Thank goodness for the video camera phones. He was crazy as they come.

Now don't get me wrong, I love to have a good time but that was overkill. I'm having a party tonight at the Leopard Lounge and hosting another one on Sunday at the Ocean Club. If the Florida-Georgia fans show up, I know I'm in for something crazy. The one thing I do know however, is that there is no water spout there, so hopefully things will be okay.

I’m off.

*To new slave boy* - “Now come boy, carry these packages”!

Al Washington - Remembering A Great Man

Daddy
a poem for Al Washington

(written after seeing Tim Burton's Big Fish)

Daddy, you was an enigma
wrapped in a riddle at the crux of a lie
So for you I cry.

You were my should and my couldn’t, my never would be and all that I was
Looking toward you for the answers,
The truth came wrapped in gold upon a bed of silk
Societal expectation had retrained my mind to seek much less.
I love that which I knew and longed for that which I knew not

You was my baba
Your lessons began in a story and ended in the truth
A truth that I was often too young to understand, and even now I find myself pondering your words for revelation
There was some of me in you and some of you in me,
I ran from the me that I was destined to be.

Without reservation . . . I loved you still

Those who you love, I loved too not knowing why
And the secrets that you held close were the mysteries of your untold generosity and the extent of your unconditional love.

I loved you for being with me
I hated your for leaving me way too soon
You were way too young
And though you are not here, you watch me still
Your stories make me laugh, still –
You live, still – within me, through your stories, by your tales
My Daddy,
My Angel –
MY TRUTH!

Maddona and Malawi: Trapped in Transition

So the story is out, Madonna plans to go on Oprah tomorrow to talk about the baby that she adopted from Malawi. Why is everyone all up in arms about Madonna adopting David Banda?

I understand what many people are saying about the fact that Madonna has money and therefore privilege and was able to side step the system but she's helping a young boy in need. In fact, according to her she has been on this quest privately for more than a year. Madonna helped the country of Malawi by building hospitals and orphanages and has vowed to be a benefactor to this impoverished nation. She has put her money where her mouth is.

Why does everyone want her to take the child back? Back to poverty, sickness and very little education. Like Anjolina Jolie, Madonna has promised to ensure that the baby knows of his Malawian roots. She has vowed to take him back to the country and hopes to be even more beneficent to the people there. She even sat with his father Yohane during the adoption court procedures.

Nevertheless, people from all over the world are speaking out and saying that she shouldn't have taken this boy from his surroundings.

I look at the possibility and the opportunities that exist. In doing research, I discovered that this boy's two other brothers both died of malaria his mother also died leaving his widowed father to fin for the family alone. The father not knowing anything else put the baby in an orphanage and though he visited him frequently he knew that a better life existed if the child was adopted. In fact, the father even tried to get other relatives in Zambia and neighboring villages to take the boy but no one was interested. Now, that an international superstar has stepped in to help – everyone has something to say.

Young David will be well-educated about his country and the ways of the west, he will be cared for as Madonna's own son and optimistically he will go back as an educated son of Malawi to help that country realize its full potential. More than an adoption this is opportunity.

This is somewhat personal for me, because one of my goals is to adopt a child from an African nation, as my own. This charge on my life was prompted by an article I read in Essence magazine. The article told of one young girl who at age 12 was taking care all of her younger brothers and sisters because her entire family had been wiped out by HIV-AIDS. Here in America, if something tragic happens to a child’s family, there are a great deal of services and programs to help that child into maturity. These things don't exist in Africa. I wonder if when I'm financially and emotionally ready to adopt a child whether I will go to the same struggles as Madonna.

I hope that when Madonna goes on the Oprah Winfrey Show, people see her as a caring loving woman who wants to give love to the world. Even the boy's father was initially accepting of his son going to the west. Now these so-called human rights groups have poisoned the father into questioning his decision.

It's not so bad that this child has a chance to transcend his surroundings and truly be a citizen of the world. If no one else is stepping up to the plate then get out of the way and allow this boy to experience his destiny.

A Few Days Away, More Lessons Learned

It has been a few days since I've had the chance to blog. So thanks for all the love to everyone who sent e-mails and gave phone calls wondering where the heck I was!

The last few days have been pretty cool. Nothing really major -- just the usual. But you know life for me has never been usual!

I had an audition this week that went pretty well. While I was at the production facility, I had a chance to hang out with the receptionist which was an interesting situation. Quite often, I meet people we begin to talk and it is as if we have known each other forever. She was telling me about some of the things that she had experienced as far as love was concerned in the past year or so. The key thing that she said, was that only when she decided to let go and just allow her life to evolve, did she really experience true love and a fulfillment in life. I think that's a lesson for all of us. We often forget that “it is all” predestined. So do what you must but don’t sweat it.

Since I had been on the road for bit and was extremely busy, I had not had time to go get a hair cut. I used to cut my hair myself, especially when I did the bald thing. But right now, a trip to the barbershop was extremely necessary. As usual, my boy FRESHCUTZ always makes sure that the hair is on point. Unfortunately, my barbershop is located in a major shopping mall. Now the good thing about this is – that you can go put your name on the list and go to the mall to shop! The bad thing about this is – you can go put your name on the list and go to the mall to shop! The receptionist calls you when you are up. Needless to say, I had to hit up the mall for a few post summer sales.

I wish that more people could see the finer points of ensemble coordination. Just because something is on a mannequin does not mean that you need to wear it all together – at the same time! Old Navy can be hot when mixed with couture. Open your mind and use some style. But we’ll get to an etiquette and style blog later.

Anyway, FRESHCUTZ called me on the cell and I made my way back to the shop. While I was getting my cut, a dude came in with a mohawk. Now it's hard to explain this mohawk and I tried to secretly take a picture of this mess but couldn't. He had on some TOO TIGHT Capri Jeans, a pair of Chuck’s and a shirt that came just above his navel and looked painted on. Need I say more! FRESHCUTZ of course cannot control himself and is snorting and laughing like he is about to bust a gasket. Now the dude’s mohawk was as knotty as yak mane. So FRESHCUTZ whispers, “Damn what the hell is that, a FRO-HAWK?”! I did my laughing got my fresh cut and was out. The barbershop is always an experience.

After picking up a few more things I didn’t need (mostly gifts), I hopped by Starbucks for a Decaf Grande Extra Hot Soy Cappuccino. When I walked in I was stopped by a young cutie. She was with other friends but quizzed me about my phone. This Dolce Gabbana Razr gets me more play than I know what to do with but I am not complaining. Then in walks these two high school chicks in 70’s hippie gear -- complete with wigs and all! Of course I had to take a pic! Do I remember those high school days? Damn, it was sooooo long ago.

The day was close to ending but one of my boys had just moved to the state was having a house warming and I promised to get by. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to get and give gifts. I think that it is important to give not just any gifts but gifts that are thoughtful, intelligent and unique. Sometimes the stuff I give can be off the hook. This monstrosity that I put together featuring raffia, a wicker basket wineglasses and a great bottle of White Zen was one of my best. When I delivered the gift, I was planning only to stay a few moments. Being more than fashionably late, when I arrived - the party was over. Well my man and his crew wanted to hit the clubs. Since he didn’t know the area very well, I was asked to be the “entertainment host” of the night. I obliged.

As usual, the club scene was what it was – THE CLUB SCENE. I am really over that part of my life even though I still can throw a tight soirée! During the night, a few phone numbers came my way but truly they held no interest for me.

Interestingly enough though I met a beautiful young lady from Long Island and our conversation melded from social issues to politics to living in Los Angeles. Most New Yorkers are really cosmopolitan and her conversation proved that point. In fact, she made my night! In modern trend, we exchanged email addresses and vowed to keep in contact.

I suppose that I'm getting older, I mean the club was fun and don't get me wrong I can still mess them up on the dance floor but social interaction and meaningful conversations hold much more for me than who can “make that thang hop”. It was a good night and even though I reminisced fondly upon my every week club hopping days, I am glad that they are over or at least are few and far between.

The ME THAT I WAS – was awesome.
The ME THAT I AM –Reigns supreme. I look forward to – THE ME THAT I WILL BECOME!

Denny's Is Bad - But The Day Was Good

Okay, yesterday was one of those I got a blog about it days. It was truly unexpectedly eventful!

One of the good things about living in Florida is the fact that usually the weather stays around 80 or so degrees. Yesterday was no exception. I know that all of my friends in the Northeast and Midwest are hatin right about now but my doors in Florida are always open to you. Tank tops and flip-flops! You know how we do.

Nevertheless, yesterday was pretty dreary and it rained a lot so once I finished some of the administrative stuff that I had to do I decided to treat myself to breakfast at Denny's. So since it was raining cats and dogs, of course I had to walk into the coldest Denny's on earth. I swear the thermostat that must've been set at 40 and I was seated right in front of a vent. So I sat there and I sat there and I sat there and I sat there some more. In total I sat there at this restaurant for 45 minutes and still no one came over to offer me a piece of ice. I was livid!

What was even more surprising is that even on my worst days, I do stay pretty well put together. Today was no exception. However other white patrons that were grungy looking were served and even offered beverages prior to me even being questioned. So I left and called the manager of the Denny's who happen to be African-American. All that she said was, “I'm sorry, what can I do, let me check on that”. Now being that I am a former elected office holder in my city and don't like to see people disrespected in any way, I had half a mind to go back inside and open up a major can of whip-ass and pull out my best Jesse Jackson meets Al Sharpton. But keeping with better judgment I decided to keep it rolling and resolved to write a letter later.

Since I hadn't eaten I was somewhat cranky so I decided to go to one of those buffets to get some fresh veggies and a salad. Now this usually isn't my speed but it was cool because I knew one of the waiters that worked there. He was from Haiti so it gave me a chance to work on my Creole while having a pretty healthy lunch.

Of course I really wasn't in the mood for conversation, but while I was there I got a phone call from my agent. I had booked a commercial that I had yet to be paid for and she was telling me that I was going to get paid well below the fee that I usually receive. Now I have worked hard to get to the point where I am in my career so I expect to be paid for what I do. I had to make sure that my agent understood that. So again, I was forced to again regulate.

After then call, a brother who was having lunch there as well came by my table.
“Excuse me”, he said. “I don’t mean to be rude but you look familiar and I heard you say something about acting on your phone call”. Of course, I was a little shocked at first. What’s up with checking out my call? But he seemed mad cool and just had a few questions about the industry. So he joined me, I gave him some pointers and finished my lunch with great conversation.


Truthfully, I had no reason to be at that restaurant yesterday but it goes back to my belief and mantra – “I am where I am supposed to be”. I had a healthy meal, I was able to give some information to someone who really needed it. Someone who will probably use that information to become successful. Yesterday was one of those days, strangely productive and enlightening.

Sammie Lee Davis - One Grand Man

I recently went to the funeral of a relative and it was one of the most amazing events that I've ever attended. I'd never thought I would see the day I was happy to attend a funeral but I was.

My uncle Sammy Lee Davis, L.F.D. was really not my uncle, he was my grandfather's first cousin but he has always been close to the family. At 90 years old he was one of the oldest living members of the family but he was still the grand man that he has always been. Since the age of 14, he had been involved in the funeral industry. As a matter of fact he was one of the top embalmers in Florida. He was truly a legend. Although his formal education was in Mortuary Science, he was also one of the finest musicians in the state. Many soloists requested his skills even though he never had a formal day of musical training.

As a kid I remember going to Uncle Sammy Lee's house was always fun because he was a great cook and was just cool to be around (for an old guy). He had five kids and was married for too many years to count to his wife Inez (she passed on in 2002). Even though I was just a little child he was really good to me. What is most prolific about him was the fact that he loved to dress. Anytime that he stepped out of his house, he was coordinated from head to toe. Hats, socks shoes and all were always tight!

He had recently moved back to Jacksonville after living with one of his children in Palm Beach. I was happy that he was back here it would give me a chance to see him when I was in town. So the day after he moved into his new senior care facility, I was there. We hung out and talked for hours. You would think at 90 years old and this guy might forget some things but he had a better memory than me. In fact I called several older relatives on my cell so that he could speak with them and he spoke to them reminiscing about old times and talking about getting together again.

Little did I know, less than a week later he'd be gone.

I really wasn't sad when I was told that he had passed away, because I knew he lived a full life. And I knew just having seen him, how happy he really was. But the funeral was classic Uncle Sammy!

The services were pretty normal lasting only about an hour. But afterwards was when the pomp and circumstance began. Waiting outside of the church was a glass carriage with velvet draped upon the windows. The carriage was drawn by two coal black stallions. This was how he was to be transported to his final resting place! The cortège traveled behind the stallions and the coffin for more than 20 miles to an exclusive cemetery near downtown. On the trip many onlookers even came outside their homes to look and see what was going on. Truly it was a procession to behold and just like him, it was -- GRAND!

When we arrived at the cemetery, he was gingerly transported to a mausoleum then in a beautiful ceremony befitting a head of state the entombment procedures began. In a final salute, two white doves were presented to the family. Each family member was asked to whisper something to the dove as a final good-bye to Uncle Sammie. The doves were then thrown into the air and they circled in a choreographed dance. At the same time a shout was given from footman of the carriage. The coachman who stood erect in the center of the carriage and the horses took off galloping away in full speed as the carriage driver tipped his hat in the final salute. With that the birds flew straight up into the air and disappeared from sight.

Just as he lived his life, Uncle Sammy made death an event. His funeral was full of laughter, great stories and people reminiscing about a great and loving man. He died softly in his sleep and that was befitting for him. He went out like he lived . . . with style!

Def Comedy Jam - Keepin' Em Laughin

It has come back to life. Def Comedy Jam has returned to the airwaves (a few weeks ago).

Back in 1992, no one ever thought that a revolution was about to come to television. Saturday Night Live was in control for comedy even though quite often the show wasn’t even funny. Still Lorne Michaels had the audiences tuning in every Saturday Night to laugh. But Russell Simmons was an innovator. He had an idea and a vision. He pulled in friends like Stan Lathan and Def Comedy Jam was born.

Who would've thought that televising some of the raunchiest, boldest and up-and-coming comedians would really be one of the shows that put HBO Original Programming on the map? But Simmons knew and his formula was a success.

I remember at 14 or 15 years old sneaking up in the middle of the night to creep into the den so I could turn on HBO and see Def Comedy Jam. Like most of us, I wasn't supposed to be watching the show. But, I knew that if I didn't watch everyone at school would know what was going on and I wouldn't. So it was a must. I guess my parents know now! It was the forbidden thing to do but it always kept me in stitches, even though sometimes I had no idea what the comedians were talking about.

This show launched the careers of some of the great ones. I remember a story that was told by Bernie Mac. You remember his catchphrase that took the country by storm, "I ain't scared of you mother fu#$#&(^*". That tirade really wasn’t planned. It came about because someone in the crowd was heckling the comedians and had booed someone off the stage. Mac refused to be booed and made history!

Since we (African-Americans) arrived in this country, we have had to use laughter to keep from crying. Whether it was the fact that we were underrepresented in government or that our children were disproportionately murdered. Maybe that we were used for government experiments or couldn't get a decent job after fighting along with White Soldiers in wars – laughter was the best medicine. From Pearl Bailey and Moms Mabley to Adele Givens and Sommore the tradition continues.

I was happy to see that Russell Simmons brought Def Comedy Jam back after such a long hiatus. Maybe for me the luster is gone since I can legally watch it and not worry if my parents will get up and catch me. Aries Spears is funny as is Arnaz J. and the rest of the crew but Mike Epps will never be Martin Lawrence and Chris Tucker's antics can never be repeated. I appreciate Def Comedy Jam and the impact it has made on American life. And even though the comedians have made me laugh, the new Def Comedy Jam ain’t what it was.

Nevertheless, we have to thank Russell Simmons for continuing to push the envelope and reminding us that sometimes to get by -- we just gotta laugh!

Looking for the King of Scotland

Okay so here is, I have a love hate relationship with my city. I spent most of the day looking forward to going to the movies tonight. I worked out at the gym, ate right and made sure that everything was on point so that I could go check out a movie.

When I went to fandango.com to buy my tickets, it (my movie) wasn’t there.

So I had to ask myself, was it my city or was it the movie? I wanted to see was The Last King of Scotland, about Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin starring Forest Whitaker. I'm hearing that this movie is already getting some Oscar buzz so I was really looking forward to putting my two cents in. We'll obviously that didn't work out.

That's why I spend so much time on the road. I like to be able to bask in culture at all levels. Sometimes living here makes me think I am not in the real world. But then again I love this place it's a place away from the rat race that is the “real-world”. I guess because I'm a Gemini the dichotomy of a place like Jacksonville is attractive to me.

Since I had planned to go to the movies tonight, I'm not quite sure what I'll do yet. Maybe The Grudge 2? Maybe Jackass 2? I know I want to see Man of the Year but I wasn't planning on seeing it tonight. By the way is it just me or does Robin Williams really need some Prozac – but I digress.

Even though for me last night was one of those "I need a Mary J. Blige song" days, today has been pretty uneventful. You know what I might just have to settle for old trusty Law & Order. It's always there when you need it.

Lil' Kim Is Off The Chain Gangsta

When I speak of Lil’ Kim you probably think I’m talking about recently released Hip-Hop hottie and self proclaimed Queen B but she is tame compared to Kim Jong Il, the Premier of North Korea.

At 5’3, he is arguably one of the shortest leaders in the world. It's reported that he wears platform shoes to make him seem taller. Maybe that has something to do with the reason that he feels the need to show his might by testing nuclear weapons.

Korea, a communist country, is one of the poorest and most impoverished nations on the earth. Quite often citizens lie dying in the street with no food or potable water but the Premier is known to regularly have fresh lobster flown in to him. He constantly lives in luxury while his people suffer.

When I woke up the other morning watching CNN and discovered that Kim Jong Il had tested a nuclear weapon I was horrified. In a manner of speaking, it almost spells the beginning of the end of world peace as we know it.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with nations defending themselves and making sure that their capabilities are up to par. However a race to arms is one of the things that pulled the world into the last two world wars. Even if the North Korean government could develop an advanced nuclear weapon, their long range missile capabilities are limited and it would not reach the United States before was destroyed. So why provoke the world?

In the words of Malcolm X., "it seems almost as if the chickens have come home to roost". Our government has spent countless resources and a great deal of time in Iraq searching for weapons of mass destruction. To this day there have been no weapons of mass destruction found or evidence of any nuclear capabilities in Iraq. The invasion of Iraq was supposed to prevent an international incident. Now because of paying close attention to one threat and not enough attention to another, the problem of a rogue state having a nuclear arsenal is a real threat.

Even more disturbing is the fact that North Korea could sell these capabilities to other states that really should not have this type of technology. That is the major problem.

Even on a more basic level what irks me is the fact that soon after the nuclear test several earthquakes were felt off the coast of Korea. Do you not think underground nuclear testing had something to do with the seismic activity?

Even further still, quite often I feel as though there’s a double standard when it comes to the United States reaction to issues in different countries. I mean look at Iraq. The United States went in to rid that the country of a dictator and establish democracy. Yet right now the entire region is in chaos and Iraq itself is involved in Civil War. In the case of North Korea we not only have a dictator and an impoverished country but also evidence of nuclear capability. However because of the fear of China we won’t do anything but impose sanctions on this country that could push the world into World War III.

The solution to this problem is to ensure that China stop supporting North Korea at all costs. North Korea must be prevented from selling this technology to terrorist organizations. These types of issues can prove disastrous for the world unless it is immediatley brought to a halt.

This is only round one of a saga that will play out over months and months. It is almost sad that the new Secretary-General of the United Nations will have to start his tenure with this kind of cloud hanging over his head.

It’s all because a small man, in a small country is having delusions of grandeur. I’ll say it again, Lil’ Kim is off the chain!

Monica - The Makings of Me

She is back and back with a vengeance. Monica returns after a hiatus with a smooth effort that is not getting a great deal of love but it is truly full of surprises. It’s been three years since she has recorded a studio album but her life experiences have made her sound all the richer.

It’s hard to believe that this sexy siren has been in the music business for fifteen years. She was discovered by Dallas Austin who put her in front of Clive Davis and the rest was history.

In the last few years, she endured the suicide of her fiancé, becoming a mother and dealing with the disorder Micro-valve Prolapse (a condition which occurs when the mitral heart valve swells and does not close properly, letting blood return into the left atrium).

Nevertheless, through all of that she comes through with The Makings of Me. This is her best and definitely most “grown up” release to date.

This album featured super producers Jermaine Dupri and Missy Elliott and a few other hot producers. One of the tightest tracks on the LP is Dozen Roses (The Makings of You). This Missy produced track contains a sample of the Curtis Mayfield song the Makings of You. This track is a fresh look at the past and gives a smooth spin to love.

Being from Atlanta, she had to put some “crunk” on her album and she does it with the first release Every Time the Beat Drop featuring Dem Franchise Boys. It is the going to the club gotta get right track of the season.

Monica says that this is her most personal LP to date.

“I was able to share my journal and poems with some of the producers on this project and they made this happen for me”, she said in a recent interview.

Her favorite track on this album is called Sideline Ho. The track, she admits will probably not be a single due to the extreme lyrics, talks about the other woman in a relationship.

“People who have been in relationships and have gone through these things understand the pain that this causes in a relationship. The record was about me being in a relationship years ago and somebody just disrespected to the fullest”, said Monica.

Monica’s Makings of Me is a must have for any music lovers collection. She has truly grown into her self and her vocal prowess and mature lyrics prove it. She seems to have a calm otherworldly serenity about her and this means that Monica is only just starting to reveal her unlimited potential.

Mark Foley: What Was He Thinking/Time for Change

By now the news has been reported and re-reported about Mark Foley.

But seriously, what the hell was he thinking.

I live in Florida and have been pretty involved in political circles around the state. And the fact that Mark Foley was gay was pretty much common knowledge. It came up the last time that he was preparing to run for the U.S. Senate and it didn’t really seem to bother many people. I know that seems like a shock for many since he is a Republican but the rule was “we won’t ask and you don’t tell”. So it was under wraps, until it was revealed that he liked to talk dirty to little boys.

First, I am appalled that Foley got his rocks off conversing with and looking at pictures of young boys. I think that most people could care less who he slept with or if he came out but it is the fact that he had sexual conversations with a child that is the issue.

When I taught Middle and High School English (in another life), for me it was an honor to be there helping to develop young minds. I can tell you for sure that I have been flirted with and “tried” more than once by students. You know how forward some students can be these days. Usually their advances ended up earning them a trip with me to the Dean’s Office. I didn’t take them there to get them into major trouble but just to protect us both and show them the severity of their actions. But even more important than that, there is NOTHING A MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CAN DO FOR ME! Sexually, emotionally and intellectually they are still zygotes. They are learning and discovering their bodies and brains. For an adult, an authority figure to take advantage of that innocence is sick.

Second, he [Foley] has now come out as being gay, revealed that his clergyman molested him as a young child and said he is an alcoholic but said that none of this is an excuse for his actions. So why did he reveal it? The answer is simple, he wanted his alcohol abuse and the homosexuality and the molestation to make reason out of insanity. That however, is impossible.

I understand that he never actually had “sexual contact” with these young pages but in a fit of irony he is the one that proposed legislation to prosecute sexual predators on the internet. Even though the blow is supposed to be softened by the fact that he never had relations with the kids it doesn’t make his acts any less dastardly.

Finally, the leadership of the House and the Justice Department should be ashamed at the fact that this issue has only started to be investigated fully. Reports state that questions were raised about Foley’s improper relationships with Pages as early as 2004. Even the advocacy group that turned over the email sent it in several months ago. What was happening during that time? Even though Republican leaders in Congress knew about the emails and IM’s they urged him to run for re-election in 2004. Not because they were solidly behind him but to keep a safe Republican Congressional seat safe. Who knows what else this investigation could reveal but it could have all been avoided had someone followed through on solidly investigating these allegations. Even though people are saying that Dennis Hastert should step down; lest we forget that Tom Delay was The Majority Leader during that time. Do you think that had any reason for this thing staying quiet for so long? Hummmm?

I am sure that if we searched a little deeper there will be more that is revealed but the sad thing is the fallout for victims of abuse, recovering alcoholics and homosexuals. Although the former Representative said that these things had nothing to do with his actions, the timing of his announcement will direct people to infer a connection.

It’s just emails and IM’s (that we know of) so I am confident that there was minimum psychological damage to the pages. They are who are most important.

And I must digress just a bit. President Clinton was impeached for not revealing specifics about sexual relations with a consenting adult. Former Representative Foley, is in rehab (we assume) and no charges of any type have been filed.

Ahh, the issue gets more transparent by the moment. And you thought you that really knew who stood for family values. Only a few weeks will tell if all of America has gotten the message that it is time for a change.