Edumacation

I've ALWAYS admired teachers. Even before my mother was a teacher, I felt like teachers were the shit. Don't work any nights or weekends, vacations like crazy (alllllllllllll summer), and you get to hang out with cool kids like myself for 7 or 8 hours a day. I never pursued a career in teaching until 2 years ago when I went back to school. The more insight I got from teachers about teaching and the more I learned about the education system I was turned away from that profession; actually I was disgusted. My early childhood education was not exactly the same as my neighborhood friends I grew up with. I went to the local elementary school, but being that I was in a "gifted" program I was often in classes with children from different races and cultures. That in itself was culture-shock for me, and my school was like 7 blocks from my home. Hearing an Asian kid with a Brooklyn accent and sounding like me was bananas, especially since he liked playing basketball and trading cards. Being that the program I was in was for "gifted" chiildren, the cirriculum was actually helpful. I learned things the kids in my grade had no access to via school, even the trips we went on were different or exclusive. So when I reflect and RE-evaluate my schooling, the school system was grooming us to be the people in society who succeed and be in charge. The way we learned was different, the skills they equipped us with we different, the way they prepared us for the next level was different. The playing field was not fair and those peers of mine in regular classrooms were already behind the power-curve and haven't even step a foot into the real world yet. I now see this on a larger scale where the gifted program has become somewhat extinct and there is now the gifted or priviledged district. Gifted or priviledge school in a pool of schools destined to fail because of the lack of impetus to make sure those children are getting a fair shake at life. I sit back and get upset about shit like that to the point that I don't want to be a teacher, I want to open my own damn school. Then I sit back just a little bit further and realize, somebody has to cook the fries at McDonalds for this capitalist society to thrive. We need uneducated people for this world to function, unfortunately... I'm 100% NOT condoning this practice, but I need some help from You guys. I need ideas on how we can combat these issues and save Our babies. Peace!

Bad versus Evil

I've come to realize in this pessimistic society we live in that the lesser of two evils is always the winner. We see this present daily in our politics. As a NYC resident I've seen an emperor declare he was the best choice to run the city for an illegal third term although the public voted against it. Not only did We let it rock (should've burned down money-makin' Manhattan), but We actually voted him in for another fucking 4 years. Wow, suckers aint even the word... Oh and dont think it's only NYC fulla suckers, we voted in a President (Obama) for a second term simply because the other guy is what we've been told to hate by our celebrity counterparts in this country. We're always being pushed this message of 'never settle' yet the moment when we're faced with such a decision We fold, We settle. When is the public going to come together and realize that it's okay to NOT choose one of these two or three or one hundred horrible choices. Let's CREATE a better choice. Why can't We, yes all 7 BILLION of Us, come up with solutions which benefit our interests instead of settling for a dictatorship? How can the minority speak for the majority? In what scenario does that work, especially if it is being proven that it's failing DAILY? Yo, We came up with all types of shit mankind, We can't come up with a better concept than picking the lesser of two evils? If not, then We deserve exactly what We get. Peace!

Worthlessness

How can you deem something to be of lesser or no value using a system that does not benefit that thing you're evaluating? If I weighed a 50 dollar bill and a 50 cent coin, the coin would weigh more than the bill. Does that mean the coin is worth more? Humans tend to use human standards when evaluating something's worth such as animals and plants. Fine, an animal may not be able to build a cellphone or find multiple uses for the word "chair," but does that make them unintelligent or worthless? Read a comment online that really disturbed me... It was a picture of a cow being lifted by some sort of heavy machinery in a slaughterhouse. The photo was shared on so that one would feel empathy for the cow. Now I myself just recently started back eating (red) meat. The reasons are a whole nother blog post so I wont get into it here, but I understood the message of the photo and could definitely relate. A person who obviously didn't get the message being broadcasted says the following crazy ass comment: "cows cant talk or build houses, plus if they had the chance they would eat us." Cows eat grass yo...

See that kind of mentality, that ethnocentric attitude humans have about every other living thing in the world is exactly why the world is facing the environmental problems it is today. In New Jersey they have an annual bear hunt to keep the bears from wandering off into the residential areas. The bears were there first, not your condos... The residential areas are where-the-fuck-ever the bears see fit they can live. If anything, us puny humans should admire these "wild" animals who can survive the elements without a swanky overpriced apartment, internet, and cable TV. What would you do if you had to find your food everyday, instead of going to Trader Joes every once in a while? Creating supermarkets and restaurants are a very clever and convenient idea, but they do not make you civil. Especially when you delve into the restaurant business and see the millions of dollars worth of food thrown away nightly in America as opposed to feeding the starving homeless people wandering these roads paved of gold out chea... Back to the point though, animals, plants, and fish DO matter. NO, that "good" book was wrong, all these animals, plants, and fish are not here to serve you or for you to consume/deplete. We have a thing called an ECO-SYSTEM asshole.

The problem doesn't start nor stop with our assessment of animals, plants, and fish. We have this value system when it comes to other cultures amongst our fellow humans. I also refer back to this example, but to think the Native Americans sold Manhattan for some magic beans and 6 cents is absurd. Their concept of land and "ownership" is not one of the European viewpoint. The land is for EVERYONE to use, but be fruitful and do not diminish. Appreciate the land, for you cannot survive a day on this planet without it. The concept behind consuming and abusing land is quite arbitrary, idiotic even. Why exactly would I cut down trees which produces oxygen (which I need to breathe) to the point where there is a shortage? Why wouldn't I (not in a religious sense) praise that tree for giving me this very oxygen, providing fruits I need to keep my body strong, providing shade for those who lack melanin, providing shelter from the unbearable elements sometimes? Instead, we cut down trees to build luxury homes for those who already have homes. We'll cut down 50 trees, build a home, then plant 2 trees for decoration in front of the home. I do not see the logic in that... What's even crazier is that those who do see the logic in that find it somewhat primitive to value those trees and will dismiss that persons whole culture as pretty much being quite savage. Savage to the point where they do not matter and they'll exterminate those people, literally.

I challenge you all to find value in something or someone you was taught to actually be worthless, then RE-evaluate the source of information which told you that thing had no value. Peace!

Frankly Speaking

What do you think my brain is made for, is it just a container for the mind?
This great gray matter
What do you think my eyes are made for, are they just decorations for the blind?
These soft shades matter
What do you think my ears are made for, are they just for muffling the sounds?
These soundwaves matter
What do you think my feet are made for, are they just to remind me of the ground?
These MJs matter
What do you think my mouth is made for, is it just to hide those pearly whites?
These loud Js matter
What do you think my hands are made for, are they just to work and fight?
These long days matter
What do you think this tough heart was made for, just to push me through the grind?
Those hardened ways matter
What do you think these chromosomes were made for, just to say I got mine?
Daddy-daughter days matter
What do you think this know-how, wit, and gut feeling provide?
These fathers matter
What do you think this nuture, love, and common sense align?
These mothers matter
What do you think this village, community, and People invite?
Sisters & Brothers
What do you think is wanted by these enemies of you and I?
When nothing matters
That soft pink matters.

#Catfish

SO unless you've been living under a fucking rock and do not indulge in social networking, you've heard of this new show on MTV (music television that plays no music videos) "Catfish." It's a show about people who are in online relationships, who seek out the help of some cornball named Nev (not to be confused with my boy Nev) because they want to meet up with their online girlfriend or boyfriend. Now it seems to me that they only take the cases on the show when they suspect something is wrong or someone is lying and not being truthful about who they really are. With each episode of the show the shit gets crazier. Last night was fucking overkill and just plain old ridiculous as shit. I wont get into the episode too heavy, but let's just  some people are very confused about their sexuality. I have no beef with the show because I honestly do think it is genuine. My gripe is with society, like what the fuck is going on in America that nobody wants to be themselves? This country has a self-esteem issue that nobody wants to address. We reward beauty in this country with a license to kill, what the fucki is a beauty queen? What the fuck is a super model? Why is there a Miss America representing the people in this country and We don't get a say-so on who she gets to be? This country has been telling it's citizens who aren't 6ft2 112lb White women they're UGLY. That shit has been driven into our heads so much that people would rather hide behind a computer and pretend to be someone else just to have some sort of relationship with another human being. To find someone else unattractive isn't shallow and you reserve the right to date who you deem up to your standards physically, so I don't even give a shit when the people on the show meet up and one person isn't satisfied with the other's appearance. I especially don't mind when the motherfucker was lying about who the fuck they were. People change and their appearance may seem a little different; weight gain or loss, you know common shit like that. I ain't even mad at that... I'm mad that in 2013 people aren't comfortable in their own fucking skin. Like wow... I'm not knocking computer love, but it's 2013 get ya fucking Skype on or facetime or some shit. Way too many technologicaladvances in this day and age to be getting duped by fake transgendered lesbians and shit... Aight y'all be safe, Peace!

Knock Knock It's We Again

Hi my name is Damien and I too am poor
I mean I'm rich in spirit, family, knowledge, drive but my pockets do not rival the average law-maker in this nation We dwell in
Yes, We dwell in...
We dont make noise, We do not disturb the "peace," We just sit around and spectate
We're spectators of our own lives
We let men and women We give power to, dictate the lives We live and We choose the lesser of two evils
We let the minority control the thoughts and actions of the majority
We let them pit us against one another
We let them diss us and blame our Brothers
We let them discuss and claim we've never been better, but then they dismiss us and play in sunny weather
We got to be buggin'
I mean We got to be something other than a punching bag
Enough's been had, well by me
Duped us for way too long, shit's not going well by me anymore
Plenty more fools for you to play with
Who don't wanna say shit, but they aint none of the people I came with
Knock knock, We up

C.R.E.A.M.

I love revisiting historical events I learned about as a child, now as an adult. The his-story books we were taught as being gospel played a big role in shaping my perspective of America, it's citizens, it's victims, and other societies/civilization in this world I was not alive to witness or partake in. Sometimes it's by me just doing my own investigations of such events and re-evaluating the situation or sometimes it's as easy as someone enlightening me of the truth or new facts never before known. Shit, sometimes it's as the government coming out and apologizing or admitting to some fuckery and people'll overlook the matter and dismiss these atrocities because it did not happen to them personally; it was something that happened to people who are no longer here or relevent to their own personal existance. How fucking wack is that? Why is noone upset about history being altered with ulterior motives, hidden agendas? Why do we dismiss objectively thinking about the reasons why something would be hideen, information "lost?" Why do we categorize people with the ability to analyze a situation differently a conspiracy theorist or just plain bat-shit crazy? Oh I get it... When people start paying attention to the truth, that's when you start fucking up the money and we all know
Conspiracies Rule Everything Around Me, cream get the money... Shalom!

Happy Birthday Doctor King

This year marks the 50th annniversary of Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech. For those of you who've only known him as the complacent negro who wanted to kumbaya get along with Whites in America, check out some of his speeches towards the end of his life besides his most famous one where he speaks on the Black Power Movement. History>His-Story, Peace!
http://youtu.be/Ua3mGKcHouk

The Chief Rocka

SOOOOOO in an interview with a British reporter the savage Quentin Tarantino proclaimed that the slaughter of the Native American Indian was an issue that has basically been put to bed, handled. I find that interesting being that we have popular sports teams in this country with names like the REDSKINS and the BLACKHAWKS. We even have a caricature of a mascot for a baseball team conveniently named the Cleveland INDIANS. We made their culture into our pop-culture and didn't even think twice about it. We've turned a derogatory term like REDSKIN into one of the most popular football teams in American history. Could you imagine Alabama having an NBA team by the name of the Tuscaloosa Fighting NIGGERS? How about the Beaufort, S.C. COONS for a professional hockey team? I swear there needs to be a serious discussion about race in this country because people are fucking oblivious to the offensive and insensitive shit going on in our everyday lives which mock people and their culture. If you think I'm full of shit, tell me the last time you thanked a tree for air? Nevermind, keep littering and shit... Check your ingredients B, PEACE!

Dont Trust Them New Niggers Over There

As I sit here blasting "Time Has Come Today" by the Chambers Brothers I can't help but think about the Civil Rights Movement and the Watts/D.C. riots. Yo when Black people were upset about something in this country, we'd destory shit. Not to say I'm trying to incite violence, I'm saying sometimes people only get the message when you burn down their fucking property, steal their merchandise, and beat them the fuck up. Seldomly does one mention the riot in Detroit Blacks were gunned down by law enforcement. All these acts of violence (commited by both parties) has shaped African-American culture. The more powerful the African-American community became with their voice, message, and rioting the stronger the retaliation from the U.S. government. Eventually they felt like they were wasting their bullets (they needed those shits to gun down foreign niggers) and just put some crack and heroin in our hallways of the low-income housing facilities they were experimenting on us with by stacking us on top of one another 15 stories high, hence the "projects." Mix that with a little bit of NON-opportunistic situations, poor education, self-hate, violence, sex, and poor dieting you have a recipe for disaster. I see this, I can identify this practice, we see it everyday. Nobody outside of the race of people this type of assault was aimed at had a problem with it for over 50 years. Nobody gave a shit about Compton, Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago or any major cities with impoverished neighborhoods consisting of mostly Black citizens. Even Dr. King cared about EVERYBODY poor, but you know they gunned him the fuck down. Poor Whites were fine with being poor because at least they were White and felt like that was a leg up on Black people. Think I'm talking shit, go find me a poor White Democrat voting for their best interests and I'll find you the fucking Tea Party. So now we're in 2013, African-Americans have been conditioned to weather these conditions they've been groomed to accept and we as a people have survived. We're not nearly as strong as we should be as a People, but with all the shit thrown at us it's not a miracle we still exist. The best of the best out here, and now you got these new niggers who aren't built to withstand these man-made elements such as poor healthcare, poor education, poor living conditions, lack of monetary funds, etc... These new niggers now want to protest, and sleep in parks, and complain about shit My people have been enduring for really centuries in this corporation of a country and NOW it's a problem? What's worse is these African-Americans having compassion for these new niggers, must have something to do with somebody's Jesus. More distractions for African-Americans to keep them from tasks which would progress them as a people, now they're concerned with a people who are struggling NOW and want you to identify with them so we can fight one fight. We did that already, remember the 1960s? Remember the Womens Rights Movement? Remember Dr. King? They left us in the fucking dust once they got their shit together and now they're back looking for our help; like some hired African mercenaries fighting in a war which will never benefit them. Yall us be all fucked up, now you fucked up and need us to help you bail you out again, and here we go falling for it again. Pay attention to whom/what matters in this country Black people, lets get Our shit together. Hotep.

Weapons of Mind Destruction

One of the deadliest and poisonous weapons ever used on a mankind was/is His-Story. When you rewrite or erase a people from the history books, they're accustomed and subjected to whatever those in control see fit. If I want to convince you that you're a savage, I'll tell your people for generations that they're savages, write them into the history books as savages, and even when the TRUTH comes to light I will reinforce those savage stereotypes by depicting you and your people as savages via new and improved avenues. Does this sound far-fetched? Does this sound like a tactic of mental warfare? Are you a victim of these practices? I know I am, a recovering one. Not a victim in a sense that I was lost or confused about the history of My ancestors or people, but a victim in a sense that My history was hidden from me; another tactical movement. We as human beings must arm ourselves. Me as a Black/African/African-American man I have no choice but to arm myself, because these tactics are directly aimed towards me and my existance. I can no longer allow myself to be a victim. I can no longer indulge in a lifestyle which keeps me ignorant to the truth. I can no longer entertain His-Story. I must write/right my own story, our story, History. Peace!

You're So Vain...

So POW had like a fucking epiphany last night while watching a popular television show (a guilty pleasure I wont speak on), and in one segment there was a woman modeling. Not like modeling on a runway, she was participating in a photoshoot for a magazine. I'm not like googly-eyed and shit watching this woman, my demeanor was more like "why the fuck is this woman famous?" I'm not a hater, I just don't understand how in the manger of White baby Jesus could we as a society give someone props for being attractive with or without the help of photoshop? Why are we rewarding beauty? BEAUTY? Like, we're giving people props for being attractive? When has someone being attractive done ANYTHING positive in the history of ANYTHING, EVER? What the fuck is a SUPER MODEL? What percentage of the world is considered model material? How the fuck do you market looking like a model to someone who isn't a model, and the people who're being marketed to actually consuming whatever is being marketed to them? It took me like 5 minutes to write that sentence because that shit doesn't make ANY sense. I used to think self-hate had some exclusivity when it came to image (Black people), but damn that shit is an international multicultural disease of a concept. I wont even elaborate, I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence reading this blog... Peace!

My Prescription

This mad mad world we live in has prescribed us a very harmful drug called "truth." Yeah quotation marks fam, hear me out though. See what we want to believe as truth has become a drug, something detrimental to our health yet we'll prescribe to it as long as it (co-)pays in the long run; or what we think is the long run. It's sort of like a crutch, something to help us along life. We're too weak as a race of Humans to live without excuses and security nets so we prance along the galaxy like we own the place holier than thou, because we have doctrine to excuse our behavior; "truth." That "truth" comes in many forms, but every single one of them are lies. The biggest "truth" will establish the hugest lie, and for that alone these words I spit (without an arm I spit) will fall upon deaf ears. An exercise in futility I'm willing to endure. You say it long enough someone old enough is bound to hear it right? Right? Riiiiiiiight... Let go of those "truths" and embrace those "lies" sometimes. Indians didn't sell Manhattan for 6 cents, beans, or were too dumb to understand the deal. You cannot sell nor own land. Apply that concept to everything you know or reject everything I spit, without an arm. Peace!

Either do it or don't!

To all those screaming, yelling, posting, tweeting, im'ing, blogging, and lying "New Year, New Me", blow it out your ass, no seriously.

I've never been one for resolutions, either I do or I don't. Some things in life are just that simple. But it's kinda sad and bit disturbing that a date on a calendar, even if it is the 1st date, is such a "factor" in soooo many ppl doing the things that they need to do/shoulda been doing. Starting on 1/1 of any year, for whatever reason, doesn't make ANYTHING easier EXCEPT remembering the day you started. And if all you need is for the calendar to start over to be/feel motivated, you have bigger issues. 

Moving on...

I wonder what the Mayans are doing, cuz I'm still here and for the last few weeks or so I've been reflecting, on 2012 ofcourse, but life, mine in particular, as a whole. I love when I'm able to sit back and recount moments/events that I never thought possible to forget or get over, and realize that not only am I past it, I'm damn near healed.  And I use the word healed loosely, so there's no confusion.

This isn't healing by divine intervention or repentance for my sins, this is self-healing. This is choosing to look at oneself, in the face, and decide to either live in the past, present or future. The latter two being my personal choices. And yes, some things are unforgettable, this I/we know. Hurricanes, Mass Shootings, (in 2011 alone I lost 7 loved ones all under 40 yrs old-worst year of my life! so far...), but I'm not talking about forgetting, 'cuz I will never forget. I'm talking about healing.  Living with it AND through it.  Acknowledging the issue/problem/loss, accepting it and the lack of or amount of control you had over the outcome, and finding a place to put it so that it doesn't interfere with everything else you got going and will need to do with what remains of your life.

There's a buncha "woe is me'rs" running round crying and boo-hooing and looking for, we'll call it attention, because they don't like it when you call it pity. All they ever get from me is a side eye. YOU get YOUR life together. YOU. Back up off me with all that help me, you got it good, I wish I could shit. "Ain't nobody got time for that - in my Tamar voice, wait...wtf is Tamar?" YOU can help yourself, DIY, or at the very least, give someone a reason to want to assist-keyword. And because you're just straight lazy, ain't a reason! Not in my book.

I'm a strong woman, definitely part of my purpose in life. I say this because in my life as well as in love, I'm ALWAYS presented with situations that a lot aren't strong enough to go through with help much less alone. I'm tested, tried, and challenged, but what separates me from others is my dedication to the solution. I have but so much time to dwell on the issue itself, especially if it's one that I can't fix or do anything about. So my energy goes into "where do we go from here/how can we fix it/ what can we do mode. Those thoughts alone are already moving me forward, which is the only direction for me.

I used to say since I've been outta college, the years have simply been flying by. But they were always fast, I just wasn't paying attention until I graduated and the 1st of the month started coming around quicker and quicker. And since I don't know when (even though a gypsy told me at 72) or where I'm going to kick my bucket, I live in and for THE NOW. I do whatever I need to do, any day of the week, without the motivation of others, and because I want to. I don't wait for the winter to get my "summer body" ready, basic bitches. It's always summer body time, I travel year round. And I could care less about anyone's personal opinions (keyword=personal, kept it to yourself) and I envy no one.  As the saying goes "What you eat, don't  make me shit" and it def don't pay my rent, Go that way... 

And I'm not being mean, just straight forward and to the point, which is something else I have an issue with but I will save that for another post on another day. I'm gonna call it "Talk Arounders - Save me the schpeel and get to the point - if there is one". 

~Ms. Mega

Random:

Who started rapping in February of 2012??

Just signed a $2 million deal with Def Jam?

And has the #1 song in the club, right now???

wait for it.............

Trinidad James (Nicca nicca nicca)

Fucking disgusting!

Shout it out 2013

Shout out to the European concept of time, had uggins scared to death. Peace to the late Mayan people who never said the world was ending. Shout out to all people who felt like the world was ending and ain't pay no bills in the month of December and are now homeless, cellphoneless, jobless, carless, etc... Shout out to those who did think the world was going to end and still paid all of their bills. Shout out to "new year, new me" uggins who've been talking that hot shit for like 5 to 6 years B. Shout out to Planet Fitness, Ballys, L.A. Fitness, and all the gyms in America getting this GUAP from all these sucker MCs talking about they tryna get in shape for the summer and wont be in the gym after Valentines Day. Shout out all the people who got engaged on New Years Eve & Day, mad original. Shout out to everyone with plans to change for the better and needed the start of a calender year to do so. Shout out to waking up January 1st and stating "I'm never drinking again." Shout out to kidney abuse. Shout out to me wanting to start poking smot at 30yrs old. Shout out to everything positive happening to you and yours in the next 360+ days and everyday after that. If I missed some shout outs, feel free to add on in the comments. Peace & Love!