Partition

Bathroom, put up a PARTITION, please.  :) :) :) :)

Funny Girl

MAYSOON ZAYID

Social media has done it again!  It has introduced me to someone who appears to be FUNNY, WITTY, LOVING, KIND and HELLA COMPASSIONATE!

Her name is, MAYSOON ZAYID.

MAYSOON is of Palestinian descent and is a terrific comic!  Two months ago she delivered a PHENOMENAL TED Talk.  It's that talk that I've embedded below.  Simply BRILLIANT!  At the talk's conclusion, I literally stood up and gave her a standing ovation!  In my BEDROOM!  

MAYSOON made a point that I've never considered.  She said that if a wheelchair user can't play Beyoncé in a film, why should Beyoncé be able to play  one of them?  Makes complete sense.  I love how truly listening to someone can enlighten our thinking.

What a CLASS ACT!!!!  I hope to hear TONS more from her in the days, months, years to come!

Walk On

Believe I'll WALK ON and see what the end's gon' be.

Pure Beauty

The MOST BEAUTIFUL MALE I've EVER seen!!!!!!!!!!

EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All Hail The KING & QUEEN

RuPaul

Since the '90s, I've derived a great deal of entertainment from RuPaul Charles.  I've been watching RuPaul's Drag Race since Season Two.  I'll never forget being at CHER's house in Malibu on Christmas Day several years ago, and telling him how he dissed me back in NYC when he tried to sell me a t-shirt for $10 but I would only pay $5.00!  Of course, he didn't recall that!  But I did!

RuPaul has been quite an inspiration to all the little boys and big boys who see themselves in his artistry.  I've dressed up in drag just once, when I had a small role in the verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry NO-budget film, GLAM TRASH!  Oh, how I wish I had a still photo of what I looked like in that film, but alas, I don't.

Whether "woman" or man, I hope RuPaul continues doin' his thing 'til he's outta HAIR, HEELS and ATTITUDE!!!!!  :)

Living Room

This living room is EVERYTHING to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"If the world ends, I hope I'm in my living room with good friends.  

So, raise your glasses."

Diet

Besides DISCIPLINE, I can think of ANOTHER way to refrain from overeating at home.

Haaaaaaaa!

70 Years And Counting!

DIANA ROSS

Today marks the SEVENTH decade this ol' gal has graced the world with her INCREDIBLE PRESENCE!!!!

I have adored her music and style for more than THREE decades my dang self!

MISS ROSS, Happy 70th Birthday, my dear!!!!!!!

I hope and pray you're having the time of your LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Ain't no mountain high enough.

Ain't no valley low enough.

Ain't no river wide enough

To keep me from you!"

No! No! No! No! No!

I don't MISS snow!

I don't wanna WALK in snow!

I don't wanna PLAY in snow!

I want snow NOWHERE near me!

But, dang, it sure makes for PRETTY SCENERY!!!!!  

Lesson Of Time

So, let it be WRITTEN.

So, let it be DONE!!!!

Divine

I received a voicemail today from a friend.  An old friend.

The voicemail stated that he has forgiven me for not having been a good friend in the past.  The long ago and the not-so-distant past.

I'm happy for him.  And I'm happy for me.  Because holding on to that kind of resentment isn't good for a body.  Nor a SPIRIT.

So, according to him, our friendship slate has been wiped clean.  We are free to begin anew.  Well, as "anew" as humanly possible.

My beloved late mother, MISS JUANITA, always used to say:

"To err is human.  To blame SOMEONE ELSE is MORE human."

Well, I'm not blaming anyone for anything.  I'm simply thrilled our friendship is beginning anew.

AMEN.

No More!

I have to admit that sometimes, when people ask my age, I hesitate before I tell it.  And, to be 100% honest, I have sometimes outright lied.  You know, shaved off a year or two.  But WHY?  I'll tell you why.  Because a part of me feels a little self-conscious about being my age.  And that's CRAZY!  Absolutely CRAZY!

NO MORE regrets about divulging my true age!!!!  'Cause being here on this planet is a COLOSSAL PRIVILEGE that's universally denied to MANY!

Expect The Unexpected

On my mother's birthday, March 17th, one of my cousins passed away.  He thought he was experiencing an asthma attack and went to the hospital.  Turns out he was having a heart attack, instead, and wound up dying.  He was 52 years old.

Unless we take our own lives, we never know when The Grim Reaper will be making an appearance.  And, truth be told, I don't wanna know!  I wanna do at least ONE thing each day that brings me JOY.  Something that makes me feel good about being ALIVE.  That could mean breaking bread with a friend or family member, watching a tv show or film, watching a live performance by a singer I like, a host of different activities.  The main thing, though, is that the activity bring me JOY.

I hope and pray wherever my cousin's soul now resides, it's resting PEACEFULLY.  'Cause if he didn't experience enough peace on earth, I sure hope he is doing so now in HEAVEN.

I pray for everyone and everything.

Amen.   

PREACH!!!

From SOMEBODY's MOUTH to GOD's EARS!!!!!!!!!

YESSSSSSSS!

I BELIEVE in MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

No Truer Words...

No truer words have ever been spoken!

I sure wish someone had taught this concept to me when I was 10 YEARS OLD!

However, my present life's circumstances COMPEL me to believe that...

So, this ol' dude is WORKIN' toward REINVENTION!!!!!!!

The Fosters

I've been seeing a number of people talk about a new show on ABC FAMILY called, THE FOSTERS.  It's executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, and tells the story of a lesbian couple who takes in foster children.  I haven't yet watched a full episode, but tonight I'm going to the Writers Guild of America building to watch a screening of the show and to hear a Q&A afterward.  My good pal, Mr. Gregor Manns will be accompanying me!  Should be fun!

82 Reasons To Love

On this day in 1932 one of the most amazing women I've ever known was brought into this world.  Fast-forward 53 years from that date and The Universe saw fit to return her to The Great Beyond.

Mama, I miss you.  And for as long as I have breath, I hope and pray I'll ALWAYS remember how much I love you.  And how much you loved me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mama!!!!!!

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Today was my volunteer gig at the assisted-living residence for the elderly.  And, truth be told, it was GLORIOUS from the moment I walked into the place until the moment I walked out.

It's my time spent with the Alzheimer's residents that moved me most today.  I spent most of it simply taking two of the residents, RICHARD and...damn, I can't remember the female's name...well, anyway, I simply grabbed them by the hand and walked them around the residence a HUNDRED times or more!  Okay, so maybe not a hundred times, but quite a few times.  As we walked, I hummed.  They always respond well to music.  The woman actually hummed with me.  And sometimes spoke as if she was singing lyrics.  I truly, truly loved this exchange today.  I love how the residents just take my hand the moment I extend it to them.  Doesn't matter if they're sitting in their wheelchairs, on a sofa or walking.  The moment I extend my hand, they grab it.  I'm a tactile person from birth, so holding their hands as I walk with them or while I'm talking to them is instinctive to me.

None of us know what the future holds in regard to our mental state, so, let it be known that I HOPE and PRAY that I ALWAYS have my "right frame of mind."  Or...if I don't...I can afford to live in an assisted-living residence where there's at least ONE volunteer who will HAPPILY hold my hand. 

I'm On YOUR Side

I want all my FAMILY, FRIENDS and EVERYBODY ELSE on this planet to know that...

Thank You For Understanding

All my life I have lived in my own little world.  When I was a youngster, my mother would sometimes tell me, "Come down and join us in the real world."  Hmph!  I never really liked the "real" world, per se, because people sure didn't seem very kind to each other there.  Interestingly enough, though, when I write, I like to write about real people.  And some of those people aren't the kindest.  But usually, they're unkind to THEMSELVES.  Not so much toward other people.  I tell you, perhaps all my writing is geared toward exposing the fact that most people don't love themselves.  Every day I'm blessed to be on this planet is another opportunity for me to work toward achieving that goal for myself.  Wholly.  I'm much closer to attaining that goal than 99% of the folks I know.  At least, that's what I think anyway.

I AM what I AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for understanding!

My LIGHT

I HOPE and PRAY that people are attracted to me for the light that's IN me...

NOT the light that's ON me!

A Love Story

Today, I stumbled across the video featured below.  It's the story about a beautiful Great Dane named, HONEY, and an adorable cat named, LEMON.  The video chronicles their lives together from puppy/kitten to adulthood.  Oh, how it has brought me such JOY!!!!

WHEREVER these beautiful animals' spirits reside today, I wish them well!!!!!

Every GOOD life needs a lil' LEMON & HONEY in it!!!!!!

Food Poetry

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways...

The Chase Is On

The other day, in Colorado, police chased a carjacker who took them on one hell of an adventure!  He carjacked two or three vehicles before slamming into another car, then hightailing it on foot until his capture!  What I took away from the whole ordeal is to ALWAYS have my doors locked!!!!!

SEEIN' is BELIEVIN'!!!!!!!

Ooh, You Make Me LIVE!

You're my BEST FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

)

Puddle Me This

This world would be soooo much more LOVING a place to live if people would find their own PUDDLE to jump around in!!!!!

I HOPE and PRAY that, one day, everybody does just that!

Gratitude Monday

When the rest of the world complains about MONDAYS, all I've gotta say is: 

"THANK YOU, GOD, for allowing me to SEE Monday!"

THIS week is gonna ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dirty Dirty Laundry

HELL YES!!!!!!!!

I'm considering it right NOW!

UGH!

Father & Son

Since I'm soooo into writing short film scripts these days, I like to go to YouTube and check out other short films.  Actually, I was doing this long before I started writing these scripts.

Anyway, today I stumbled across one of the most tender and touching short films I've seen in ages.  It clocks in at a little over four minutes.  Just goes to show that one can tell a story in just a few moments when there's a story there to tell.  I LOVE it!  I'll have to come up with a short film script involving the elderly, too!

GOTCHA!!!

Yep!  It GOT me!!!!  LOL!

Brotherly Love, Part Deux

Within the next four hours, I'll be breaking bread with my younger brother.  And, you know what?  I'm LOOKIN' FORWARD to it!!!!!!!  He's only here in town for two nights and last night was night #1.  He's on a plane and outta here first thing tomorrow morning!

We love to eat.  Well, at least I do!  Hope he springs for a cocktail or two 'cause he's richer than I am and can pick up the tab!  Good for him!!!  Lol!

And GREAT for ME that he's MY BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Online Critters

LOUIS ALLEN III

Whew!  I was happy to get model, LOUIS ALLEN III, featured on Sandra Rose's blog, but geez, a few of the annoyingly feisty folks who comment on her posts directed their usual venom at YOURS TRULY!  Ouch!!!!  Lol!

A Winter's Tale

No, I don't miss living in a snow-filled town.  Nope, not one bit.

But, man, first snowfalls are BREATHTAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I dreaming??????

Model Man: LOUIS ALLEN III

LOUIS ALLEN III

Today, ESSENCE Online dropped a new "Eye Candy" feature, and it features Newark, NJ native, LOUIS ALLEN III.

Truth be told, the young man (35) is a STUNNER!  Unlike many of the hairless models usually seen strutting across runways and plastered inside print publications, Louis is a man WITH HAIR!  LOTS of hair!  And, I, for one, think the hair makes him look like a MAN.  Not a 13-year-old BOY!

Essence Facebook readers are eating him up, 'cause at this very moment, he has 24,696 LIKES, 5,092 SHARES and 1,854 COMMENTS.  Not baaaad!

By week's end, we'll see where he stands with the readers!!  I predict he'll do incredibly well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONNECT with LOUIS on Instagram and Facebook!