Available in May 06 

Black History Take 2

That's what I'm talking about is about to come on again and I'm just now reporting on last weeks That's what I'm talking about. This week or last week, rather, was less organized. No one had the decency to be quiet when others were talking except Wayne Brady, who was suppose to be the moderator, and Wanda Sykes. Don't get me wrong; interruption is a good thing during a debate but there has to be some sense to it. You couldn't hear a damn thing! Spike Lee only got worked up about sports and the other Cat was talking, a lot, but about what? He said Bill Cosby was getting up in age and perhaps didn't really know what he was talking about when he made the historic "offensive" call for lower class black Americans to step up.
Al Sharpton has a lot to say, which is nothing new, but when Wanda Sykes called him out, saying she never knows what to expect when he goes out to represent us, she hopes he doesn't say something crazy, was very on the mark as well as funny because that along with the fact that Brady gave his top ten for most influential leaders in the black community and Sharpton wasn't one of them really got him warm under the collar and he got really quiet after that.
Now the other show on PBS was better. Of course, the host now was on his quest for his black roots, but found that they were able to trace his strong European roots but only found a small red dot in Africa. This made me think even more that it was his, (Skip is his name) intention to let the world know that he had a lot of European in him which again, like I said before is, and for his sake should be painfully obvious! Why should one celebrate a blood that flows through their veins because of generations of violent rape? And while his skin may be lighter and his hair may be wavier, even the darkest nappy headest brother or sister doesn't have to look to far to find white blood... It's a given. But the show was very interesting! What I found most intriguing is how they traced back African roots. They took Chris Tucker back to his actual tribe. I would love to do that and I plan to do so. That's what we should be focusing on instead of which great-great-great grandfather or grandmother was white. Who's hair is softer and skin is lighter when in reality we all are seen as niggers. The white blood that flows through our veins only seperates us among ourselves not seperates us in their eyes.
L.F Goodwyn

I'm supposed to be cleaning...

I'm supposed to be cleaning. I have walked passed the picture window ten times, at least, looking for my husband. He's bringing a deep freezer home today, some friends are going to be with him and he would like for things to be spotless. So. I've sprayed everything. ... Oh shit! I think that's them.... No it wasn't.
You see cleaning isn't my thing. I mean I'm tidy. But not clean in that sense. There may be a few papers stacked somewhere. So I work on my book from home of course. I still have to clean. Cook, take care of the dogs (we have 5, outside, but still!) listen to the children and that's hard especially when you're always in thought. Because they'll ask me something, and I'll say yes, then the younger ones'll be jumping on the bed, or my daughter will be painting her fingernails, something I forbid because she gets it on her clothes. But look here: I'm a woman on the rise, I don't have time for cleaning! I've got things to do.
So, I bought a big bottle of wine because I needed it. It's raining. And I have to clean. So that's double the reason.
On the book front I have decided to target black book stores and offer them a 60% discount if they order and pay in advance. We'll see what happens. I have about 100 stores give or take twenty, let's see if I get any bites. I'm kicking off that campaign in roughly two weeks.

On the black history front I spent 45min trying to watch the special on Bob Marley, only I couldn't understand what the hell he was saying. My husband was like: can we turn this? I can't understand what he's saying. So I said: He's speaking English. English is their native language. And he says: I don't care what their first language is, that's not English! And we both love Bob Marley, but I guess we will have to get his message through songs. I was squinting, as if that was going to help, at the TV.

Today, Oprah is having D Chapelle, that's going to be a must see. I want to know what the brother is going to say.

Okay, I'm going to end it here, mainly because I don't have anything to say. And I'm a firm believer in not talking, or writing if you don't have anything to say. I guess I was procrastinating cleaning... I'm tempted to deleat this... And I'm tipsy.... And how do you spell delet?
L.F Goodwyn

Black History Month: take 1

I waited for two weeks to see "That's what I'm talking about" on TV land. First I was like: How they gon' get Wayne Brady to host it? That's just like white people-- don't nobody like or want to look at Wayne Brady! But they don't know the difference between Wayne Brady and Common. But to my surprise Wayne Brady did a good job. He touched on some good topics and he didn't sound as corny as he usually does. Diane Carol was on the show and made only a few points, but Harry Belafonte (is that spelled right) really raised some important questions. Together Belafonte and Carol, not necessarily attacked the hip hop community, but presented an understandable point of view. The writer cat, and I can't remember his name either, looked like a store bought fool, defending the hip-hop community, probably because: while he is black and of this generation and was asked to represent it, he can't. Doesn't have a clue where the pain lies. But, and I think he writes for a hip-hop Mag, he's interviewed enough hip-hoppers, to be considered an "expert" on the subject. But if you put him in a room without his pad and paper, with the very group he was sent to represent, he would probably slip into the sections of the nearest sofa. He tried though, and successfully brought relevant and strong points to other parts of the conversation. Over all the show held my attention and I will tune in next Wed.

There was something on PBS that was interesting also. It profiled Oprah, Chris Tucker, T.D Jakes and some others. It was very interesting but was irritating because the entire second hour was dedicated to, and I can't think of his name but he was the narrator or host, looking for his white blood-- DURRING BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
My attitude is: Who cares.
If we were 100% African, we would look like Africans. Our blood is as tainted as theirs, white Americans, who resemble but don't mirror their European counterparts either. So he went out looking for this particular family that it was rumored he was related to. Turned out that he wasn't related to them, but some other white man, he said, which was obvious. Then I thought if he did find the white family that he was "related to" would they then gather around the welcome table? I would imagine for the sake of the show and possibly common courtesy they would. But after the cameras were no longer rolling, after the day had come and gone, after they look in the mirror and he looks in the mirror, then what? Would they put him on the mailing list for their next family reunion? (which is a funny question because, no doubt, he would definitely... or any black person, would put their white counterparts on the mailing list. One because that's the way we are, and two because deep down it's exciting to be related to a white person.

These are my opinions for today. And for those of you who don't know or haven't realized... I'm very opinionated. I will write several entries this month and talk about what I've watched or read. I will also be telling stories about my childhood.
LF Goodwyn