Uber Friendly

Nick

This would ONLY happen to ME!

En route to The Abbey earlier tonight, I stopped at a traffic light.  I made eye contact with a young man who was standing on the sidewalk, glancing at his phone.  The way he peered into the car I just KNEW he thought I was an Uber driver. And sure enough, he walked right up to the car and reached for the door.

As a rule, I keep my doors locked while driving, so, after giving him a quick once-over, I thought, 'what the hell', and unlocked the doors.

The kid jumped into the back seat, and I asked, "Are you waiting for an Uber?" 

He said, "Yes."

I told him, "Well, I'm not an Uber, but what the hell, I'll drive you where you wanna go."

He said, "What? Are you for real?"

 I said, "Yep!"

He told me he wanted to go to Park LaBrea.  I said, "Okay," then we proceeded to talk our butts off.  He's a 25-year-old nurse from Michigan who now works at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

And, I'm happy to say, he's also my new FB friend!

I tell ya, I know folks will tell me it's dangerous to pick up "strangers."  Well, I'll tell those folks: a.) I have never met a stranger.  b.) With all the gruesome murders deaths caused by spouses, is it dangerous to get married, too?

The really interesting aspect of this story is that the guy's Uber driver told him he'd be driving a brand new, black Chevy Malibu.  Well, that's PRECISELY the car I'm driving, so I understand why the fella thought I was his Uber.

He offered me money.

I declined.

We both agreed that this experience was The Universe's way of telling him to pay it forward!!!!!

I sure hope he listened!

The Chick-fil-A Hollywood Tour

The Chick-fil-A in Hollywood is where all tourists should set up camp, 'cause, I swear, damn near every time I go I see a star or twelve.

Yesterday, I was there and saw American Crime's Trevor Jackson walking across the parking lot.  I recognized him immediately and seized the moment to tell him how much I enjoy his performance on the show.  He thanked me, then told me if I really like the show, I should tell it to the show's creator, John Ridley.  He then pointed to a snazzy car in the drive-through line and said, "There he is."

Of course, John had gotten his food and was pulling off, so I did what any adorable adoring fan would do: I yelled out his name!!!!

He stopped his car right then and there.  I scurried over to it and proceeded to tell him everything I think of the show.  Then I reached my hand through his passenger side window, right past the passenger, and shook his hand!  Why not?

On another occasion at the restaurant, I sat in my car at the drive-through right next to Laurence Fishburne.

And on yet another occasion, I sat at a table right next to Jaden Smith!

Forget wasting money on those expensive let's drive past a celebrity's house you can't see because it's behind big gates Hollywood bus tours!!

Chick-fil-A is where to go for star gazing!!!!!!

Dinner For One

Tonight I went to Costco and bought my meal staples for the week: rotisserie chicken and kale.  Their price for a fully cooked whole chicken can't be beaten.

Over the course of the week I'll toss in some sweet potatoes and broccoli, too, but for the most part, I'm only eating chicken and kale!

I wanna stay lean and mean like a sex machine!

Haaaa!

How?

As I sit here, thinking about my life, the one prevailing question I ask is...

How did I manage to find myself professionally unfulfilled?

How did I manage to live in a dwelling I should have vacated long ago?

How did I manage to allow perennial solitude to replace romance?

How did I manage to write goals, not accomplish them, yet still profess feeling fine?

How did I manage to graduate from Wabash College and never embrace financial prosperity?

How DO I manage to acknowledge all the above and STILL feel hopeful?

Because I'm STILL HERE!!!!

And for that reason, I know I CAN...

Forty & Fabulous!

This past Saturday I attended the surprise birthday party for one of the kindest, young ladies I've ever met: STACEY!

She was surprised and I was surprised!  My surprise stemmed from the fact that my boy, Tyshawn, actually PLANNED and EXECUTED the dang party by HIMSELF!  I mean, the "King of Self-Involvement" actually went all out on behalf of someone else!!  The times they are a-changin'!

Everybody in attendance had a BLAST!

I wish nothing but the absolute best for Stacey!  She is one of the reasons I believe in ANGELS!!!!!

HAPPY 40th, young lady!

You don't look a day over 25!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Cake I would've baked for her if I knew how! :)

Pretty As A Snowfall Picture

Lenox Ave in Harlem, New York City

Although I want absolutely NO parts of it, I've GOTTA admit that late-night snowfall sure makes for one helluva beautiful setting!

The ESPY Awards

Being bumped up to a Principal role in George Clooney's latest Nespresso commercial has lit a fire in me to revisit my dream of yesteryear: acting.

So, I went out and got the uber-talented BRANDON ESPY to photograph me.  Yes, that would be the same Brandon I cast in my short film, "1st Grade Picture."

Brandon shot me in front of a building.  Only natural lighting.  I'm actually standing in front of a wall.  A plain ol' wall!  But the man works his magic and makes the photo look like I'm in a studio.  I tell ya, great photography is really somethin'!!!!

We'll see what 2016 brings.  Yep, we'll see what we see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Gift

I am sooooooo THANKFUL for the GIFT of SIGHT!!!!!!!

They're simply the cutest and fluffiest creatures on earth???!!!!!!!  ;)

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Folks, PLEASE STOP WHINING about NO BLACK NOMINATIONS at the Oscars!!!!!!

It's all rather SIMPLE to me.

The Academy Awards were created in the '20s to celebrate those whom they celebrate.

The NAACP Image Awards were created to celebrate those whom THEY celebrate. Those celebrated at The NAACP Image Awards should simply learn to herald THAT which was created to celebrate THEM and leave "the others" TO "the others."

BLACK and BROWN folks DON'T need to be VALIDATED by "the others!"

You don't see PORSCHE upset that TOYOTA doesn't sell their cars on the Toyota lot.  They simply CREATED a Porsche lot!

The ONLY reason The NAACP Image Awards isn't as PRESTIGIOUS to black people as The Academy Awards, is because BLACK people don't think it matters until "the others" tell them it does.

We DO NOT need "the others" to validate us.  That's OUR job!

And to help everybody remember that, simply say to yourself OVER and OVER again...

Back To Life, Back To Reality

$1.5 Billion just slipped right through my hands.  I bought (6) tickets, and of those tickets, I matched only ONE number!!!

Heck, if that one number was the Powerball number, I would have won a little somethin'.  But it wasn't even that number!!

Oh, well, I'll try again Saturday!

'Cause, if at first you don't succeed, try and try again!!!!!!!!!

Lost & Found

"I was in a very busy supermarket, and I said to this young lady, 'I can't find my wife, can I talk to you for a few minutes?'

She said, "Sure you can, but how will that help?"

I said, "I'll bet you anything she'll appear out of nowhere."

Haaaaaa!  :) :) :) :)

A LaCrosse To Bear

Last week, I drove what is now my favorite car: Buick LaCrosse.  I love the look of it.  The drive of it.  The luxuriousness of it.  I simply like everything about it.

Well, now I see Buick is toying with the idea of releasing a model called, Avista, and boy, oh boy, is it HOT!!!!

After I win tomorrow's Powerball Lottery, I'll have to decide which of these models I like more!!!!  Haaaa!

Powerball Frenzy

In a few hours, the Powerball Lottery will select it's winning numbers.

The jackpot is the largest in U.S. lottery history:

$900, 000, 000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right: NINE-HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS!!!!

WOW!!!!!!

Usually, I only play one ticket, 'cause all you need is one ticket to win.

Well, tonight, I decided to "splurge!"

So, um, I bought FOUR tickets!!!  Haaa!

Man, winning that jackpot would change EVERYTHING for a brotha!!!

Oops, let me be more specific: winning the jackpot would change everything FOR THE BETTER for a brotha!  :)

I'm winning SOMETHING substantial tonight!!!

That's my story FAITH, and I'm stickin' to it!!!

Now, what will be, will be!

UPDATE: Well, the numbers have been drawn and I lost miserably DIDN'T match enough of 'em to even win a single DOLLAR!  So, that means I'll be buying a few more tickets for NEXT week's drawing.  Jackpot: over a BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!

The Gift Of Rain

Over the past two days, Los Angeles has been blessed with rain, rain, rain!

I know some folks have hated every droplet, but this ol' boy LOVED it!  In fact, I hope it rains more this week.  This state needs it desperately.

I have to admit, though, that L.A. has some of the worst drainage I've ever seen!

During heavy rainstorms, streets and driveways are transformed into rivers!

I've pretty much remained in the house during these rainy days.  And I've loved every single moment!

Oh, I sure hope the residents on the street featured in the video below were able to retrieve their garbage cans!  Wow!

I Am Marvelous

I am MARVELOUS.

The Gods wait to delight in ME!

Subtle Beauty

Subtle beauty can be found EVERYWHERE.

Even in a Cesarean section scar,

And a wrinkled baby.

Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!!!

Carrie Fisher Grows Older And That's A Blessed Thing

I haven't seen this latest STAR WARS film, but I've seen folks on social media ravaging Carrie Fisher's looks.

Because she's so damn clever, she has put the Negative Nancys in their proper place!

BRAVO to her!

The wise man (and woman) knows that growing older AIN'T a RIGHT!

It's a BLESSING!!!

And not everybody RECEIVES it!

Natalie Cole, R.I.P. (1950-2015)

Yesterday, the music industry lost a true TALENT!

May her soul now rest in peace.

From now on, from now on, yeah, from now on, yeah, from now on!!!!!!!

The New Year Has Arrived - 2016

Ready or not...

It's HERE!!!

2016 is HERE!

The New Year has begun and this ol' boy is headin' to the park to walk up a mountain!

Why, you ask?

'Cause I feel like a MILLION BUCKS every time I get to the TOP!

Yes, I'm THANKFUL to see the beginning of another year!

Of another DAY!

I feel deep down in my bones that 2016 is gonna end with me experiencing some professional and personal HIGHS!!!

Yep, that's what I believe!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and ALL!!!!!!!